He did it on cinders in what would be essentially street shoes today.
and putting graphite on them to minimize the amount of material that collected on them. A completely different environment back then.
He did it while being a full time medical student too. Amazing to have that kind of determination.
The Mt. Everest of track the impossible 4 minute mile. RIP Sir.
I guess time finally...caught up with him...
Even though contemporary John Landy was arguably the better runner, Bannister broke the barrier which was once thought impossible, giving others the confidence to follow up. I have a framed news article reprint memorializing the feat.
The duels between those two are an important part of sports history. When most believed a four-minute mile was beyond human capabilities, Sir Roger almost make it look true with his famous finish-line collapses, showing that he really did give it his all and then some.
Today, as pointed out, a mile run has almost turned into a long sprint, and world-class marathoners routinely post mile times just over 4 minutes for the entire 26.2-mile distance.