“You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over, the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running but it always comes back to where it started.—Steve Prefontaine. Steve Prefontaine is a great runner whose running has inspired so many people. He is important because Steve Prefontaine had a running style and attitude that helped people succeed. Prefontaine had three major careers in his life they where his high school career, college career, and professional career; each career had a different meaning and effect to him.
To start off, Prefontaine’s high school career where it all started to layout for him in the life he chose to live. Personality is one of the first things that shape you in running, “Charismatic, endurance, and confident Steve Prefontaine” (Steve Prefontaine: Biography from Answers.com). These helped him a lot when he began to run because he was incorporating the right factors into running. He knew how to utilize the skills the skills that he was holding within himself. He got the prep that he needed to help him compete better throughout the different seasons of track and cross country. His coach’s name was Walter McClure who was also a track star at Marshfield high school. “He went undefeated in cross country and track as a junior and senior” (Steve Prefontaine: Bio & Pix). Also, this helped Steve gain more confidence as a runner to show that it is possible to break records. Pre had goals that were different from any normal high school runner; he practically knew what he wanted. Pre was trying to break goals that were held by Americans that were older. Steve Prefontaine showed that it is possible to do anything if you set your mind to it, achieving your goals. I relate to Pre while he was in his high school career because on how he wasn’t a normal high school runner he had a lot of goals to achieve. Then having a layout of his future this helped him decide where he wants to go to college.
Steve Prefontaine had an amazing college running career when he began to run in college. The college that Prefontaine attended was University of Oregon. Also, Prefontaine signed with University of Oregon soon after breaking the American record for the two-mile junior year of high school. Also, Steve entered the University of Oregon in fall of 1969 and graduated in the summer of 1973. During this time Prefontaine broke record times. Also “Pre won seven NCAA titles” (Steve Prefontaine: Bio & Pix). These were from running cross country and track. With such great running ability Steve Prefontaine made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a freshman an Oregon because of running. While running in college Steve Prefontaine only lost two races total. Pre ran cross country and ran the one-mile in track. “While running cross country Prefontaine took three NCAA titles and in track Steve took four titles in the one-mile in track” (Steve Prefontaine: Bio& Pix). Pre went to school and got his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. This is important because it shows how he can use his personality.
When Pre graduated college he went into running professionally. Pre held every American record (8) between 2,000 and 10,000 meters (between 2miles and six miles on the track). “With being such a great runner Pre only ran in one Olympiad which was the Munich Summer Games of 1972. Prefontaine was at the age of twenty-one when competing in these games” (Steve Prefontaine Biography at answers.com). Steve was two years younger than anyone else who was running the races Steve Prefontaine was. Ultimately Prefontaine finish fourth in the race with a time of 13:28.25. Prefontaine has something called the Hayward Connection. The Hayward Connection was where Pre raced; racing thirty-eight times at Hayward. Pre only had three losses which were all in the mile race. This was between the time periods of 1970-1975. This showed significance because it shows the experience that is needed to succeed.
Steve Prefontaine is an amazing runner who inspired people to achieve their goals and to reach them each time. With only being 25 when he died he accomplished a lot within that time. Prefontaine had three different types of careers that helped him achieve different parts of life. Steve had his high school, college, and professional careers that helped him learn life values and how to better his running. Pre is important because he changed the outlook on running for a lot of people in a good way for some. On the other hand people did not like Steve Prefontaine because he was a great runner. He was cocky but he could usually boast up to what he would say.