Not even close to a 4 min mile but hats off to Bannister!

Sixty years ago on a windy afternoon at Iffley Field in England Sir Roger Bannister ran the first sub 4 min mile, and with that feat he has inspired generations of runners. Sub 4 is still a big feat--a standard of excellence--and if you get down to it, it's harder to do than climbing Mount Everest. Not to downplay the latter, but with money and resolve a lot of people can do Everest, only the very talented and dedicated get under 4.

If you haven't done so, check this video of the event as it happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTXoTnp_5sI

Meanwhile, Steve Spence who ran in the Olympics and won a Bronze Medal in the 1991 World Championships marathon, has broken 5 every year since he was about 15 years old. I'm no Bannister or Steve Spence, but my name is Roger.

So in deference to the feats of those great athletes, here's my year by year history at the mile. I didn't race in high school, and only started as a sprinter in the weeks following graduation. So not a perfect record by any means--wish I'd actually worked on a Spence like streak, rather than being half-hazard for several of those years--but happy to be in the low 5s into my mid-50s.

5:30 (1976) Time trial (age 18), Iowa City, IA
4:47 (1977) Time trial, Grinnell IA (following my first XC season in college; also ran 4:49 at a summer meet)
4:39 (1978) Meet at William Penn College, IA (also ran a 4:17 1500 m in Chicago that summer)
4:55 (1979) split in 2 mile at indoor track in Sterling, IL (didn't run the mile that year)
4:31 (1980) Drake Relays, Des Moines, IA 4:30 split in 4 X 1600 meters (we got last place)
5:00? (1981) 1st mile at Get in Gear 10K (33:35), Minnesota. Did not race the mile that year, nor 5K.
4:52a (1982) 24 hour relay, Boulder CO, converts to 4:44 at sea level
4:57a (1983) split in 5K (15:28) in Steamboat Springs, CO converts to 4:49
5:03a (1984) split in 5K (16:23) in Fort Collins, CO converts to 4:55
4:34a (1985) road mile, Fort Collins, CO converts to 4:26
4:34a (1986) Track meet Boulder, CO converts to 4:26 (also ran 4:11 1500m in Boulder)
5:0Xa (1987) 5K split (16:30) Roy, UT converts to about 5:00
5:0Xa (1988) 5K split (16:31) Reno, NV converts to low 5s
4:32 (1989), Track meet, Syracuse NY
4:34 (1990), Road Mile Elmira, NY
4:32 (1991), Time Trial, Ithaca, NY
4:43 (1992), Time Trial, Dickinson, ND
4:46 (1993), Time trial, Dickinson, ND
4:53 (1994), Time trial, Dickinson, ND
4:56 (1995), Time trial, Grand Forks, ND
4:57 (1996), Time trial, Bemidji, MN
5:30? (1997), 5K split (17:40), Amherst, MA (Injured most of the year)
4:38 (1998), Masters Mile, Amherst, MA (AGE 40 Comeback!)
4:41a (1999), Fort Collins, CO (converted from 1500 m)
4:53a (2000), Track meet Boulder, CO converts to 4:45
5:09a (2001), road mile Fort Collins, CO, converts to 5:01
injured (2002)
5:10a (2003), road mile Fort Collins, CO, converts to 5:02
5:07 (2004) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK
4:56 (2005) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK
4:54 (2006) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK
5:08 (2007) Road Mile, Fairbanks, AK
5:00 (2008) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK (AGE 50)
5:00 (2009) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK
5:13 (2010) All comers meet, Fairbanks, AK (converted 1500 m)
5:10 (2011) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK
5:03 (2012) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK
5:10 (2013) Flint Hills Mile, Fairbanks, AK