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Since 1886, runners had been training vigorously to breakĀ the 4-minute mile and that challenge involved the most brilliant coaches and gifted athletes in North America, Europe, and Australia. At the time, this was truly the Holy Grail of athletic achievement. There was big pressure, bigĀ crowds, and the media swirledĀ as runners tried in vain to break the mark.
Then came Roger Bannister. A full-time student who had noĀ coachĀ and created his own system to prepareĀ for races. And onĀ May 6, 1954, he broke the four-minute barrier with a time of three minutes, fifty-nine and four-tenths of a second. Bannister did it on a cold day, on a wet track, at a small ordinaryĀ meet in Oxford, England... the first person ever known to do itĀ and he did it under pretty lacklusterĀ conditions.
Then, somethingĀ even more miraculous happened.
Just 46 days after Bannister's feat,Ā John Landy, an Australian runner, broke the barrier again, with a time of 3 minutes 58 seconds.
Then, a year later, three more runners broke the four-minute barrier in a single race.
Now, more than aĀ thousandĀ runners have conquered a barrier that had once been considered hopelessly out of reach.
What changed?
Belief.
Ā
What isĀ your biggest, most daunting goal in life?
Why is it impossible?
Why is it not?
Ā
On your mark... get set...
-GFDD
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