Who is a greater runner, steve prefontaine or lasse viren?
they are both great but viren beat pre in the olympics, so who is better?
Answers:
Track and Field News twice ranked Lasse Viren best in the world in the 5K and 10K and always ranked him ahead of Prefontaine. In fact, Prefontaine was never ranked higher than 4th. Pre was a great American runner and at one time held every American distance record from 2k through 10K. However, he never won an Olympic medal, never set a world record and did not win when racing against the best European and African runners of his day. During his last two years of life, he was not even the top ranked US 5K runner. Much of his fame today is the result of books, movies and Nike ads.
It is sad that Pre died at age 24 and he is certainly an inspirational runner for many. However, people can only be judged by what they do,not what they might have done.
What is a fast 5k (3.1 miles) time?
Steve Prefontaine, without a doubt.I have 3 track meets this week, any advice?
Easy.. Lassie .. He had four legs and his own TV program .Steve Prefontaine he was only 21 when he placed a very close 4th in Munic he never had the chance to be the best because he died at age 24 but he would have killed Lasie if Lasie would have raced him in Pres last race with the Finn Track Team
I have to be biased and say Prefontaine. I do believe that Viren would have eventually been beaten by Pre because Pre would've made that his absolute goal until he died (sadly, he died way too soon). The reason Pre lost to Viren in the Olympics was because Pre was unexperienced running against foreign runners and wasn't familiar with the field he was running against. I truly believe that he would've won the Montreal Olympics.
Prefontaine.
I want to like to run!!!! I want to do track. =]?
Pre is a hero to Americans and you can say what he would have done, but he was not that fast. Viren ran 52 seconds for the last 400 in his Olympic wins. He could run any pace and then out sprint everyone in the world. It is said Pre came in 4th at the Olympics because he took a chance at winning instead of just trying to medal, but he could not run with those guys at any pace. Viren won the 5K and 10K twice, that is not luck or miss judging the pace or taking a chance and losing that is winning regardless of other people.What is a good workout for practice for running the 400m in track?
Ok, I have met both. Prefontaine was a great guy and Mr. Viren was a cold fish. Pre was internationally inexperienced in 1972 as the USTFF/AAUwas an insular waste of time that literally screwed our runners.Viren's triumph in Montreal in 1976, left a lingering doubt about his "cleanliness" in regards to certain blood doping techniques that would not have been detectable then, but sure are now. Tests were developed because of him.
Pre was a wild guy and that did eventually play a part in his demise. But his rebelion was such a liberating force and infectious and in the end could not be contained even after his death. No what killed that spirit in the USA was 1980 and the Olympic Boycott.
Pre is once again popular and HS and College 800-10K times are tumbling hopefully to reach the halcyon days of the late 70's. Cheer on as his influence will last a good deal longer than he,Mr Viren has had no real lasting influence on his country or the world. he just stepped out collected some prizes and left.
Old Guy
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