‘Greatest sporting feat in the last 100 years’: Roger Bannister’s sub four-minute mile

It may require someone who is a huge name in sports to truly understand and admire the exceptional performance of another. It was exactly 70 years ago today when Sir Roger Bannister accomplished the impossible and became the first person to run a mile in less than four minutes. People never thought it was possible until that blustery day in Oxford in 1954. How impressive was it? Last week, when I asked Sebastian Coe to give me a better perspective, he said: "I believe that it is one of, if not the greatest, sporting achievement in the last century when it comes to all the measures."

It is quite a compliment coming from a person who achieved double Olympic victory and shattered many world records. Bannister's feat of breaking the previous world record by two seconds and setting a time of 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds is astounding. However, Coe believes there is more to Bannister's achievement than just speed. He argues that people often overlook the mental obstacle that Bannister had to overcome. As a medical practitioner, Bannister was aware of articles in medical journals that claimed attempting to break the four-minute barrier could lead to fatal consequences.

Coe admitted that Bannister faced other important difficulties. Bannister was raised during a time of rationing because of the war. He also raced on a track made of cinders that was better suited for speedway than achieving fast times. Additionally, the racing spikes that Bannister wore were incredibly heavy. Coe found out years later when he held them that one of Bannister's spikes weighed more than both of his shoes together.

Bannister had a job while training, and when he and Coe compared their training logs before breaking their mile world records, they both found it amusing. Coe stated that his dear friend probably trained with the same intensity in three days, that he trained in a week and a half.

According to the speaker, Roger was actually quite humorous, but he preferred to keep it to himself. The speaker recalls having a conversation with Roger over tea at his home in Oxford. During their conversation, Roger revealed to the speaker that he had Parkinson's disease. The speaker expressed his condolences by asking if Roger had gotten a second opinion. However, Roger reacted disdainfully to the suggestion and explained that he personally diagnosed himself because he was an expert neurologist.

I had the privilege of talking to Bannister a few times before his passing in 2018. He recounted the historic day through his perspective. He started the day with porridge for breakfast, followed by a visit to the hospital before taking an earlier train to Oxford than scheduled. Bannister was worried about the 25mph winds that could potentially ruin his attempt. Fortunately, he came across Franz Stampfl, his coach, who had been working on his aerobic and anaerobic abilities for months but now needed to help him mentally.

Stampfl told Roger that although the weather was awful, he believed Roger could still run a mile in 3:56 if the weather was good. Stampfl said that if Roger didn't take the opportunity to run today, he might regret it forever. Stampfl acknowledged that running would be painful, but asked Roger if a little pain was really that big of a deal.

However, he hesitated. By 5:15 pm, which was just 45 minutes before the race was scheduled to start, the weather changed and started raining. This made Bannister realize that his pacemakers, Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway, were getting more impatient because he still hadn't made a decision. Fortunately, the rain eased after 15 minutes, and when the flag at the church tower dropped, Bannister finally made up his mind and decided to go for it.

I recollected Bannister disclosing to me how he experienced an incredible rush on the initial lap and yelled "quicker" at Brasher, in spite of breezing through it in 57.7 seconds. Approximately halfway through, they reached the 1:58:3 mark before a more leisurely third lap demanded he complete the final lap in under 59 seconds. That's when his adrenaline kicked in and, as they say, the rest is history.

In his autobiography, Bannister recollected a feeling of all his limbs being trapped in a tightening grip. He experienced a rush of blood from his muscles to his brain which left him feeling overwhelmed, like a burst flashbulb. His vision changed to black and white as if he had heard the time before actually hearing it.

The four-minute limit was broken, which altered people's views. After six weeks, Australian runner John Landy topped the record by finishing in 3 minutes and 58.0 seconds. Nevertheless, Bannister's accomplishment remains significant, mostly due to the immense difficulty of his feat and the fact that it was captured on camera by the BBC.

During this time period, people were breaking through mythical obstacles in extraordinary ways. For example, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947, and Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay successfully climbed Mount Everest six years later. In 1954, Bannister became a new hero for conquering the unknown. However, due to the strict amateur status rules in athletics, Bannister was not able to profit financially from his amazing accomplishment.

Truly, the regulations were extremely harsh. As a result, when the foreign office dispatched Bannister to the US seven days afterwards with the intention of bolstering Anglo-American ties, his journey was primarily overshadowed by apprehensions that he could unintentionally commit an act that would lead to his exclusion from the athletic realm.

Bannister was supposed to make an appearance on the game show called I've Got a Secret, which RJ Reynolds Tobacco sponsored. However, his appearance got cancelled because of concerns that his presence might cause a conflict of interest. Furthermore, Bannister was not even allowed to receive the 'Miracle Mile Trophy' during his visit because it was valued at £180, which was much higher than the IAAF's limit of £12 for athlete's trophies. Thus, Bannister had to settle for a replica worth £11 instead.

John Russell, the leader of the British Informational Service, recommended that it is wise to err on the side of caution. In case of an international gathering, it's possible that another nation such as Russia might challenge Bannister's status as an amateur. Russell shared his thoughts with the Manchester Guardian.

However, Bannister viewed sports as more than just a way to earn money. He believed that sports taught valuable lessons and required giving your maximum effort. Bannister stated that sports allowed individuals to face challenges and make adjustments on the fly. In essence, sports is reflective of life, where one must be willing to take risks and seize opportunities.

At present, his legacy endures. On Monday, at 6pm, there will be mile races held at the Iffley Road track where he broke the record. Multiple ex-world record holders, such as Hicham El Guerrouj, Noureddine Morceli, Filbert Bayi, and Steve Cram, will be present to show their respect. Coe believes that a significant portion of the public still remembers Bannister's name, despite any changes that may have occurred. He thinks that Bannister acted as a guide for others.