The summer after these photos were taken, I stood in Munich, watching him take command of the Olympic 5000 Final. No one had wanted to force the pace and with 4 laps to go the 21-year-old Pre upped the ante with laps of 62, 61, and 60, and ended up 4th after the dramatic last lap. Many of us have often wondered what he might have have done in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. I don't think the 5 would have come down to a kicker's race.

Pre was one of the most talented, grittiest, and charismatic distance runners the U.S. has ever had. Seldom has an American distance runner achieved celebrity status. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a college freshman. Thousands would show up at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field to see him race. Two decades after his death he still appears in Nike ads.

This was a guy with an appetite for hard work, who would attack killer workouts with enthusiam. Yet he was not absorbed nor obsessed with his own running. Pre would make visits to the state prison, and also visit schools and tutor children. He started jogging clubs and helped in the fight for cleaner air. Those of us who saw his sportsmanship, and his articulate, enthusiastic and confident demeanor, will never forget him.

Send questions, comments to: gfp@gte.net

This page was last modified: May 12, 2006