As the oldest sister of my bro Steve Prefontaine, I can tell you he was the real deal. I knew him better than anyone in my family. He would call me and discuss his feelings about things that he wasn’t sure about. I was always close to him. He was always the same person he was as growing up. You would find him fun to be with, always telling jokes,laughing. Always seeing his fans. He even stayed with many of the on weekends when he had time.his love of his people and of Steve really was there. He was loyal to his people. Not leaving this area which he had many reasons to do. But so proud of his coach at the U of O. Bill Bowerman. A committed young man. Always proud of the small, sincere, loving, disciplined, loyal. He faced the tides of wrong, and fought the battle to make Track better for all. He had his own track met just before he died. The Finns came here to Eugene and Steve took them to rural towns to see the beauty of Oregon. The love for his people was and is still here. Miss you bro!

It’s still painful to know that he passed in 1975. My hero as a teenager.

Back in the day, as a youngster, I thought he was the greatest runner. 5 decades later, that hasn't changed.

I'm always impressed how well Steve handled himself during these after race interviews. He always offers very intelligent well thought out answers.

Pre won the three mile in the first track meet i ever attended with my brother in 1971. I became a runner the next year and was hooked. I still run today and did my speed workout in the northwest summer twilight last night. RIP to our great young man died too young.

Grateful to see this video. Pre was a real competitor. I like to imagine him running with the World's best in the present day, along with the sponsorship, gear, PT, altitude training, recovery equipment, Alter G machines, massages, modern track surfaces and other training methods. Prep's weekly routine was usually 85 miles or so, most of which were run at 6 minute pace with a Sunday long run of 15 miles @ 6:30 pace, a tempo run @ 5 minute pace and a 3 or 4mile repeat workout @ 4:20 pace. Pre lived in basic poverty in a trailer and had to bartend at night to make ends meet. If he had what two recent college grads like Grant Fisher and Joe Klecker have now, with their respective training groups, the sky would be the limit. Grant & Joe, who are about a year or two older than Pre here, just recently ran 7:37 and 7:39 respectively for 3K. Not to diminish them or their accomplishments but can you imagine what Pre would have been capable of with all that they have at their disposal? Pre was 5 seconds off the world record. Fischer's 7:37 is 17 seconds off the world record. Fisher even more recently ran 13:02 for 5K, Klecker 13:06 same race, Pre's 5K PR was 13:22 I believe. If Pre were around today I'm guessing he would be a 7:27 3K and 12:50 5K man.

Man this is a nice quality video. I’m so happy to see another pre race

I’m glad Steve made a KZfaq channel before he died

Steve was a big hero of mine and I got a chance to stand next to him during a Pac-8 Cross Country Championship meet at UCLA (where I was a student) in about 1971 or so. I ran up the tail between the dorms to watch him go by and cheer him on (gently patting his shoulder). I ran back down to the finish line as he wound down along Sunset Boulevard, finishing far ahead of everyone in typical Pre fashion. Always would go to Drake Stadium during track season whenever Oregon came to town. I'm currently doing a series of "Heroes" oil paintings, and Steve is one of them. RIP, buddy.

I was very fortunate to be able to see Pre when he was in high school. He would run by our house every once in a while and,made me think I could run fast. Lol.

Most runners run like antelope. Steve ran like a stallion.

Thanks to those who find these wonderful films and share them with us fans. I was a Prefontaine fan from the moment I saw his first interview. When it comes to having "that something" he had it in spades.

I'm Scottish and was 8 years old when Pre died. It's only really taken until now to properly realise just how much of a loss to the world of athletics his early passing was. My first Olympics memory was 1976...my heroes from that were Viren, Juantorena and Comaneci...and I'm sure Pre would have joined that list if he had made it to Montreal.

thank you for posting this. Just before the Olympics & he looked untouchable. PRE LIVES

I lived for a time on Prefontaine Way in Coos Bay Oregon and worked at the high school (Marshfield) Pre went to. That's my claim to fame. Used to watch him race at U-of-O as much as we could as kids. Then I ended up moving to his hometown in 1980, talk about a depressed economy, unemployment was in the 25% range because all the lumber mills had closed down. Now Coos Bay is booming again because of tourism and the big ass casino they built in a remodeled lumber mill. I remember the commentators on the radio before the start of the 3,000 at Munich in 72' saying that Pre would win the Olympic gold (but not here it will be in Montreal in 76'). And you just know he would have.

Thanks for the video. Hope to watch the 1500 m soon. 👌🏻

Wow! Such an amazing athlete! I am 100% star struck♥

AMAZING!! Pre really was the best!

Thanks for posting! Absolutely enjoyed this video!

There is no doubt Steve was the greatest runner of his generation and might I even add he is the GOAT! To those who say he is not or was not, I would ask them if Finland was making Viren do bartending? If Ian Stewart was getting a daily wage of less than $3 per day? Or, Galen Rupp today had such scarcity of infrastructure and technology, would he be able to JUST BEAT Pre’s record after nearly 4 decades! Yes, Pre was cocky and brash but was he not fighting the AAU ? Did he not choose his country over a heavy amount of money? He inspired generations! Track and field was the golden age when Pre was around!

A bit of Pre's spirit is alive & well in each of us who remember him especially when we run. RIP Steve

Pre and I were freshmen together at Oregon and my girlfriend and his were friends. Got to see him often at school. Was standing with Mac Wilkins one day and Pre went by and Mac said “hi World.” Asked him why he called Pre “World” and Mac said “ because he’s world famous!” And he was.

People forget just how good he was, Munich had a lot going against him allowing the kickers extra days of rest. He was also instrumental in the design of Nike, shoes that were originally made by Bill Bowerman. When Pre first wore them they were made in pieces but he would take them out for a run and literally destroy them in a short distance. He was the one who mentioned changing the toe to a one piece and Bowerman’s former track students, Phil Knight got backing from the best investor of all time in Paul Allen ( a guy who seemed to be in right place right time being money man for both Nike and Microsoft.)

Steve gave everything he had to you watching him. He wanted you to see the best runner who came from Coos Bay Oregon. Love you my brother.

Adverts for athletes foot spray and beer in the middle of the live broadcast. That's 1970s TV for you! A great race from Prefontaine. Dick Quax came third. He would have been one of Prefontaine's main medal rivals in 1976 Montreal. I'm confident Pre would have beaten him.

Quite a stellar field behind him too.

Love you Pre.

Everytime I watch the 76 Olympic 5000, that last drive with viren,dixon, quax and the German I always imagine him with them. What a race it was but what a race it could of been!

Thank you. He was the best brother too. Hugs

This race was 50 years ago. Half a century. Time really does fly.

"Pre's People" documentary shows unseen race footage, photos and stories from high school days. Very insightful!

I ran cross country from 7-12 grades and many races outside of school. We used to watch the movie “prefontaine” on the bus to big CC matches. It would get us so pumped up and I still can’t watch or think much of his story without tearing up

So sad so young 💔

Fate is cruel….he deserved better than what he got.

PRE simply GREAT!!!!!!!!

Awesome! Be like Pre Pre lives ❤

Watching pre run 😜 is so satisfying ☺️😅

Got to see two all time greats here - Pre and Yogi.

Gosh dang! What a handsome devil!

A beast!

Great announcing

He was "The Man" 💪

Legend

Don't care for these sportscasters but love to see pre. Today I'm running

❤

My best 3K was 9:35-so 2 minutes slower, or 1 minute per mile. I would have been lapped nearly twice.

To think how great this man would have been if he had more time.

"I'm not even tired"

Historisk filmopptak og Steve Prefonteins 3ooom. på 7.44.2 som er en god tid 51 år etterpå.

I attended the same school as Garry Bjorklund who competed against Pre. In fact where Garry trained was 5 miles from my house. I’m sorry Pre died that way!!! It didn’t seem that Steve was a born again child of God. That is the REAL tragedy!!! God help us. We love the destination, it is the he map or the directions we hate.

I am 74 now and have Pre posters still up in my house. I feel we have the female version in Katelyn Tuohy.

"They Europeans want to see him, they've heard a lot about him, most of it he's said himself." Pretty funny burn.

Secretariat of the 3,000m run!

Running saved my life !!!

Always a giver!

Perfect conditions: weather similar to Oregon's; stacked field with Shorter. Everything in Pre's favor.

... and a nice interview by Jack Whitaker.

Someone who knew him said he was the real James Dean, the rebel with a cause, and died in his car the same way.

五十年前だぜ！

Ludacrisley Large Field.

Think of what Pre would have accomplished with monetary support he needed to make ends meet and get ahead. The AAU had been squeezing the life out of American athletes. He persevered nevertheless, championing their cause and was ultimately victorious, if but posthumously.

Number of runner?!?

Why did the lead guy drop out?

Pre is def an icon. But......... Thinknof his 7:44.2 then think about Daniel Komens 7:20.67................ Literally half a lap ahead !!!!!

Reminds me of Oregon's best-ever distance runner, Ed Cheserek!

Run Against him

No Africans or Blacks how times have changed

My dad would have beaten all in this heat at this race if he was admitted...but he was only 17 -running 1:51 800 meters as a HS Senior in Wichita KS...Larry Jantzen.

Forget beating Pre, instead BE Pre.

Not one black wow times have changed

People do stupid things....

Got beat in Munich came up against the real deals ..

I never understood the cult of personality surrounding Pre, all his talk about winning the '72 Olympics, that he was going to run a 4 minute last mile, put crap in the kickers legs. Runs the 4 minute mile, doesn't even medal. 3rd placer says I don't know what made him think he was the only person who could do that. He hated Norpoth. 1973, says he is going to beat him in he US Germany dual, loses. 1974 he is going to beat Viren, Has a coughing fit, tears some muscle in his rib cage, doesn't compete. Of the five years he was an elite runner, he wasn't even top American two of them.

Steve Prefontaine was an amazing athlete and person. It is to bad that the truth about the death of Steve is quickly glossed over or ignored. His blood alcohol level measured after his tragic accident was over TWICE the legal limit for impairment. This could be used as a great lesson to generations of athletes BUT sadly the sports community would rather paint him as a GOD. He was not. It is so sad that his career was cut short by alcohol.