Many of us get motivation from reading a good book that highlights achievements in endurance sports. One of the best books I have read lately that does just that is “The Perfect Mile” by Neal Bascomb. Before you say, “What does a running book have to do with cycling?” The Perfect Mile translates well to any endurance sport enthusiast or any reader who enjoys drama and high achievement stories.
The Perfect Mile is about the mythical barrier of the 4 minute mile. It was believed by many in the early 20th century to be a barrier that could not be broken based on the limitations of the human body. Back in the forties and fifties many still believed that exercise was dangerous for people as the body had a predetermined amount of times that the heart would pump and that exercise could as a result, shorten your life span.
But many myths were about to be broken. The book takes you into the lives of three candidates to break the barrier; Wes Santee of the USA, Rodger Bannister of the UK, and John Landy of Australia. Each athlete is captured in both their approach to training as well as unique personalities. The frailties and triumphs that go along with the visible spectacle of open racing, with your country praying to be the first, weigh on their shoulders. The fear of failure, and the quest to achieve something never done, captivates the reader.
As with all endurance sports, the similarities to the feelings one gets as they try to go further or faster than before are persuasive throughout the book. It is that same feeling of achievement one has, following the suffering of an especially hard, epic bike ride or race that can be felt in the hearts and minds of these early pioneers of modern training and endurance sports.
Some of the early training described in the book is strange for us to imagine. As each pitted against each other, from different locations, results of a meet would come late due to how slowly the news travelled back then. Not like today’s instant news. Most of us know who broke that barrier, but that does not detract from the book whatsoever. In fact the story continues, as what follows that achievement provides interesting changes and opportunities to pit the men together and change the face of the sport. The drama makes the headlines and changes how endurance athletes train and compete from that point on. It is a real story that is enthralling as it speaks to the human spirit, the will to not give up. It also provides the world the optimism that any admirable human goal can be achieved with hard work and effort.
The Perfect Mile is addictive in that spirit, and reads smoothly and easily. The author puts you in their shoes, literally. You feel like you are running alongside these pioneering young men as they run with leather sewn together for running shoes, pushing themselves by feeling alone to the very edge, ruled by the ticking clock. At the same time you experience what it was like to live in a post world war world that slowly changed from war and suffering to trade, growth, and the rebuilding of prosperity.
It is on the foundation that these great athletes laid down that we enjoy the recreational sports we love so much. Here is a refreshing book that lets you taste the triumph of the human spirit, of celebration of life and pushing one’s God-given body to new heights. It is quite a good read!
Portland Velo Member Gary Stafford lives - get this - in Rhode Island! He comes to Oregon frequently on business and when he does, Ty lends him a bike and he rides with the club. Gary does a lot of writing - and riding - for his local cycling club, and has been gracious enough to allow us to reprint his articles on the Portland Velo website. Please give Gary a big "thanks" the next time you see him on a ride.