Meet Pre.
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This, my friends, is Steve Prefontaine.
In yesterday's Register Guard there was a memorial article (he died May, 30 1975) and this ad, place by NIKE. One of my favorite quotes from the article: "He was an outspoken athlete who made outrageous predictions that nobody thought he could back up - and then he would go out and prove everyone wrong." Coming across this ad...WOW. I took it and put it right up on my board in my studio.
Pre is a legend. Man, look at those eyes. There have been movies made about his brief life. He came from the tiny little town where my Dad grew up, Coos Bay, Oregon. He was a distance running phenom. Attended the University of Oregon. Eugene is referred to as "track town USA"? This place is big on running. BIG. And in the track and field world...he was a mega star with a BIG attitude and the feet to back it up.
His story has a tragic ending. A car crash here in town killed Steve when he was just 24. At the height of his running career. He held the American Record in every event over a mile.
I love this ad. The text says, "Where are all the rock star runners? He was this kid from Coos Bay, who wanted to run faster than any other human being in the world. A kid that was too small and not fast enough. A kid everyone kept telling to give up a foolish dream. They called him "Pre." The man who ran like fire every day, every race, wire to wire. The man who caused people to stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone run like that before.' A runner who never paced himself, slowed down or quit. But Pre wasn't a runner. He was a rebel who happened to run. Where is the next Pre?"
Oh man that fills me up. Makes me want to run...and I am no runner. I love that he was a dream chaser, literally. Fighting every day to be the best. You can see that determination, that bit of insanity, in his eyes. Serious inspiration.
When people ask what inspires me, I always answer everything. Here is an example of something that spoke to me loud and clear. How it directly translates to a scrapbook page is almost impossible to demonstrate. But it will. In one way or another. The feeling will be expressed. It simply becomes a part of me.
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54 comments
it was neat to see the tribute to Pre in the RG yesterday...30 years ago...even though i was just 10 months old when he died he's always been such a part of eugene culture for me...definitely a legend...and inspirational...thanks...
ps...a funny note...i was an extra in the movie about his life that was filmed in eugene..."Without Limits"...it's the one Tom Cruise produced (didn't ever see tom on the set, heard rumors he was there though)...when i went to see the movie in the theater it was so fun to see so many people i knew in it as extras...and i was in it too...super quick...but recognizable enough that people came up & said they saw me...a scene filmed at Hayward field...ahhh, my on screen debute....
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Thank you for sharing that. I had seen the Nike commercial yesterday but was only half paying attention. Now I understand it. Sounds like quite an amazing, and inspiring person. Nice to feel inspired today.
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Every time I read your blog I am blown away. Thank you for sharing your gift with all of us.
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i have seen two different movie on pre and they were so awsome. thank you for reminding me of him.....he really was incredible.
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What a great look on life. I will need to print this for myself and hang it up in my scraproom. Thank you for sharing this inspiring ad, wow.
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Being another Oregonian, I too remember Steve Prefontaine---haven't seen the ad (we get the Corvallis Gazette Times) but would love to get a copy of it to show my daughter. She's a runner, soccer player, and after recent knee surgery is ready to chuck it all :( (Can't blame her, since I too don't like pain!) But being a non-athelete, it's been fun seeing her excell where I never did---maybe some incentive like that ad would help snap her back into sports---she's a Nike fan too!
Thanks for showing us that nifty piece of inspiration---
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Awesome. Love that UofO does the Prefontaine classic every year as a tribute...as a reminder.
Great post Ali, thanks.
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That is an amazing picture. How can one not be inspired when they look at those crazy eyeballs? Fierce.
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Your post gave me goosebumps. Thank you.
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Your post gave me goosebumps. Thank you.
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Wow- powerful post!
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cool ad...loved that movie!
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Ahh, Eugene and Hayward field, you took me back today to my days at U of O. Great school, great towm, great story. Thanks.
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Ali
I got shivers reading this.
Wow, so cool.
Love also that you are inspired by EVERYTHING.
I am inspired by you!
Jess
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How awesome is that picture of him and how could everyone NOT be inspired to the same heights? They say the eyes are the mirror of the soul - I can literally feel the soul of this man coming through from that piece of paper!
Thanks for sharing from your heart!
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i'd never heard of this guy before. mtv ran a little story on him in between one of my guilty pleasure shows and it was pretty interesting. i love this photo of him. and that byline from nike. damn. they are good.
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He was such an inspiration when I ran track in school. His story and records are amazing!
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Cool. Always inspiring to hear about those who are just out there, doing their thing. Being passionate about something. Really {being}. Thanks.
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cool ad, awesome post Ali.
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Wow! What an inspiring post! Thanks for sharing - I had never heard of him. I'm sending a link to my son - he just started running again and he'll love it!
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