The first High School Runner to run a sub four minute mile in 1964, Jim Ryun is 71 today

DID YOU KNOW:  Today is Jim Ryun’s 71st birthday.  Jim was the first prep runner to run a sub-4:00 mile which he did in 1964 in 3:59.0. His 1965 time of 3:55.3 stood as a high school record for 36 years. A three-time Olympian in 1964, 1968 and 1972, Jim won the Silver Medal in the 1968 Olympic 1,500 meters in Mexico City, set World Records in 1966 of 1:44.9 for 880 yards (1:44.3 for 800m en route) and the mile (3:51.1). In 1967 he set World Records of 880 yards indoors (1:48.3), mile (3:51.1) and 1,500 meters (3:33.1), he tied Tom O’Hara’s indoor mile WR of 3:56.4 in 1971, was five-time NCAA champion at the University of Kansas, at Wichita East High School was three-time Kansas State mile champion, was 1966 Sports Illustrated ‘Sportsman of the Year’, 1966 Sullivan Award honoree, 1966 ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, and Track and Field News 1966 and 1967 Athlete of the Year.  Jim was one of my heroes that got me started running in 1973 and remains one of my heroes.  Last summer Jim was awesome to be my milestone 100th interviewee at Gary Cohen Running. (Click on link to read the interview.)

posted Sunday April 29th
by Gary Cohen