Happy Birthday Steve Prefontaine!

Today is Steve Prefontaine's birthday (January 25, 1951); Jeff and I just happened to be in Eugene, Oregon where there is a memorial for this great American middle and long distance runner.

Over Prefontaine's career, he won 120 of the 153 races he ran (78%), and never lost a collegiate race at the University of Oregon.  He once held the American record in the seven distance track events from the 2,000 meters to the 10,000 meters.  Prefontaine is credited with helping create the "running boom" in the 1970's.  He died at the age of 24 in a car accident at the height of his career.

In his words:
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

The memorial in Eugene also included some trails where Jeff and I got in our run.  

We ran 4 miles in 30:58.  It was a fun run adjacent to the Willamette River and goes past the University of Oregon football stadium.