Good article on Jim Ryun (now a Republican Congressman) in the Washington Post.
What they don't mention in their catalogue of decline of American track is that one reason not very many high schoolers break 4 minutes for the mile is that American high schools don't run mile races. They run 1600m.
All race distances are arbitrary, but it is still somewhat silly. Can high schools afford tracks but not afford to paint the stagger line 9 metres back of the finish line on a 400m track? Are they afraid the kids will collapse in the final 9 metres (18 for the 2 mile!)?
The absurdity of the distances run in American high school track are, of course, a regular feature on letsrun.
Posted by robe0419 at May 16, 2005 5:54 PM