Doctors and scientists said breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead
Roger BannisterRead
I was playing rugby and the other games English school children do, and there was an event in which races were run, and I won these by a considerable margin.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the importance of competitive spirit and achievement in sports.
Roger Bannister reflects on his early experiences in school athletics, emphasizing the joy of winning and the thrill of competition. His success in running races during his youth laid the foundation for his later historic achievements in middle-distance running, which ultimately changed the landscape of athletic performance.
Themes
RugbyCompetitionWinningAthleticsAchievement
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote to inspire students in school sports events.
More from Roger Bannister
All quotes βI trained for less than three-quarters of an hour, maybe five days a week - I didn't have time to do more. But it was all about quality, not quantity - so I didn't waste time jogging, ever.
Roger BannisterRead
I couldn't disappoint people. I did not want to fail and exhaust myself, because I was the kind of runner who trained so little that I couldn't race again within another 10 days.
Roger BannisterRead
The mile has all the elements of a drama.
Roger BannisterRead
No longer conscious of my movement, I discovered a new unity with nature. I had found a new source of power and beauty, a source I never dreamt existed.
Roger BannisterRead
Whether we athletes liked it or not, the 4-minute mile had become rather like an Everest: a challenge to the human spirit, it was a barrier that seemed to defy all attempts to break it, an irksome reminder that men's striving might be in vain.
Roger BannisterRead
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