http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/sub-four-magic?page=singleFormer YSU great Kurt Michaelis was interviewed in Runner World magazine about breaking the 4-minute mile.
KURT MICHAELIS
A 2003 NCAA All-American in the indoor mile, Kurt Michaelis holds a personal best of 4:02.7. The Youngstown State alum describes the sub-4:00 mile as "the albatross that still hangs around my neck."
"My first aspirations of running sub-4:00 came when I was a high school freshman and I ran 4:23 for the 1600. My coach handed mean article on [California prep star] Michael Stember chasing the 4-minute mile, and I became fascinated. I never had any visions of winning Olympic gold, but I looked at sub-4:00 as something I could do.
"Truthfully, I thought it would be easier than it actually was. I ended up running 4:15 [for the 1600] in high school on about 25 miles a week. I thought I'd get great college training and my times would drop, but it wasn't until my junior year that I broke 4:10.1 still thought 4:00 was within reach, though, and when I ran 4:02 [in my fourth year], that race was set up for me to run sub-4:00.1 just didn't get it done.
"For a good few years after I graduated, I kept thinking about getting myself back into shape so I could make a run at it. Was that even possible? I just couldn't let it go. After about six years, I got over it and accepted reality.
"Running a 3:59.9 wouldn't have changed my life–I know that–but it sure would be nice to tell my kids I did it and to look at a list of those who've done it and see my name alongside the greats."
