Saw your book while Xmas shopping at Powell's in Portland and bought it. Read it through in one sitting. I grew up in Eugene as the son of a HS track coach. Followed UO track and field avidly starting essentially the same time Pre started at UO - the same time period covered in the first part of your book. Saw countless meets at Hayward - not only the Olympic Trials in '72 and '76 but AAU championships, Pac-8, Northern Division championships and UO dual meets. All from the old east grandstands. Saw Pre's last race and remember (news moved slower back then) not hearing about his death until getting to school (Cal Young Jr High) the following morning. As you note in your text - he'll always be 24 years old in our memories. Growing up in Eugene in the 60's and 70's was a special time and place. For countless of reasons beyond just UO track. Thanks for taking me back to that time. The memories are still vivid. Very much enjoyed the book, not only your UO career but what led up to it and what followed afterward.
P.S. Enjoyed your HTC accounts - having run it for 26 years for my office team before ultimately stepping aside a couple years ago.
Thank you for telling your story. It was uplifting and revealed an intelligent, sensitive, and disciplined man. You are a person who appreciated the gifts you were given and chose to develop them to their fullest. As you developed as an athlete you also developed as a man. Your track accomplishments were nothing short of amazing. To beat the great Mark Feig over 800 meters speaks volumes to anyone who knows their 70's track and field in Oregon and the USA.
To go to school with Feig on the track is one thing - but by account you also were advised in his other expertise - women. You give him credit for helping you recognize that Mary was your soul mate, the women you should marry. When you and Mary made the decision to adopt your children - you won the complete respect of both my wife and I and I suspect every other reader of your story.
We loved your story and You and Mary for sharing it.
Stephen Campbell High School teammate of Mark Feig 1971
Dear Steve, I am, extremely excited to read your book 1972. You my not remember me I was a teammate of yours at Torrejon High School and then competed against you and your brother when you went to Zaragoza High School. I followed your career at Oregon with amazement. After High School I competed for Metropolitan State College in Denver , and ran a best 800 of 153.88. After college I taught and coached Track and cross country at Smoky Hill High School in suburban Denver. I have one story to tell. I had the opportunity to meet and train one afternoon with Steve Prefontaine in March of 1975, he was staying with Frank Shorter and would train with the Denver Track club.I mentioned to Steve I had known you in High School, He acknowledged It's a small world.Sincerely Mike Renes.
4 comments:
Saw your book while Xmas shopping at Powell's in Portland and bought it. Read it through in one sitting.
I grew up in Eugene as the son of a HS track coach. Followed UO track and field avidly starting essentially the same time Pre started at UO - the same time period covered in the first part of your book. Saw countless meets at Hayward - not only the Olympic Trials in '72 and '76 but AAU championships, Pac-8, Northern Division championships and UO dual meets. All from the old east grandstands. Saw Pre's last race and remember (news moved slower back then) not hearing about his death until getting to school (Cal Young Jr High) the following morning. As you note in your text - he'll always be 24 years old in our memories.
Growing up in Eugene in the 60's and 70's was a special time and place. For countless of reasons beyond just UO track. Thanks for taking me back to that time. The memories are still vivid.
Very much enjoyed the book, not only your UO career but what led up to it and what followed afterward.
P.S. Enjoyed your HTC accounts - having run it for 26 years for my office team before ultimately stepping aside a couple years ago.
Steve:
Thank you for telling your story. It was uplifting and revealed an intelligent, sensitive, and disciplined man. You are a person who appreciated the gifts you were given and chose to develop them to their fullest. As you developed as an athlete you also developed as a man. Your track accomplishments were nothing short of amazing. To beat the great Mark Feig over 800 meters speaks volumes to anyone who knows their 70's track and field in Oregon and the USA.
To go to school with Feig on the track is one thing - but by account you also were advised in his other expertise - women. You give him credit for helping you recognize that Mary was your soul mate, the women you should marry. When you and Mary made the decision to adopt your children - you won the complete respect of both my wife and I and I suspect every other reader of your story.
We loved your story and You and Mary for sharing it.
Stephen Campbell
High School teammate of Mark Feig 1971
pls delete the spam comments promoting personal injury lawyers -- there are TWO -- after
https://stevebence.blogspot.com/2012/02/pres-rock-stories-of-accident.html
Dear Steve, I am, extremely excited to read your book 1972. You my not remember me I was a teammate of yours at Torrejon High School and then competed against you and your brother when you went to Zaragoza High School. I followed your career at Oregon with amazement. After High School I competed for Metropolitan State College in Denver , and ran a best 800 of 153.88. After college I taught and coached Track and cross country at Smoky Hill High School in suburban Denver. I have one story to tell. I had the opportunity to meet and train one afternoon with Steve Prefontaine in March of 1975, he was staying with Frank Shorter and would train with the Denver Track club.I mentioned to Steve I had known you in High School, He acknowledged It's a small world.Sincerely Mike Renes.
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