| Before 1954, running a sub four-minute
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| | In the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo,
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| mile was considered to be impossible
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| | five days after just setting the world
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| according to physiologists at that time.
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| | record in the 100 meters by running it in
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| It was thought that a four-minute mile
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| | 9.86 seconds, Lewis' 10-year unbeaten
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| was the physical limit of the human body.
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| | streak in the long jump came to an end,
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| When Englands' Roger Bannister ran a
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| | even though he put together the greatest
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| 3:59.4 to break the world record, he not
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| | series of jumps in history. Lewis had
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| only broke a physical barrier but he also
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| | never before reached 29 feet, and this
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| broke a psychological barrier as well.
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| | day he did it three times, including 29'
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| Australian John Landy, who was considered
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| | 2" (wind-aided) and 29' 1" (against the
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| to be the premier miler of that era, was
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| | wind). But Mike Powell, who had lost 15
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| at a restaurant in Helsinki when news
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| | consecutive times to Lewis, unleashed the
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| came to him of Bannister's achievement.
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| | longest jump in history -- 29' 4" (8.90
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| "I had got into this frame (of mind)
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| | m). Powell had stunned Lewis and the
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| where I had easily the best performances.
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| | world by finally beating the 23
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| Bannister had only run 4:02 once. I'd
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| | year-old-record.
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| done it six times. I was staggered. I
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| | I've used these two stories from the
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| thought: 'Wow, what an amazing
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| | sports world to illustrate that the
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| performance', but I was pretty positive.
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| | things that often hold us back, are more
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| I thought if he can run that, maybe I can
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| | psychological than physical. Limiting
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| run it. It certainly raised my sights."
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| | barriers are more in our minds than
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| Six weeks later, Landy, broke Bannisters'
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| | actual reality.
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| record by running a 3:58.0.
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| | Henry Ford
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| Later that year, in the "Mile of the
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| | "If you think you can do a thing or you
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| Century", in a race to decide who was the
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| | think you can't do a thing, you're
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| fastest miler in the world, Bannister ran
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| | right."
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| a 3:58.8 to Landys' 3:59.6. It was the
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| | You are not limited by anything except
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| first time two men had run
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| | your own limiting thoughts. Many times,
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| sub-four-minutes miles in the same race.
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| | psychological barriers are just arbitrary
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| By the end of 1957, sixteen runners had
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| | standards. They could be marks such as
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| accomplished the feat. Now what was
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| | earning $100,000 a year, getting straight
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| thought impossible has become common, at
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| | A's in school, or setting new sales
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| least among elite runners. John Walker of
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| | records. Why is it we establish these
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| New Zealand ran at least a hundred
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| | marks? We as human beings are
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| sub-four-minute miles in his career but
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| | goal-seeking organisms. We need something
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| American Steve Scott has the most with
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| | to work towards. A worthy goal gives us
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| 136. The current record in the mile is
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| | something to shoot for.
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| 3:43.13, held by Hicham El Guerrouj of
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| | I'm sure Mike Powell, on his way to
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| Morocco.
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| | breaking Bob Beamons' record had
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| Another long-standing psychological
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| | preliminary goals he had to achieve. He
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| barrier in the world of sports was Bob
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| | first had to break the 25 foot mark, then
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| Beamons' incredible long jump of 29' 4 1
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| | the 26 foot mark, and so forth, until,
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| 2" (8.90 m) in the 1968 Olympics. Beamon
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| | after years of long training, spurred on
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| didn't just set the world record. He
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| | by stiff competition from Carl Lewis, he
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| demolished it. In a sport where records
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| | put it all together to break one of the
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| are broken by inches and seconds, Beamon
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| | greatest records in sports history.
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| shattered the record by nearly two feet.
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| | Many times we don't achieve our goals or
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| He not only became the first man to jump
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| | objectives because we believe they are
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| over 29 feet but he was also the first
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| | beyond our reach. When we see someone
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| man to jump over 28 feet.
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| | obtain some great achievement, we think
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| Oddly enough, Beamons' coach at the '68
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| | it looks so easy. We just don't see the
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| Olympics was Ralph Boston. In 1960,
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| | long years of hard work that got them
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| Boston had broken Jesse Owens long jump
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| | there. Great achievements take time, no
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| record set in 1935. It had held for 25
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| | matter what field you are in. Working
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| years. From 1960 to 1967, the record had
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| | toward your goal requires a lot of faith
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| only advanced by 8 1/2" inches.
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| | because you just don't know whether it
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| Beamons' incredible leap was thought to
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| | will all pay off. Goals are not reached
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| be a freak accident that would never be
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| | without struggle. Long-range goals
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| duplicated. It was an accomplishment that
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| | require great endurance of faith and
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| was totally beyond Beamons' or anyone
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| | persistence.
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| else's ability at that time. Beamon never
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| | Breaking down our psychological barriers
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| came close to that mark again. It was
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| | often comes down to trying one more time,
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| considered to be the athletic feat of all
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| | trying a different approach or adjusting
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| time.
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| | your methods just the right way. It's for
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| In the late eighties, Carl Lewis had
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| | sure; you will never get past your
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| begun to creep closer to Beamons' mark.
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| | roadblocks without trying.
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| With his world record speed in the 100
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| | Success comes to those who overcome
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| meters, Lewis had advanced the long jump
| |
| | obstacles, conquers adversity and never
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| record to 28' 7".
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| | gives up.
|
