Masters fields being assembled for Jim Ryun Festival of Miles
Jim Ryun is teaming with Competitor Group and others to put on the Jim Ryun Festival of Miles on June 5 at Balboa Stadium in San Diego — 50 years to the day after his historic first sub-4 as a high school junior at the Compton Invitational. I spoke to Jim last week before the event was formally announced and posted this story. Ryun turns 67 next week but will not race a mile. He’s hoping to round up elite preps, open and masters milers, however. Masters men’s and women’s races are being planned. If you’re a top 10er at M40 or M45 (or W40/45), shoot me a note, and I’ll forward to the recruiters. Out of self-indulgent curiosity, I asked Jim what his best times were in the 100, 200 and 400. His relay splits are well-documented, but I didn’t know he ran an open 100-yard dash as a KU sophomore. He tells the time in the interview.
4 Responses
Ken Stone - April 26, 2014
Forgot to mention: The meet is USATF-sanctioned, which means it’s eligible for age-group records.
Nolan Shaheed - April 26, 2014
Jim Ryan is my favorite and most inspirational milers of all time. Meeting him in person is on my bucket list just like meeting Miles Davis was. I got a chance to meet Miles and shake his hand. I’m glad Jim Ryan will be in Southern California and I will go to the meet to see if I can maybe shake his hand.
Ken Stone - April 26, 2014
Wonderful, Nolan. I’ll personally introduce you to Jim. I first interviewed him about 1974. I met him in 1972, when he was training for Montreal Olympics.
Joseph Burleson - April 28, 2014
And I submit that it should also be an honor for Ryan to shake the hand of Nolan Shaheed.
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