The years 1953-54 were marked by the conquests of 2 unattainable peaks
- Mt. Everest & the Four Minute Mile. But the dream of setting a new track record for this distance started as early as the 1880s by the American Lon Myers a stick-thin hypochondriac who was sick before & after every race yet still held every US record from 50 yards to the mile. By 1902 a record of 4:16 was set by the Englishman Joe Binks an amateur runner who in his spare time worked as a journalist & writer. & again in 1923 the world inched ever closer to the elusive 4 minute record thanks to Paavo Nurmi the Phantom Finn who won 9 Olympic gold medals & set so many world records that statisticians are still arguing over the total. Finally in 1945 when the Swede Gunder the Wonder Haegg ran the mile in 401.4 the world knew at last that it was on the brink of conquering the Everest of all sports. But it wasnt until 3 Englishmen teamed up & took on the challenge as one that they succeeded in accomplishing what was described as the most significant sporting achievement of the 20th century. This is the story of the long quest for the Magic Mile almost 200 years in the making. The methods the runners used the secrets they uncovered were passed like a baton through the generations until the quest reached its climax on the 6th May 1954 when Roger Bannister Christopher Chataway & Chris Brasher united to achieve the impossible. As a life-long athlete Oxford Blue country champion British Universities student national & coach to an Olympic athlete John Bryant has an unrivalled insight into the world of athletics & the minds & methods of runners. Since 1971 John Bryant has worked as a Fleet Street journalist where he was Deputy Editor of The Times". He is currently Consultant Editor of the " Daily Mail" & lives in Kingston-on-Thames."