June 3, 2014

Your host Richard Muscio, an accomplished distance runner, will be running alongside other personalities in Balboa Park on June 5th to celebrate the achievement of Jim Ryun, who was the first high school runner to break the 4-minute mile mark. Ryun is involved in Bring Back the Mile, an organization that promotes the mile as a historic distance that is a deep part of US history and culture.

Bring Back the Mile sponsors events across the US that feature accomplished runners. Ryun was named “best high school athlete ever” over LeBron James and Tiger Woods by ESPN.com. Ryun has run the most sub-4 minute Miles for a high schooler, five, including the first sub-4 in a high school-only race. Ryun’s first sub-4 race was on a clay track in Compton, California as a Junior at Witchita East High School in 1964. The following year, as a senior, he ran a 3:55.3 mile at Balboa Park in San Diego. Ryun went on to be a reach the semifinals at the 1964 Olympic games, and later was elected to represent Kansas in the US Senate.

The weeklong celebration of this historic mile record will kick off on Friday, May 30 with the 17th annual Suja Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon & ½ Marathon Expo at the Convention Center in downtown San Diego, where Jim will be presenting training tips and interacting with runners. Come down and support the runners, or the be considered for entry, check this website for qualification requirements.