Chapter 9 Summary and Analysis

Europe was an exciting prospect for American runners, as Europe featured the best track and field athletes in the world, and running was a more popular sport in Europe than in America. In his first race in the 1974 European season, a 3000-meter in Finland, Pre beat a field including an Olympic gold medalist by more than 4 seconds.

However, in the next few races of the season, Pre suffered defeat after defeat. He set three American records but was nonetheless beat by European athletes the likes of Knut Kvalheim and Rod Dixon. Interviewed runners had various theories for why Pre struggled in Europe. Europe had a different season, and so Pre's fitness level probably peaked earlier than European athletes' levels. He was used to blowing people away in Eugene, and so a tougher field with more opponents who could keep pace with...