Reading The Perfect Mile
Each student is required to read a book as part of their SSP. For my book, I chose The Perfect Mile to connect to the running aspect of my SSP where I will learn more about how running athletes develop
to run faster.
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The Perfect Mile follows the stories of three runners, Landy, Bannister, and Santee who are all rigorously training to break the four minute mile. They have to overcome numerous defeats—running times just above four minutes, battles with coaches, and personal struggles—while maintaining consistent training and balancing their work with everyday life (i.e. Landy also completing medical school). They seek the perfect race day conditions and require pacing and perseverance to work towards sub-four minutes. Eventually, Bannister breaks the four minute mile, and soon after Landy. The book concludes with a race between Bannister and Landy, with Santee commentating, in which Bannister wins.