Born in the small town of Coos Bay, Oregon, Steve “Pre” Prefontaine’s meteoric rise to cross-country and track superstardom included national recognition in high school followed by state, national, and world records. From the University of Oregon track to a fourth-place finish in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, he never stopped striving to make his mark on the world. Even today, his name conjures up images of athleticism, activism, and charisma. While his life tragically ended in a car accident at the youthful age of twenty-four—at which time he owned every American record from 2,000 to 10,000 meters and 2 to 6 miles—his legacy lives on. Join author and runner Paul C. Clerici as he brings you this legendary Oregon athlete.
Paul C. Clerici is the bestselling author of Born to Coach: The Story of Bill Squires, the Legendary Coach of the Greatest Generation of American Distance Runners; Images of Modern America: The Boston Marathon; A History of the Falmouth Road Race: Running Cape Cod; Boston Marathon History by the Mile; and History of the Greater Boston Track Club. He is a journalist, lecturer, media guest, documentary film contributor, writer, photographer and former newspaper editor and sports editor.