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Pre-mendous!

Episode length: 1h 2m

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Chris is joined by Brendan O’Meara, the founder and host of the Creative Nonfiction Podcast and author of a great new biography, The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine. They discuss the life of American distance running legend Steve Prefontaine (a.k.a. “Pre”), including his childhood, the highs and lows of his running career, his untimely death, and his legacy.

Show notes:
· Brendan’s new book, The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine
· The 1972 Olympic 5000m final
· Without Limits, the 1998 Prefontaine biopic

Time stamps:
1:33 Early life in Coos Bay, Oregon
10:35 Entrée into running and rise to stardom
20:57 Pre’s character, on and off the track
30:43 College career and “Pre’s people”
35:30 1972 Olympics
43:20 Post-Olympic comeback and fight against the AAU
50:09 Death and legacy

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan and S. Lillywhite.

Host:
Christopher J. Scalia