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Jeff Benjamin
Guest
Josh Kerr Looking To Break The Mile World Record Barrier Saturday In London!
By Jeff Benjamin
72 Years Ago in 1954, Roger Bannister (along with his cohorts Chris Brasher, Chris Chataway & Advisor Coach Franz Stampfl) put all of his eggs in one basket!
Following a day-by-day, almost annual plan (sprinkled in with a couple of days of mountain-climbing!), the Oxford grad focused solely on May 6th of that year to be the day he would try to become the first man to run the sub-four-minute mile!
Even with windy, damp early-day weather, the Brit had no choice but to go forward on Iffley’s cinder track, as he had not run for 5 days, building up to the supreme effort!
And it indeed paid off, as Bannister broke the finish line string in a time of 3:59.4!“Those last few seconds seemed never-ending,” Bannister wrote in his book, “The Four Minute Mile”.
“The faint line of the finishing tape stood ahead as a haven of peace, after the struggle. I leapt at the tape like a man taking his last spring to save himself from the chasm that threatens to engulf him.
“My effort was over, and I collapsed almost unconscious. I felt like an exploded flashlight. I knew that I had done it before I even heard the time.”
The First Four Minutes, by Roger Bannister
One hopes that fellow Brit Josh Kerr may experience the same thing this upcoming Saturday!
Josh Kerr, the man on a mission, Project 222, photo by Brooks Running
Unlike Banister, Kerr is anything BUT lowkey as the Brooks miler has announced for all to see that he’ll attempt to break the Mile World Record in front of tens of thousands of spectators and a worldwide television audience at the 2026 London Diamond League meet, which is being held in London Stadium!
Brandon Miller, Abe Alvarado, Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, with Brandon winning, Skechers 800m, LATrackFest, photo by Chuck Aragon
Living in an altitude-adjusted room, replete with the most up-to-date training and recovery methods, Kerr (who, like Bannister hasn’t raced very much this year) has also put his eggs all in one basket, as he attempts to break the current and last century time of 3:43.13, set by Morocco’s Hicham El- Guerrouj!
Hicham El Guerrouj, photo by World Athletics
Kerr won’t be alone in the quest, as American Yared Nuguse (3:43.97) and other world – class milers will be toeing the line as well!
Yared Nuguse and Josh Kerr, photo by Jeff Benjamin
Some might say that Kerr has been “Too Loud”, especially on social media with his statements & workouts blasting out there for all to see. But, in a Sport that’s always jockeying to get a place in the sun, Kerr’s actions no doubt have generated interest and have got people talking! Kerr has also shown no fear in carrying the pressure on his shoulders!
Josh Kerr and Project 222, photo by Brooks Running
Will he or won’t he?
One thing’s for sure – it won’t be boring!
Stay Tuned!
Josh Kerr showing the new Brooks Beasts TC uniforms, photo by Brooks Communications