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Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine
For five years, no American runner could beat him at any distance over a mile. But at the age of 24, with his best years still ahead, long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine finally lost. Driving alone at night after a party, Prefontaine crashed his sports car, putting a tragic, shocking end to the life and career of one of the most influential, accomplished runners of our time. From his humble origins in Coos Bay, Oregon, Pre became the first person to win four NCAA titles in one event. Year after year, he was virtually unbeatable. Instead of becoming one of the new breed of professional track athletes, Pre chose to stay amateur and fight for the adequate funding he felt American amateur athletes deserved. But Pre not only touched runners; his exciting racing technique as well as his maverick lifestyle made him a favorite of the fans. A race with Prefontaine in it was automatically an event. This is his story.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
January 11, 2013
This book has a lot of problems. Let's begin with the first one -- it's poorly written.
I went into this book very excited -- I love running. Prefontaine is a huge inspiration. But the details of his life and character are very flimsy -- the author doesn't even include one interview from Pre's family or key head coaches -- a very telling omission. Instead, we are stuck getting bombarded with times, a few rivalries that don't seem to amoung to much and are interchangeable as we learn so little about the human character of the competitions, and a few moments where Pre is dismissive or pissy.
Pre's well known front running is barely mentioned and it would have been interesting to hear more thoughts on that -- from coaches, sports therapists, his family. The Olympics and the disappointment after that event are also essentially a passing reference. I also would have appreciated learning more about his relationships (both notable girlfriends are barely mentioned), his financial struggles, and the accident. The author also spends some time justifying Pre's drinking ahead of the car crash. I'm not saying saying Pre was driving impaired, and it appears that we'll never know for sure. But the author dismisses the idea Pre was drunk in an almost 'hero worship' manner -- it's pretty unprofessional.
So basically, I didn't like this book and clearly wanted a lot more. Two stars feels generous -- I think one was for Pre.
I went into this book very excited -- I love running. Prefontaine is a huge inspiration. But the details of his life and character are very flimsy -- the author doesn't even include one interview from Pre's family or key head coaches -- a very telling omission. Instead, we are stuck getting bombarded with times, a few rivalries that don't seem to amoung to much and are interchangeable as we learn so little about the human character of the competitions, and a few moments where Pre is dismissive or pissy.
Pre's well known front running is barely mentioned and it would have been interesting to hear more thoughts on that -- from coaches, sports therapists, his family. The Olympics and the disappointment after that event are also essentially a passing reference. I also would have appreciated learning more about his relationships (both notable girlfriends are barely mentioned), his financial struggles, and the accident. The author also spends some time justifying Pre's drinking ahead of the car crash. I'm not saying saying Pre was driving impaired, and it appears that we'll never know for sure. But the author dismisses the idea Pre was drunk in an almost 'hero worship' manner -- it's pretty unprofessional.
So basically, I didn't like this book and clearly wanted a lot more. Two stars feels generous -- I think one was for Pre.
May 24, 2020
Incredible book about one of the greatest runners in American history. This is a must read for any runner.
April 21, 2008
It seems to me that Steve Prefontaine merits a high quality biography. His story is the stuff of legends, so much so that high school cross-country kids wear "Pre Lives" shirts from Nike not fully aware of who the guy is. For five years, Pre remained undefeated in the U.S. at any distance over one mile. He ran two 10K races. In the first, he set the American record. He never won on the biggest international stage, the Olympics, but he had the unfortunate timing of being at Munich and he died before his probable prime. And, ironically, his next Olympics would have been none at all because he would join the other infuriated American athletes who would have to miss the Olympics because they were in the Soviet Union and the U.S. boycotted them. He's not the only athlete to run his mouth with an arrogance that some love and others cringe at, but he's really the first runner to bring a blood and guts toughness to distance running. He is also the first athlete-promoter for a company (in this case, Nike), and he led the fight to end "shamateurism", the Olympic and AAU rules that treated athletes like crap, expecting them to somehow train full-time and not get paid for running in races. But this biography is very disappointing. I don't think a non-runner would bother reading through this flavorless endless list of split times and workout routines, and any runner would be bored and disappointed to see such a legendary figure turned into numbers. You receive little to no window into what Steve Prefontaine the man was like. I know he was no Da Vinci, but his life outside of track was interesting and it is barely mentioned in his biography. The end of the book is moving, but that is because the story is so sad, not because of Tom Jordan's writing. The whole thing reads like a just-the-facts AP article. Pre deserves much more.
August 23, 2012
This book was terribly disappointing. The book could have been written by a computer. It was just a jumble of times, records, and slight commentary in between. Hardly anything was written about besides Pre's accomplishments on the track. I didn't get a sense of Pre the person, who he was off the track, which is what is usually included in a biography. Childhood, a fascinating period in any legend's life, was covered in a few references to records broken on the track and in cross country. Pre deserved a better author to write his biography, as this gives no depth to America's greatest running legend.
February 29, 2020
If you’re looking for a book that will give a detailed account of Pre’s accomplishments with running, this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a book to know more about Pre outside of running, this isn’t for you. This book gives a great account of each of Pre’s races and some of his personality traits. It’s a great resource for race to race details. It was a great book to help me get to know a memorable distance runner a little bit better.
April 8, 2022
Really took me back to high school. The book actually connected with me emotionally way more than I expected.
February 23, 2013
This little book accomplished what the author set out to do, that is to provide a glimpse into the life and running career of Steve Prefonaine. It's a tale of triumph and tragedy, ending like no fictional story ever would. That's the problem with real life; sometimes the endings suck.
I remember learning about Prefontaine's death. I was mad at him for months because he died late at night while driving drunk. Ever since his gutsy run at the Munich Olympics I had been looking forward to see what he could do at Montreal. Now he was dead and I'd never know. It was a stupid, infantile reaction on my part, of course, but that's how I felt. It still irritates me that people who should know better drive drunk and/or without a fastened seat belt. A sober, seat-belted Steve Prefontaine on that night in May 1975 would probably still be alive today.
If you have ever run your guts out while training or in a distance race, you will appreciate this book. When even a great runner like Prefontaine says, "You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there", you will know exactly what he means.
I remember learning about Prefontaine's death. I was mad at him for months because he died late at night while driving drunk. Ever since his gutsy run at the Munich Olympics I had been looking forward to see what he could do at Montreal. Now he was dead and I'd never know. It was a stupid, infantile reaction on my part, of course, but that's how I felt. It still irritates me that people who should know better drive drunk and/or without a fastened seat belt. A sober, seat-belted Steve Prefontaine on that night in May 1975 would probably still be alive today.
If you have ever run your guts out while training or in a distance race, you will appreciate this book. When even a great runner like Prefontaine says, "You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there", you will know exactly what he means.
March 12, 2010
You want inspiration…read this book. Steve Prefontaine or as fans call him Pre was one of the most famous athletes of the early 1970s and well on his way to becoming more than an athlete but an activist who would made a real impact on the world before his untimely death just prior to the summer games of 1974. Trust me read this book and you’ll become a Pre fan, a Pre historian, & you’ll lace up your shoes and want to go on a jog. I’ll leave you with his quote, that will make you want to pick up this book and learn more,
“To give anything less than your best is a sacrifice to the gift!” – Steve Prefontaine
p.s. as far as Pre movie’s go
Without Limits & Prefontaine – both based on Pre’s life and came out within a year of each other. I like Without Limits better but they are both enjoyable.
Fire On the Track – is a Pre documentary with real footage which is a must see
“To give anything less than your best is a sacrifice to the gift!” – Steve Prefontaine
p.s. as far as Pre movie’s go
Without Limits & Prefontaine – both based on Pre’s life and came out within a year of each other. I like Without Limits better but they are both enjoyable.
Fire On the Track – is a Pre documentary with real footage which is a must see
July 23, 2010
Definitive (really only) biography of Steve Prefontaine. An inspirational figure whose life was cut short in a controversial car crash after a night of partying. He brought a new style to running that led a boom of popularity across the US and took down the AAU which had been mistreating athletes for years. The book, however, disappoints. Pre is a true hero of mine so I was unhappy to find out this very short read was basically laced with facts you could find anywhere on the internet and mostly filled with recounts of his races and fell short on details of the runner as a person.
November 18, 2019
Seems like a missed opportunity. Pre had a fascinating personality and life, but this book is extremely dry. Unless one is merely looking for a wikipedia-style recap of his race times, this is a disapointment.
September 21, 2010
This book read like an over-long, uninspired AP article. Jordan did a great job of sticking to the facts, but I was hoping for backstory instead of just a rundown of his athletic achievements.
November 21, 2022
This was an entertaining, informative read about the runner Steve Prefontaine. Having read several of the negative reviews, the primary complaint seemed to be the book was more like a training manual and less a biography. Well, the book was written as a biography of the runner Steve Prefontaine. Yes, there were details of his life, but those were admittedly minimized. The book was intentionally written as a biography of his running, and it does an excellent job of that.
Next, the book does a good job of detailing Pre's work ethic, focus, and intensity without presenting itself as a training manual. Additionally, it does touch on a bit of the mental toughness and perspective necessary to do distance running, bit it also does not try to present itself as a "How to" guide for this.
As for purpose and motivation of the book, it presents two ideas exceptionally well. First, it illustrates great motivation on how to become a successful distance athlete. I certainly wanted to strap on my running shoes several times throughout the book. Second, it does introduce the intense and very caring, generous personality of Steve Prefontaine. Notice I indicate "introduce" because there are certainly big parts of Pre's life that are not explored.
If you want to meet the runner Steve Prefontaine, certainly give this short, quick, easy-to-read book a look!
Next, the book does a good job of detailing Pre's work ethic, focus, and intensity without presenting itself as a training manual. Additionally, it does touch on a bit of the mental toughness and perspective necessary to do distance running, bit it also does not try to present itself as a "How to" guide for this.
As for purpose and motivation of the book, it presents two ideas exceptionally well. First, it illustrates great motivation on how to become a successful distance athlete. I certainly wanted to strap on my running shoes several times throughout the book. Second, it does introduce the intense and very caring, generous personality of Steve Prefontaine. Notice I indicate "introduce" because there are certainly big parts of Pre's life that are not explored.
If you want to meet the runner Steve Prefontaine, certainly give this short, quick, easy-to-read book a look!
February 28, 2018
This is such a great story that I remember growing up with and hearing about from my coaches. I remember watching the movie and thinking about how fascinating Pre was. Unfortunately, for me, I felt like this book was kind of all over the place and focused too much on individual events. Would have liked to hear a little bit more about Pre as a person and have some more closure to the ending.
May 21, 2022
I always like reading from the bygone days where professional sports were still frowned upon by the Amateur Unions. The dedication required was even higher back then. To race hard from the front is what Pre stood for, so that when you're beaten, you can be at peace with it. Additionally, I was amazed by his projects off the track: organizing a 5-meet-tour himself, marketing Nike, helping children and coaching delinquents, etc. He lived life to the fullest.
December 17, 2022
People don’t really remember this dude, tough guy, tragic ending. Probably deserves a better book written about him
February 19, 2024
I knew Pre’s story, but I felt the book provided insight from those closest to him.
November 10, 2025
Pre was a shooting star who burned brightly for a short time. His attitude and belief system were inspiring.
August 4, 2019
Absolutely awesome chronicle of his life
April 7, 2024
Steve Prefontaine is a legendary sports figure in Oregon, and I wanted to know more about him before running in a race over trails that bear his name.
Sadly, this just isn't a great biography. I learned some interesting facts, but I come away from it not really knowing more about the real Pre than I went in with.
Sadly, this just isn't a great biography. I learned some interesting facts, but I come away from it not really knowing more about the real Pre than I went in with.
January 7, 2021
I’ve admired him for years because his racing was purely gut. Reading his story was inspiring. He was so laser-focused that he had no space left for any doubt. Racing psychology is so complex and important and he mastered it like no other runner I’ve known of. Reading and learning about him completely describe the story and meaning by one of his famous sayings - “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice a gift.” I’ve always struggled with fear and self-doubt and he is a perfect role model for runners (or anyone really) to leave the stupid fear behind and just go and get your dream. He’s the perfect epitome of Nike’s “Just Do It” mentality, which is funny since his coach Bill Bowerman was also a co-founder of Nike while Pre helped to make the brand famous by his story and by wearing Nike spikes for races. I’ve always struggled to watch Viren’s final kick in the 5k at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, not just for loving Pre, but also for his differing perspective on competing after the terrible terrorist attack a day prior to the race. It didn’t seem to affect the other runners, while Pre felt it was immoral to race right after as if nothing happened and praise the winners next to the corpses. I know that there was nothing anyone could have done after the fact and canceling the race wouldn’t change anything, but I thought his feelings about it made him more human. Besides, the speculations of Viren and blood doping made me question the whole race. I considered Pre a one of a kind athlete, and I believe he would have beat Viren at the invitational in Eugene later, had Viren not bailed. It took 40 years to break his 5k US record and I think he'd be breaking it over and over had he lived longer. His ego suffered from the 1972 blow, but he didn’t give up and ran his heart out till his unfortunate early death and that makes him a great inspiration for me. As a former NCAA racer, I always loved the feeling of crossing the line knowing you gave your absolute all to the point your body almost completely collapses when you passed the threshold of pushing it. Watching Pre crossing the line is an amazing example of that.
November 8, 2021
I started running when I was eight years old and, though I never became an elite runner, I've gone back to it from time to time as I entered adulthood and now, nearly forty, I'm doing more of it than I have in over a decade.
This is to say that I have more interest in running than most people. I watched the movie 'Without Limits' when I was a kid with my dad (oh thank God, we'd all worried Jeff might write a review without finding some obscure reason to reference his relationship with his father - close one!), and Steve Prefontaine has always lived as this interesting sort of character in my head. All American distance runners get to know who he is at some time or another and he lives on as this sort of mystic figure in the sport.
This book doesn't paint the compelling picture of Pre you get from the biopic though. This is essentially a summary of his races and his times with references to who he's racing against or training with. These people feel like entries in a catalogue rather than characters though. It never feels like a story.
I've never cared about someone else's quarter mile splits. If I were more competitive and it was someone I was trying to catch - I guess I could see it. Maybe you DO care about it. Maybe reading about how fast Pre did the first half in a two mile race in 1972 will be exciting to you.
Not me though.
This is to say that I have more interest in running than most people. I watched the movie 'Without Limits' when I was a kid with my dad (oh thank God, we'd all worried Jeff might write a review without finding some obscure reason to reference his relationship with his father - close one!), and Steve Prefontaine has always lived as this interesting sort of character in my head. All American distance runners get to know who he is at some time or another and he lives on as this sort of mystic figure in the sport.
This book doesn't paint the compelling picture of Pre you get from the biopic though. This is essentially a summary of his races and his times with references to who he's racing against or training with. These people feel like entries in a catalogue rather than characters though. It never feels like a story.
I've never cared about someone else's quarter mile splits. If I were more competitive and it was someone I was trying to catch - I guess I could see it. Maybe you DO care about it. Maybe reading about how fast Pre did the first half in a two mile race in 1972 will be exciting to you.
Not me though.
July 29, 2025
Great to read all about the legend
June 26, 2013
What an incredible person. I've always been fascinated by Steve Prefontaine. After reading the book I am even more fascinated by him. His story is so great, an underdog from Coos Bay Oregon. He was an incredible runner, and it was because he gave 120 percent to everything he did. And the people of Oregon loved him for it. Thousands of people would show up at the University of Oregon to watch him run. He called his fans his people, and he did everything he could not to let them down. He was an incredible runner, that people still measure themselves against him today is amazing. It's a great book if you are a runner, and even if you aren't his story is worth reading.
June 22, 2011
When I first picked up this book I couldn't put it down. At the time it was a first for me. Way better than the movies about him. This man wanted to race the best because he believed down to his bones that he had more guts than anyone on the track to win. By racing the best, he made himself better.
amazing book.
amazing book.
December 27, 2018
Have 1950s HS track memory of running on U of O's great track, "hitting the wall" on Hayward Field.
Among my sports heroes: the milers ... Prefontaine ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_P...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayward...
Learned from, appreciated Jordon's book.
Among my sports heroes: the milers ... Prefontaine ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_P...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayward...
Learned from, appreciated Jordon's book.
January 9, 2020
Not a lot of “meat” to this biography. At times read more like a Wikipedia entry with it’s heavy reliance on statistics and run times. A man of Steve Prefontaine’s stature deserves a richer, fuller biography.
February 6, 2009
A tragic biography of a world class runner cut down in the prime of his life. I love all things PRE! Read the book then read Bowerman and the Men of Oregon. Then watch Without Limits and Prefontaine.
January 3, 2015
What an exceptional bio! A very impactful too short life!
May 12, 2015
My all time running hero! Brought back great memories of wanting to run like PRE.
July 15, 2021
Good for someone who wants more stats and times etc, I wanted a more background of pre . Kind of boring to me. Didn’t even finish
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews