Steve’s legend status began to take place in April of 1969, over five decades ago, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of his final high school races at Corvallis High School. Former teammate and friend Tom Huggins described Steve as “unbelievably tough mentally.”
His friends and peers remember him for “never forgetting his roots” and his indomitable spirit.
When he ran for the Oregon Track Club, he crushed American records at every distance from 2,000 meters all the way to 10,000 meters.
Two of his most famous quotes were as follows: “Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it,” as well as “to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
In May of 2019, Digital Journal chatted with his sister, Linda Prefontaine, about the 2019 “Tour de Pre,” which is in memory of her beloved late brother. She has been working tirelessly to preserve the runner’s legacy.
Linda revealed that she has been working with an artist in Eugene, who created a bronze statue of Steve Prefontaine, which will be unveiled in a couple of weeks at an event in Eugene, Oregon.
For more information on the “Tour de Pre,” check out its official Facebook page and the Prefontaine Productions homepage.
