New Steve Prefontaine biography reveals man behind mythic distance runner

The late American distance runner Steve Prefontaine never won an Olympic medal, a world championship, or even held a world record. Yet, half a century after his untimely death in a car wreck at the age of 24, "Pre," as he came to be known, remains an iconic, almost saint-like figure, of track and field. 

Many would argue that Prefontaine is regarded as the most charismatic runner of all-time, often credited with igniting the worldwide running boom of the 1970's, not to mention being the first face of the multi-billion dollar Nike brand of athletic gear. 

In a new biography, "The Front Runner - The Life of Steve Prefontaine," author Brendan O'Meara re-examines his legacy on the cusp of the 50th anniversary of the international athletics gathering that bears his name. This year's "Pre Classic" at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., will feature more than 20 Olympic gold medallists and countless world champions. It is one of, if not the most, star-studded fields in the history of professional track and field outside an Olympic Games. 

O'Meara suggests that, in many ways, the annual pilgrimage of these outstanding, runners, jumpers, and throwers from every corner of the world, to a small, university city in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, is one of Prefontaine's greatest contributions to the sport. 

A local hero from the coastal logging town of Coos Bay, Prefontaine once held every American record from 2,000 to 10,000 metres.  And he set many of those records and won most of his important races at the University of Oregon's fabled track at Hayward Field. 

He was idolized as a child prodigy from a rough and tumble background who was outspoken and had the audacity to take on the best in the world while defying them to