From the time he broke onto the scene with his high school 2-mile record Pre was always known for the intensity and drive that defined who he was. Even twenty-two years after his death his mark on our sport is as strong as ever.

While in college Pre won four straight NCAA 3-mile championships as well as three cross-country titles including one at Hangman Valley here in Spokane.

Pre's races in Eugene were never any contest, an example of which can be seen on the left. He never lost any race longer than a mile at home. The race pictured was Pre's last as he ran his second fastest 5000 meters ever to conclude the Finnish tour that he organized. When Pre died he held every American record from 2000 meters to 10000 meters. Pre never got his rematch with Lasse Viren at Montreal in the 1976 Olympics because of his fatal car crash on the morning of May 30, 1975, only hours after this race.

The spot where Pre crashed has now been transformed into a memorial where runners and non-runners alike can come revisit in the memories and share their sense of loss.