mile trivia question

[ed gee]

After noting second place in Jordan (not Justin) McNamara's first sub four, I was wondering what the slowest second place finish in a sub four minute mile might be.

Has there been a slower second place than 4:38.82?


1. Jordan McNamara, Unattached, 3:59.87

2. Ken Scoggin, Unattached, 4:38.82

[jules]

I believe this was a "jogger's mile" at an all-comers meet. I wasn't there so not totally sure. The runners guess their time and then the winner is the closest to their prediction. This makes the 2nd place time understandable and McNamara's time incredible.

[gh]

On a quick peek, in Michel Jazy's first sub-4:00 ('62), he ran 3:59.8 and the runner-up was 4:26.0.

[G.Ahearn]

I ran in the jogger's mile that night. This was no jogger's mile . . . but a special race at the end of the meet arranged so McNamara could try to run sub-4. Tom Brooks paced him-- 60, 2:00, 3:00, then dropped out. Pretty cool to go to an all-comers meet and witness a sub 4 mile.