The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile

by Neal Bascomb

Highly acclaimed author Neal Bascomb brings his peerless research and fast-paced narrative style to a young adult adaptation of one of his most successful adult books of all time, The Perfect Mile , an inspiring and moving story of three men racing to achieve the impossible -- the perfect four-minute mile. Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future. There was a time when running the mile in four minutes was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed. In 1952, after suffering defeat at the Helsinki Olympics, three world-class runners each set out to break this Roger Bannister was a young English medical student who epitomized the ideal of the amateur; John Landy the privileged son of a genteel Australian family; and Wes Santee the swaggering American, a Kansas farm boy and natural athlete. Spanning three continents and defying the odds, these athletes' collective quest captivated the world. Neal Bascomb's bestselling adult account adapted for young readers delivers a breathtaking story of unlikely heroes and leaves us with a lasting portrait of the twilight years of the golden age of sport.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Middle Grade, History, Biography, Historical

256 pages, Hardcover

Published April 5, 2022

About the author

Neal Bascomb is a national award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of a number of books, all non-fiction narratives, all focused on inspiring stories of adventure or achievement. His work has been translated into over 18 languages, featured in several documentaries, and optioned for major film and television projects.

Born in Colorado and raised in St. Louis, he is the product of public school and lots of time playing hockey. He earned a double degree in Economics and English Literature at Miami University (Ohio), lived in Europe for several years as a journalist (London, Dublin, and Paris), and worked as an editor at St. Martin’s Press (New York). In 2000, he started writing books full time.

His first book HIGHER was selected for the Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writer award and was featured in a History Channel documentary. His second THE PERFECT MILE was a New York Times bestseller and frequently ranks as one of the top books on running. His third RED MUTINY won the United States Maritime Literature Award and critical acclaim around the world. His fourth HUNTING EICHMANN was an international bestseller and led to a young adult edition called NAZI HUNTERS that was the 2014 winner of the YALSA Award, Sydney Taylor Book Award (Gold Medal), among numerous others. His fifth book THE NEW COOL was optioned by major producer Scott Rudin for film. His sixth ONE MORE STEP, focused on the first man with cerebral palsy to climb Kilimanjaro and finish the Kona Ironman, was a New York Times bestseller as well.

An avid hiker, skier, and coffee drinker, he is happily settled in Seattle, Washington with his family.

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book for me. As a child, my dad took me to many national track meets and he talked about the great track stars. He was huge Banister fan. So, this book brought back so many memories.

[Sheila Bracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1954, three world-class runners–American Wes Santee, Australian John Landy, and Englishman Roger Bannister–shared the same impossible dream: to run a four-minute mile. After suffering defeat at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, each set out independently to break this barrier, the seemingly superhuman goal that runners for decades had been unable to best.
Spanning three continents and defying the odds, these athletes’ collective quest captivated the world. Bannister was a young English medical student; Landy the privileged son of a genteel Australian family; and Santee, a Kansas farm boy and natural athlete. Each engaged in grueling training regimens and struggled to shave seconds and tenths of a second off each of their best times.
The book recounts the wins and defeats, providing detailed play-by-plays of the tight races and devastating losses that shape the runners along the road to breaking records. There is also a who’s who of midcentury runners, the contemporaries of Santee, Landy, and Bannister who challenge them and help them hone their techniques. Each race on the track becomes a race against time as the men strive to be the first and come ever closer to their goal. An overview of the history and science of running adds context and emphasizes the historical significance of the feat. Suspense builds as readers wait to discover which of the three athletes will achieve the ultimate win.
This YA adaptation of Bascomb’s book The Perfect Mile, is a fast-paced and fascinating story of unlikely heroes and leaves us with a lasting portrait of the twilight years of the golden age of sport. Students who enjoy sports history will like the book that includes black and white images, an author’s note, a bibliography, and extensive source notes. 4.5

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the mid-1950s three mile runners were very close to breaking the 4 minute mile barrier. Up until this point many thought that running a mile in under 4 minutes was physically impossible and probably dangerous. But after the 1952 Olympics, 3 men had their eyes on the mile record and the race to break the 4 minute barrier. There was Roger Bannister of England, John Landy of Australia, and Wes Santee of the USA. Each had personal bests within 10 seconds of the barrier in 1952. The race was on to see who could shave off those pesky seconds first.

This was a fascinating read. Bascomb has you on tenterhooks turning the pages to see who can refine their technique, shave off the seconds, overcome personal challenges, and find the perfect track with the perfect weather to break the barrier. Each of the men was around university age, and so they were also working on degrees while training extensively. The men all took different approaches to their training, but all got closer and closer, and some of them raced against each other (all 3 would have except for issues Santee had with the AAU). An excellent sports nonfiction read, and that’s from someone who isn’t all that sporty nor an avid sports fan.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: Santee had a father who physically abused him and the book does mention an episode when his dad hit him repeatedly. Some of the men suffer injuries and one nasty cut is a bit described.
Ethnic diversity: White American, white British, white Australian.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: The mental stress/pressure to succeed (both internally and externally) some of these guys were facing is explored.

[Dan Allbery · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a less than successful Helsinki Olympics, three runners began solo journeys to beat the unbeatable four minute mile. Spanning three continents and facing different conditions—medical school, love, weather—these runners demonstrated repeatedly heart, determination, and pure will.

As a former runner, I was immediately attracted to this book. My mile times never remotely broke four minutes, but this book places you right alongside them through practices, competitions, and injuries. It probably isn’t a book for everyone, but athletes, especially runners, will appreciate this title. Recommended for GR 7 and up.

[Sudhagar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a runner and fully aware of the significance of the 4 min mile and obviously wanted to know how it was broken. However, the writer does a poor job of it. Books such as this should have been written by an experienced sports runner familiar with the running or an ex-runner. As such Neal's lack of background in running comes across as a major handicap. He doesn't focus much on the training and conditioning aspect of running. he focuses more on the runner themselves and their personalities to add some colour but this falls flat. Disappointed.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were parts that I did like, particularly the background of the 3 men attempting the feat. I also felt the research was top notch. Ultimately, reading about so much running was just not my cup of tea. I hope that the high school students will enjoy learning about this piece of athletic history. It is a quick, easy to read book.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this quite a bit. Bascomb does a good job keeping it exciting while he tells the difference journeys of these 3 great runners-- and really, great people. I love that it's a story of amateur athletes who are working hard at other aspects of their lives while doing the "impossible" as runners.

[Jill F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting!

[R Waterfall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and engaging story about such crazy runners ;)

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably rate nonfiction different than fiction. I loved the writing style and found it all so interesting.

[Sarah Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good little easy read. I appreciated the author’s research and storytelling but hated that the pictures in the middle spoiled the rest of the book!

[Lindsey Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, engaging listen!

Recommended for runners and those interested in running/track history.

[Steve Jobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Makes you want to pull on shoes and get out on the track. Just the facts style, but it tells a story that pulls the reader in, building tension and expectation even though the runners of the world know how it turns out. Enjoyed hearing more details about the guys not named Bannister, since they’re not the focus of the history books.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

EBN25 Category: From the nonfiction section

[Clayton S · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile


This book was written by Neal Bascomb and is about how the 4 minute mile was broken in 1952. It starts with Roger Bannister trying to bring home a gold medal for the UK at the Olympics. The only way he got there was from a “geelong guild athletic club that raised 750$...” (p27), this was crucial for people even to recognize him as a runner. His first trip to the olympics was for the 1500 hundred which he claimed was an “ugly race”(p33), which is because you don’t actually end at the finish and it's only 120 meters short of the mile. He ended up coming 4th in the 1500 and was disapproved by the whole entire UK, so he said to himself “ I will break the 4 minute bearer for England” (p61). He was competing against John Landy who has already ran a 4:02 mile which scares him because the time is about to be broken. Then eventually after all the training of 3 runners trying to go sub 4 and have their peak performance on the exact day of the race, they get there. Roger and Landy are going to pace off each other and one of them will hit the 4 minute mile, after all out sprints of a mile Roger Bannister “ran the perfect mile” P(201).

I love how this book shows you how hard Olympic runners and other athletes try “Landy’s cut had bled through his sock in the middle of the night before his race” (p187). This just shows me how important one race is to him. He had a cut that was 4 inches long and still ran a race trying to break 4 minutes. This book also shows you how smart these runners are. They plan out their whole entire 3 years ahead of them just to peak there times at one race. It also shows that you will feel pain when you are running. That's what I think the author wants you to know. You must feel pain when you are running otherwise did you run the fullest you could?


I hope every long distance runner reads this book because it tells you what you will feel when you are running and how to get where you want to be. I love how they include what the workout plans and all the times of the runners were because it actually got me caught and I went and watched the actual race of when Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute barrier. It is crazy and I would rate this book 5/5. I thought to myself at the beginning of the book “How are they gonna make this whole book interesting?” they somehow did and this is one of the books that i might even read again because it tells me as a runner how to improve because it's the mindset now its not the body it is the mind.

[Susan Griggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of breaking the four-minute mile is unique because it didn’t happen by accident; rather, it started as a contest between three Olympic runners. After the Olympics in 1952, three runners who had disappointing results set out to break this barrier: Roger Bannister from Britain, John Landy from Australia and Wes Santee from America.

Each runner came to the record challenge with a unique background. Bannister was a medical student who studied oxygen intake and juggled hospital shifts while training. Landy came from a more privileged background and also juggled school and running. Santee was a Kansas farm boy who worked jobs while training and attending the University of Kansas.

The rules, knowledge and lifestyle of competitive running and health at this point in history also play an important role in the record pursuit. The athletes are researching their body’s limits, figuring out the best type of training and fighting against amateur athlete eligibility rules on their own.

Following three stories with a common start and end goal makes this a charming read. I found the style easy to follow and kept flipping pages. This story primarily sticks to a traditional non-fiction theme, but the exciting details of the real-life story don’t make the book too dry.

This book is perfect for motivating young, enthusiastic runners or will gain the attention of history fans. Speaking as a runner, I’ve always been fascinated with the four-minute mile, so I enjoyed this story too. But this story is more on the mild side for young adults looking for extreme adventure.

[Shella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic nonfiction edition for younger readers about the chase to break the four minute mile. The author's narrative style produced the palatable tenseness that the world felt watching this time in racing history unfold. Any younger distance runners will really enjoy the book as it covers all the hard work, determination and joys of distance running. For those new to distance running, it will introduce them to the hard work and dedication that often goes unnoticed for distance runners. Each of the three men highlighted have very different life circumstances and approaches to running. Readers can find YouTube videos that show the races highlighted in the book. This is well researched and a great adaptation from Bascomb's, The Perfect Mile. Readers may want to dive into the amateur athletic rules of the past. This will be quite eye opening for those that never knew this era of athletics- a great "one more text" opportunity. The Postscript has some inspiring quotes that tie the life lessons of sports to the real world. The agony a sliver of time for runners is very well written in Chapter 15 on page 160 of the hardcover book: "It was agonizingly close. Six-tenths of a second. Nothing; a flicker of time, an instant faster jump at the start, a slightly more favorable breeze, a half stride, a deeper lean into the tape. It was nothing, but it was everything." (from Wes Santee after he set the 1500 meters world record, but just shy of the four minute mile). This is a great addition to a nonfiction section of any youth or classroom library.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly thrilling book about the race to break the four-minute mile.

It’s hard to imagine running that fast, as fast as the wind and almost beyond human endurance to break the imagined barrier of the 4 Minute Mile. The barrier was broken by 2 (almost 3) men in 1954, Roger Bannister (British) and John Landy (Australian) and the almost winner, Wes Santee (American).

All three men, Bannister, Landy, and Santee, their coaches and running partners are the heroes of this amazing race and tale of the glory of amateur racing.

You’ll meet the men in 1952 and follow their racing training, successes and failures, and their amazing courage.

I don’t know anything about sports, but I do know a breathless read when I encounter one. Author Neal Bascomb makes history come alive. You’ll root for the men as they race again and again and succeed beyond their imagination. And, spoiler, the fastest runner today is Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj who ran the mile in 3:43.13 in Rome on 7 July 1999. Can humans run faster? Can they break the 3.5 minute mile? Only time will tell.

Set aside your day to read this breathless, amazing book. Share it with your friends. Written for readers 12 and up, and suitable for all ages.

Thanks to The BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like criticizing Neal Bascomb because he tries so hard to write interesting nonfiction for kids. He comes close, but he doesn't keep enough entertainment in this book to maintain interest. His narrative presentation is very good. He's definitely a storyteller. But too often his narration strays into factual arenas that bore, and in this case, too much repetition. The battle to break the 4 minute mile was a big deal in the 50s. Bascomb makes that clear. Three men from Britain, Australia and America, are fighting for it, constantly aware, that one of the others could do it first at any moment. The biggest problem I have with this book is that the story is basically the same from beginning to end. This runner trains. That runner trains. This runner competes. That runner competes. I liked the subtle suspense, but he needed to break the monotony.

As with all of Bascomb's books, I want more backstory. I don't know how other authors do it. Interviews maybe? Sheinkin. Hopkinson. They are able to get to the heart of who these people are. They dig for the details no one else does. Bascomb never gets there. I'm starting to think he never will. Sigh.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a suspenseful retelling of last years before the magic barrier of a "four minute mile" was broken. Magic because it was always a very artificial wall, based around a silly measurement. But Bascomb is good at building the suspense, making the three front runners he picks real and showing their anxiety and ambition.

Where it fell short a bit was really making me care about it. These guys made up the contest and then worried about who would win it. It doesn't seem very important to me, and I didn't like the men enough to want them to get it on their own. The English guy seemed hard-working and dedicated, but also kind of squirrelly; he was all into pacing and not really a true competitor. The American was very blustery; I sympathized with him but thought he was better off without the whole racing industry. I liked the Australian but not enough to care whether he got a meaningly award.

So I needed more of a hook to get onto the ride -- while I was reading it was exciting, but I was never drawn to pick it up. It's would be good for track fans and people already invested.

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIVETING. Bascomb's pace is fantastic. He describes the journey of three athletes as they pursued breaking the four-minute mile barrier in the early 1950's. Bascomb moves back and forth between the three athletes' stories, building suspense just before and then during each race that might break the barrier, explaining each athlete's unique approach to training, the disappointments, exhaustion, etc. Fascinating too was the thrill the citizens of each country (UK, USA, and Australia) had for these men's endeavors and the pressure that created for each athlete. This was also during a period (the 1950s) when running was a side-gig; these three individuals were truly "amateur" athletes who were also going to school, getting married, living their lives in addition to engaging in a passionate pursuit.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND BOOK TALKING in grades 5-9. Read aloud the "prologue" and leave in the classroom library to be snapped up!

[South Brunswick High School Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young adult version of Bascomb’s The Perfect Mile, this engaging work of nonfiction shares the story of the three amateur athletes who vied to break the four minute mile in the summer of 1952. British medical student Roger Bannister who failed to achieve a gold medal in the Helsinki Olympics, Australian John Landy who rethought his running style and training after his Olympic effort fell short, and Wes Santee, an American from Kansas born with natural talent along with the focus and determination required to make the illusive time possible, brought the world’s attention to the sport of running. Each man had the ability, but as Bascomb recounts each faced different challenges, some of their own making, that would make achieving the magical mile difficult. Bascomb keeps readers on the edge of their seats as the story one summer and the importance of will power to achieve a goal are revealed.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the seemingly impossible barrier of the 4 minute mile and three runners who seemed on the brink of breaking it during the same period of time. Bascomb pays a lot of attention to the mechanics of running and the techniques used by the runners involved in shaving increments off their times. I'm not a runner so this part was of interest but not deeply so but I appreciated the overall sense of what it takes.

Of more interest to me was the topic of "amateur" athletes, that definition then and now. Amazingly Roger Bannister was studying to be come a physician and John Landy was also in college studying for a science degree. They never viewed their athletic endeavors to be more than a short-term effort and the contrast to today's top-rated runners is fascinating.

As always, I learned so much from Bascomb's books.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book breaks down the story of three men who were all working to break the four-minute mile. Bascomb (which I didn't realize adapted the book The Perfect Mile, which I haven't read) to bring it to a different audience, one that doesn't know that people can't run that fast and that running in general has grown a lot as a sport/hobby/athletic event/Olympic sport because it wasn't a thing that people did nor was there equipment to make it elegant, and something that people did.

It's not heart-pounding to read but it is a slice of history and nonfiction about the running that built up to a moment when Bannister, Landy, and Santee all competed against one another from three different parts of the world, giving the sport recognition.

[Kristi Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beating the four-minute mile was a significant milestone in history. The young men at the center of this story were students who trained while in school. They didn't have the advantages that today's pro athletes have. They pushed their bodies as hard as they could, fighting both mental and physical barriers. This is a story of perseverance and spectacular achievement.

Bascomb shares a compelling history, comparing record-shattering amateur athletes to the professional runners competing today. What will it take to beat the almost 23-year-old record that currently stands (set in July 1999)? If history is our teacher, it will require dedication, determination, and pushing the physical limits of the human body - just like Roger Bannister, John Landy, and Wes Santee did almost 70 years ago.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. Bascomb does an excellent job of introducing the three young amateur runners who were the chief contenders for breaking the four minute mile. The pacing is excellent, there is enough personal information about each man: an Australian, an American and an Englishman to make them feel distinct and to remind readers how many ways there are to succeed, yet how success always requires loads of self-discipline and luck. (I had no idea how important weather was in the setting of records.) This is a story that broadens understanding and provides lots of engaging detail about what world class training and competition is like. Especially impressive and engaging is all the actual dialog Bascomb is able to include.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would never have chosen to read this for fun, but I read it for my school's summer reading committee. It was short and entertaining enough to finish quickly. It tells the true story about three men who were attempting to break the four minute mile in the 1950s. I enjoyed the writing style and found myself eager to find out how their races went. One thing is that there is literally not a single person of color mentioned except in the author's note at the end, nor an explanation for this exclusion. Even ancient Roman and Greek civilizations were represented, but none from non-Western countries.

[Alexis Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my students got this book for me, and I genuinely was really fascinated by it. I appreciated the details and the focus on the men racing to beat a psychological barrier.

I will say that while I enjoyed it, I do feel that some of the kiddos would get bored by it due to it being very informative.

[Great Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1952, three world-class runners attempted to run a mile in under four minutes, a feat that was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed. Their inspiring story captivated the world as they attempted to defy the odds and achieve the impossible.
Reviewer 19

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is perfect for running enthusiasts, history buffs, or anyone who has an interest not just in the race but also the background. The story was told at a good “pace” 😉 and was easy to follow, even though it switched between the 3 MC. This was a very good NF read.