Steve Prefontaine “The Gift” c.1972 Motivational Action Poster – Running Past

Introduction

Do you really want to know what it was like to see Pre run? This is it – Hayward Field, circa 1972. The Oregon rains have wet the track – but Pre doesn’t care. There’s no competitor within sight, no one to push him on – but Pre doesn’t care. The packed house is on its feet, thrilled by yet another brilliant performance, screaming at the top of their lungs – but Pre doesn’t care. What Pre cares about is his time, his passion for the race, his undying effort to shave yet another few seconds off his record time. As he crosses the finish line, his eyes are transfixed to the scoreboard, at the clock – the only thing that matters at this moment.

With Jeff Johnson’s masterful archival photography, Running Past has created a piece that truly transports you back to those remarkable years at the University of Oregon campus at Eugene. You can clearly see the hair, the eyes, the muscles of Pre – even the prototype Nike runners on his feet! The background details are remarkable as well – the wet track, the grandstand posts, the tight shirts & bell-bottoms of the spectators… And to top it off, Pre’s most famous quote appears at top: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” Perfection!