A Roof Is A Man Made Thing
We all have our own four-minute mile barrier that exists, but for every four-minute mile, there is also a Roger Bannister.
In 1954, Roger Bannister seemingly did the impossible and was the first ever to break the four-minute mile barrier. He broke down a wall that wouldn’t budge for 60+ years. Many tried to break the four-minute mile barrier before him, but it was failed attempt after failed attempt after failed attempt.
Amazingly, once it was broken by Bannister, it was broken again less than two months later by Australia’s John Landy when he ran a 3:58 mile. Two months following that, Bannister and Landy broke the four-minute barrier in the same race. Bannister started the avalanche.
Fast forward to the 2024 Olympics, the Men’s 1500m saw a slowest time of 3:35.59, which converted to a mile- a mile is 1,609 meters -would be a 3:52.84 mile. All of these men would have easily cleared a sub four-minute mile. Not too long ago, the idea of just breaking four minutes seemed unfathomable, which begs the question of how we saw such a shift?
What is the difference between running a four-minute mile today versus before 1954? Is the running technology, i.e. spikes, carbon-plated shoes, synthetic tracks, truly making that big of a difference? Or is the technology effect nonexistent and it is just a case of humans becoming faster and stronger?
If those are the only differences between now and 1954 there’s nothing to be learned from the distinction. Chalking it up to technology and humans becoming faster and stronger would ignore why it took over 60 years of failed attempts to break the mark, how it was broken again less than two months after years of being stuck, and why it is so commonly broken today.
Not only do collegians and pros constantly break the mark, but 23 American high schoolers have run a sub four-minute mile since 1964. But if the change in the breaking of the four-minute mile barrier could be attributed to more than technology and human advancement, then it would be worthwhile to break it down.
Sure, the advancement in technology and humans becoming faster and stronger is a part of it. But to reduce the advancement in running down to these two things would ignore the psychological side of it. Running is very much a mental game.
Runners had been held back by the mindset of the four-minute barrier being an unscalable wall. It was thought the human body was not built to move that fast. The numerous failed attempts only helped to confirm that bias. There are limits to conventional thinking, and sometimes we must be shown what is possible to realize that we can do it. It took one man, Roger Bannister, to show the world that we can break through these self-imposed limits on our beliefs. A roof is a man-made thing after all.
But when Roger Bannister broke down that wall, others saw it wasn’t impossible. History is just one constant string of people surpassing the ceilings we have placed on ourselves. When we transcend these limits, it is not too good to be true. Instead, it is proof the ceiling was always fictitious, a human-made construct. As Matthew McConaughey says,
“It’s because we have created a fictitious ceiling, a roof, to our expectations of ourselves, a limit — where we think it’s all too good to be true. BUT IT ISN’T. AND IT’S NOT OUR RIGHT TO SAY OR BELIEVE IT IS.
We shouldn’t create these restrictions on ourselves. A blue ribbon, a statue, a score, a great idea, the love of our life, a euphoric bliss. Who are we to think we don’t deserve or haven’t earned these gifts when we get them?
Not our right.”
There have been many things in the course of human history that seem out of reach. It took our ancestors 2.4 million years to learn how to control fire. Einstein took years wrestling with the theory of relativity. The 10-second barrier in the 100m dash wasn’t broken until 1968. Simone Biles broke Shannon Miller’s title of being the most decorated U.S. gymnast after 28 years.
But there is no reason to believe these breakthroughs can’t continue to happen. It is never too good to be true because it is never our right to decide. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to go beyond what was thought to be humanly possible. One person who believes in themselves and their crazy idea that yes, they are the one who can alter the course of history. Yes, they are the person that can change their life. History is just one long string of crazy ideas as Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, says,
“At twenty-four I did have a crazy idea, and somehow, despite being dizzy with existential angst, and fears about the future, and doubts about myself as all young men and women in their mid twenties are, I did decide that the world is made up of crazy ideas. History is one long processional of crazy ideas.”
“So in that morning in 1962 I told myself: Let everyone else call your idea crazy… just keep going. Don’t stop.”
History is built by crazy ideas, and human advancement is spurred by it. Sometimes someone has to Roger Bannister their life and have the crazy idea that they can break their four-minute mile barrier. They have to chase down the impossible. They have to believe in their crazy ideas despite 60 years of failure.
This isn’t specific to the course of history either, it is a daily thing. We love to set limitations on ourselves. I recently completed a 40-minute workout, which concluded with maxing out an Olympic lift. I went into the workout believing that I would be lucky to sniff my personal record (PR). I had already placed a roof on my lift, and my abilities of what I could do after a hard workout. But as we know, roofs are man-made things and after a grueling 40-minute workout, I found myself setting a new personal record and busting through that roof.
If Roger Bannister has taught us anything, all it takes is one person, one moment to break down the self-imposed barriers we place upon ourselves. One person to chase their crazy idea. One moment to give us proof we can do the impossible. We all have our own four-minute mile barrier that exists, but for every four-minute mile, there is also a Roger Bannister. And sometimes, it might be as simple as finding that Roger Bannister within us.
Appreciate you taking time. Tap the heart if you enjoyed.
-Scantron
Loved this one 👍🏻
Love to hear it, appreciate you reading!