It's amazing that more people have climbed Mount Everest than have broken the 4-minute mile. Roger Bannister amazebreakclimb Change image and share on social
It had always been a British preoccupation to hold this mile record. Roger Bannister britishholdmile Change image and share on social
I found longer races boring. I found the mile just perfect. Roger Bannister borefindlong Change image and share on social
My introduction to track racing was through the background of cross country running, which is not a sport perhaps as popular in America as it is in England. Roger Bannister americabackgroundcountry Change image and share on social
If there was the opportunity to climb a mountain, or to go ballooning, or some adventurous activity, I would always be keen to do it. I loved the countryside. Roger Bannister activityadventurousballoon Change image and share on social
I was playing rugby and the other games English school children do, and there was an event in which races were run, and I won these by a considerable margin. Roger Bannister childconsiderableenglish Change image and share on social
My family actually lived in the same village for about 400 years. They had great stability until the last century. People lived and intermarried in small villages. Roger Bannister centuryfamilygreat Change image and share on social
Your spikes, which were really quite long then, would catch the material of the track and your shoe would get heavier. I was simply filing them down and rubbing some graphite on the spikes. I thought I would run more effectively. Roger Bannister catcheffectivelyfile share on social
When I was about to break a world record and become well known, my mother used to say that for her the important thing was for me to become a doctor - a career which had not been possible in her generation and in her society. Sport was something to be set aside. Roger Bannister breakcareerdoctor share on social
Mothers, unless they were very poor, didn't work. Both of my parents had to leave education. My mother had to work in a cotton mill until 18 or 19, when she took some training in domestic science. Roger Bannister cottondomesticeducation Change image and share on social
