Baby Speedster

When he became the fastest high schooler in history, Alan Webb made us care about track again

Perhaps more than any other sporting achievement, the 4-min. mile is something we all can measure ourselves against. We walk the mile, run it, drive it--and share a sense of awe when a runner breaks what not long ago seemed the insurmountable barrier of the 4-min. mile. So when Alan Webb, 18, who weighs perhaps 140 lbs. when his clothes are dripping wet, ran the mile in 3:53.43 in May, besting my 36-year-old high school record by nearly 2 sec., it was a milestone not just for track and field but for sport in America.

The full measure of Alan's achievement...

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