Today's moustache:
Steve "Pre" Prefontaine
Steve Prefontaine, or "Pre" was a runner who made a gigantic splash in the sport during the 1970s. Since his death in a car accident in 1975, he has become a running legend much akin to a deceased rock star for the contemporary cross-country and track community to worship.
Pre was born a champion, so of course he did what champions do: he grew a moustache. It may have helped him run with more aerodynamic efficiency, but more likely it simply gave him bad-ass points. Imagine a moustache quickly sprinting past you at an Olympic trials... can you think of anything more intimidating?
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| Steve's moustache acted as a wing attached to his face. |
Steve was known giving for fantastic quotes about his competitive nature. Some of his best are below:
"Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it."
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
"What I want is to be number one."
Most people think that these quotes reflect Pre discussing his running career. Nothing can be further from the truth; Pre was talking about his moustache. He felt that to be able to grow a moustache, and shave it, was sacrificing his natural ability to grow a sweet 'stache.
As if Pre wasn't bad-ass enough, he was coached at the University of Oregon by Bill Bowerman, future founder of Nike.
Yes, THE Nike.
As in Air Jordans.
Swooshes.
And "Just Do It".
It is rumored that Bill also coached Pre's moustache, and that the "Just Do It" slogan was born when Pre asked Bowerman on whether or not growing one was a good decision. Nike is named after the Greek goddess of victory, appropriate for someone who coached Pre and his Pre-stache.
The "kid from Coos Bay has had two films made about his story. Prefontaine stars Jared Lehto before he got his arm cut off in Requiem for a Dream; the film is not too interesting. The much better film Without Limits stars Billy Crudup (who later dyed his penis blue for Watchmen) and focuses on the championship of Pre's moustache. Truly without limits.
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| Bad Pre Movie |
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| Good Pre Movie |
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| Is it cold in here? |
Tragically, Steve Prefontaine never won an Olympic medal. His heroic race at the '72 Munich Olympics ended with a fourth place finish in the 5000 after taking the lead of the race an astounding three times. He died before the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.
It might not be much, but today we honor Prefontaine with this week's Monday Moustache.
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