As we prepare for the Olympic Games rescheduled for next year and Billy Mills‘ return to Tokyo, where it all began, we are excited to introduce a new series, Road to Tokyo. Each month until the Games begin, Billy will share never-before-heard stories from his time at and leading up to the Olympics in 1964.
Road To Tokyo: Qualifying for the Olympic Trials
March 25, 2020
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It’s a cool Saturday afternoon, June 6th, 1964. I am at the United States Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia, the site of the All-Military Track and Field Championships. Today is the final of the 10,000 meter run. The winner will
February 23, 2020
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Coach Thompson and I are having a brief meeting. It is a sunny morning with a forecast of 72° by mid-afternoon. I have just finished an incredible workout. The golf course is closed today so I did what I call
Road to Tokyo: Training Continues
January 23, 2020
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It is the 1st of March 1964 and I have been training at Camp Pendleton for a mere 10 days. Coach Thompson and I are having our first in depth goal-setting meeting. Coach asked me what my goals between now
Road to Tokyo: Arriving at Camp Pendleton
December 20, 2019
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It is January 3, 1964 and I can’t get the St. Sylvester Midnight Run on December 31, 1963, (running out the old year and running in the new year) out of my mind. Running with a very bad cold, being
Road to Tokyo: The End of 1963
November 26, 2019
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The Contenders It is a very cold Saturday morning, November 30, 1963, as an international field of runners lined up for the start of the USA National AAU Cross Country Championship race in Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, New York. There
Road to Tokyo: Healing Broken Wings
October 30, 2019
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Accepting, Adapting and Overcoming It’s now the middle of October 1963. Last month, on September 10th, learning that I was hypoglycemic and borderline Type 2 Diabetic was much more challenging than I originally thought it would be. It still had
