Road To Tokyo

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: The Final Chapter

August 16, 2021 No Comments

Patricia and I talked late into the night. Our main topic was to avoid becoming a casualty to what we called ‘post-athletic adjustment’. However, we both knew it was not going to happen to us. Why? Because we have too

Road to Tokyo: Post-Olympics Competing in Finland, Norway, Russia, and Germany

July 30, 2021 No Comments

The global track and field enthusiasts have been treated to an incredible June and July track season featuring unbelievable races from the one mile to the 10,000 meters. On June 9, 1965, Michel Jazy from France set a new one

Road To Tokyo: After Tokyo, The Competition Continues to Heat Up

July 2, 2021 No Comments

The day is Friday, June 25, 1965, and I am at the five mile mark of my fast paced, hilly ten mile run over Camp Pendleton’s engineering roads and trails. Approaching a very steep hill of about 50 yards, where

Road to Tokyo: A trip to Berlin and Check Point Charlie

May 4, 2021 No Comments

On a beautiful evening April 1, 1965, after sightseeing all day in Rome, Italy, Patricia and I check into our hotel room in Wembly, England. We are pleasantly surprised to have been upgraded to a small elegant suite. We relax,

Road to Tokyo: After the Tokyo Olympics, New Friends and New Races Appear

March 30, 2021 No Comments

After setting a new American indoor 3 mile record on February 19, 1965, my indoor track and field season is basically over. In reality however, I still have two more indoor races left. The next one is a 3 mile

“I needed the thrill of competition, but more important, the victory because of decisions soon to be made…” | Road to Tokyo by Billy Mills

February 18, 2021 No Comments

My 1965 track season started on Jan 9 at the San Francisco Invitational indoor track meet. I won the one-mile run competing against a star-studded field of several sub 4-minute milers. Favored to win was Allan Simpson from England. He