There was a time, some six decades ago, when no human being on the face of the earth had officially run 5,280 feet in under 2,400 seconds. The first person to do it – Roger Bannister May 6, 1954 – would open the flood-gates on a milestone that has been one of the most frequently discussed barriers in all of sport.
In many ways, what Bannister did for runners over half a century ago is precisely what Ryan Hill’s entire career has done for N.C . State track and field.
Beginning his third season at State, the humble native of Hickory, N.C ., is an All-ACC runner, an All-American, an ACC Champion, a NCAA Regional Qualifier and the owner of four University records. Each of his feats (fastest time in the one mile, 1, 500m , 3, 000m and 5, 000m ) will no doubt be in future peril considering senior Hill has two full seasons remaining with the Wolfpack . As decorated an athlete as State currently has, it’s not surprising that Hill has his sights set squarely on bringing an NCAA Championship home from Des Moines, Iowa this June.
Heading into the second half of his career, it doesn’t appear Hill will be resting on his laurels any time soon.
After breaking the four-minute mile to erase the longest-standing record in the Pack track and field record book, Hill sat down with Technician to discuss his accomplishment in Blacksburg, Va .
Technician: How drastically has the four-minute mile barrier has changed over the years?
Hill: “It’s funny that in the 50 years since someone first broke four minutes, it gets less prestigious every year because so many people do it. At this point, it is like 3:55 is the new four-minute. It’s good for people who aren’t runners, and they hear about running a four-minute mile and think that it is legit. It’s good for comparison outside of the sport, but within the sport that wasn’t even a national-auto time (a set time you have to run to make the National Championship).”
Technician: Even though it may not be as unique a feat as it used to be, what does breaking the four-minute mile mean to you?
Hill: “Being a runner, I have the Roger Bannister book back at home that chronicles the whole situation. I’m very aware of the four-minute mile and what it means to the sport, so it’s pretty incredible to finally do it.”
Technician: Out of the four N.C . State records you currently hold, which one are you most proud of?
Hill: “The best one in terms of quality is the 5K time of 13:31. That is the one I am most proud of you because it is the best time for me personally.”
Technician: What’s the next step for you when you go ahead and run the mile again?
Hill: “The time to automatically get into nationals is 3:57.9, so time-wise I want to make it there. I will run the mile at the end of the month and try to get there, but you never know what the situation is going to be. It might be a tight race and I just want to win. You never know.”
Technician: Is it difficult to keep track of time when you are out there running that fast?
Hill: “Every time I came around, I was glancing at the clock because I knew the pace I had to run. It’s not as out of control as you might think, it’s not like it is an all-out sprint. We’ve been training all year and have trained all throughout high school, so it is under control. I still have the wherewithal to look at the clock and assess where I am at. It’s all about pacing myself and following my internal clock.”
Technician: When you think about your potential pinnacle at State, what do you think about?
Hill: “Personally, I always dream about winning an NCAA Championship. I’m right on the cusp of getting to that level, and I just want to keep pushing. Hopefully one of these days, the Nationals will be my day and I can win one.”
