The 64 American athletes who first first ran the mile in under four minutes last year, or in the case of female athletes 4min 30sec, have been honoured by the planting of 64 trees ©Jake Willard

The 64 American athletes who first first ran the mile in under four minutes last year, or in the case of female athletes 4min 30sec, have been honoured by the planting of 64 trees.

The trees marking the achievement of the latest batch of inductees into Olympian Ben Blankenship’s non-profit organisation Endless Mileage Project will join the 692 already planted in the Fast Forest within Dorris Ranch in Springfield in Oregon.

The total of 64 is a record is the highest annual number since the project, which fosters sustainable environments and programming that inspire the next generation of track and field athletes to break barriers, began.

Each tree in the Fast Forest is associated with an athlete via a biodegradable hanging wood tag featuring the athlete’s name, date of achievement, official time, and location of achievement.

Morgan Beadlescomb was the fastest of the male athletes honoured, clocking 3min 52.03sec in Chicago on February 2.

There are two women on the list - Allie Wilson, who ran 4;26.04,  and Elly Henes, who clocked 4:28.12, both on September 7 in Los Angeles.

Kate Grace pictured with her tree in the Fast Forest marking her achievement in running a mile in under 4min 30sec ©Fast Forest
Kate Grace pictured with her tree in the Fast Forest marking her achievement in running a mile in under 4min 30sec ©Fast Forest

The Fast Forest can also be fully explored on the Endless Mileage Project by clicking here. 

Photos of each tree are visible in a searchable map of the grove.

Community members came out to help tie Class of 2022 tree tags to their corresponding trees on February 1, and multiple Eugene-based athletes came out and met their trees during that time.

The Fast Forest is supported by Willamalane Park and Recreation District within Dorris Ranch, a natural historic preservation site which contains a living history farm, a working commercial orchard and a public park with a rich history in the Oregon running community.