On Sunday, we learned that Sir Roger Bannister died peacefully in Oxford at the age of 88. Bannister made history on May 6, 1954 by becoming the first man to break four minutes for the mile. At the time, many deemed it an impossible feat. He went on to have a long medical career in neurology and was knighted in 1975. The British sports icon was also named the 1954 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year – the first one in the magazine’s history. In 2011, senior writer David Epstein profiled Bannister for the “Where Are They Now” issue. After the story ran, Epstein and Bannister stayed in touch.

We decided to give Epstein a call on Tuesday to get his thoughts on the passing of a legend and what it was like to befriend someone who inspired many on and off the track.

A full transcription of the interview with Epstein can be found on CITIUSMAG.com