He was the first Black man to run a sub-4:00 mile. Now he’s leading others on their first mile ever.

In a race to capture history, it first started with a single step.

Reggie McAfee ran for fun and he ran for sport when he was living in Cincinnati. The people around him noticed something more.

“I think the spark that really hit me was when someone encouraged me at the end of a competition. He used these words, he said, ‘One day, you’re going to be a great runner,’” McAfee told Channel 9′s DaShawn Brown.

McAfee was a three-time national champion runner while he attended Brevard College. But he made his mark on April 21, 1973, when he became the first Black man to run the mile in under four minutes.

“It’s more than the personal goal to me,” McAfee told Brown. “It had to do with breaking barriers and stereotypes. I just knew that I was committed to not only making sure that I won the race, but I sent a message.”

Now in Charlotte, McAfee founded Cross-Country for Youth , integrating health and fitness with life lessons.

He’s also the honorary starter for the inaugural Meck Mile on May 25. It’s a race that invites everyone to complete a mile, whether they’re seasoned runners or first-timers.

>>In the video at the top of this story, McAfee shares how running impacted his mission to help others. Watch on-air and online with our apps or at WSOCTV.com.

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