Australian Percy Cerutty turned to exercise in 1939 to reshape his life after a nervous breakdown. Afterwards, he became a well-known running coach who shared his philosophies along with his training plans. Ben Mackie, one former pupil of Cerutty’s, said, “You came here with the object of running more quickly, and achievement in running, but really it was an education in life.”
Cerutty worked with many runners, including John Landy and Betty Cuthbert, but had his greatest success with Herb Elliot. In return, Elliot saved Cerutty from drowning in 1958:
