I didn’t write the book on nutrition. But it doesn’t take a genius to know that what you put into your body directly impact what it’s able to do. Modern athletes–especially endurance athletes, who don’t have the benefit of turning to “skills” or “intangibles”–tend to eat well. They eat green vegetables, drink plenty of water, and avoid nitrates.

But it hasn’t always been like this. The distance running legends of yore are partly legendary for their mayonnaise consumption and apparent disregard for their own health. If you’d have offered Boston Billy a kombucha, he’d have probably said “gesundheit” and walked away.

Most of our knowledge of past greats’ diets is anecdotal. Until now.

Using dental records, genetic triangulation, receipts from Safeway, and educated guessing, we were able to approximate the dietary habits of Steve Prefontaine–perhaps the most celebrated distance runner in American history.

So read below, head on down to the grocery outlet, and eat like Pre while you watch Saturday’s action at the Pre Classic!