Bannister was running for the British Amateur Athletic Association against the Oxford team, and the race would be on the Iffley Road track, terrain Bannister knew very well.

班尼斯特参加的是英国业余体育协会对牛津队的比赛，比赛将在伊夫利路的跑道上进行，班尼斯特对地形非常熟悉。