Onitsuka Tiger introduced the Spartan B spike just in time for Ben Jipcho to beat, then shatter the steeplechase World Record in the European Summer Track season of 1973. I was witness to the two races that obliterated the standard, and opened the door for several of the world’s best to continue the barrage of excellence in the barrier event. I was able to secure a pair nearly a decade later, but ran only a few races in them before passing them along to one of my athletes. The memories of a few PR’s, but especially of the exquisite races I was able to witness, all linger in the memory.