Mind is everything. Muscle - pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind.

He even returned to the track himself a few times. Nurmi's former rival Ville Ritola boarded the plane when he moved back to Finland in 1970. Nurmi intended to end his career on a marathon gold medal as his idol Kolehmainen had done.

After a silver medal in the 5000 m he took gold in the 10000 m and the cross country events. S. He was nicknamed as the "Flying Finn" as he dominated distance running in the early 20th century.