▁where ▁Sir ▁Roger ▁B ann ister ▁broke ▁the ▁four - min ute ▁mile ▁on ▁ 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁I ff ley ▁Road ▁track . ▁The ▁track ▁is ▁owned ▁and ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁built ▁a ▁grass ▁track ▁ ▁round ▁at ▁Mar ston ▁Road ▁Sports ▁Gr ounds . ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁cl ay ▁and ▁often ▁flo oded , ▁or ▁became ▁unus able ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁wet ▁conditions . ▁The ▁university ▁later ▁decided ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁new ▁running ▁track ▁at ▁I ff ley ▁Road . ▁Building ▁work ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁one - third ▁of ▁a ▁mile ▁( 5 3 6 ▁metres ) ▁track ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁by ▁the ▁contract or ▁Mr ▁Hob d ell . ▁The ▁ground ▁was ▁le ased ▁from ▁Christ ▁Church . ▁The ▁building ▁work ▁was ▁finished ▁two ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁first ▁meeting , ▁on ▁ 2 9 – 3 0 ▁November ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁Roger ▁B ann ister , ▁then ▁a ▁ 1 9 - year - old ▁student ▁at ▁Ex eter ▁College , ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁of ▁Oxford ▁University ' s ▁Athlet ic ▁Club . ▁He ▁made ▁it ▁a ▁prime ▁aim ▁of ▁his ▁presiden cy ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁b um py , ▁une ven ▁track ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁six - lane ▁ ▁track . ▁Two ▁years ▁later ,