4 minute mile

geoff29

anyone here done this?

I haven't but its something I hope to achieve one day!!

Praetorian

I've never measured my mile time, but isn't a 4 minute mile still in the realm of decent professionals or very fast amateurs?

bo-sco

Well, it depends on what kind of car you're planning to do it in and the traffic on the road at the time.

aburke

Very unlikely anyone on here has done it.
It's a much shorter list than you might imagine

Jun 1st '56 Ronnie Delany 3:59.0 (3:57.5, '58)
Aug 3rd '64 Basil Clifford 3:59.80
Aug 13th '66 Derek Graham 3:59.40 (3:59.26, '66)
Jun 1st '68 Frank Murphy 3:58.6 (3:58.1, '69)
May 12th '73 John Hartnett 3:58.3 (3:54.7, '73)
May 10th '75 Eamonn Coghlan 3:56.2 (3:49.78i, '83)
Aug 30th '75 Jim McGuinness 3:59.2 (3:55.0, '77)
May 1st '76 Niall O'Shaughnessy 3:58.1 (3:55.4i, '77)
Jun 19th '76 Paul Lawther 3:58.49 (3:57.81, '83)
Jun 19th '76 Jerry Kiernan 3:59.12
Apr 30th '77 Ray Flynn 3:59.4 (3:49.77, '82)
Jun 24th '80 David Taylor 3:59.19 (3:54.48, '83)
Jun 23rd '81 Frank O'Mara 3:58.82 (3:51.06, '86)
Jan 22nd '83 Marcus O'Sullivan 3:58.84i (3:50.94i, '88)
Jul 13th '83 Tommy Moloney 3:57.70 (3:54.68, '86)
Jun 10th '84 Steve Martin 3:56.71 (3:56.36, '86)
Jul 3rd '84 Paul Donovan 3:55.82
Jul 9th '85 Enda Fitzpatrick 3:56.36
Jun 14th '86 Gerry O'Reilly 3:54.63
Jul 8th '86 Eugene Curran 3:58.54
Jul 13th '86 Mark Kirk 3:59.67
Jul 18th '86 Peter McColgan 3:59.37
Jul 7th '87 Seán O'Neill 3:58.42
Jan 31st '88 Frank Conway 3:58.32i (3:56.78i, '89)
Feb 6th '88 Kieran Stack 3:59.4i
Jul 5th '88 Séamus McCann 3:59.84
May 30th '91 Davey Wilson 3:59.9
Jul 5th '91 Niall Bruton 3:59.23 (3:53.93, '96)
Jul 9th '93 Mark Carroll 3:58.64 (3:50.62, '00)
Jun 25th '94 Des English 3:58.71
Jun 25th '94 Shane Healy 3:59.23
Sep 4th '94 Gary Lough 3:59.48 (3:55.91, '95)
Apr 1st '95 Ken Nason 3:58.91 (3:58.09, '95)
Sep 5th '98 James McIlroy 3:59.48
Jun 27th '99 James Nolan 3:56.31 (3:54.62, '03)
Aug 7th '99 Brian Treacy 3:59.91
Apr 29th '00 Gareth Turnbull 3:57.89 (3:57.61, '02)
Oct 29th '00 Andrew Walker 3:58.96
Mar 2nd '03 Alistair Cragg 3:59.94

From
http://www.sparmilechallenge.com/background-6.php

geoff29

thanks for the info - yeh I had no idea that such a list even existed and yep - quite small really. Suppose there would be a lot that aren't recorded though in training etc.

Still, I'm sure it's the kind of thing that people have done accidently without realising during 5k races and the like?!

Well... maybe!

Thanks again for the info! I'll give myself 2 years!

finlma

geoff29 wrote: »

Still, I'm sure it's the kind of thing that people have done accidently without realising during 5k races and the like?!

There's no way anyone has ever done a 4 minute mile accidentally. It's basically a sprint for a mile and you work and aim for it. For an amateur to achieve it would be some feat and they're probably in the wrong business.

aburke

geoff29 wrote: »

thanks for the info - yeh I had no idea that such a list even existed and yep - quite small really. Suppose there would be a lot that aren't recorded though in training etc.

Still, I'm sure it's the kind of thing that people have done accidently without realising during 5k races and the like?!

Well... maybe!

Thanks again for the info! I'll give myself 2 years!

Geoff, I could be way off, but I think you haven't a notion what a 4 minute mile really is.
It's not a 147 in snooker, or a 9 dart checkout, which can happen in training.

While the average speed for the world record for 5km is 4:03 for the mile [by my calcs], I doubt a sub 4 mile has EVER been run in a 5km race [not on the flat in any case].

It's 5 years since any Irishman joined that list, but I wish you luck in joining it. I still haven't gone sub 5, but its one target for the summer.

What's your current PB for the mile?

BossArky

aburke wrote: »

While the average speed for the world record for 5km is 4:03 for the mile [by my calcs], I doubt a sub 4 mile has EVER been run in a 5km race [not on the flat in any case]

The 5km world record is 13 minutes exactly.

5km is 3.125 miles, which gives 4.16 (.16%, not 16 seconds) minutes per mile at 5km world record pace

0.16 of a minute is 9.6 seconds

--> so the mile pace for a 5km world record matching run is actually 4 mins 9.6 seconds.

2Scoops

aburke wrote: »

It's 5 years since any Irishman joined that list, but I wish you luck in joining it.

Part of the reason for that is because the mile itself is rarely run as an event these days. Or when it is, it's a kind of novelty event like the Spar mile. I know for a fact, however, that a least one runner has joined that list of Irish milers since 2003...

Pherekydes

BossArky wrote: »

The 5km world record is 13 minutes exactly.

5km is 3.125 miles, which gives 4.16 (.16%, not 16 seconds) minutes per mile at 5km world record pace

0.16 of a minute is 9.6 seconds

--> so the mile pace for a 5km world record matching run is actually 4 mins 9.6 seconds.

That's the road 5k.

The world record for 5000m on the track is 12:37.35.

So the pace for the 5000m world record is 4:03.77 per mile.

I would say that a sub 4 has probably happened during a 5k race on the track, but they'd be rarer than hen's teeth. To run a scratch 4 minute mile require a special blend of speed, strength and endurance, and to run one during the course of a longer race is absolutely reserved for the very, very extreme examples of the above, the likes of Hicham el Guerrouj, Kenenisa Bekele, Haile Gebrselassie, Daniel Komen and maybe a few others.

Good luck to the OP in trying to join the club. Have you got any PBs on the track? Mile, 800m, 400m?

Pherekydes

aburke wrote: »

http://www.sparmilechallenge.com/background-6.php

Additions:

3:58.99 Mark Christie Mullingar Harriers Crystal Palace, ENG 06.08.05
3:59.52 Gary Murray St. Malachy’s Crystal Palace, ENG 06.08.05


Not sure if there are any others.

thirtyfoot

Dave Campbell in Wanganui in January this year joined the 'club' with a 3:58.

I'd also agree that a sub 4 has been done in a 5k especially when you consider a last lap can be run in 53-54 seconds and presuming its a steady pace early doors a blowout from 4 laps out would go close.

thirtyfoot

Slow coach wrote: »

12:37.35.

The splits from that race are:

1k 2:33 (4:06 mile pace)
2k 2:32 (4:04 mile pace)
3k 2:31 (4:04 mile pace)
4k 2:30 (4:02 mile pace)
5k 2:29 (4:00 mile pace)

Amazing stuff. Based on that I'd say if you said to Bekele in the full of his powers to run sub 13 for the 5k and throw in a sub 4 minute mile he could do it.

topper75

Almost sure Liam Reale should be on that list too. Could be out of date.

thirtyfoot

topper75 wrote: »

Almost sure Liam Reale should be on that list too. Could be out of date.

He is just outside it based on AAI rankings 4:00.7 but being a 3.38 metric miler and using the NCAA converter which I think is 1.08 thats a 3:55 mile.

geoff29

aburke wrote: »

Geoff, I could be way off, but I think you haven't a notion what a 4 minute mile really is.

Woh - that escalated quickly!

I should probably clarify that my intentions to try a 4-min mile are right up there with walking on the moon and scaling Everest. I wasn't being entirely serious.

I only started the thread to potentially congratulate anyone that has done it because its obviously a great achievment. Was watching some of the US college stars and they all looked capable of it - and then I was reading an article about it and thought 'hey - have any of these guys done it?'

Anything after that was merely me waffling on. I'll have to watch myself around here!

Personally, I reckon Bekele is the biz - and that he's done a few. I saw him race last year in Scotland I think it was - and the guy was smiling and laughing whilst running the final few ks - a million miles ahead of everyone.

Tomthepost

geoff29 wrote: »

thanks for the info - yeh I had no idea that such a list even existed and yep - quite small really. Suppose there would be a lot that aren't recorded though in training etc.

Still, I'm sure it's the kind of thing that people have done accidently without realising during 5k races and the like?!

Well... maybe!

Thanks again for the info! I'll give myself 2 years!

Must be the must silly post I have ever read!!!

thirtyfoot

geoff29 wrote: »

Woh - that escalated quickly!

I should probably clarify that my intentions to try a 4-min mile are right up there with walking on the moon and scaling Everest. I wasn't being entirely serious.

I only started the thead to potentially congratulate anyone that has done it because its obviously a great achievment. Was watching some of the US college stars and they all looked capable of it - and then I was reading an article about it and thought 'hey - have any of these guys done it?'

Anything after that was merely me waffling on. I'll have to watch myself around here!

Personally, I reckon Bekele is the biz - and that he's done a few. I saw him race last year in Scotland I think it was - and the guy was smiling and laughing whilst running the final few ks - a million miles ahead of everyone.

Geoff29 keep an eye out for a meet in Santry in the summer which will be celebrating a momentous night of track in the stadium 50 years ago. See below:

From www.clonliffeharriers.com

1958 Revisited

This summer is the 50th anniversary of the summer of world records being set on the old cinder track in Santry. Most will be aware that Herb Elliot set a world mile record in Santry in August 1958, however, were you also aware that over a four week period from the 9th of July to the 7th of August 1958 that three world records were set?

In the mid 1950s Billy Morton, a master of public relations, summoned a press conference to the Gresham Hotel to announce his intention to build a stadium in Santry and produce Ireland’s first cinder track:

‘Gentlemen, grass is on the way out’ was his declaration and it made headlines in every newspaper the following day.

Billy Morton’s dream was realised with the opening of the Clonliffe Harriers Stadium in Santry in May of 1958.

The first of those three, now almost 50 year old records was set on the 9th of July 1958 by Australian Albie Thomas. In the current issue of ‘Run for your life’ magazine Albie Thomas recalls that night:

‘Merv Lincoln took me through in about an 8.52 for two miles, and I thought ‘this is going pretty well’. But it was only with about two laps to go that there was a huge roar from the crowd and Dave Power was yelling ‘go you can break the world record!’ and that was the only indication I had – I definitely hadn’t gone into the race to break a world record. It was completely unplanned’.

Former Clonliffe Harriers Club President Colm Brennan was a boy in the crowd on that historic night and recalls ‘It took some time before it was realised how fast the athletes were actually running, ripple came from the press box and began to filter around the crowd after a mile to the effect that the athletes were on world record pace, this was then picked up by the stadium commentator and at around the two mile mark it was confirmed by the stadium commentator that a world record was on the card’. This proved to be the case as Albie Thomas scorched around the cinder track to set a new world three mile record of 13:10.6.

A month later Albie was back in Dublin accompanied by a whose who of Miling for the ‘August International Sports’ at the Clonliffe Harriers Stadium, Santry. This was a joint promotion between Clonliffe Harriers and Crusaders Athletics Club and was a two day event, the 6th and 7th of August. Billy Morton again was busy signing up athletes for the Meet, this time at an International athletics meeting at the White City in London between a Great Britain selection and a Commonwealth selection. Albie Thomas recalls:

‘The organiser was rounding up people for his two day meet in Dublin, and he asked me if I would run the mile on the first day. I said ‘hang on, I am running the two mile the next night’ so he said ‘well if you set the pace in the mile, Herb will come in your race and pace you’.’

The field for that One Mile Invitational on the 6th of August reads:

M. Lincoln, Australia. H. Elliot, Australia. D. Power, Australia. J. Russell, Australia. A. Thomas, Australia. R. Delany, Crusaders A.C. and Villa Nova. J. McLoughlin, Civil Service Harriers. M. Hoey, Clonliffe Harriers. M. Connolly, Donore Harriers. D. Carbery, Crusaders A.C. T. O’Donoghue, Crusaders A.C.

Albie Thomas takes up the story:

‘I set the pace for the first two laps and then Merv Lincoln and Elliot went past me. Next was Murray Halberg (not actually listed in the programme) and the last person to pass me was Ronnie Delany at about 200 metres to go. I was going so hard, because I knew what was on. In my mind I thought ‘if I can hang on I might get a sub four minute mile out of this’ and then as I rounded the bend into the final straight I was straining so much I could hardly see. But that was the feeling, because it was a rarity then. And all of a sudden five of us went through. It is the fiftieth anniversary this year’.

There was a crowd of 25,000 packed into the old stadium and they witnesses what was recorded in the following days newspapers as ‘Worlds Greatest Mile’. The previous world record was held by John Landy at 3:58. Herb Elliot shattered that record with a magnificent 3:54.5, second was Merv Lincoln 3:55.9, third Ronnie Delaney 3:57.5, fourth Murray Halberg 3:57.5 and fifth Albie Thomas 3:58.6.

Day two of the Meet and the records were still not finished. The athletes lined up for the two mile race and this time Elliot paced Thomas. The result, a World Two Mile record of 8:32 for Albie Thomas.

The attached pictures show action from the two day August 1958 event. You will see the famous midway photograph of the mile race and also there is a photograph of the start of the mile race and also the finish with Herb Elliot (blurred) breasting the tape. The photograph of the other athlete breasting the tape is Albie Thomas setting a world two mile mark the following day.

Planning is underway to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of these monumental Irish sporting events. Clonliffe in conjunction with Athletics Ireland and the Irish Sports Counsel are currently organising the Morton Memorial Meeting, this will be an International athletics event which will take place on Friday the 25th of July in the Morton Stadium. A full announcement will be made shortly, however, in the meantime, this is a date to be filled in your diary – a not to be missed occasion.

geoff29

Tomthepost wrote: »

Must be the must silly post I have ever read!!!

you spelled most wrong.

geoff29

Thanks for that info made for some great reading - all new to me - had no idea about any of that! Wish Ireland had some truely world *beating* performers to cheer on-Isn't it about time that an Irish person won the Great Ireland Run?! (in the men's event I mean) Suppose our lack of heat and altitude doesn't help!

Will def keep an eye on Santry! I'd just like to see first hand some of these top guys run.

geoff29

right well - purely out of interest after my usual 5k run, i went to the track tonight and ran 400m in exactly 60.58 seconds. granted I was wrecked after that - I probably could have gone another 200m max. Then I would have collapsed.

First time recording that distance and I wasn't sure what pace to do - but I didn't open it up at all. Whether I would have maintained a higher pace - I don't know - I'll try again.

I've run sub 12s 100m before.

anyway - i just wanted to see if i was even *capable* speed-wise of the 4 minute mile. I have to admit I enjoyed running 400 - great adrenaline kick -never done that distance before..

thirtyfoot

geoff29 wrote: »

right well - purely out of interest after my usual 5k run, i went to the track tonight and ran 400m in exactly 60.58 seconds. granted I was wrecked after that - I probably could have gone another 200m max. Then I would have collapsed.

First time recording that distance and I wasn't sure what pace to do - but I didn't open it up at all. Whether I would have maintained a higher pace - I don't know - I'll try again.

I've run sub 12s 100m before.

anyway - i just wanted to see if i was even *capable* speed-wise of the 4 minute mile. I have to admit I enjoyed running 400 - great adrenaline kick -never done that distance before..

A 60 sec 400 ain't bad especially after a 5k run but I suppose it does show you what is required to run a sub 4 mile - 3 more of those.

The mile is such a great distance because there are so many variables with 400m speed not been a very solid indicator. Michael Johnson who ran 43 sec for 400 could just get under 5 mins for a mile when he did them early season in his training (I think he used to do one mile every season in training for some bizarre reason). To run a 4 minute mile (half guessing here now) you would possibly need 400 pace of around 48-50 secs at least, add this to pretty solid endurance and being able to run a 5k at around 13:40-14:00mins, then having a huge pain threshold and then a bit of luck that when you are in the best shape of your life that all things work out and come together. The final thing and probably most critical is that you have the required inate ability because if you weren't born with the genes then you will find it very difficult and probably impossible to run a sub 4 mile, its not something that can be trained if the goods aren't there in the first place.

Maybe you should give the 400s a go:)

token56

Does anyone know what Danny Darcy's best time for the mile is. I am sure he is close to 4 mins

thirtyfoot

No record of Darcy on tilastopaja.com so not sure, he isn't sub 4 though. Whats his 1500 PB?

token56

I am not sure of his pb's but according to this article 40 Irish athlete have broken the 4 min mile
http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~pubsoc/2005/sports/0008.html
I am not sure how acurate it is since it a college magizine but i wouldn't mind knowing the 40.

thirtyfoot

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/AT%20Men%20March%202008.pdf

35 here.

geoff29

Your knowledge on all of these threads in impressive!

Suppose I enjoy running so I might as well have some kind of targets, you know? Best for 5k is 17:56 - I haven't tried to beat that in ages so maybe I'll have a go at that again. If I got the 400 to 50-something I would be quite happy with that!!

But yeh I'll mention again, just so you don't think I'm a nutcase, I don't expect to do a 4 minute mile - or anything near. But if I tried for a 4 minute mile and ended up someday doing 5 mins or below - well I'd be happy with that!

Its just an aim - like the way we all aim to make a million a year. Aim high!

Racing Flat

Geoff,
Based on greg mcmillan's running calculator www.mcmillanrunning.com
17.56 5k = 5.10 mile
60secs 400m = 4.52

Anyone capable of 4mins knows he's capable of this. For good club athletes 4.30 is a good target. For everyone else 5mins is the one to aim for, nice round number but still difficult. I know fellows who can run well under 3hours for a marathon and they can't get better than 5.10. Takes speed which some people don't have and endurance that most people don't train for.
I remember when Lance Armstrong retired he was asked if he had any goals and he siad he'd love to run a 5min mile, the thought of putting 4 75sec 400s back to back intrigued him and he wasn't sure if he'd manage it. And he was fit.

shels4ever

Its easier said then done, at my best (10 years ago) I had prob 5 solid years training in , and my mile best was jsut over 4:20.

I dobt that i could have take 20 sec of that even if i didnt stop running,

geoff29

thanks for the info Racing Flat.

I got off to an inauspicious start though - 5m 35s last night..! booo!!

That was around the track and frankly I felt like I didn't know what I was doing pace-wise. In the short term and with practice (experience) I can see me getting that down another 20-30 seconds.

*If* I ever get it below 5 mins I'll be quite happy with that.

Was watching some of the London Marathon there - amazing stuff. I see the pace of the leader's miles was often under 4m 20s/mile. How's that?! Amazing.

topper75

Yeah the fastest I've done is 04:58 - and I distinctly remember pulling out all the stops on that one.

You gain a huge new respect for the boys & girls who do fast mile times in the endurance races.

The amazing spectrum of humanity!

High&Low

A five minute mile is an average of 12 mph (19.2km/h) when you consider that the max speed of a lot of standard treadmills is 20km/h it's pretty quick.

token56

geoff29 wrote: »

Was watching some of the London Marathon there - amazing stuff. I see the pace of the leader's miles was often under 4m 20s/mile. How's that?! Amazing.

Its hard to imagine the speed they are going over 42 km. During that race they were averaging somewhere around 4:45 min a mile. Its rediculous to think of keeping up that speed for such a distance.

During the race the overhead view from the helicopter really showed how they were eating up the ground. Amazing stuff to watch for us mortals

Stark

London Marathon record is 2:05:15 (4m47s mile pace) afaik. I'd be happy if I managed to sustain that pace for a single mile

geoff29

High&Low wrote: »

A five minute mile is an average of 12 mph (19.2km/h) when you consider that the max speed of a lot of standard treadmills is 20km/h it's pretty quick.

yehhh treadmills.. I never feel comfortable at anything over 15/16 on them and yet last night's run on the track I averaged a little over 17 kmph and it just felt *slow*. That speed on a treadmill and you feel like you're gonna take off!

Stark - that's what I wanna do! Just one!!

cfitz

geoff29 wrote: »

Stark - that's what I wanna do! Just one!!

You're male and under 35 years of age right?

If you're fairly enthusiastic about running under 5 minutes for a mile (and you seem to be), and you've run 5:35 with very little training(?) - then with a bit of patience and plenty of training I don't think you should have much difficulty.

How old are you? Are you under 25? If you are it should be all the easier.
Are you overweight? If so you'll have to work on that for a while longer.
Do you smoke. If so you'll have to stop completely immediately.

Here's what you could do:

• Allow yourself 3 years to reach your goal of a sub-5 minute mile to be safe.
• Give up all other sports.
• Try to get yourself a good coach. This doesn't just mean joining a club. It means making sure that you have a coach who trains people at the level your trying to reach and people at a much higher level also, and who is willing to advise you on what training to do on a regular basis.
• Build up slowly, but within four months you should definitely be up to training at least 5 times per week.
• Once you're up to a level of regular training set yourself short term goals (with your coach ideally).
• Your training should always be specific to your goals, not just a case of "I'm going for a run" (this shouldn't be a problem if you have a good coach).
• Be careful of injuries, find a good physio and if you're hurt contact them sooner rather than later.

How does that sound?

geoff29

Thanks for the advice cfitz.

I havent drank in a year or so and I have never smoked. Also I'm still a few years away from 30..! Fitness-wise, I've been running for the last 5 years or so on and off. I used to play rugby so I was fitter at some times than others. Its only in the last few months that I started trying to run a bit faster again and although I would say I am fitter than the next guy - I'm still nowhere near as fit as I have been or would like to be.

Currently I run about 3 times a week. Maybe 4 depending on time. Otherwise I'm in the gym.

I don't think I'll be getting a coach or anything like that - I suppose this is just a personal goal for me. I would say that I am harder on myself than others though. I enjoy running so getting out there is not a problem - its finding the time that is: I tend to run when I'm not working and that could be at 9am or 9pm. Its whenever I get the time..! But anyway, I've gotten this far by myself so sure I'll keep plugging away!

Your right though about the goals and I always run with a certain time in mind - and indeed 3 years is exactly what I was thinking.

On the injuries side, I think I've wrecked just about every muscle and bone in my body. I think I've lost some top speed as a result, but I can still regularly run 12s 100m and faster when I'm giving it everything. Right now I'm in pretty good shape and tend to *know* when somethings about to go... which these days isn't that often thankfully!

But anyway, we'll see what happens!

thirtyfoot

geoff29 wrote: »

I don't think I'll be getting a coach or anything like that - I suppose this is just a personal goal for me. I would say that I am harder on myself than others though. I enjoy running so getting out there is not a problem - its finding the time that is: I tend to run when I'm not working and that could be at 9am or 9pm. Its whenever I get the time..! But anyway, I've gotten this far by myself so sure I'll keep plugging away!

Your right though about the goals and I always run with a certain time in mind - and indeed 3 years is exactly what I was thinking.

First off a coach in a club won't cost you anything bar the club membership fee of a year between 50-150euro. Secondly, a coach will have massive experience and knowledge and will devise a program suited to you. Thirdly, a coach and other athletes in a club will probably get you to your target in half the time and a lot of the effort you are doing now will be channeled in the right direction. If you can run a 100m in under 12s you have excellent basic speed and you should p*ss a sub 5 mile with correctly structured training very soon(less than a year) in my opinion.

Check out the Spar mile challenge on May 11th as a starting point.

RacoonQueen

Well I'm sure if I tried....






























































...I still wouldn't be able to do it.

geoff29

Hi guys,

I got the mile down to 5:15 - 5:20 a few times though no faster.

I've had to take the last 2 weeks off because my legs were in bits. I couldn't even walk after some of the runs and, judging that I do a lot of road running, I think shin-splints are a concern.

Feeling better at the mo. Did 5k in 17 min a few nights ago and thats my quickest ever so maybe the break has done some good.


Q about the mile: In order to get to 5:20 (for me this was a major step fwd) - I've been running at exactly a rate of 20 seconds every 100m. Surprisingly effective. I had the idea that if I can maintain that for 3 laps - I could then try and push it on the final. And maybe go sub 5:20. I did that a few times and 5:15 was the fastest I got to. Due to fatigue - I always feel like I'm not running correctly on the final lap - posture is all wrong - I feel like I'm slouching in the shoulders/back.

Just wondering from your guys experience of 1500/1600m track running, do you have any strategy?

I also managed 57s 400m. Still miles away from what I wanted - but hopefully over next month I can get to 55.

cfitz

Sounds like you're going well so far.

Most people training to run a fast mile will do most of their faster training as intervals of shorter distances. You could try doing something like:

8 x 200m in 37 seconds with 1 minute recovery

If that felt easy you could drop the recovery time down to 45 seconds the next time. It should be easier to control your form on a session like this. You can concentrate on not slouching on the last few reps.

When you have that session under control then you could move up to:

4 x 400m in 74 seconds with 1 minute recovery.

When you get to a stage where you can do this session with 45 seconds recovery you'll have a very good chance of doing a 5 minute mile.

There's loads of work you can do to improve your mile time - that's just one suggestion. All the best with it!

token56

My suggestion would be a few pyramid sessions for example
100m, 100m recovery
200m, 200m recovery
..
400m, 400m recovery
400m, 400m recovery
..
.
100m, 100m recovery

The aim is to keep jogging on all recoverys and not stop and walk. Also to keep the times for the second half consitent with the first half.

Another good session is for say 1 mile ~1600m (1609m) and aiming for 5:20
do 4x400m with 30 secs recovery
aiming for 1:20 for each 400m and being strict on the pace and the recovery is key in this.
Its the recovery thats a killer on this moer so than the pace.
If you find it easy, go for easy run say 1 mile and try another set.

thirtyfoot

cfitz wrote: »

Sounds like you're going well so far.

Most people training to run a fast mile will do most of their faster training as intervals of shorter distances. You could try doing something like:

8 x 200m in 37 seconds with 1 minute recovery

If that felt easy you could drop the recovery time down to 45 seconds the next time. It should be easier to control your form on a session like this. You can concentrate on not slouching on the last few reps.

When you have that session under control then you could move up to:

4 x 400m in 74 seconds with 1 minute recovery.

When you get to a stage where you can do this session with 45 seconds recovery you'll have a very good chance of doing a 5 minute mile.

There's loads of work you can do to improve your mile time - that's just one suggestion. All the best with it!

They sound like good sessions and would simulate the race feeling very much. Its so hard to run a hard interval and go again after a very short recovery.

Also, seeing as the OP has a 57sec 400 and a 17min 5k I'd say he is ready to run sub 5 now. A race environment would probably get you there with the adrenaline and pacing off the other guys.

Stupid_Private

Tingle wrote: »

Also, seeing as the OP has a 57sec 400 and a 17min 5k I'd say he is ready to run sub 5 now. A race environment would probably get you there with the adrenaline and pacing off the other guys.

Definately agree with you there. If he can run 17 mins for 5k in training by himself a sub 5 minute mile would be a piece of piss in a race.

geoff29

Stupid_Private wrote: »

Definately agree with you there. If he can run 17 mins for 5k in training by himself a sub 5 minute mile would be a piece of piss in a race.

haha cheers Tingle and Stupid_Private - but lets not get ahead of ourselves! that 17 min 5k (17:10 btw) was on a great day for me for some reason - everything just 'worked'. I usually run it in 18 on the button - fairly comfortably - but I was absolutely in bits after the 17 min. But I suppose I can take heart that in March I wasnt able to do it in 18 - and now I seem to be able to do it at any mo - so someday 17 might be like that too!

thanks cfitz,token for the advice and info - I'll def start doing that kind of stuff at the track. I think you're right in that I need to be able to sprint for longer periods than I can at the mo without slouching and all that - so yep this should be a good start. Frankly some of it looks like itl be pretty hard going!! I do enjoy sprinting around the turns at the track though - you get a great sensation of speed - tis good fun!

i agree about the races - there's nothing like the crowd cheering you on to give you that adrenaline boost... maybe I could rent one!!

Anyway, I'll have a go at this and check back in soon! Thanks again.

geoff29

evening,
been doing a few 5 on the button miles. Started doing some 800m runs recently as suggested by some - have it down to around the 2m 18s mark at the mo still trying to translate that into a third lap. I think that over a mile, 70 second 400m times are all I'm going to be able to manage over the 4 laps - anything quicker - even over the 800m and i'm gone - for me there seems to be a huge gulf in energy usage in going from 70 seconds to say 64 or 65. So, 70s/400m seems to be relatively comfortable for me, in that I can still breathe after.. I hope to convert into 4:40/mile on the track. Maybe June will see this happen. Fingers crossed but getting there...

Racing Flat

Great improvement. Should get under the 5 soon enough, if you've been on the button. Unfortunately though, the better you get, the harder subsequent improvements. I went from 5.08 to 4.55 to 4.50 over about 8 weeks one summer, but stuck there now, ran 4.50 (or 1500m equivalents) a few times but plateaued. Next summer will do it, marathon this year...
Best of luck. First sub-5 is a great feeling. Will be no bother to you with your 5k time.

digme

Any updates

Krusty_Clown

digme wrote: »

Any updates

Great threads revisited!

Pisco Sour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Great threads revisited!

Had never seen this thread before. Some of the early posts are very LOL indeed.

GoHardOrGoHome

digme wrote: »

Any updates

Jesus! You had to do it didn't you!