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"How fast would Usain Bolt run the mile".

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  • #2
    dr.fuzzenstein
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,620 ✭✭✭✭dr.fuzzenstein


    Well, a mile has 1609.34 meters in it, rounding up a tiny bit, that is 16.1 hundred meter races. Multiply that by 9.58 (his 100 meter time) and there you have it!
    He would run that distance in 2.57 minutes.


  • #3
    tailgunner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭tailgunner


    dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »
    Well, a mile has 1609.34 meters in it, rounding up a tiny bit, that is 16.1 hundred meter races. Multiply that by 9.58 (his 100 meter time) and there you have it!
    He would run that distance in 2.57 minutes.

    Nah. His first 100 metres would be 9.58 seconds, but the rest would be a lot quicker as he's already at top speed.


  • #4
    KielyUnusual
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭KielyUnusual


    tailgunner wrote: »
    Nah. His first 100 metres would be 9.58 seconds, but the rest would be a lot quicker as he's already at top speed.

    Yea, but that would probably be balanced out by slowing down a little going round the bends. Sprinters like straight lines. Mile on a road now. Sub 2.30, no bother.


  • #5
    BeepBeep67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,092 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    Depends on who was knocking on the door!


  • #6
    BeepBeep67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,092 ✭✭✭BeepBeep67


    In all seriousness I would expect he could go sub 5.
    I'm usually surprised at how quick the decathletes can run 1500m at the end of 2 tough days, sub 4:30 is not unusual.


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  • #7
    morceli
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 364 ✭✭morceli


    BeepBeep67 wrote: »
    In all seriousness I would expect he could go sub 5.
    I'm usually surprised at how quick the decathletes can run 1500m at the end of 2 tough days, sub 4:30 is not unusual.
    I'd say 4/45-5 would be possible if he trained a bit, but I doubt he would fancy the longer training runs. Still would love to see him have a go at he long jump think he could put in a decent effort.


  • #8
    Yurt2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭Yurt2


    Actually, I wonder what kind of decathlete Bolt would make. He would possibly struggle with the throwing events but would make an extremely good fist at everything else.

    I'd love to see him try out the long jump.


  • #9
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,513 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Gut-feel response, but I find it hard to believe that he couldn't manage a sub 5. A guy who can run a 400m in 45-48 seconds should be able to cruise around, dropping 12-15 seconds a lap.


  • #10
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,426 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    With no training I'd imagine he'd be close to 5 mins, maybe sub 5. With training he could be 4.40 or slightly less.


  • #11
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,697 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Michael Johnson used to do mile time trials as part of winter training I believe, and supposedly only sneaked under 5 minutes.


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  • #12
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,697 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Krusty_Clown wrote: »
    Gut-feel response, but I find it hard to believe that he couldn't manage a sub 5. A guy who can run a 400m in 45-48 seconds should be able to cruise around, dropping 12-15 seconds a lap.

    45 +15 = 60 secs, which is 4 minute mileing.

    Assume you meant 25 seconds. You're probably right. I ran the 1500 equivalent of 5:15 at the end of a decathlon and I was only running 54/55 for 400. You'd imagine an elite 400 runner would manage it comfortably, but a 100 guy who already had a huge drop off at 400 is going to keep seeing dramatic drop offs after that. John Regis told me last year at the media race he ran 2:11 over 800m on Superstars when he was in 45.xx 400m shape (he was sub 20 for 200). No way that guy would be getting under 5.


  • #13
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,697 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Yurt! wrote: »
    Actually, I wonder what kind of decathlete Bolt would make. He would possibly struggle with the throwing events but would make an extremely good fist at everything else.

    I'd love to see him try out the long jump.

    His 100 and 400 would obviously be off the charts for decathlon. His long jump he could bluff based on speed, but he would not be world class. There's so much technique in it and he has no background in it at all.

    The rest of the events he'd struggle at. His shot, javelin and discus would be miserable. Ditto his pole vault. Can't bluff hurdles just on speed. He'd be too fast with no technique. That doesn't end well. High jump he'd probably do ok to be honest. 1500 would be standard decathlon 1500, so would do ok there.


  • #14
    average_runner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,881 ✭✭✭✭average_runner


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    His 100 and 400 would obviously be off the charts for decathlon. His long jump he could bluff based on speed, but he would not be world class. There's so much technique in it and he has no background in it at all.

    The rest of the events he'd struggle at. His shot, javelin and discus would be miserable. Ditto his pole vault. Can't bluff hurdles just on speed. He'd be too fast with no technique. That doesn't end well. High jump he'd probably do ok to be honest. 1500 would be standard decathlon 1500, so would do ok there.


    DId he not do the long jump as a kid?


  • #15
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,697 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    average_runner wrote: »
    DId he not do the long jump as a kid?

    No idea. Doing anything as a kid is meaningless. He didn't do it through his teens when he was moulding into a class athlete. Carl Lewis did. That's the difference. You can't just pick up an event like that and expect to compete with the world's best IMO. Would have been nice to have seen him try it back in 09 though when he was mouthing on about trying everything. It was only ever talk though, much like the 600 races with Bekele and also Farah.


  • #16
    ultrapercy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,621 ✭✭✭ultrapercy


    walshb wrote: »
    With no training I'd imagine he'd be close to 5 mins, maybe sub 5. With training he could be 4.40 or slightly less.

    What does "with training" mean in your view? Is it a month of mile reps or 4 to 10 years of 100 miles a week where his body weight and composition is altered to that of a middle distance runner? If it's the latter I'm sure he could go much faster than 70 sec laps if it's the former he doesn't break 5 imo. Mile requires more endurance than speed, it's 4 times Bolts maximum distance that's a long way to hang on.


  • #17
    RasTa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,111 ✭✭✭✭RasTa


    I bet he has...
    Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, won’t say whether he believes that his client could run a mile in less than five minutes. But Simms confirmed, over e-mail, that the world’s greatest sprinter has, in fact, never tried running that far: “Usain has never run a mile.”


  • #18
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,426 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    RasTa wrote: »
    I bet he has...

    He's Jamaican. Not a hope he'd run a mile!


  • #19
    gramar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,045 ✭✭✭✭gramar


    I think if he went training this morning and attempted a sub 5 minute mile he's struggle though I doubt he'd be too far off, maybe 5:10/5:20.
    I'm sure though that with a few weeks specific training he'd manage it fairly easily.


  • #20
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,426 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    ultrapercy wrote: »
    What does "with training" mean in your view? Is it a month of mile reps or 4 to 10 years of 100 miles a week where his body weight and composition is altered to that of a middle distance runner? If it's the latter I'm sure he could go much faster than 70 sec laps if it's the former he doesn't break 5 imo. Mile requires more endurance than speed, it's 4 times Bolts maximum distance that's a long way to hang on.

    It's self explanatory. I would take it to mean that Bolt wakes up, sets himself a goal to run a mile as best and as fast as he can, formulates a training plan, engages people, executes the training plan, and then runs the mile as best he can. It's not rocket science. It's running.


  • #21
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    walshb wrote: »
    It's self explanatory. I would take it to mean that Bolt wakes up, sets himself a goal to run a mile as best and as fast as he can, formulates a training plan, engages people, executes the training plan, and then runs the mile as best he can. It's not rocket science. It's running.

    But is this a couple of weeks, months or years of training?


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  • #22
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,426 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    robinph wrote: »
    But is this a couple of weeks, months or years of training?

    I don't know. Ask Bolt.

    Not sure why this has to be questioned.

    How fast can Bolt run a mile? Right now with 0 specific mile training he probably gets close to 5 minutes. That's just my guess.

    I am not an athletics trainer. But I'd imagine with a trainer and resources and effort, Bolt could run sub 5 minutes. Whether that be weeks or months or years of training for it is up to him. Depends when he wants to actually run the mile.


  • #23
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    walshb wrote: »
    I don't know. Ask Bolt.

    Not sure why this has to be questioned.

    How fast can Bolt run a mile? Right now with 0 specific mile training he probably gets close to 5 minutes. That's just my guess.

    I am not an athletics trainer. But I'd imagine with a trainer and resources and effort, Bolt could run sub 5 minutes. Whether that be weeks or months or years of training for it is up to him. Depends when he wants to actually run the mile.
    The how long he'd have to prepare is very relevant. Doubt he'd get sub 5 at the moment, if he'd even complete the distance going at that pace. Wouldn't expect him to be able to do it without someone running the pace for him either.

    In 6 months he'd be able to do it easily I think. But not now.


  • #24
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Not the same standard in his event, and was even running a longer event, but Iwan Thomas seems to have only been able to knock out a 20 minute parkrun a year or so after quitting sprints.

    http://www.powerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=1604

    So not quite at his peak, not on perfect courses and not going full effort, but he's a way off 5 minute mileing pace.


  • #25
    adrian522
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 16,354 Mod ✭✭✭✭adrian522


    I see David Gillick ran a parkrun in 18:47 which equates to a 5:24 mile according to mcMillian so I'd have to think with a bit of specific training Bolt would get there if he was bothered about it (which he is most probably not).


  • #26
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,697 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    adrian522 wrote: »
    I see David Gillick ran a parkrun in 18:47 which equates to a 5:24 mile according to mcMillian so I'd have to think with a bit of specific training Bolt would get there if he was bothered about it (which he is most probably not).

    Gillick has run around 4:30 for mile at road relays.


  • #27
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,697 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    robinph wrote: »
    Not the same standard in his event, and was even running a longer event, but Iwan Thomas seems to have only been able to knock out a 20 minute parkrun a year or so after quitting sprints.

    http://www.powerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=1604

    So not quite at his peak, not on perfect courses and not going full effort, but he's a way off 5 minute mileing pace.

    Yeh but that's for 3.1 miles. Kind of irrelevant that. 5k is different. But Thomas was a 44 mid 400 runner. 400m runners are very fit and are good aerobically. Thomas would comfortably have run sub 5.

    And "not quite at his peak" is an understatement. His peak was late 90s, 15 years before he decided to hack about at Parkruns.


  • #28
    Jayop
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,387 ✭✭✭✭Jayop


    If he ran like bejeesus for as long as he could and walked the rest he'd still get close.


  • #29
    ultrapercy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,621 ✭✭✭ultrapercy


    Jayop wrote: »
    If he ran like bejeesus for as long as he could and walked the rest he'd still get close.

    No he wouldn't that would be the absolute worst approach.


  • #30
    El Caballo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,137 ✭✭✭El Caballo


    What makes bolt such a legend would give him little chance at breaking 5 in mile imo, those fast twitch fibers. To be the fastest man in history, you've got to have ridiculously explosive muscles and while I don't doubt that sprinters can be aerobically fit to an high level, you're talking about an already genetic freak in a pure explosive event like the 100 and he would have to be a 90 odd percenter in an event completely removed from his genetic buildup, I don't see it happening. Micheal Johnson was on the endurance side of the sprint events and worked his a$$ off, didn't have the same explosive firepower of Bolt to run the 100 and could barely break 5, Bolt wouldn't get close to MJ in term of endurance.

    Not saying there isn't freaks of range out there, Ireland's Mark Caroll was one who has an official low 21 second 200m and a 2.10 marathon which is astonishing in my opinion but all Bolts strengths and freakishish would pay against him.


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  • #31
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,244 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    El Caballo wrote: »
    Not saying there isn't freaks of range out there, Ireland's Mark Caroll was one who has an official low 21 second 200m and a 2.10 marathon which is astonishing in my opinion but all Bolts strengths and freakishish would pay against him.

    Mark Carroll ranks 40th all-time at 800m, so there's no way he makes the top thirty at 200m. He doesn't even rank in the top 76 at 400m.


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