Yes. But did it matter what you did in High School? You trained for Chicago when you were 55. Be the best 55 year old version of you. What you did 3 decades earlier, better or worse shouldn't matter.
Sub 6 minute mile?
- Thread starter qclabrat
- Start date
funny - I was a sprinter in HS, and thought anything over 1/4 mile was "long"
turned myself inside out for a 880 once. just once. funny, the first 660 was ok....
so I agree, it doesn't matter what I did in HS, but I don't think going sub 7, and approaching sub 6 for 1 mile is unreasonable.
which is what I think we are talking about. I'm kinda thinking 18 months tho. that's a lot of commitment.
Captain Brainstorm
Well-Known Member
Commitment is the key here, I think his goal is totally doable by the end of the year, but will be work. Willing to bet his biggest obstacle is leg strength and not cardio. Building up slowly is key, stay away from early speed. Blow out a hamstring and its game over. Form is also important to avoid shin splints or knee/hip issues.
Believe what he is saying! I used to run quite a bit, my fastest 10k was in 93, 41:40. I was also 170#'s, and 25 years old. I never came close to the times you're talking about.
I was feeling pretty good last August at the high school track and decided to do some faster than a jog 100's on the field. I did a few and felt really good, so I tried to go a hair faster, which was not fast at all! and I pulled my hamstring/groin. I had to do some PT, and I am now pain free. It wasn't even a major injury, but it took 7 months to get to pain free. That's the last track work I'm doing!
That's a great (and challenging!) goal. Hope that you update us on progress.
Two data points here.
Every few years, I decide that I should be able to do some amount of running as a semi-athletic person who grew up playing soccer etc. Every time I ease into it, try to be super conservative, and wind up being sidelined for a month when an ankle, knee, hip, whatever swells up to twice its normal size. My wife made me do a full out 12 minute effort a few years back and I managed 1.5 miles. Had plenty more cardio-wise, but the legs weren't cooperating. But it feels good to run fast, which was such a natural part of being a kid and I don't think that later in life we should resign ourselves to shuffling around at 13 minute miles (not that there's anything wrong with that).
My wife is an ultra runner, trains a lot and is very structured/consistent. With a coach, she has been working on increasing speed. He had her do, I think, the same 12 minute flat out test that I did. Her initial was like a 7:20 pace and after a year of training with speed work mixed in, she got that down to, I think, a 6:33 pace.
Good luck!
Two data points here.
Every few years, I decide that I should be able to do some amount of running as a semi-athletic person who grew up playing soccer etc. Every time I ease into it, try to be super conservative, and wind up being sidelined for a month when an ankle, knee, hip, whatever swells up to twice its normal size. My wife made me do a full out 12 minute effort a few years back and I managed 1.5 miles. Had plenty more cardio-wise, but the legs weren't cooperating. But it feels good to run fast, which was such a natural part of being a kid and I don't think that later in life we should resign ourselves to shuffling around at 13 minute miles (not that there's anything wrong with that).
My wife is an ultra runner, trains a lot and is very structured/consistent. With a coach, she has been working on increasing speed. He had her do, I think, the same 12 minute flat out test that I did. Her initial was like a 7:20 pace and after a year of training with speed work mixed in, she got that down to, I think, a 6:33 pace.
Good luck!
I like running and try to get back into it every few years, but I have the same problem. I always ramp up too quickly because I'm impatient, and I end up with IT band issues. Now I kinda want to just go try and run a six minute mile though.
Yeah, now I'm kind of curious as well. Not sure if I really want to try to train this, but could be interesting.
I definitely wouldn't be training. It would be a one attempt and done for me 🤣🤣🤣
Same here. Having a good aerobic fitness level makes it easy to do too much. I always end up hurting something.
THATmanMANNY
Well-Known Member
So I was genuinely curious at lunch time. Never tried to break the game but I think I may have come close if it was a flat track and not running through intersections. Would I try it again? Not really. I like to go with the flow with my exercising and I’ve been doing all types and diligently almost every day since the new year. I’m able to wear my 15 yo road kits again haha
BTW who is Steve?
BTW who is Steve?
Ugh, now I feel I actually need to go run a mile at the track just to see. Apparently I can break a 7 minute mile for the last mile of a half marathon, although it was downhill for the last half mile.
I never thought of anything less than a 5k for distance TBH. 5k hurts enough, 1 mile has gotta be way more pain.
I never thought of anything less than a 5k for distance TBH. 5k hurts enough, 1 mile has gotta be way more pain.
Yeah, but only like ~6 minutes of pain, and then you can drink beer and eat ice cream.
Captain Brainstorm
Well-Known Member
A fast mile these days is almost a sprint. To run some of the times the fastest HS kids are running you need to be hitting 62 second 400's. Its as much of a strength thing as an endurance thing.
Last week after a day of skiing waist-deep powder up in VT, I poured Guinness over a bowl of vanilla Ben and Jerry's. If you've never tried it, I highly suggest it.
qclabrat
Well-Known Member
Point of this thread is whether a 6 min mile is unachievable. I think it is for someone who is reasonably fit and even better if they had done it in the past. It's not like I only drank beer and smoked for the past 30 years, then gained 100 pounds. My HS weight was about 130 and now I'm 165. I can get down to low 150s without too much fuss. Having cabbage soup tonight will help. The 8 minute mile then 7 are my first targets. But will likely take more then end of year to hit 6. Maybe 7 by eoy is a more reasonable target. If anyone trying for 6 or any number, post up here on your progress.
somewhere on here, Eric O (@Delish ?) wanted to know if he could still go sub 5.....
I need to find that - maybe 5 years back?
wait - you are looking for 6:xx or sub 6:00 ?
you def got sub 7. do a 5k training plan for 16 weeks with healthy diet.
the plans on strava take your starting speeds, and spec the targets to build up,
not just go all out for it. Hit the targets to live another day.
This is totally a trap I fall for. I feel good one day, and instead of doing the prescribed workout,
I'd put in an extra few sets, or try to go a bit faster. The next workout is now in jeopardy, cause ya can't recover.
Learned a lot doing the structured thing.
Yeah man, fuck the Nazis.
So I skimmed this thread, but did I read this right? If I eat cabbage soup I can break a 6 minute mile?
Not sure, Pat says you need to eat well, so I plan to drink beer and eat ice cream a few days in a row, and then run for the first time in 4 years, doing one mile in under six minutes.
That does sound good, but to be clear, Guinness isn't beer.