Are you seeking how to run a sub 5 minute mile? If so, welcome to rundreamachieve. I have been competing for nearly 3 decades mentoring athletes in middle to long distance running. Furthermore, I fully understand just how competitive a 5 minute mile is. I ran 4:25.53 for the mile while in high school and ended up lowering it down to 4:22 while in college. You need a great deal of strength and stamina to maintain 75 seconds per quarter for 4 consecutive laps on the track. I am more of a marathoner and ended up running 2:19:35 for the distance. That being said, I credit my mile training to helping me to be a better middle distance athlete as well.
A big mistake I see a lot of runners making is running too many miles too slow. Remember, you don't need high volume to necessarily run under a 5 min mile. So, focus on quality versus quantity instead. The key thing is to be able to teach the body to handle ever increasing amounts of lactic acid. You want to be able to clear lactic acid faster than it is building up in the bloodstream when you are running. A lot of middle to long distance runners make racing look easy for a reason. One of the major reasons is they have spent adequate time training well below their goal race pace.
How Hard is it to Run a Sub 5 minute Mile?
It is not an easy task. Can you do it? I believe so. I have never placed limits on athlete because I never placed them on myself. remember, you need to be able to sustain between 74 to 75 seconds per lap for 4 consecutive laps. Can you run one lap in or around 60 seconds? If so, your chances of success rise. I always tell athletes to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Of course, this is much easier to write than to actually do. That being said, I have lived this lifestyle and understand what it takes to run fast from the mile all the way to the marathon distance. You are more than welcome to visit our about page if you would like to know more about my background.
So, to run a mile under 5 minutes you need to train closer to 4:30 mile pace. No, you will not be able to spend a great deal of time training at these paces. That being said, you can spend short amounts of time training at this intensity. The result is sub 5 minute mile pace will feel less aggressive and you will be able to sustain the effort longer which is the overall goal. It doesn't matter if you can hold it for 2 or 3 laps but if you can complete the entire 4 laps running between 74 to 75 seconds each lap with no breaks.
I will be teaching the exact steps I took in order to eventually run a 4:22 mile in the Sub 5 Min Mile Leader course. I will be covering numerous variables that go into running 1 mile under 5 minutes in this course. In addition, some of the other areas your competition is more than likely not paying attention to. If interested in signing up for this elite course, click the button below to learn more.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUB 5 MINUTE MILE LEADER COURSE5 Minute Mile Training Plan
Yes, I also have a 5 min mile training plan here at rundreamachieve as well. That being said, the training programs are not as in-depth and detailed as opposed to the running courses located here on the site. Our training plans as well as our running courses have training schedules that are 16 weeks in length. 4 months is sufficient time to train adequately for the mile all the way up to the marathon distance. It takes time to train the anaerobic systems of the body. In addition, it takes between 3 to 4 weeks for your body to adapt to any stress load you are placing upon it. So, to run a sub 5 minute mile you really have to be patient.
Nutrition also pays a big part in your preparation. You need to focus on ingesting proper amounts of protein and paying attention to hydration before, during and after your competitions. One major tactic to start running faster for the mile is also to length the distance of your tempo runs. In addition, spending more time training at your anaerobic threshold. No, you don't need to run high mileage in order to break a 5 minute mile. Of course, you can run 70 to 90 miles a week if you wish. That being said, if 90 percent of that mileage is run at 7 minute mile pace how well prepared will you be to run under 5 minutes for the mile?
So, you have to get past just putting in kilometers and miles. The better strategy is branching out that tempo run to around 5 miles in length. Also, speed up the pace of your long runs. I always teach to do one harder, varied pace long run one weekend followed by a relaxed, easy jog the weekend after.
How Long Does it Take to Train for a 5 Minute Mile?
16 weeks is sufficient time to train properly for a sub 5 minute mile. Of course, it may take you months or several years to achieve this goal. A sub 5 minute mile is not an easy time to run and it does take patience, focus and determination to achieve it. So, you don't want to spend too much of your mental energy focusing on past mistakes or races. Learn what went wrong and how you can correct it for your next attempt. Remember, you are trying to run a time that only a few people achieve each year around the world.
So, slow down on those recovery days. The benefits of your hard work come within the rest period. A lot of runners are still running too fast on their easy days. There is certainly a time to run easy. That being said, the hard track sessions and road workouts will take everything out of you mentally and physically. A sub 5 mile take highly aggressive, well-planned training in order to achieve.
Closing Thoughts
Are you ready to take your training to achieve the sub 5 minute mile to the next level? If so, click the button below to learn more about our upcoming course. The sub 5 Minute Mile Leader course will be covering all of the specific training strategies needed to run 4:59:59 or faster for the mile. Click on the button below to learn more. In addition, you will be learning the training fundamentals and philosophy taught to me by some of the worlds top middle to long distance running coaches. Three of which are:
- Dr. Joe Vigil – world renowned exercise physiologist and distance running coach
- Jack Hazen – USA Pan American coach and head coach at Malone University for the past 52 years
- Lisa Rainsberger – 1985 Boston marathon champion and my coach while I was with the US Army World Class Athlete Program (2007-2010).
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