In general what does it take to drop a 4:35+mile down to 4:15?

4:35 down to 4:15 is a pretty big jump. There is really no secret, just consistent training year around. I wouldn't think about the time, instead think about the process of training consistently and working hard.

about 5 seconds per lap

not knowing your training background and natural gifting (800/1600 guy or 1600/3200 guy?) makes this pretty difficult.

However, the main thing is that you are healthy this next year while safely getting in as much training as possible.

Also, like the previous responder, you shouldn't be so stuck on this. There are too many factors (weather, injury, pace, etc...) involved for this to be your only focus.

As a reference, it took me 5 years to drop 26 seconds in the mile.

1. Train with people who are faster than 4:15.

2. Be faster than people who are slower than 4:16.

3. Train consistently.

It's that simple. Coming up with a running plan is easy ... following through with the plan is what the majority fails at.

you're off to a fine start to do it. most people drop a lot of time from sophomore to senior year, and more in college. Steve Cram's training was based on the idea that you do a lot of speed endurance (repeats of 200-800 with rest of 15 seconds per 100m run, so just 30s rest per 200 repeat and 2 minutes for 800 repeats; the 200s might be at 800m pace, the 400s at 1500m or mile pace, the 800s at 3k pace), alternating the first four days of the week between that and a 5M tempo at something like 1/2 marathon pace or a bit slower (for him it was 5:00/M). In the offseason, he'd not get on the track at all (the winter) but do an hour of fartleks once a week or race xc or road, and otherwise do progressions with a group where they'd eventually get down to under 5:00/M for the last two miles. He'd double four days a week and run 80, and his easy runs would be from 5:30-6:00 pace. Obviously, you'd be running your easy runs more like 6:30-6:45 pace, and your tempos more like 5:30-5:50, and they'd be shorter, more like 4M.

I dropped 4:50 down to 4:07 sophmore to junior year, but im a bad ass, u probably train like a girl.

It's tough. I am not going to lie.

I ran 4:32 my SO year in high school.

I didn't get down to under 4:15 for a mile until my SR year in college. That's almost 6 years of busting @ss..

A caffeine-ephedrine cocktail

PreLiveagain wrote:

I dropped 4:50 down to 4:07 sophmore to junior year, but im a bad ass, u probably train like a girl.

1/10

OP what are your 5000m/400m abilities? I'll tell you what it takes if you provide this info.

last year:5000 was 17:00 400m was 54

this year:5000:15:45, 400:52

Thanks!

"this year:5000:15:45, 400:52"

52 speed and you can't get to 4:15? B.S.

hsrunner111 wrote:

last year:5000 was 17:00 400m was 54

this year:5000:15:45, 400:52

Thanks!

Assuming 5000m times are on the track and not XC:

15:45/52.0 = 4:20

15:15/52.0 = 4:15

15:25/51.5 = 4:15

Times are for 1600m

i havent raced the mile yet, the 52 was a time trial, possibly as slow as 52.5 because it was hand timed, but it felt about right because the 54 last year was official. rather than take offence to that you called my story b.s. im going to take it as that you think i can do it.

Thanks! however those 5k times are xc, and were on a fast course, although legit, basically not downhill or anything.

hsrunner111 wrote:

Im trying to do this and am looking for advice; this is currently my junior year, and last year i was slightly injured.

My son was a 4:34 indoor miler (not 1600) as a freshman and ran 4:18.7 the following year. He did run 4:25.1 freshman year outdoor but I'll describe what he did indoor soph year:

The week was very simple:

starting late December - one a week tempo run (3-4 miles "tempo") starting around 6:00 pace (winter in MI makes this tougher) and dropping as the winter progressed. cruise 1000s - started with 3 then up to 5 as weeks went by. Hills every 10 days or so - outside made it interesting. 400-600M efforts.

Jan 15th he ran 4:29 1600M, Feb 16th he ran 4:21 for a full mile. A month later he ran 4:18 at New Balance Indoor.

As the weather got worse the hills went away and he started doing 72-70 second 400M indoor with a 200M jog once a week for three weeks. No fast work. Some indoor racing (one 400M open and a few 4x400. Some 4x800). just strength work really. The tempo/cruise combination got him stronger and stronger. Added weights in Dec for the first time. That was the big kicker, once they kicked in he was ballin.

Good luck, I think you can do it. Dedicate yourself this winter and go for it. I was a 2:06/4:52/56 freshman and basically the same as a soph excet my open 400 was 52. and I went all in Junior year, fueled by hate and rage and ran 1:53/49+/4:24. Big drops happen when people commit themselves.

Go get em!

fred wrote:

"this year:5000:15:45, 400:52"

52 speed and you can't get to 4:15? B.S.

I didn't break 4:15 in the mile until my junior year of college, I split 47 in the 4x4 the same meet.

In high school I was running 50-51 in the 4x4 with a mile somewhere in the 4:30's. Your BS conclusion is a bit off.

OP, looks like you are making some nice progress. Keep doing what you are doing.

Honestly, just set your mind to it. Yes, It sounds cheesy and yes, it will take a LOT of training, but just go for it. Minutes and seconds are just arbitrarily assigned units of time.

I had been at a plateau in my racing for about three years. Then I saw one of my friends in one season go from 4:19 mile to 4:08. I just thought.... well hell, If he can do it, why the F%@$ cant I? So I did.

Gobble, Gobble Mother F#%Kers