10 Years ago on December 27th I ran a mile in 4:58 at the age of 44

Having to go back through the old log to dig this up.

10 years ago was right in the middle of a long string of injuries and bad timing for racing. The closest thing I've got is a 3:44 1500 in the summer of 2012 (31yo), the first mile(ish) race since the 2010 indoor season which was just a bit under 4:00 (29yo) and not again until the 2013 indoor season where I had a 4:11 and 4:04 (32yo).

The last entry I made was 12/20/2019 for a time trial @ 4:54. By this point training had been de-emphasized, I was (again) coming out of injury, and I was just trying to keep a sub 5 mile streak alive for 2019. 2020 (4:57) and 2021 (4:45 @ 40yo) are stored in my noggin. I'll keep trying for a sub 5 per year but I don't see it happening much longer. It's not just that I'm getting slower, but the ups and downs from day to day are so unpredictable it makes it hard to plan a hard effort.

Well done on your efforts, I can't imagine being that fast in another 15 years with the rapid deterioration I'm having.

Nice work folks.

I am 41 now. Haven't done much intensity for a few months. I'll try a 1-mile TT in the next few days, but will be surprised if I can get under 5:40. No where close to under 5 at the moment.

Cheers.

At 42 I ran a 4:43 road mile in downtown Naperville, 2009. At 45 or 46 I won the indoor state 1500 title with a 4:28.

In February of 2020 (right before covid), I won the Illinois state 1500 in 5:15 at age 56. The 5:15 was after a long injury streak and then one followed shortly after. I've been wanting to get back to the mile and may try the Fifth Avenue mile this year in September. It's those dang calf, hamstring and such injuries that keep us 50-year-olds from staying super competitive.

I have seemed to find a good balance with cycling and running of late to stay fit. So I may tailor a program to get me to the line in Sept. Would LOVE to break 5:00 min again!!!

***at 45 I ran 4:43 in 2009

How are you training? 400m repeats at goal pace?

I used to think only horses could get a big spleen boost (30%) during races, but humans have 250mL of extra blood cells in their spleen too. That works out to about 4% for an adult male.

Not a whole lot, but if you're running a 5:12 on regular steam, that extra 4% could get you to 5 flat.

The question is, how do you get your spleen to vent those extra RBC's. Probably tied to adrenaline somehow. That's the biggest problem for those who've raced too much, they just stop caring and the adrenaline chemistry no longer works.

Anyone know the oldest sub 5 runner, or the person to do it the oldest "for the first time?"

I will be 48 next year and haven't ran in 6 years, but I was thinking something like a sub 5 mile goal by 50 might be interesting. Feels like it is more doable than a really fast marathon due to chronic "not training."

I've only run a mile race once, and I didn't train for it. I ran 5:20 at age 38 with the first half mile in 2:31. I have never ever done regular / structured training either, but during that year I ran 5:20, I also ran ~1:25 half and ~3:04 marathon at 195 pounds. Seems to me if I got down closer to like 170 and actually did some training, I might get close.

Oh Please wrote:

Anyone know the oldest sub 5 runner, or the person to do it the oldest "for the first time?"

I will be 48 next year and haven't ran in 6 years, but I was thinking something like a sub 5 mile goal by 50 might be interesting. Feels like it is more doable than a really fast marathon due to chronic "not training."

I've only run a mile race once, and I didn't train for it. I ran 5:20 at age 38 with the first half mile in 2:31. I have never ever done regular / structured training either, but during that year I ran 5:20, I also ran ~1:25 half and ~3:04 marathon at 195 pounds. Seems to me if I got down closer to like 170 and actually did some training, I might get close.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I think having such a goal could be a good motivator to get back in shape. Running sub-5 past age 48 is difficult, but not impossible if you respond well to training. The only way to find out is to give it a shot. Good luck!

Oh Please wrote:

Anyone know the oldest sub 5 runner, or the person to do it the oldest "for the first time?"

I will be 48 next year and haven't ran in 6 years, but I was thinking something like a sub 5 mile goal by 50 might be interesting. Feels like it is more doable than a really fast marathon due to chronic "not training."

I've only run a mile race once, and I didn't train for it. I ran 5:20 at age 38 with the first half mile in 2:31. I have never ever done regular / structured training either, but during that year I ran 5:20, I also ran ~1:25 half and ~3:04 marathon at 195 pounds. Seems to me if I got down closer to like 170 and actually did some training, I might get close.

According to Wikipedia Master's running page Derek Turnbull did a sub 4:56 mile at age 65, a few 60 year olds have broken 5 but not a ton. Brad Barton ran sub 4:20 at 53 a couple of years ago but I haven't noticed anything from him during COVID but he's one who if he keeps running could lower the 65+ record as he's significantly faster at 53 than Turnbull was at the same age but past results are no guarantee of future performance. Between Barton and Dan King I think we'll have another sub 5:00 by a 65 year old plus in a couple of years but for now it is very rarified air indeed.

Funny that I was just thinking a few days ago about trying to go for a sub5 at 50. Kinda sounds like it sucks (and in sense, it certainly does), but for most, the combination of life events along with the general physical decline with age makes it so that most just won't train at an effort close to the "glory days" (lol). So, then a sub5 at 50 is pretty good!

Anyway, I am pretty sure I could run 5:20ish now and will be 48 in a few months. Training has been ridiculously inconsistent (if existent at all) for the past decade. And, I haven't run any speed work bc it seems a little rough on the body. (Basically, all my miles are behind a baby jogger.) So, while I can expect 2 additional years to slow me down even further, I'm thinking a little consistency (and maybe getting to a place where I can do a teeny bit of speed work without imploding) will more than offset the slowdown so that I can run a 4:59.99. (ha)

I'll have to borrow an accu-trac, get a number of friends to rabbit for me, and a bunch of people recording it so I can make a sick music video. It will be glorious! (lol) On the one hand, It'll be funny (in a kinda sad way) to make a thing out of such mediocrity. On the other hand, I know I'll secretly be pretty dang pleased with myself. :). It's been a long road for a lot of us. Cheers and all the best to you all still goin for it (and all the best to everyone else, too).

I am 60. Ran a 4:56 this year. I have been able to keep running sub 5 for 45 years now. Not easy but I have a formula I follow to get my sub 5 each year. I was just behind Steve and following his streak until his ended. I have been fortunate enough not to have injuries. I do admit, I do not race much, go to the track quietly and do my thing. turnover becomes harder each year, downhill sprints help allot.

Glad to read about so many masters runners racing the mile. Good Competition was often hard for me to find. At 41, I ran 4:30 1500 and 4:48 mile. At 49, I ran 4:38 1500 and 4:47 downhill road mile (10s fast). Ran a bunch of really solid races at 49 that ended in injury and ultimately surgery. Still recovering and hoping to run again someday, but sub 5:00 at 52 after 2yrs off seems unlikely. Enjoy it while you can. Very few of us get to run til the end.

For oldest to run under 5:00, look up Nolan Shaheed. Total beast and great guy. I recall him running 4:24 1500 at 61 or 62. There are probably others...

P! wrote:

I am 60. Ran a 4:56 this year. I have been able to keep running sub 5 for 45 years now. Not easy but I have a formula I follow to get my sub 5 each year. I was just behind Steve and following his streak until his ended. I have been fortunate enough not to have injuries. I do admit, I do not race much, go to the track quietly and do my thing. turnover becomes harder each year, downhill sprints help allot.

Wow that is great running...I think my biggest problem is my own coaching. What would be a few workouts that let you know you are in sub 5 shape?

10 years ago I ran a 51 second 400m at age 39.

At 49 I can run about 56.5-57

Since I run 5 - 7 days a week, base is no problem. I set a goal date out about 2 months, then go to a gentle decline and do 100 - 200 m repeats for about 2 weeks. Then go to 200 - 400 m downhill repeats for about 2 weeks. Once my turnover is increased, I return to flat surface and do progressive 200 - 1000m workouts x4 over 2 weeks. At that point my turnover is good and my sustained HR is manageable. I try and keep the 1000 m at 3:05 - 3:10, for every 200 m drop in distance, I drop a sec off of goal pace. I then set up the last 2 weeks to target my biggest deficit in that I identified in my training.

It used to be easy, now it is quite a bit of work. But rewarding

shaheed has the AR (4:53.01/4:50.95i) for 60-64 year olds, turnbull has the WR for 65 (4:56.4), but neither of these really answer the oldest to break 5 question, nor the oldest to break 5 for the first time (i doubt that's been tracked). not sure if a list exists for single year age group records in the mile. there is an unratified record for american dan king at 60yo (4:49) also.

as a 54yo (same age as the OP) i can confirm: breaking 5 is tough. you won't do it on just luck or talent. like P! (who are you? i thought i possibly had the longest current streak once steve spence's ended, but i stand corrected), i have a 41 year streak of sub-5s, and at least up until 50 it was pretty easy for me if i was healthy since i still compete regularly, and i'm still within a minute of my lifetime PR (i also ran the 1500m equivalent of 4:13/4:14 at ages 44/45). i ran a 4:52 a month ago to continue my streak, a month after turning 54, and i needed that month to gain fitness after being injured all summer. i'm pretty haphazard about my training so can't offer much advice, but i regularly run 50-70 miles per week when healthy with one night a week on the track and one semi-regular tempo-ish workout, so i put in a fair amount of work.

hoping i can make it to 60 running sub-5--a few years ago i would have thought that was an easy to achieve goal, but now i realize i'll have to be pretty deliberate and precise about my training to keep it going that long.

good luck with it--it's fun, or at least has been for me, but it ain't getting any easier...

carpe crepusculum,

cush

You were a stud back in the day...we are the same age. Do you coach athletes?

50-70 miles is still big running.

Good luck doing it until your 60

10 years ago I was 21 and had just come off a junior season running a 4:07 mile. I would run 4:02 the following season and then never run another race. Currently 35lbs heavier than racing weight and training for a half marathon - I'd be elated to run 1:30. 1:45 is probably more realistic for me.

Just Some Guy Named Sue wrote:Those 43-44 times are amazing, hope you figure it out and can manage a good training block.

Thanks, but amazing is a few ticks too high. Pretty decent, sure, but well back from the best by any measure. At best I was a regional class master. The top guys at my age internationally would have been 20-25s faster at 1500-mile, and maybe 2 minutes for 5000. My best age graded performances typically came in at about 87%, with the 1500 being the outlier at closer to 89%. There are tons of LRC regulars who manage better than that. Tons.