Running under 4:20 in the mile at age 41

It's possible, but unlikely. If you had started your quest three years ago and were regimented, you'd have a very good shot. Going from just cycling to sub 4:20 in one year is a big stretch. I'd say that you might reach out to Nick Willis for his miler method boot camp, but their website is down.

Good luck and have fun. I'm over forty and I can tell you the top end speed loss is just weird. I've found 5k effort and faster now feels a bit different (some say it feels same and you just go slower - not me), maybe I'm noticing the lack of elastic recoil, but something is just a bit different. I am still right around the same weight as I was when younger too.

Obviously mile speed is going to be taking a hit no matter what you do. Might want to look up the 5k stuff Pete Magill did for some ideas. I remember he did a decent amount of hill work.

I was also a 4:18 miler in high school who started running again in late 30s. I was 20 pounds heavier, but still slim -- and was able to run 4:50 at 40 on no more than 25 miles/week with one day of VO2 max intervals one hard 30-minute tempo, and a few easy runs.

I would guess that with smarter training I could easily have run 4:40. With my high school build, maybe 4:30. But 4:20 would have taken pro-level commitment.

I also think 4.20 is optimistic, in order to break 4.20 you need to be cruising at 64s so really need to be capable of a sub 2 min 800 and sub 15 min 5k. If you start training at this time then the real benefits would be seen after two winters and one summer by which time you have ticked off another year of natural slowing down. I made sure i had a reasonable summer track season as a 39 year old to then springboard myself into the following season with plenty of training in the bank. I am guessing you are hoping to break 4.20 this coming summer with minimal build up hence my doubts.....

TW

I wish you luck with this. It's tricky but not impossible. Looking at the UK rankings there are only a few people that managed this last year. I know a couple of them and would say that consistency of training is one of the keys to their success. Many more might have been capable but are distracted by work, family life or usually injuries.

For me at 51 now, injuries, aches and pains make it difficult to get the training level for what I think my best performance could be at my age.

How hard you are able to push it without breaking down will be key. So getting the balance right with rest times is essential. If you are not in a rush then that would help.

Good luck

I wish you luck.

Here's my take: it would be far easier for you to get an equivalent level of performance in a longer distance. You have to recognize the importance of pure speed in running the mile. You need to be sub 2 in the 800 for the 4:20 and for the sub 2 you need 53-54 400 speed, etc etc. Your cycling may mean you have an aerobic engine but it bears no importance for your ability to get on the track and comfortably run sets of sub 30 200 reps, for example. It will take a lot of work to build the running form, the speed mechanics, the stride efficiency to get yourself to that level for fast running. It will be far easier to get yourself running 6 min pace for long distances by comparison.

Soooo ... if I were you, I'd create a day in your schedule to work on sprint mechanics. You can include drills and dynamic strength in that. Without it, I think you'll struggle.

Can you go out on a track and see how fast you can run a 200 or a 400? Could be useful info.

I'm glad to see most posters are realistically saying near impossible, but not shooting you down all together. Let me be the first. No how, no way. I'll let you crap in my hat & will wear it for a day if you can break 4:40. And what's with the Youtube thing? Legit curious. Accountability? Motivation?

I just picked up a pair of Air Pegasus, wow what a difference it makes. I had been using a trendy pair of New Balance shoes with no support. I bike off-road and really enjoy it - almost a difference sport compared to road cycling .

Thanks for the gym tips! In terms of cycling, I ride 80% of the time below LT1 (aerobic threshold), and as my season nears, I add tempo and then sweet spot (max of two hard sessions a week even during my build phase). Most of my VO2 max work comes from all the MTB racing I do.

I had a good friend who ran 4:24 and then for 4:23 in the mile at age 40. He also ran 157 800 I believe. Those races were in an early part of his first indoor season in quite awhile and if things had gone better I think he would have been very close to 4:20. He had not run track in several years but had stayed in good shape and ran a lot of open track races in his late 20s and early 30s.

In high school he was a 153 800m Runner and I believe ran mid 420s in the mile but was much more focused on the 800. I think he may have run a 151 800 relay split in college but did have a few injuries.

Late 20s /early 30s I believe he ran 153 again, and a lot of 155 156 races. But then took a break from the track for several years.

He weighed exactly the same when he was 40 as he did in high school and college if not less. He started doing a bit more miles to prepare for his mile races at age 40. He had a ot of speed. Stayed healthy at that time.

So it's possible to get close. But he was a different athlete than you. it seems you probably have a much bigger aerobic engine however as many others have pointed out you will have to work on your speed for sure. This guy was extremely good in the 800 over the different periods of his life: High School, college, age 30, age 40.

You have kept a good shape and probably have good endurance through cycling, but you need a ton of speed to run 4:20 and cycling does not help much on this front. Time is also not on your side; as Tony mentioned, it will take a couple of years of full training to reach your max potential, but you'll be racing against father time.

There is a rather easy way to see if you have a chance: go to the track and run a 200 and, after a long rest, a 400 all out with minimal training. I'd say that if you can drop a sub-28 and a sub 57 out of nowhere, then you may have the raw speed required to run 4:20. Let us know how this test goes.

I totally agree! At some point I will need to get on the track to get an idea of my leg speed. I did some hill sprints recently to prepare for cyclocross and the speed/power felt good.

If this 53 year old can do it, I have fate in you.

I would say someone who hasn’t been on a track for 20 years is more likely to rip a hamstring than go sub 57. Terrible advice

I'm not in a rush - as long as I'm progressing, I'm ok if it takes longer than a year. If it becomes clear that 4:20 is impossible (after I get a decent base and some speed work) I'll apologize for wasting everyone's time. I can definitely get on the track and let you know how it goes - just not sure going all out at this point would be smart. A little more background, my first season of running I went 4:53 and my freshman year of HS 4:26. 400m PR was 54.

That's awesome - very encouraging to read!