New Yorker: How Fast Would Usain Bolt Run The Mile? - Yours truly bets his house it would be over 5+

Problably slower than 5 minutes as some good decatholetes are slower 1500m.

My 1:59 for 800 in HSchool ego wrote:

"There are a lot of mediocre high school males that run 2;00 for 800." Ouch! Statistically, isn't 2:00 or better fairly exclusive for high school boys?

Don't forget you're on LetsRun. If you are a 1:59 High School runner you are probably better than a majority of posters on here who claim they have run 1:48 and are sub 4 milers. Congratulations! Your 1:59 converts to an LR 1:47.

Looking at decathletes who run under 11.0 in the 100 and have 1500-meter times of 4:20 or 4:25 suggests to me that Bolt could break 5:00 for the mile, which I don't think is a spectacular achievement. A very fit wing on a soccer team or point guard on a basketball team could break 5:00 with about a week of practice., just long enough to learn the race. But those claims of 4:20 for bolt are a bit silly. I'd say he could run in the high 4:40s.

RE offensive linemen as running backs

Refrigerator Perry (defensive lineman) has more career Super Bowl TDs than does Walter Payton.

Not that this has any relevance to the mile time of a tall Jamaican. Only the poster referencing Trey Hardee has mentioned the height aspect yet. I think that is an important factor.

Let's get the money out there to see Usain Bolt race Lebron James for a mile

Congratulations Rojo! You've successfully trolled the New Yorker. Next step is getting the Times to publish a whole article on correct applications of strides when attempting the Summer of Malmo. Maybe Hannity or NBC will do a segment on how fast Lebron could run 400m.

Red Blood Cells wrote:

Disagree. In this case I think the additional strength he has because of his weight is more beneficial than not.

If I was a fully matured 95 pounds I would agree with you. But the reality is I was a 95 pound boy who hadn't hit puberty.

I think Bolt with a 2:10 PR is physically capable to running sub-5 without any mile specific training.

My biggest question is whether he would be mentally capable. The feeling of running a mile hard is something he very well may have never experienced in his life and would most likely be very difficult for him to cope with.

Make a graph. At the left end put your HS 100m time and Bolt's 100m time. In the middle put your 2:10 and Bolt's 2:10. On the right put your 5:05 and the sub-5 you think Bolt could run. Now connect all your dots and all Bolt's dots. Now try to explain why Bolt's line approaches your line and meets it at the 800m, but then goes back in the other direction as the distance gets longer.

I just don't see how an athlete, a runner, of his quality could not break 5.

Truthfully, it may just come down to his training. Say he runs a two mile warmup every day, or even a few times per week, he breaks 5 no problem.

What do you think his weekly mileage is?

I don't really think the decathlon comparisons hold much sway, those guys just are not running specific.

Let's flip the script and have a top miler (3:28 1500= 3:45 mile) run 100m:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJMIwlQB-28

12.98, which equals about 5:15 mile performance level. And Farah runs a lot more 100m in training than Bolt runs full mile.

With no mile training: 5:30+

WIth a year of mile training, not sprinting: 4:50-5:10

Mo's legs are flailing all over the place!

Add It Up wrote:

Let's flip the script and have a top miler (3:28 1500= 3:45 mile) run 100m:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJMIwlQB-28

12.98, which equals about 5:15 mile performance level. And Farah runs a lot more 100m in training than Bolt runs full mile.

With no mile training: 5:30+

WIth a year of mile training, not sprinting: 4:50-5:10

Changing the discussion slightly, I read an article about Katie Ledecky, who is a Bolt-level genetic freak dominant figure at the distance freestyle events, that said that after the 2012 Olympics (where she won the 800m freestyle by 4 seconds, setting a new American record) her new coach was surprised that she couldn't run a 9 minute mile.

I'm sure she's faster now, but let this be a lesson in how badly people perform outside their area of expertise.

Those arguing that Bolt will likely run a faster mile than a slower sprinter who ran a sub 5 minute mile and not thinking logically. Bolt is most likely faster than this slower sprinter because he has more fast twitch muscle fibers. This would make him a worse middle distance runner as he has less intermediate and slow twitch fibers.

Also, the whole point of sprint training is to increase the rate of glycolysis. They essentially want to produce more lactate so they are more powerful athletes. Distance runners, on the other hand, want to buffer lactate as best they can so they can maintain their speed.

After 800 meters Bolt's lactate levels would rise so much his legs would essentially turn to stone. No way he breaks 5 without 6 months-1 year of dedicated training.

If The burp clan can collectively dress themselves in proper 18th century attire, then you all can eat my ass.

I think a lot of people underestimate muscle mass and where it is at on the body. It all needs oxygen and with his build and sheer size anything over 2 minutes is really gonna beat him down without any training. Think about a couple basketball players mentioned on here like Allen Iverson and that Uconn player who could run just sub 5 but with training. Totally agree he wouldnt have a chance.

Could he with training? Certainly. Could he now? Who knows. Unless you know exactly what his training is it is stupid to say one thing or another.

Disqualifies the rest of your statements, since you are a distance runner.

Debatable.

**4:14.48 after 9 decathlon events

Only one example supports your argument. If you're looking at the full spectrum of people who have ever hit 2:00, I'd imagine there are very few who couldn't break 5:00 for a mile. If you accept that assumption, then you're arguing that one of the greatest athletes in the history of the world couldn't break 5:00 in the mile, even if he could hit 2:00 for the 800. I don't buy it.

Ok.

Exactly. He'd break 5. No, I wouldn't bet my house on it - I need my house and don't need a second house like it.

You proved your ignorance once again, and on a bigger stage.

Ever heard of "The Fridge?"

He was a lineman/running back for the Bears, and very successful.

The 49ers had one before that.

rojo, although all analogies are imperfect, your spectacularly inept NFL analogy was possibly the silliest thing I've read recently.

And The New Yorker published it. The country is going downhill. I'm going to vote for Trump now, just so everything gets lit on fire and we can start over. I hope you're happy.