Ran 4:59 when I was 49. Did 1500m equivalent when I was 53, 11 years ago. Haven't raced anything short for some time, but did 8x400m in 88 sec average in summer, so probably under 6:00 now...
Ran 4:59 when I was 49. Did 1500m equivalent when I was 53, 11 years ago. Haven't raced anything short for some time, but did 8x400m in 88 sec average in summer, so probably under 6:00 now...
socalcush wrote:
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
Only had a fraction of your talent but did manage sub 5 or 1500m equivalent 37 years from first to last, 16 to 53. Probably would have been capable most years in between, but when I moved to US from Europe in my late 30s didn't do a lot of track races. Did run,4:30 at 39.
instasnap wrote:
On December 27th 2011 I ran a mile in 4:58. The last time that I broke the 5 minute mile barrier. How fast or slow were you 10 years ago. I will be 55 in 2022 and think that I can run around 5:10 but that may be pushing it.
4.58 at 44 is pretty good. I have some sobering news for you about your 60's. It is interesting to see that as we age our best performances decline to what we were capable of in our early teens - and then younger. I think the fastest 65 year-old in the world over 800 is as fast as a good 13 year-old school boy. There are the occasional freaks like the late great Ed Whitlock, but simply breaking into a trot without breaking down is a more realistic aspiration for the rest of us as we head for our respective sunset years.
an idiot wrote:
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.
great post, man.
10 years ago (at that time at the age of 41) i have just trained very little on december 27th, because i absolutely wanted to be as good as possible at a hilly 10km xc race a few days later (in the year before i had won it, one of the most beautiful successes of my runner life and of course i was unable to repeat it at age 41).
last summer (51yo) it might have been the last time that i managed a sub 5 mile. i ran a time trial (1500m / 4:34). i was absolutely done and had to puke, i'm not sure if that is the equivalent of a sub 5, at least for me. this time trial was a horrible experience. now just before new year's eve, i realize that i am no longer in a similar shape. i hope for a 5k in sub 18:15 next summer (at age 52).
Lifetime best 4:28. Post 30 best: 4:56 Post 40 best: 5:18.
55 now and haven't run one in over a decade. I'd guess 6:45-7:30?
45 lbs heavier than lifetime best weight. Always blows my mind when I pick up a weight plate that heavy.
I'm 52. Last Sunday I was just running a mile - it turned out 4.58.1. in another race, my friend, well, sometimes the opponent showed 4.58.7. but he is already 55
Outstanding times, Yessiree Bob.
I was a bit slower--5:14 at 51 and 5:55 at 60. And that was it for me, also. Too many injuries. You reach a point where you realize you're fortunate just to make it to the starting line.
Fast forward 10 years to a month ago, I ran a mile in 9:10 with little training as a 70 trans woman.
There is a guy I'm my city going for mile world record of 4:13 for 45 year olds. So far this season he has run 1:58 and 3:57 for 8/15 he is top coach here in Australia.