I was at BYU for part of the time Padilla ran there. I watched him run a 4:12 mile early January in an inter-squad meet and then a week or two later he ran 8:24 or 8:26 at the Sunkist meet I think it was. I also saw him run a race unattached at 800m outdoors after he graduated for training and he did 1:48 something if I remember right.
I had a roommate who was a good runner (4:01-mile sophomore year, NJCAA champ in xc his sophomore year, and 1:04:xx-1/2 marathon after graduation) and he could beat Padilla in a repeat 800 meter workout session (I think it was 6-8x 800m in 2:08 with a 2 1/2 to 3-min rest) but Padilla would beat him in a race (Padilla, Paul Cummings, my roommate and a few others would do those sessions together). My roommate was amazed how well he raced since he could be him in practice. I think Padilla had 47:xx 400m speed. I think he could have gone under 3:50 for the mile or close if that is what he concentrated on but he was #1 in the US at 5k and did well at that and could make a living there. Padilla was a nice guy and I had a few conversations with and ran with him a few times while there (I was a not so good walk-on). That is how I remembered it.