Prerequisites for sub 4 mile

Sub 20 minute four mile tempo and sub 11 100m with a two step start

1:52 800. 51 400. Those are pretty much required but 90% of 1:52 guys only run 4:10.

racing all day wrote:

1:52 800. 51 400. Those are pretty much required but 90% of 1:52 guys only run 4:10.

Those are fine for the 1500/5000m guys. Most of the 800/1500 guys are more like 49/1:49.

But we are also talking about a HS athlete. If you are running say 53/1:54 you should expect to improve a bit with maturity and training over the next 4 years. And obviously a ton depends on where you are coming from. The person who is running times off 35mpw is likely to to improve more than the guy runnningn 60mpw.

I doubt many people with 55s 400m PR as 17/18 year olds ever break 4. If your running 52/1:55/4:17 off 40mpw (i.e. you have decent speed but no endurance)? Sure there is a chance.

1:50 800m

8:00 3k

I agree with this 100 percent. I ran 1:52 and 4:10 but didn’t have sub 14:50 strength. In order to go sub 4 with 1:52 speed you need to be able to go 14 low maybe even sub 14. If you want to go sub 4 with less endurance, maybe like 14:45 5k talent you’re going to need to be able to run 1:48.

I'd say that 1:49 800 and 13:45 5000 would be requirements for a well rounded miler. Milers could get by with a 1:52 if they were 1500/5k types, or a 14:15 if they were on the 800/1500 side. Pure 800 guys could get by with a much weaker 5k too.