Video proof that a 4:30 mile is easier than you think (it's all mental!):

I agree it’s probably easier than most think.

But, that’s Carmel, they’re a perennial powerhouse team in Indiana. Not exactly just any high school.

It's Carmel. 5500 students. Indiana HS XC powerhouse for generations.

My old HS of 400 students has had ~5 runners EVER break 4:30 in 66 years!!

Yep. Everyone runs a 4:30 mile.

Alan

Lol. You’ve only run that fast on this message board.

No, the takes about sub 5 being hard are 100% correct. I know 6 people who have a mile PR under 5 and for ALL OF THEM it was in highschool & they went on to never break it again (didnt run in college, not good enough).

It’s way WAY more impressive if some random 30-something with a job / life can break 5 than doing it as a highschooler. Context matters. Not to belittle the high school talents out there, but they’re growing teens than can come back from stress fractures in like 2 weeks, it’s just not the same.

My school, which typically graduates about 600 each year, has had five go under 4:30 in history running back to the 50s.

Years are 08, 87, 84, 80, and 72.

I have one of those times, which was once a school record, and it will outlive me on that record board. (I have the sixth-fastest 3200 at the same school, and with only two times beating me in several decades, I think I have same fate.)

That's really slow for a class of 600. My class was in the 300 range, and we usually get about 4 or 5 people who break 5 minutes each year. We get a sub 4:30 guy about once every three years or so.

tarckstar wrote:

My school, which typically graduates about 600 each year, has had five go under 4:30 in history running back to the 50s.

Years are 08, 87, 84, 80, and 72.

I have one of those times, which was once a school record, and it will outlive me on that record board. (I have the sixth-fastest 3200 at the same school, and with only two times beating me in several decades, I think I have same fate.)

Similar boat....

I set my HS 1600 (4:27) and 3200 (9:32) record in 1996. The previous 1600 record was from the 60s. The previous 3200 record was from the late 80s. No one has come close since. I believe 1 or 2 kids have run sub 4:40 or sub 10:00 since.

Alan

You try too hard. You're no the430miler.

That didn’t look that easy. None of those kids looked comfortable. They looked maxed out. So, not easy at all.