Getting ready to turn 60, and setting a goal to break 5 minutes in the Mile.

A time that that would likely mean you could win the 1500 meter USATF 60-64 age group at Master's nationals (assuming you are from the USA)

http://live.finishtiming.com/meets/202100259/events/331/Final

Kudos if you are that fit but do you really fancy yourself as potentially the fastest 60+ miler in the nation?

How did you train and what were the results the last couple of years?

If you do that then you are the MAN!

I am 54 trying to run sub 5:50 right now. I primarily do MAF training 4 days a week (ZONE 2) and speed work once or twice a week (2X200 2X400 2X800).

I have no idea what I am doing but I am getting faster......

Not only fit, but he must be very fast. It seems like anyone running sub 5 at 60 years old, would have been running sub 4 in their 20s.

I'm 56, and the days of a 5 minute mile are long gone. I can't run 40 yards at that pace, simply because I can't cycle my legs that fast (or anywhere near it).

On the 50s masters thread there are some very accomplished athletes posting weekly. Seriously some of the best in the world. I don’t recall any of them within 15 seconds of sub-5:00 at age 60. One in particular ran ran 5:09 1500 meters and 1:27 half marathon at age 70. Another set the American Record of ~10:49 in the 3,000 meters at age 65.

Knowing little to nothing other than you'd like to break 5 minutes ....My tip would be to lower expectations. (Unless you are 59 now and running 5:10 miles, in which case you'd have a very slim shot). Coming from an experienced, dedicated 63 year old who'd be lucky to break 5:40.

^yep…..

Gas in the tank wrote:

Any tips from the older runners out there.

Cut mileage and focus on intensity

Frequent smaller sessions

Speedwork (as in top end speed) all year round

Lots of VO2

Specific work approaching races

It works....

Damn, I'm in my late 40's and trying to break 5.

Sub 5 at age 60 is no joke. Good luck!

What are some of your lifetime and/or recent performances that lead you to conclude this is possible?

Gas in the tank wrote:

Any tips from the older runners out there.

That might demonstrated more talent than Steve Spence:

While you keep building on your running workouts; work on increasing your Bench Press strength over the next 3 months. Using the weight for a set of 3 reps; try to increase your's, by 20%. So, let's say, you now bench 140 for 3 reps (free weights) and your goal becomes 168 for 3 reps, after 3 months.

Your 400s in a interval workout; will improve by 3 or 4 seconds with the new upper body strength !

Good luck !

While I'm no distance runner, I just did a fun 45-minute 10k at age 55, which for me was great considering I do a "distance" workout only once a week.

For me the key to getting easy distance gains seems to have been losing weight--but I had a lot of distance-useless muscle. I went from 187 to maybe 174 at 5'10", which doesn't sound like a lot, but sure feels like a lot. I guess I could get faster with more weight loss, but I don't want to.

But to break 5, you will need to do everything you can. Get that weight down as much as is healthy, without sacrificing that mile speed.

Gas in the tank wrote:

Any tips from the older runners out there.

I don't have any tips other than, give it a shot!

I'm 48 and around 5:30+/-. So, if you find out how to do it, please let me know.

You see similar threads frequently on LRC. Remember Coebra the 10:00 steeplechase runner that was going to do everything possible to qualify for the Olympic Trial, yet couldn’t run more than 50 miles a week, and could never run that pace for even a flat interval workout? Or, the myriad of posters wanting to break 2:20 for the marathon on 70 mile weeks with hard day at 6:00 mile pace? Most of these folks are delusional on their talent and training required to reach these really lofty goals.

I (male 61) ran a 5:45 mile this summer (Boulder,Co - T&F meet). In the fast heat, a guy named Don King (age 61) ran a 5:10, I think? Note: I think he has run faster?????? Anyway, good luck, I hope you updates and workouts.

Gas in the tank wrote:

Any tips from the older runners out there.

That is an incredibly high bar to hurdle... time to beat..

If you realistically have a shot at breaking a 5 min mile at 60, you should be giving advice, not asking for it...

MichaelBfree wrote:

I (male 61) ran a 5:45 mile this summer (Boulder,Co - T&F meet). In the fast heat, a guy named Don King (age 61) ran a 5:10, I think? Note: I think he has run faster?????? Anyway, good luck, I hope you updates and workouts.

Dan King ran 4:49 last year, setting an 60-64 Age-Group WR

Getting ready to turn 60?

If I'm not ready, does that mean I won't turn 60?

In this race he, was going for a record to, I think the first man over 60 to break 5 minutes over 5000ft?