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

At the latest WMA world championship (spring 2019) there were 7 gents in the 60-64 AG who ran 1500 under 5 min. Here is the link:

https://wmaci2019.domtel-sport.pl/?seria=1&runda=1&konkurencja=M1500_60&dzien=&impreza=6

Also, at the latest (2021) USAT&F masters championship there were 3 or 4 results in the same AG under 5:00.

So, doable if you a world class athlete.

Sorry, correction to the previous post: there were 14 (not 7) athletes under 5:00 in the AG group at the WMA 2019 championship.

Legacy or not wrote:

uh huh wrote:

You guys are going way overboard with the hyperbole.

Sub 5 @60 is far below Tommy Hughes level of fitness.

If you really brought together the 100 best 60 year olds in the World 4.30 Mile would be the standard.

No. Way. In. Hell. A lot of 60 year-olds do compete, and they aren't running 4:30 for the mile. Also, marathons are a lot easier for the older athletes than the Mile.

A sub-5 mile is harder at 60 than a sub-4 mile is for an open male.

Nonsense. You're all living in fantasy land. Tommy Hughes has raised the bar in the marathon. But he hasn't changed your awareness. That's a y'all problem.

The OP is probably deluded.

Steve Cram ran a 5:37 at age 59 off only the jogging he still does. If he trained hard I would give him 90% odds of breaking 5 minutes after a year, so long as his calf niggles didn't get in the way.

But then he was a 3:46 miler before EPO was a thing.

Gas in the tank wrote:

Any tips from the older runners out there.

I was never all that fast - I ran 5:18 at 52. I'm

turning 58 soon and would be lucky to break 6 right now

Sub 5 at 60 is very, very good. What recent performances do you have to suggest this is possible?

Haven't read the entire thread - post your mile PR's from age 40 and 50...I'll tell you if it's possible and will then provide some tips.

However, asking for tips on this forum indicates you weren't a s 4:10 type of guy in college, or a sub 5:00 guy in your 50's. Sorry.

I managed a 5:06 road mile at 58 and then a 3:01 marathon the next day without doing a single interval. I plan on taking another shot at it this year (at 60) aiming for a sub 5 and sub 3 being 3-4kg lighter and much better shape.

Feel free to DM on twitter (@StillCompeting) for old guy running advice.

https://pseresults.com/events/1113/results/1577?bib=&c0=&c1=&c2=&c3=&city=&name=&page=1&per_page=100&sort%5B%5D=8&sort%5B%5D=3&sort%5B%5D=2

moran alert wrote:

Webbster wrote:

Tommy could easily get into the 4:30s, I wonder if he has any interest in setting the age group world record.

That fellow is absolutely amazing, and no disrespect, as he is obviously an aerobic beast, but does he have the strength and speed to do that? I could certainly see him challenging the 4:49 age group wr, but sub 4:40 is a big ask.

Tommy has run 25:57 for 8K after the age of 60 and that lines up pretty well with his recent marathon times. Without any training adjustments, he could run in the 4:40s any day of the week. I don't think sub 4:40 would be that much of a stretch for him, but he'd likely have to adjust his training to get there.

Gas in the tank wrote:

Any tips from the older runners out there.

Get a bicycle.

East Coast poor wrote:

moran alert wrote:

That fellow is absolutely amazing, and no disrespect, as he is obviously an aerobic beast, but does he have the strength and speed to do that? I could certainly see him challenging the 4:49 age group wr, but sub 4:40 is a big ask.

Tommy has run 25:57 for 8K after the age of 60 and that lines up pretty well with his recent marathon times. Without any training adjustments, he could run in the 4:40s any day of the week. I don't think sub 4:40 would be that much of a stretch for him, but he'd likely have to adjust his training to get there.

Anybody know if Tommy takes Cytomel for his Thyroid issue?

East Coast poor wrote:

moran alert wrote:

That fellow is absolutely amazing, and no disrespect, as he is obviously an aerobic beast, but does he have the strength and speed to do that? I could certainly see him challenging the 4:49 age group wr, but sub 4:40 is a big ask.

Tommy has run 25:57 for 8K after the age of 60 and that lines up pretty well with his recent marathon times. Without any training adjustments, he could run in the 4:40s any day of the week. I don't think sub 4:40 would be that much of a stretch for him, but he'd likely have to adjust his training to get there.

Something that the youngsters do not seem to understand, is that, at an older age, training for long distances is much more forgiving on the body. The kind of training required to run a fast mile is extremely likely to lead to injury. So why Tommy would risk ending his running career just to check if his body is able to handle mile training? In an ideal world, where nobody gets injured, there would be a bunch of 60 yo running sub-5. In the real world, it takes very good genetics, a ton of cross training and a very smart plan just to manage to get to the starting line.

The World Masters Rankings website shows TWO 60-64 men under 5 minutes this year, and SIX under 4:40 for the 1500. 5 minutes would likely win the world championship for this age group.

eyetee wrote:

The World Masters Rankings website shows TWO 60-64 men under 5 minutes this year, and SIX under 4:40 for the 1500. 5 minutes would likely win the world championship for this age group.

Wouldn't running under 4:40 for the 1500 equate to sub 5 for the mile ???

Surprised at the negativity in this thread. It's definitely a very difficult feat but also possible.

I'm 59 and ran 4:51 two times this year in the 1500 without doing much speed training. I realize getting another year older along with dropping 10+ sec may be impossible but I'd appreciate any/all helpful advice.

old dude wrote:

eyetee wrote:

The World Masters Rankings website shows TWO 60-64 men under 5 minutes this year, and SIX under 4:40 for the 1500. 5 minutes would likely win the world championship for this age group.

Wouldn't running under 4:40 for the 1500 equate to sub 5 for the mile ???

Surprised at the negativity in this thread. It's definitely a very difficult feat but also possible.

I'm 59 and ran 4:51 two times this year in the 1500 without doing much speed training. I realize getting another year older along with dropping 10+ sec may be impossible but I'd appreciate any/all helpful advice.

Hey it's letsrun, where all sorts of crazy stuff gets said and now 2:08-09 marathoners are considered to be hobby runners. Thing is most of the blokes making these catcalls couldn't break 5 at 60, never tried nor never will. It has proven to be a pretty high standard, doable yes, but not many get there. The proof is in the rankings and results, and don't tell me that this ability is grossly underestimated. Someone running that fast is going to get noticed and they will seek out some bigger races or certified/sanctioned each year in order to get that ranking.

There are more in the 1500 because that is the international standard. No one but US and Brits care much about the mile.

re: Tommy Hughes, yes he has set an amazing new standard, but that 2:30 is >6 minutes faster than anyone else, and very few in the age group have ever gone under 2:40. Hughes could probably shatter the mile/1500 records if he chose to do so, but it's not like there are a dozen (or a 100) guys on his heels right now. If there were some good financial incentives for age 60+ runners--sponsorships, prize money, appearance fees, and travel money provided you bet we'd see more runners able to do it. Nevertheless, the rate of attrition is pretty high after about age 45.

old dude wrote:

eyetee wrote:

The World Masters Rankings website shows TWO 60-64 men under 5 minutes this year, and SIX under 4:40 for the 1500. 5 minutes would likely win the world championship for this age group.

Wouldn't running under 4:40 for the 1500 equate to sub 5 for the mile ???

Surprised at the negativity in this thread. It's definitely a very difficult feat but also possible.

I'm 59 and ran 4:51 two times this year in the 1500 without doing much speed training. I realize getting another year older along with dropping 10+ sec may be impossible but I'd appreciate any/all helpful advice.

At 63.5 I focused on neural muscular speed took a very gradual approach. A month before turning 64 I ran an 800 TT in 2:28.1 about a 10 second improvement. Convinced me to keep doing what I call SHIRT(Short High Intensity Repeat Training) 4x30 seconds R is 4 or 5 minutes of easy stuff.

The idea is to safely increase strength specific to running without metabolic stress ie using cp.

Approach in order progression :

Bike Sprinting all out on a bike out of the saddle 4x30 zero impact

Hills 1 Sprinting all out 8 percent grade at 10.2mph 4x30 low impact but I did a 30 minute walking the hills then gradually faster running on the treadmill hill because even though it is low impact the hill puts added stress on my lower legs

Hills 2 Sprinting up sand dunes 4x30 about 5 percent grade

Accelerations on the track starting at 100 meters

Finally 200s 4x200 but not all out close maybe flying starts

From there I went to 300s ect all the time doing one of the above weekly. In fact I did 4x30 just now on the bike . Interesting thing was at first this was hard now it is refreshing;) That has to be good right.

Consider posting your attempt on

Good Luck !

4 pages and still nothing from the OP. What a troll job.

Thanks Charlie.

I've been primarily a 5k-marathon runner for a long time and feel like there's some untapped speed still there - maybe. Appreciate the training advice.

Nevertheless, the rate of attrition is pretty high after about age 45.

Seems like starting with age group 60 the ranks thin by 50 percent every 5 years

https://mastersrankings.com/rankings/

My long term strategy is to always save some for latter. Going to the well year after year will create health issues and ultimately result in a faster rate of slowing down. Dialing it back a hair or two is best over the long haul.

Time Waster wrote:

4 pages and still nothing from the OP. What a troll job.

Correct, we've all been trolled.