How to break 4:30 for the mile ?

1xmile in 4:29.99 or faster

In all seriousness, I have never run a mile in the 4:20-4:30 range, but I have run under 4:20 (had a couple in 4:30.x). What I did was a solid block of tempo work in the 5:10-5:15 range, a couple of 10k pace workouts, one or two 5k race efforts, and then a mile. I did strides daily which helped a lot.

For 4:30, I'd say tempo between 5:20 and 5:25 - basically shift everything back 10s / mile.

Edit: I ran 4:30.x a couple of times before running under 4:20.

Mileage: aim for 50-70 (only 70 if you’ve been at 60 before consistently) with a 90 min long run depending on prior experience (5-6x15 second STRIDES AFTER EVERY EASY RUN EXCEPT SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY)

Phases: Base Phase (12-16 weeks), Precomp (8-10 weeks), Comp/Peak (5-6 weeks)

Tempo/Threshold Workouts (4-6x150m at a good speed after)

4 mile tempo @5:30-5:40 pace

6 mile tempo @5:50-6:00 pace

8x1000 @3:30-3:35/km off 45 sec rest

5xMile @5:35 off 60 sec rest

6-8x 3 min on/ 90 sec off at 10k effort

Wake Forest Fartlek (search it up)

Pure Speed:

4-6x30m flys (accelerate 30m, sprint all out 30m decelerate 30m) FULL RECOVERY (4+ mins) preferably fresh before

8x10 sec all out hill sprints FULL RECOVERY

Long Runs: get up to 90 mins at a decent pace without going too hard

Easy runs: try to run atleast an hour a day at a decent pace, but can be much slower if needed to recover, never force easy days

Mile Pace:

8x400 in 67 on 60-90 sec rest (first time 90 work down to 60)

3-4x800 @ 2:15 w 3 min rest

5-6x600 @1:40-1:42ish w 2:30 rest

2x(800-400-400) @2:15, 67 on 3 min rest, 60 sec, 3 min rest after set

16-20x200m @ 33-34 w 200jog rest

800 Pace (you’re gonna want to be atleast a 2:00-2:02 guy):

8x200m @30 w 2 min rest

6x300 @ 45 w 3 min rest

4x400m @60 w 4 min rest

4x2x200m @30 rest 30 sec rest 3 min after each set

3k/5k (Strength):

6x800 @2:25-2:30(depending on speed or endurance based) w 2 min rest or slow 400 jog

6x1000m @3:20 w 2 min rest

12-16x400m @72 w 60 sec rest

Speed Endurance:

4-5x200m ALL OUT with 3-4 min rest

350-300-250-200 ALL OUT w 400 walk rest or 300-250-200-150-100 ALL OUT w 400 walk

Reps workouts (Base Phase only):

3x4x200m @33-34 w 200 jog and 600 jog between sets

3x3x300m @50 with 300 jog and 600 jog between sets

2x4x150m @800 effort with 250 jogs and 800 jog between set

2x3-4x200m @30 w 400 jog and 800m jog between sets

Hills (need decent leg power for a 4:30): 15-20x200m w jog down

12-15x400m jog down

20x100m jog down

HOW TO LAYOUT SEASON

Base Phase (if indoor race saturday tempo tuesday and skip reps):

WEEK A

S: 90 Min long run

M:: 60 mins easy

Tuesday: Reps + 20-30 min morning double if you’re up for it

W: very slow 45-60 min if needed

Thursday: WU (2 mile jog +8x100m strides + form drills and dynamic stretches) then PURE SPEED then cooldown to mileage needed

Friday: Tempo/Threshold (alternate intervals with continuous tempos + morning double if you’re comfortable

Sat: 30 min or rest (prefer rest)

Week B:

Sunday: 90 min long run

monday: 60 min easy

tuesday: hills + morning double (if you’re ready)

wednesday: 70 min medium long

thursday: WU (same as above) + pure speed (preferably flat on hill weeks, and vice versa) + cd

Friday: Fartlek or 6 mile tempo + morning double (if you’re ready)

Sat: 30 min slow or rest (prefer rest)

PreComp:

Week A:

Sunday: 90 min long run

monday: 60 min easy

tuesday: 1600m workout + morning shakeout if done in base phase

wednesday: 45-60 mins slow

thursday: pure speed

friday: 8x1000m or 4 mile tempo + double

saturday: rest (if race easy day friday and alternate tuesdays with tempo and track work)

Week B:

S: 90 min

M: 60 min

T: 800m workout + double if done in base

W: 45-60 min slow

T: Pure Speed

F: 1600m pace or 3k-5k depending on your weakness + double if done in base

S: rest or race (same as above with rearranging)

Competition/Peaking Phase:

S: 90 min cutting down to 65-75 min by last week

M:45-60 mins (rest if race on saturday)

Tuesday: Speed endurance or 3-4x800m @ 1600m pace alternate with 6x400m w 3 min rest at close to 800m effort

W: 30-40 min slow jog

T: Pure speed

Friday: 800m workout or easy day if race tmr

S: Race or complete rest

SUPPLEMENTAL WORK:

Tuesday and Friday after workout Lifts (Tuesday: 3x5 back squats, trap bar deadlifts, and bent over rows)

Friday: front squats + lunges or split squats + shoulder press + push ups + hip thrusts/kettle bell swings))

Sunday, Monday, Thursday: Core (60-90 sec planks and/or hanging leg raises)

Everyday(if possible AFTER RUNS): Hip Mobility (look up tom derrick? (i think that’s the name) routine and do some stretching and yoga before/after

you may find with the structure of this plan you can reach more of your potential and maybe even run 4:20 or faster if you put your mind to it and grind this offseason

alternate Week A and B each week

for example

Week 1: A

Week after: B

repeat

You need a certain coach and adjunct professor at a university in San Antonio to give you the best advice.

Hopefully he'll visit this thread soon.

What have you done so far? Without that info, the question is meaningless

one of the best posts I've seen on letsrun of all time. Super solid advice.

Run the first 809.344m in 2:18. Then drop the hammer and run the final 800m on pure hate faster than 2:12.

don’t think anyone is going to really beat the above posted, so i’d recommend that if you want a more holistic structure

key points are consistent mileage, year round speed work, and tempos + long runs and strides

Easy. Just run in the next marathon Kiptum enters and aim to keep up with him for the first mile.

for training, high mileage and double threshold.

just imagine how fast a 3:43 mile is. and then imagine how slow a 4:30 is in comparison.

come race day, run like a pack of tigers is hunting you down...

would you rather suffer a little more and go sub 4:30 or relax a little and be eaten alive?

this is the mindset you need.

Except he’s dead now

TBH most kids will not hold up with a plan that calls for this much intensity. I would be much more conservative.