Sub 4 over 40?

If you have done no serious running for two decades - not a cat in hell's chance of going sub 4. Even a sub 4 1500 will be very, very difficult. Your body will find it very difficult to cope with the training necessary; it will take 2-3 years to build up gradually to the necessary workload - during which time your body will have experienced another 2-3 years of the inevitable decline in all those areas that you need to excel in if you are to go sub 4.

I ran 4:25 23 years ago, then puddles around, including taking 15 years "off" and over the past two years I have put in some hard training akin to the intensity I ran back then. This summer I hit 5:18 on a hot day with no recent race experience. I recently ran 4:37 downhill on an easy day, cranking the one mile (dropping 280') and think I could get sub-5:00 in a flat race, but I don't realistically see myself near 4:25 even if I quit my job and trained full-time. I'm Just not seeing anything like the gains I made back then. i strongly encourage you to challenge yourself but at this point you should focus on breaking 5:30, 5:15, and 5:00, and then breaking your middle-aged PR one but at a time. As others have pointed out, the 40-year olds who can run sub-4 maintained elite performance levels through their 20s and 30s.

YOU CAN STILL "BUST OUT" A SUB-4:30 AT 50!!!!! LMAO!!! LET'S SEE THE RESULT.

bi- curious 4:20 wrote:

Hdhdjdjd wrote:

No training for 15 years- you'll be lucky for sub 5

this is most important.

i was slow but even at 50 can still bust out a 4:30 but I never stopped training in something (some years ago bike racing etc)

Team 1 wrote:

As others have pointed out, the 40-year olds who can run sub-4 maintained elite performance levels through their 20s and 30s.

I am not sure if it is really critical to have kept elite performance for all the time. John Trautmann completely quit running and did not do any physical activity for many years, but still managed to run a 4:12 at age 45 after a few years of intense training. Similarly, Ed Whitlock went through several years of little running before setting all his world records. Apparently, talent does not go away.

No it can't be done by you.

And if you really ran 401/342 20 years ago you that and you know why.

Unless you managed to do that on very little training.

But if you trained hard and dedicated yourself to get those results you know you can't replicate that now.

We didn't see Coghlan or Lagat run 3:49 at age 40

Maybe the Northwest Master Tony Young can chime in.

I know some old guys who were fast when they were young. Of the ones who are running or stayed active. Of this group, some are still fast, and some fell off hard. Old people drop off at different rates, it's not linear due to talent.

SlowHobbyJogger wrote:

Team 1 wrote:

As others have pointed out, the 40-year olds who can run sub-4 maintained elite performance levels through their 20s and 30s.

I am not sure if it is really critical to have kept elite performance for all the time. John Trautmann completely quit running and did not do any physical activity for many years, but still managed to run a 4:12 at age 45 after a few years of intense training. Similarly, Ed Whitlock went through several years of little running before setting all his world records. Apparently, talent does not go away.

OP, can you provide updates along the way. It would be interesting to follow your progress.

I just ran in the 40-49 heat of the 5th Avenue mile. 600+ runners in the heat. Winner clocked 4:20 (45 yo)...2 more I think went under 4:30. Me? 4:40. Sub-4 seems, uhhh, unlikely, dude.

SlowHobbyJogger wrote:

Team 1 wrote:

As others have pointed out, the 40-year olds who can run sub-4 maintained elite performance levels through their 20s and 30s.

I am not sure if it is really critical to have kept elite performance for all the time. John Trautmann completely quit running and did not do any physical activity for many years, but still managed to run a 4:12 at age 45 after a few years of intense training. Similarly, Ed Whitlock went through several years of little running before setting all his world records. Apparently, talent does not go away.

Talent doesn't go away, but physical ability does as we age. At what age is open for debate but if you've run continuously since 20 or younger you'll notice a decline in your mid 30s. That's why we don't see 40 year olds running 3:50 or 40 year old women running 3:55 1500s.