Steve Spence's 5:00 mile streak ends at 43 years

While impressed with his durability and consistency (and perhaps obsession), I’m more impressed by Spence’s achievements as a runner, most notably his bronze at the WC’s and racing in an Olympics.

He ran 2:15 in the marathon, which is slightly less than 5:09 per mile, 26.2 times in a row with no rest interval.

Streaks are cool, but shouldn’t be coveted like real running achievements.

Best of luck Steve.

I have questions about this streak and others like it...

Does 1600 count or does it have to be a true mile?

Does it have to be timed in a race or in a time trial at a local track?

Does there have to be proof? Witnesses, video, or some other documentation?

Like others have mentioned in this thread, the body takes some cruel turns later in life - things you take for granted in your 20s become impossible later on. For a marathoner to keep such a streak really is a testament to Spence’s athleticism and moxy. Bravo!

Also, is ensigns streak still current or is that old/historical?

Another fan wrote:

I have questions about this streak and others like it...

Does 1600 count or does it have to be a true mile?

Does it have to be timed in a race or in a time trial at a local track?

Does there have to be proof? Witnesses, video, or some other documentation?

Like others have mentioned in this thread, the body takes some cruel turns later in life - things you take for granted in your 20s become impossible later on. For a marathoner to keep such a streak really is a testament to Spence’s athleticism and moxy. Bravo!

Also, is ensigns streak still current or is that old/historical?

Tim Ensigns streak was broke last year. we would just hand time it. when it got to the point where he was real close we had 3 watches.

i'm sure to be official you would need some sort witness/video/documentation. but, we just did it at the local track unofficially. i think he did it more of just a personal challenge. we would do a lot of time trials together. i remember pacing him to a sub 17 5k at age 51 i believe.

zerobody wrote:

That's weird, I'm a no-name and I've got 25 years. I feel like I've got at least 5, maybe 10 more for sure, then year by year after that.

I started at 15. Granted there were years when I didn't even race a mile but I certainly could have.

I remember being 48 breaking 5:00 and thinking I could do it at 50 (which is not common).

I'll tell you, the wheels fell off. I was injured at 50, came close at 51, 52. Then injuries started and I couldn't get the consistent training in.

I'm 60 now and would love to break 6:00 again.

round and round wrote:

While impressed with his durability and consistency (and perhaps obsession), I’m more impressed by Spence’s achievements as a runner, most notably his bronze at the WC’s and racing in an Olympics.

He ran 2:15 in the marathon, which is slightly less than 5:09 per mile, 26.2 times in a row with no rest interval.

Streaks are cool, but shouldn’t be coveted like real running achievements.

Best of luck Steve.

His PR is even faster than that, he ran 2:12

With the sub 3:00 hr marathon in 6 different decades being a thing these days, has anyone run a Sub 5:00 mile in 6 consecutive decades?

Wonderer of things wrote:

With the sub 3:00 hr marathon in 6 different decades being a thing these days, has anyone run a Sub 5:00 mile in 6 consecutive decades?

nolan shaheed would be my best guess, but not sure when he started running. if he was a sub-5 miler in h.s. that would have been the 60s, and he set the AR for 60-64 (4:53) in 2012. pete magill would be another possibility if he breaks 5 some time this year. maybe nat larson (born in 1962) if he breaks it this year, but not sure when he started running either. if brad barton (1966) or sean wade (1966) broke it junior high they would be a possibility too. check back on this thread in 10 years and i'll let you know if i've done it...

Can he just skip a year? Maybe it's not about the streak as much as it is about the spread or longevity. I got one of these challenges going on for myself though I have just missed it by a 1.8 seconds just recently (sub 9 3k) if I do it, I would have a 36 year spread. It just feels good to get that same feeling I got in 1984 :)

zerobody wrote:

That's actually pretty impressive with your PR. I'm not within 20 seconds of my PR fitness-wise. Then again I'm not really training optimally for a mile either.

This thread got me curious and I found out I didn't keep a log for two years between college and post-college. I know I ran sub 5's as part of workouts, does my streak not count?

Only runs on strava count

Since his birthday isn’t until May and his last sub-5 was at age 56, he can still continue his single-age streak if he hits the mark this winter or spring. So a similar streak could remain intact.