Can you get data like this from Strava? Does some one want to send them this thread ?

There is a world class fell runner who lives near me, even on his track sessions he doesn’t get near 4 min miles.

I’m far from being the most naturally talented runner.

You’re better than me at distance.

What if I said anyone could run sub 11.5s 100m? Pretty easy to refute that, since we’re not all natural sprinters. We’ll similarly we’re not all natural distance runners either, and some of us really really aren’t.

There is a world class fell runner who lives near me, even on his track sessions he doesn’t get near 4 min miles.

Fell running is completely different again. Have you seen the average fell runner?! Ability to jump over fences and streams, fast walk up 45 degree slopes and basically “controlled fall down” them.

Nowhere near the same constant paced effort needed to do a timed flat-distance run.

Yes as CL says its very different although some fell runners transition to the road, Dave Cannon and Kenny Stuart spring to mind. I once got a shove in the back from Dave Cannon in the Sale 15 when a gap started to grow between me (in 4th place at the time) and a group of 3 pulling away. He is a big lad so I got out the way sharpish!

That said I know a couple of very good fell runners and their road/track times are no great shakes!

“Ah – I was thinking of suggesting that it might be possible for anybody to run a 5 minute mile.”

Well, judging by the state of the average person in this country, I doubt more than say 10% of all people could possibly reach that level of performance. 5′ mile is still bloody quick, and you need to be very, very fit. I’m not sure. Even with a lot of training, careful diet etc, I really don’t think ‘anybody’ could achieve that.

” I’d be kind of surprised if you and your mate couldn’t have done it if you had trained specifically for that over a long enough period.”

Maybe. I think I’ve always been the kind of person who, when it comes to sports, possibly could go that little bit more, but I’ve never had the motivation. I think that’s the 5% extra needed to really push yourself to perform harder, and I just don’t have that, nor, I suspect, do most other folk.

Our club record is 4.32 .The holders best 5 km 15.40 .This from a 25 year old who trains hard.

I suspect, do most other folk.

You make a good point. Distance running is very much about a willingness to hurt yourself for at least a while when in competition. If you are capable of running say around 33 mins for 10k. The first 4+ miles are relatively pain free. The last 10 minutes can be torture once you are at your limit or hanging on. The vast majority of people dont want to do that.
Distance runners actually enjoy it 😈

Surprisingly enough, it seems the 4 minute mile is a lot easier – over 6000 times that’s been done, but only 833 sub 10s 100m runs.

The list is here

http://www.alltime-athletics.com/m_mileok.htm

A quick play in the Excel with the first part of about 4824 out door performances shows that it contains 1193 unique names

I have to say that is more than I expected. But That seems way to elite for anyone can do it with a bit of effort. Looks to me like this thing that can be done by anyone has infact only been done by about 0.0002 % of the population. Even for allowing for quite alot of can be bothered that is not a big fraction

I use to run a bit. But I really couldn’t run fast so I believe it was way beyond me. I think I once ran 3000m on a track (the only time I ran on a track) I think it took 12 minutes

Yeah, that’s where my info is from – sorry should have given the link. And thanks for doing the excel, saves me a job – was just about to write a bash script for it!

the only person I know who could have would have been my brother in law (rip 🙁 ) if he’d carried on running, 800m in 1m.59.4s aged 13, 1500m in 4m.10.9s aged 14

A 5 min mile is achievable for a lot of people who dedicate and train properly. 4 is something else though. No, the vast majority of humans aren’t physically capable of it.

I managed 4 min pace for 1200m

Wish I’d tried when I was younger, I used to run 55s 400m, 1:57 at 800m, and county level cross country. On basically no training other than running to school when I was always late in the am, and once a week run or race for x-country in the autumn. But like someone else up there, while I loved distance running x-country on interesting courses in rain and snow, I hated 1500m and higher on the track, going round in what felt like slow circles. I reckon with some coaching and proper training I could have got close to a 4 minute mile, but switched to mostly cycling while at uni. I do keep looking at the local track and thinking I should have a go someday…

Zippykona, if I remember, you’re fairly local – I’m a regular at Banstead woods parkrun – 191 runs for me, come along on Saturday if you want – we can dream of 4 min miles!

Andrew

I used to run 55s 400m, 1:57 at 800m, and county level cross country. On basically no training other than running to school when I was always late in the am

Forgive me if I dont believe you.

800m Michael Rimmer Liverpool / Pembroke & Sefton AC 1.56.9 is the record for U15

Michael RimMichael Rimmer Liverpool / Pembroke & Sefton AC

Was a member of LPS for 20 years, happy days. Had some success racing Michael 🙂