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Celebrate the 65th anniversary of Roger Bannister’s legendary sub-4 with your own fastest 1609 metres

Six weeks to your fastest mile – and your 5K and 10K times will improve, too

ROGER BANNISTER’S first four-minute mile in 1954 established the enduring appeal of the distance. It’s the one most of us still use to measure runs and gauge progress. But outside of club and junior athletics, few now consider racing a mile, focusing instead on the 5K, 10K and half or full marathon. But it’s time to show those 1,760 yards some love – and this guide is designed to prep you to run your fastest mile. The bonus: training for a fast mile will improve your leg speed and economy, boosting your 5K and 10K times. Add the six weeks of mile-specific sessions into your existing regime. And alongside the sessions themselves, incorporate the following tips to make your mile really fly.

Lay the foundations

Training sessions that are geared to 5K and 10K races also provide a perfect platform to lead into your mile-specific programme. Focus on a period of six to eight weeks of building this ‘aerobic support’ before you get stuck into the more mile-specific sessions we’ve detailed in our Fast Mile Key Workouts Schedule (see box opposite). TRY THIS Sessions such as 5-6 x 4 minutes at 5K pace with 120 seconds rest between efforts; 6-10 x 3 minutes at 5K pace with 75-90 seconds recovery; five sets of 4 minutes between 5K and 10K pace, 45 seconds rest, 75 seconds hard, with 2-3 minutes jog between sets.

Work on speed

Many runners think that any interval session counts as ‘speed work’. Genuine speed work, however, is focused on developing maximum raw speed and power and should be based on much shorter efforts. TRY THIS Once every 10 days or so, aim to include a session of sprinting. Warm up well before completing 4-5 efforts of 8-10 seconds (no more) at maximum effort. Take at least three minutes rest between each. These can also be run on hills and you can build up to 6-8 efforts as the weeks go by.

Find your focus

Success at the mile isn’t just about speed; it also requires excellent endurance. Keep your easy runs going throughout your training week, but remember that the goal should be to arrive at your mile-specific sessions ready to run fast. TRY THIS Aim to keep the runs between your fast sessions at an easy, conversational pace and around 3045 minutes, with a weekly long run of 60-75 minutes. Go too quick on your easy runs and you’re likely to compromise your performance in your key fast sessions.

Stride it out

Strides are short bursts of relaxed faster running, and they can be great for maintaining leg speed without creating excessive stress or fatigue. TRY THIS Do four to six 80m strides at the end of some of your easy runs. Don’t sprint; you should focus on a relaxed flowing rhythm, as if you’re running on clouds.

Muscle tension

You know that feeling of ‘pop’ and ‘spring’ you need to feel fast? We call that muscle tension, and it can be improved. Work to develop an ‘active’ footstrike – where controlled stiffness in your muscles and tendons can help you run faster – with a more dynamic stride. TRY THIS A ‘pogo’ drill makes a highly effective addition to your training programme – aim to do this a couple of times a week. With your legs straight and feet shoulder-width apart, perform fast ‘hops’ up and down, trying to replicate the feeling of being on a pogo stick. Keep your laces pointing upwards when in the air and land on your midfoot or towards the balls of your feet. Complete 3 x 10 seconds.

Callusing your mind

Probably the hardest thing for a runner used to racing anything from 5Ks to ultras is getting used to the intensity required to perform well over a mile. The sessions we’ve suggested are as much about psychological preparation as they are about fitness. TRY THIS In the first couple of sessions forget your GPS and focus on your rate of perceived exertion (RPE), working at 8-9/10 effort but still running, not sprinting. The goal of these sessions should be to stay as relaxed and flowing as possible while still running fast.

Primed for performance

Many runners try to get away with a five-minute jog and a few strides before fast sessions. But in mile training every step counts, so get yourself ready with a complete warm-up. TRY THIS Complete a RAMP warmup: raise your heart rate with easy and relaxed running; activate your muscles with bodyweight exercises such as lunges; mobilise your joints with exercises such as hip swings and hamstring sweeps. Complete with running drills including skips and high knees.

Watch the drift

On the track, a mile race plays out over four laps, and it’s often the third when runners drift. Give yourself a psychological kick to keep yourself on pace when your body is screaming at you to slow down. TRY THIS Whether you’re doing your fast mile on a track or a level path, dedicate that problematic third quarter of the mile to someone important in your life, and vow to not let them down.