Trying to run a mile PR alone

The actual splits will depend to your effective fitness, but I would say as even as possible with respect to what is possible with your actual fitness...

Here is a strategy I used when running a 4:37, and it should help get you sub 6.

Lap 1: run it hard like you normally do, you seem to do good on this lap.

Lap 2: try to run this one hard, try to have it at 90, just like you do, so you don’t need to change much here.

Lap 3: this lap sucks, but your going to run it like its your final lap, hard all the way through it (just without a sprint at the end). Try to keep it at 95 or lower.

Lap 4: You seem to push this lap well, every 100m speed up, be in a full sprint with 100m left. And try to attack this lap harder. This should be faster than your second lap, and if you can, faster than your first lap. Try to run this lap around 85-87.

Another thing you could do during this is whenever you feel tired is to speed up, this will prevent you from slowing down. Even splits are good, but doing this will get you close, do what you have been doing and you’ll do great. Good luck on your race, and if you have any questions about this, you can ask some and I can elaborate on it. Good luck again.

Yeah, this does not seem like a good plan. Based on your splits, you probably could get closer to 6:00 just with better pacing. This will work out great with the slower group.

Really, you should plan to run the second 800 solo and let the group lead for the first 6-800. The group is likely going to go out way too fast for their ability but that should be a good pace for you. Get in toward the back of the lead group and stick with them through 400 hopefully close to 90 or slightly below.

Move up within the group for the second 400 trying to keep close to 90s again. If they maintain or slow and you move up, you should be close to the lead or in the lead by 6-800 meters.

Third lap will be the toughest, after you take the lead try to just maintain for one lap.

Then last lap is just the whatever you have left.

It always worked out better for me to make get better in slower heats for the mile than much faster. If I was running with people ~10 seconds faster than me, it was easy to go out too fast and just bomb. With slightly slower runners, they really kept me at a better pace the first half and I ended up getting bigger PRs.

ex. When I was ~4:54 miler, I ran with a bunch of 4:50 pace guys, went out in ~2:20 for half and crashed for 4:59, a week later or so, I was in a heat with mostly 5:00 plus guys, ran like 2:25+ for the first half and finished under 4:50 (faster than a few guys in the faster heat).

May hurt your ego to be in the slower heat, but at that level people's poor pacing should work in your favor.

The strategy I mentioned is the strategy of one of the best mile coaches ever, so it is a good strategy.

What 'best mile coach ever' recommends running an 84, 90, 95, 90 for a six min mile? Find me any decent miler that's run their mile PR with the third lap 13% slower than their first lap?

You're essentially saying an ideal 4 min mile should be 56, 60, 63, 60?

And I intentionally left it @ 90 vs your 85-7 last bit because that seems even more detached from reality. Thinking someone could struggle through a 95 and then drop an 85 at the end.

To summarize 1600Runner:

Run the first lap hard.

Run the second lap hard.

Run the third lap hard, :like its your final lap."

Run the last lap harder, speeding up every 100m.

That's terrible advice.

You should follow the advice of "Don't do this." Your previous 800 splits were 2:55 and 3:13, which is pretty bad pacing. To prevent going out too fast, if the next fastest seed in your upcoming race is 6:18, I would plan to take the lead somewhere between 700 and 800 meters. Resist the urge to pass sooner than that, even if it feels like you aren't running fast enough.

Plan to run with an even pace, NOT an even effort. An even pace should feel COMFORTABLY quick at first, and then progressively more difficult, whereas an even effort will get progressively slower.

I would suggest 90-92 seconds for your opening lap. 92 seconds is even pace for a 6:08 1600m.

Agree. I think the simplest strategy is to make sure you don't lead the first lap. Just make sure you're in the top few positions and don't get caught in the back so you are able to move up when you need to.

Yes, listen to everyone except 1600runner. :) I'll just add, even with their slower times I bet the lead pack will still go out a little faster than 'ideal'. But that's okay (within reason) - just stick at the back of the lead pack and use as little energy as possible the first two laps, then plan to move up and really start pressing in lap 3.

No, an ideal 4 minute mile would have different pacing, I was recommending certain splits for that time. I will work on finding the coach, but he is famous for saying the secret to being faster is running faster and run your third lap hard and 4th lap three times harder. Maybe the strategy isnt best for this case, but it is what is used to run good times, 4:30s and below. 1st and 4th lap should be fastest followed by 2nd then 3rd lap.

Curious how you ended up doing.