How to properly split the mile

The key to the mile is maintaining momentum. Whether you get out slower and gradually pickup or you blast it out and slowly die, the most important thing is that you maintain consistency.

It seems like you might be more on the distance side given how even your splits were and how weak your last lap was, but on the off chance you’re an 8/16 guy, getting out around 2:15 might yield a 5 or so second time drop. Splits of 33,34,34,35 would work.

The order of your laps from fastest to slowest should be: last, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, with the 1st and last being very close and 2nd and 3rd being very close. This is the most efficient way to use the various energy systems and should produce roughly even or slightly negative splits.

Take El G (WR holder in 3:43.1)= 55.6, 56.0, 56.3, 55.2 or 1:51.6, 1:51.5

I like to think about it this way:

1st lap: adrenaline of start, finding position and pace

2nd lap: settling in, starting to hurt

3rd lap: preparing for the last lap, hurting real bad

4th lap: final positioning and kick, pain can’t get worse and adrenaline of kick starts to numb you.

Perhaps as critical as pacing every 400 or 800 is to limit wasted energy. In a close race I’m trying to win I would stay in 2nd or 3rd if someone else is willing to go to the front, and limit jostling for position. I don’t try to cover any moves until the last 600. Over many races one will find that the runner who changes position the least in the middle two laps (and is still in the race) will have more left for the last 300, 200, etc. You limit running wide and you limit surges which tend to sap energy systems you’ll need late in the race.

Another question- Could i possibly reach sub-4:30 by the end of outdoor this year? Previous to running 4:41 the other day my PR was a 4:54. I have never done any serious mileage, mostly doing about 25-30 during XC and I ran 40 once. My 5k PR is a 17:25 and my 800 PR is a 2:05. I also fairly consistently lift weights although I am still skinny as a rail at 6'0", 140 lbs.

Was it a mile or a 1600?

1600.

Vatech1418 wrote:

Another question- Could i possibly reach sub-4:30 by the end of outdoor this year? Previous to running 4:41 the other day my PR was a 4:54. I have never done any serious mileage, mostly doing about 25-30 during XC and I ran 40 once. My 5k PR is a 17:25 and my 800 PR is a 2:05. I also fairly consistently lift weights although I am still skinny as a rail at 6'0", 140 lbs.

Yes! Undoubtedly. It’s going to be a bit difficult unless your 800 improves. But even with your times now, with a bit of specific pace training, you have what it takes to break 4:30.

Assuming you’re young, I would suggest you be mindful about the weights(for the time being at least.) You have a lot of room to grow and it would be a shame if you ended up getting hurt because you overdid it in the weight room too early. Personally, I suggest focusing more on plyometrics and gaining general core and physical strength, and then later moving on to weight training for the explosive benefits.

You have a lot of potential and I hope your coaches realize that while they’re training you.

Vatech1418 wrote:

1600.

9.344 meters short then ain't it?

ecberto umbo wrote:

Vatech1418 wrote:

1600.

9.344 meters short then ain't it?

Oooooooo look who can do basic math! Congratulations mr troll! I hope that correcting someone for using the 1600 and mile interchangeably made your day.

Noakes, Lambert, and Hauman (2008) analyzed the pacing strategies of 32 different WR mile efforts. Their findings was basically what was echoed here-- first lap should be the fastest with some slower but stable laps in the middle with the last lap being close to the first lap in pace. If you want to attach numbers to it, they found that, on average, the first lap was about 3% faster than the average pace for the entire effort. Depending on your style, running that first lap 3-5% faster is a good rule of thumb. Much faster than that and you'll likely struggle to, as another poster said, "maintain momentum."

Improve your endurance, first off. Second, lots of black coffee and heavy metal before a race should help you out.