One low 3:50-guy has posted on this thread ;)

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Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon

4:07 in high school, back in 1979

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I can't even take a proper shit in less than 4 minutes

I ran to the store once - in like 15 minutes - because I was out of beer and too drunk to drive. It was probably around 400 meters. let me tell you - I WAS EXHAUSTED! Fortunately also very thirsty. Took a cool down lap on the way back.

I ran a 3:51 1500- So about a 4:07ish mile. 4:11 indoor on a 300m track. I'd love to go back. The Mile is the purest of all the races.

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USAT Level II- Ironman U Certified Coach

5:30PR. I think I could do a 6:15 now but I’m a better overall runner now so i’ll Take it

I ran a 3:51 1500- So about a 4:07ish mile. 4:11 indoor on a 300m track. I'd love to go back. The Mile is the purest of all the races. //

There is a guy here from Canada who has done a 3;50.? I think. Forget his handle, but he moved to triathlon some time ago. Sure he is looking at this thread if still around, and could chime in with his stats. Think he ran the most sub 4's in Canada too..


And who was the kid who got injured and was supposed to be our next big ITU guy? He ran sub 4 in high school, not sure if he went any faster at Oregon(maybe just did cross country for his one season). I think Alan Webb posted here, of course he would get top honors, although Craig Mothram was pretty fast too. He was a pro triathlete before running, Webb went the other direction, both for just a couple years..

You're talking Lukas Verbizkas.

Plenty of people have gone sub 4. Plenty of people have slowtwitch accounts. Not many intersection between those two sets. In fact, not a single intersection yet shown definitively.

You've thrown out a lot of legitimate sub 4s who have participated in triathlon, but need to link to a st handle or post.
Mottram
Webb
Verbizkas
Canadian dude
Guy I know who's gone sub 4 more than 40 times (may be afore-mentioned Canadian dude?)

I'm standing strong that the Venn diagram intersection is 0 or 1.

High School: 5:04
College: Nope
Post college: Fat
Post fat: triathlon
Now: my 7 year old runs mid 6’s and smokes me

Waysub4 I think is the Canadian's handle, or something like that. As for other fast runners here, I will leave it to Dan and PT to fill in the gaps, he should be back from Italy tomorrow...

One down. I'm hanging by a thread, but it ain't over til the fat lady sings....

Sub 4 is so fast.

HS, 4:51 but it was during the two mile in my one and only track meet, indoors, 200 meter track.

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Something like 4:50 in highschool. In my mid twenties I used to go to the track and do 5:30s with thirty seconds rest. Now at 53 I am pathetic. I think I could go sub 7 but would not be good for my mad calf and Achilles tendon issues.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Graham Hood - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Hood
3:51.55 Mile
3:33.94 1500m

Has done a bunch of 70.3/Ironman, including Hawaii. Husband of Malindi Elmore (Olympian, also done a bunch of 70.3/Ironman).

About 5:35. My short little legs felt like I was going just below an all-out sprint the entire way. I am always amazed when I watch something like the NYC marathon on TV. Clicking off 4:50-5:00 minute smile after mile like it is no big deal.

You may have seen him the Barcelona Olympic 1500m final:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrH6Y6ZcdTI

A truly fantastic runner.

 
How did I know you ran a 4:30 mile in high school? That's easy. Everyone ran a 4:30 mile in high school." - Frank Shorter

Always liked that quote.

HS: 4:21
College: 4:12
30: 4:54
45: 5:37
52: 6:44
60: 7:50 (beer mile, went out way too fast at sub-6 past for the first half, then faded very gracefully)

Raced a few times in various senior game meets and USTAF masters, over 50 winners are typically somewhere in the 5s.

Ha, ha. Maybe in Frank Shorter's circle everyone ran 4:30 in H.S., but a 4:40-4:50 won the mile in most dual track meets where I lived. I was really a distance guy and didn't even run competitively in college so I don't have many data points, but here's my trajectory:

17 - 4:27
31 - 4:23
50 - 5:10
61 - Last year of running due to blown right knee.

It was great while it lasted.

Always athletic, but never ran until I was about 30. Without training for the mile or any real targeted run training, ran my one and only mile for time around 35 at 4:20. I am 40 now and would guess with a little effort would be about the same.

You obviously have natural talent cause I had to work VERY hard to run 4:20s. Too bad they didn't have you running track when you were younger!

I worked my way through high school and college swimming. I have never had the time or motivation to bike for more than a few weeks at a time. I don’t need to swim. I run well at about 3-4 hours a week, but considering triathlon is 1/2 to 2/3 cycling, I am good but will never be great without putting in the time.

You think you'll run a 4:20 at 40 without specific training and a little effort. Do it. That is fucking fast. Most high schools mile records (or 1600) are right around that time. Hell, show us a video of a 2:10 880; we'll give you the benefit of doubt that you can keep it up for the 2nd half.

I don't think most Slowtwitchers have nearly as much respect for a sub 4 min mile as is due. I know several serious milers that spent a career seeking that Great White Whale and came within seconds of getting it and never got the prize. A 4 min mile is a huge milestone in running so to say. Tip of my hat to those that have or even came close.

I spent a college T&F career striving to crack 4 minutes - in the 1500m - and only just barely made it. I would be a full straightaway plus 9 meters behind. Sub-4 mile is insane. There's a reason only 5 or so American high schoolers have ever done it in all history.

Your doubt doesn’t impact what I am capable of doing. To do it now, it would be a little effort over what I run now which is maybe 20 miles a week on average and would include a track workout once a week if I was really interested in my mile time.

I believe the high school state record here is around 4:05, which even that like others have stated is in a completely different ballpark than a 4:20.

Edited to add that I would also have to stay injury free which running with more frequency and intensity may be the biggest hurdle.

A 4:20 mile is a 4:02 1500. That would make you the top middle distance runner on most division 3 collegiate teams. That would mean you could easily run a sub 2 800 meter. A 4:20 mile is around the school record for most individual high schools. Not the state record; of course that is much faster. But for most individual high schools the fastest anyone has ever run for that school in their entire history of thousands of kids running is typically in the 4:17 - 4:22 range.

A 4:20 mile is collegiate level running. Not exceptional collegiate level running, but collegiate level running. I'm calling bs on your blasé claim that at 40 you could just go out and run a 4:20 mile with little effort, and even calling bs that you just winged it one day when you were 30 and ran that.

Prove me wrong. Go out and bust out a 2:10 half right now at age 40. Put it on video and post it.