5 Minute Mile at 45 Years Old

by Mike
(Virginia)

Mid-life crisis question. I'm 45 years old and haven't run seriously since college. In high school, I ran 4:40 for a mile; 10:20 for two miles. I could easily run a 5 minute mile in practice without a huge effort. But that was 28 years ago. I'm probably 20 pounds heavier now than then - I'm 5'7 175 pounds now.

I would like to run a 5 minute mile in the next year or so. I doubt I could do much better than an 8 or 9 right now, since I haven't been running. Do you think this would be possible and if so, could you suggest an outline of a plan to get there? Thank you.

Answer by Dominique:
Hi there,

Thanks for your question about running a five-minute mile.

Do I think it is possible?

I would not see why not.

It will be hard to do, but a lot is possible when you focus on a goal, do the required work for it and believe in yourself.

How to get there? Let's walk through the approach:
1. Starting easy
2. Consistency is key
3. Introducing speed work
4. Strength and Flexibility
5. Mind your weight

Starting Easy

I would advise you to first get some "easy" running into your legs. With easy running, I mean running at a pace easy enough that you'd still be able to have a conversation with someone. This is often referred to as "conversational pace." At first, aim for shorter distances — maybe one or two miles. It’s crucial not to shock your body with too much too soon, especially since it has been a while since you last ran seriously. You could also take a run/walk approach in the beginning.

Over the course of a few months, gradually build your base mileage. When it comes to mileage, more is almost always better. I'd say for now, a good goal would be to get to a point at which you can comfortably run about five miles without feeling overly fatigued. This process might take some time, and that’s perfectly okay. Rushing through this phase might lead to injuries which would set you back.

Consistency is Key

You can improve your fitness a lot, by just continuing to show up. Run regularly every week. Running three times a week will get you so far. Running more will make you better and better. The mile is a deceptive distance. It seems so short and it is over in minutes. But it relies a lot on your endurance.

Introducing Speed Work

Once you have a solid endurance base, which might take a few months, it’s time to add speed sessions into your routine. Speed work will help you get faster and more efficient. Here are some kinds of speed workouts you can start with:

Intervals: This involves running fast for a short time or distance, then jogging to recover, and repeating the cycle. For example, you could do 400-meter repeats at a pace slightly faster than your goal pace with 400 meters of jogging in between.

Tempo Runs: These are sustained efforts at a pace that’s comfortably hard. It’s slower than your interval pace but faster than your easy runs. Tempo runs help you build your endurance and speed.

Hill Repeats: Running uphill increases your strength and power. Find a hill that takes about 60 seconds to climb at a hard effort, then jog back down to recover.

Also check out the pages on different running workouts and speed training for runners for more ideas.

Strength and Flexibility

The next bit of advice is pretty important for all runners.

But especially when you start hitting middle-age, strength and flexibility become super, super important.

To avoid getting sidelined with injuries, to help keep yourself strong and resilient, do some strength training.

Consider doing exercises such as squats, lunges, and planks. Flexibility work, like stretching or yoga, helps keep your muscles supple and reduces tension.

Mind Your Weight

To give yourself the best chances of success I'd also consider your weight. Every extra pound slows you down a little. Twenty extra pounds slow you down enough to stop you from obtaining your goals. You'll probably find that you'll lose some weight as you start running more and more, but do keep your diet in mind and clean it up a bit to improve your progress.

Also see the running for weight loss page, that talks more about running, diet and weight loss.

Hope this gives you some good ideas.
As a final suggestion, if you want a more detailed running plan, maybe consider giving my coaching service a try.... :)

Best of luck.
Kind regards,
Dominique