Ready to run your fastest mile ever? In this episode of the Marathon Handbook Podcast, we dive headfirst into the magic and mystery of the mile—why it’s such a romantic and enduring distance for runners of all levels (01:00), the difference between the mile and 1500m (06:00), and the story behind Roger Bannister’s legendary sub-4 performance (02:30). We explore how breaking barriers—like the 4-minute mile or sub-10 mile for beginners—can shift what’s considered humanly possible (09:00), and why the mile still holds powerful cultural cachet in the running world (12:30).
From there, we get into the science behind running a mile fast (16:20), including VO2 max, aerobic vs anaerobic systems, and why it hurts so much more than you’d expect (20:00). Is the mile harder than a marathon? We debate it (19:00). Then we break down a full 4–6 week training plan, including three key workouts: the Broken Mile (29:00), 1K cruise intervals (36:00), and Flying 200s (41:00). We discuss how to structure your training week, balance intensity and recovery (43:30), and race your time trial (46:00).
You’ll also hear personal reflections on where each host currently stands in their mile journey (48:30), a wild story of running a mile with a dog that clocked a 4:28 (51:00), and the unbelievable world of the beer mile (54:00). We wrap by encouraging listeners to take on the mile challenge themselves—whether as a standalone summer project or as a way to boost long-distance performance (56:00). Plus, we’ve got links to helpful training guides for every level, from beginner to sub-5 aspirants (58:00).
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