The Unattainable Sub 4:00 Mile: A Young Runner's Journey

If you were that good, you would already have a coach. If you were in high school, you would be a standout. If you were sub 4:30 and let's say in 8th grade, you would have a slim but not zero chance. If you are sub 4:30 and in high school, you are not going to do it. A sub 4 minute mile is more than just training; you need natural talent, and if you had that talent, you would know it.

Patience and Improvement

A six-minute mile is pretty impressive, especially at 14. I would just be patient for the time being. A sub 4-minute mile is a fantastic target, but something only very elite runners can manage. Keep training, racing, and learning; it will be something you can achieve in the future.

Understanding the Reality

Let me explain. The original question from MadiLynn Teeples was: 'How can I run to a sub 4-minute mile? I am running at a 6-minute mile right now, and I'm 14.' Before I defend my very dismissive opening statement, let me say six minutes flat for a 14-year-old girl is a remarkable achievement. It is equivalent to a college woman running a 5:39 mile and is only a third above the world record standard. You have tremendous potential and should continue to run. The sport is very rewarding, particularly in the mile race. You can be great.

The Natural Barrier of Sub 4:00 Mile

I am making the assumption that MadiLynn is a female, given her name. You cannot run a sub 4-minute mile. No woman in the history of mankind has accomplished this feat. The women's record currently stands at an impressive 4:12.33, set by Sifan Hassan in 2019. In six to ten years, you will be at your athletic peak. Even if you were the best in the world in 2030 and had the race of your life, breaking Hassan's record by a margin of two times would still result in a record of 4:11.75. Every improvement, whether through enhanced training, special shoes, male pacers, or coaching, cannot get you below 4:08.75, a record that is still far from sub-four minutes.

Mile Unfairness to Women

The mile is unfair to women. Women are relatively closer to men in sprinting and can compete with men in ultra-marathon races. This unfairness is evident in the progress made by women's world records. The men took about forty years to reduce their record from about 4:12.3 to Roger Bannister's 3:59.4. So, maybe you can witness the first woman break four minutes. Perhaps, you will attend the 2060 Olympics in Paramaribo, Suriname, where a young woman also named MadiLynn will take gold in a 1500m exhibition run in 3:59.71. You would make your way to the infield to congratulate her; she would recognize you immediately and push away reporters and old men to run to you, saying, 'Coach Teeples! Coach Teeples! I've been waiting my whole life to meet you. My mom saw you set the 1500m Olympic record in Los Angeles; she named me after you. Please pose with me next to the finishing time clock.'

Conclusion

You can have an epic track and field career, do amazing things, and win all kinds of titles without running under four minutes for a mile. Don't stop running. And please prove me wrong. Keep setting incremental goals and working hard to achieve each one. You can be a great runner—a great person—without running under four minutes for a mile.