Lifetime miles
I’ve run about 26000 miles (as of 2023). 20,000 of those are on Strava. I’ve run 1 complete mile in under 4 minutes. Pretty bad conversion of training miles to lifetime goal, so I thought I’d see whether, in a 26,000-pixel image of green = outside 4mins and red = under 4mins, it is possible to see the red one.
Can you spot it? 
Here’s an account of the journey to sub-4 and a few photos from the race itself written for the Thames Hare and Hounds newsletter.
For the past four years, running a sub-4 minute mile has been a somewhat elusive goal for me. Prior to 2018, I had run several tactical mile races, for example at Varsity Athletics, but had never fully tested myself against the clock over four laps of the track. My first focused mile attempt took place on the hallowed turf of Iffley Road in July 2018. In gale-force conditions, I finished second in a PB of 4:05.84 after a close battle with Olympic steeplechaser Phil Norman. In 2019 my winter training was hampered by injury, but I found some late-season form to run 4:04.08 at the Soar Mile in London and then a frustrating 4:00.98 at the Tonbridge Twilight Invitational in August. So close!
The lack of races due to pandemic restrictions meant that my next attempt did not take place until May 2021 when I ran 4:04.82 at the Stirling Monument Mile. Unfortunately, although I had come into the season in good shape, I struggled with a plantar fascia injury which curtailed my training and my form slipped away before I could get any more quick races under my belt.
And so to this year. I had held good fitness through the winter culminating in a 10km PB at The Isle of Man Easter Running Festival. I opened my 2022 track season with the Tracksmith mile, paced by Nick Willis. The race became tactical in windy conditions but although the time was off the mark (4:09.53) I felt strong running a negative split.
Next up I raced in the US where typical Californian weather meant conditions were perfectly still. The race was exuberantly paced - in hindsight too much so and after 809m (in 1:58) I was alone at the front and ended up running a painful positive split of 4:07.12. Back in the UK, I was on the hunt for more opportunities. At the Cambridgeshire Open in St Ives, some friends graciously paced me for my third attempt of the year. We were off pace from the start, going through halfway in 2:03 but I held on to run a season’s best of 4:06.92.
Disappointed but not defeated, I set my sights on the University of Birmingham Track and Field Festival on 9 July (to which I was lucky to gain entry given that my season’s best mile time did not compare favourably to the 1500m times that many others had been running). The day itself was warm and gusty and I remember being frustrated that the race was scheduled for 6 pm rather than later in the evening when it would be cooler and, most likely, less windy. I warmed up solo in the shade, focusing on my race plan: I was aiming to be mid-pack and then move up on laps 2 and 3 running as close to an even pace as possible. After a nervous wait on the start line, we were off! I came through 409m in 60 seconds, right on target and in about 7th place. At this point, a gap to the leading three had opened and I was fortunate that Ben MacMillan, a 3:57 miler, smoothly closed over the next lap. Going through 809m (in 1:59) I felt fantastic. On the third lap, which so often puts paid to attempts at fast times, I moved up a couple of places and I came through the bell at 2:59 still feeling strong. From here on I began to believe that this could be the time I finally ran sub-4. On the back straight I moved up further, making it into 3rd for the final bend but in the last 150m the effort began to take its toll and I tired. The home straight was a battle and I slipped back a few places, crossing the line in 6th.
There followed a few moments of uncertainty - had we, hadn’t we? Then it was confirmed that the top 7 had all broken 4 minutes and it dawned on me that I had done it at last. 3:58.97.
