Run a faster mile in your fifties and beyond: “I did and became one of the fastest in the world,” says Elisabeth

Let’s work back from the goal to run a mile. Ask yourself how fast do I want to run? How often can I run? Where can I run? Is there anyone I can run with? Now, using a touch of common sense, mix all of them together and create the perfect formula. 

Like creating a great recipe, it’s all about making personal adjustments here and there to get it all to work. But the underlying concept is something Steve Ovett told me once. The former world-record holder for the mile described training for the distance like this: “get yourself strong enough to run three quarters of it at a steady pace and then have enough speed left to sprint the final quarter of a mile.” 

This is the fun part, in that there’s no requirement to run fast, nor is there a definitive distance you need to run in any one week. If you run 10 miles a week, then eight of them should be nice and easy. If you do 20, then 16 at a slow pace is perfect. I still use the same principles my coach, Dick Weis, used in the 1980s. He’d just tell us to get out there and run. Stop if you want, slowing down is fine. We’re interested in simply being outside and building an aerobic base, which can only be done with slow, easy running. If you’re a numbers fan, make sure 80% of your total week’s training consists of this for at least eight weeks, but preferably 12. 

Base training out of the way, now think about the idea Ovett talked about. You need to be strong enough to run three quarters of the distance at a steady pace. Think about efforts of around three or four minutes with a short recovery. I use five lots of three minutes with one–minute recovery as my strength workout, but it could be two minutes, could be five minutes. Your choice. Run a session like that, or similar, every 10 days or so. 

I’ve found this is the area so often ignored. We’re runners, after all, and love no more than to go out and run. Adding specific speed sessions often involves no more than 10 minutes of effort, which doesn’t seem enough for many. Let me tell you; it is. Again, once every 10 days or so, run something like four sets of 4×30 seconds with 30 seconds between each effort. If you just do that workout and no other one, that’ll do. It’s all I did with Elisabeth, and she ran five minutes 59 seconds. And checking on the world rankings, that was 22nd fastest. Amazing. 

“I was 47 when I raced on a track for the first time. It was when races opened up again after the pandemic that I wanted to try something different. I signed up for a 400-metre [437-yard] race. 

“Although my legs went to jelly at 200 metres [219 yards], and I wobbled to the finish, with my legs going from side to side and my arms going forward, it was an exhilarating experience. 

“Unfortunately, in the same year, I developed a serious bone infection, which meant I had to stop running for months and undergo foot surgery. It was a slow process to regain any measure of speed in my legs, but I was supported back to fitness by a great coach in Paul (the author this piece) and group of athletes at Peterborough & Nene Valley Athletic Club where Paul is a distance running coach. 

“So, when I won a mile track race and dipped under six minutes for the first time in my 49th year, I felt a great sense of fulfilment. I’d stuck with my goal, despite a major setback. A sub-six-minute mile may not seem ground-breaking to everyone, but for me – given my lack of track experience, my age and my health history – it was an achievement. Focusing on your own goals and not worrying about what times others are running is essential.” 

How quickly you’ll run has all sorts of provisos attached to it and, of course, if you’re a complete beginner, we recommend building a fitness base by mixing walking and slow jogging for at least six weeks. But the beauty of the mile is the distance. It’s possible to run it at a good pace, unlike, let’s say, a 10k (six miles 370 yards). If you don’t believe me, have a go at the Westminster Mile in London, or find a local one near you and find out for yourself. 

Indeed, using that race in Westminster – the mile equivalent of the London Marathon in terms of popularity – as a guide, the chart below shows the average times for fast men and women and beginners at the Westminster Mile in 2022. 

Remember, this is one mile, not your pace for three or four. Give it a go and surprise yourself. You will.