Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

[Guest]

If took the average 25 to 35 old guy off the street and supplied him with top coaching and training could he run at least a 6-minute mile? Does a 5 or 6 minute miler have some genetic talent or is it possible for any reasonably conditioned person to break 6 minutes for the mile.

It was reported recently that many of today's obese teenagers cannot even break a 10-minute mile.

Who wants to write the book "6 minute mile for Dummies"? This kind of book would help produce a healthier nation.

Ok this is a nutty thread, but "who cares" nobody knows who I am.

Irrelevant fact of the Day:

The US army awards a 100 points in it proficiency test for any of its recruit that can run a mile in under 6-minutes.

Who cares -
Once a 4:49 miler
5:38 master runner (40 yrs old)

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

How long would you be training Joe Average before having him run against the clock in the hopes of breaking the legendary 6 minute barrier?

Most of the fat assed 25 - 35 year olds I see on the street would probably pull a John Ritter if they tried to run a 10 minute mile off the bat.

[miler manque]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

25-35 year-old, yes, but a big if, only if they're of normal weight. Probably take three months. Heck, with the right training (no offense at all intended) don't you think you could run faster than 5:38, since you were once 4:49?

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

In this experiment the potential 6-minute miler would have to sign a consent form that would say, "there will not be no lawsuit in case the subject gets injured."

It would be risky to force a 250lb individual to run a mile at a brisk pace. Still I think most healthy adults could run a mile at a 9.5 or 10 mph pace if they train.

At the college the other day I saw some police recruits being trained. They were probably jogging at around an 8-minute mile pace. Surely at least 5 of those twenty recruits could run at least a 6 minute mile.

I believe training for a 5 or 6-minute mile is a realistic goal for the better-than-average weekend athlete.

When we talk about athletes like Geb and Webb we are talking about althletic accomplishments that are way beyond most of us. If I ever run a 5-minute mile again it will be a great accomplishment. I don't want to be some fat old guy in a bar watching a football game.

Damn, I am starting to sound like one of those Runner World's articles that give training advice to average weekend runners. "How to run a 3-hour marathon" is a typical title of one of those articles I am talking about.

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

<<25-35 year-old, yes, but a big if, only if they're of normal weight. Probably take three months. Heck, with the right training (no offense at all intended) don't you think you could run faster than 5:38, since you were once 4:49? >>

Not since I ruptured my patella tendon playing soccer 8 years ago. After my operation I put on 40 lbs. I ran a 64-quarter at the track the other day and it felt like there was an elephant on my back. The last 100 yards I could barely breath. In the car on the way home I was constantly coughing.
A 4:49 (4:25 1500m) mile in high school was ok. That kind of time is a dime a dozen today. Actually, I meet a guy I have not seen in twenty years. In high school he was running a 4:25 mile. Well, he was now heavier than me and said he had not run in 10 years. I could actually beat him now with my pokey 5:38 speed.

The other day I bought Al Lawrence’s "the self coach runner". Right now I am reading the chapter than covers the 5:30 mile. Until I lose 40 lbs a five-minute mile is out of the question. I will just injure my knee and cause other skeletal problems. Since I have run a 2:25 a few years ago a sub 5:30 mile should be cake.

The sad truth is that I believe most people in their 20s and 30s probably cannot break 9-minutes for a mile. I remember the pot smoking members of our Varsity soccer in high school managing a mile in 15 minutes!

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

<<How long would you be training Joe Average before having him run against the clock in the hopes of breaking the legendary 6 minute barrier?>>

About 10 weeks of training.

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

Maybe somebody with experience in Army basic training will have a better feel for what you can do when really pushed, but my answer would be that the "average man" cannot break 6:00. Even that is a feat worthy of above-average physical skills.

[Natasha]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

I don't think they could run a 6:00 mile. Are there any average men on this discussion board? Are they willing to try? I'm just kidding all of you seem lightyears ahead of average.

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

Thw initial poster suggested writing a "Six Minute Mile for Dummies" book; it could help produce a healthier nation (a worthy goal).

A book of that sort has already been written:

"Six-Minute Mile: A Beginning Runner Tells how at Age 40 She Tackled...a Six-Minute Mile...and how You Can Too!"
Author: Jinny Beyer
ISBN number: 0914440764
Date Published: Jan 1984
Publisher: EPM Publications, Inc.

[Guest]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

That sounds like an interesting book. However, I wonder it is still in publication.

[jhc68]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

An average American man @ 30 years old? Not a chance, not with any amount of training. It is not easy to run a 6 minute mile even for talented athletes unless the talented athlete is at a high degree of fitness. The average person ? No way.

[BillVol]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

This is a great topic. My guess is that the average person could run a six-minute mile if he/she trained very seriously. I remember reading that Rick Pitino (basketball coach) has a requirement that all of his players have to run two miles in 12 minutes. That really blew me away. But he never had any fat Mel Turpins on his teams. They were in shape. However, although they were athletes, I don't believe they were necessarily "natural" distance runners. But they were able to run six-minute miles. So I'd say that with serious training, the average person could run a six-minute mile.

[jhc68]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

Nah, all those guys Pitino was coaching were 20 year old scholarship athletes at an elite D1 program... no comparison to the average 30 year old. I'd bet most guys (but not nearly all, maybe a bare majority) had the potential to train hard as teenagers and achieve a 6 minute mile. I bet a lot of military basic training recruits could do so... after weeks of daily conditioning and a lot of motivation not to get yelled at or be killed in action... but by the time they reach their 30's, I doubt it. Take a look at the average 30 year old guys in the office or at the local Krispy Kreme. I don't think so.

[BillVol]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

I think you are WAAAAAY overrating the effects of the being the age of thirty on distance running. (MIDDLE distance running, so nobody jumps on my case.) We're not talking about breaking 3:50 here. Just six minutes. Because I am an average runner and because I broke six minutes without much serious training -- over the advanced age of 30 -- I see no reason why anybody else couldn't do it.

[DentyCracker]

Re: Can an average man run a 6-minute mile

at 18 with no training whatsoever I ran 1500m in 5:08 (any felt like I wanted to die) so I think it should be possible unless the person has a disability. OK so my Dad was a 45.9 400m runner, but you get my drift.