The last time I ran a single mile, for a time, with any competitive edge, was in high school.  In American high-school (at least when I went which was quite a few years ago now, but still feels like just yesterday) we had to run a mile each year, as a measure of your basic fitness level.  I’ll never forget one year, coming off track and field season, and feeling fit.  I ran that year’s mile in 7 minutes and 30 seconds (or there abouts). I was 16 years old and bloody proud of it.  Fast forward 20+ years, and an opportunity to run another mile race cropped up.

These days a mile is not a distance I run (or race), the shortest being a 5km, usually in the form of my local Bushy ParkRun (check it out here).  In fact during marathon training, I was deadly afraid 😱 of mile repeats in my training plan, and even 800m repeats had me break out in a cold sweat.  But this mile was tantalisingly close to my house, free to participate and it happens every Wednesday evening in the summer months.

Online there is little information about the Arethusa mile, but I turned up (on the instructions provided by a friend who was in the loop 😉) and loitered nervously as we waited for them to close the gates to motorised traffic in the park, so that we could let it rip on the road.

Earlier in the day, I was in a mild state of panic about how to pace a mile.  While I may remember my proud moment or running a 7 and a half minute mile, I cannot for a foggy second remember how I paced it 🤔. So, asking all my colleagues (the running ones) for their advice, and trying to come up with some semblance of a strategy.

One thing I did know was that it was a fast field, and with a fast field, they would probably go out like the clappers.  I resolved not to follow suit.  The course is a short straight starting stretch, followed by two loops of the road around the fountain, and then returning down the straight bit, to the finish.  The timing is done ParkRun style, gun to finish-line, stay in order, get your token, etc…

My plan (which I am pleased to say I followed) was to get half way around the fountain at a moderate/comfortable pace, pick it up for the loop, and then find a final kick for the final half and finishing straight.  I finished in 7 minutes and 2 seconds.  I was very pleased that 20+ years on, I am fitter than my 16 year old self.  I tried to pass a much younger boy (maybe 9 or 10) in the finishing straight and he must have seen this old try-hard mum trying to pass him, and he gave such a great finishing kick that I was left in the dust.

I’ve now been to 4 more mile races, twice to watch my 8 year old son run, once to pace him, and one last time (on the final race of the season) for me, and I am pleased that I finished the season on 6 minutes 43 seconds 🤗!

So why should you run a mile?

• It’s a tough, lung busting distance, and it hurts (I’m not going to lie, it really hurts while you are doing it), but it’s over in a flash, and after you’ve caught your breath, feels glorious.
• If you are training for a longer race, you might have mile repeats in your training plan, but you might not truly open up and max them out (especially if you have many to do), try a mile race and see what you are capable of.
• If like me you ran a mile, while in school, for a time like me, you’ll have the opportunity to compare your current mile to your teenage self – you may surprise yourself and are fitter, or now have a new target to beat (essentially running against your younger self)

Do you like statistics and facts (then this bit is for you)?

• The current mile world record holders are Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj (3:43.13) and for the women’s record, Sifan Hassan of The Netherlands (4:12.33)
• The mile race began in England 🇬🇧
• It is the the only imperial distance which the IAAF records an official world record
• Englishman Roger Bannister became the first person to achieve a sub-4 minute mile on the 6th of  May, 1954 with a time of 3:59.4

If nothing it’s quick and easy to try out, and gain a new statistic to add to your running inventory!

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Have you run a mile race (either ages ago, or recently)? Would you like to try this distance or not bother because it’s too short?