About the time I turned 47, I had the notion that it would be awesome if I could run a 5-minute mile when I reached the age of 50. I was never close to being a world-class runner, but I had run under 5 minutes for the mile many times. The first time I was 16, the last I was 41. But to do it at 50—that would be gigantic.

A little research revealed that each year about 15 Americans over age 50 run a mile in under 5 minutes or the 1500m under 4:40, an equivalent effort in the more common metric distance.

When I turned 49 in September 2012, I started an initial plan by running a series of 1-mile time trials on the track. I quickly found out that I had a long ways to go. I was struggling to run much under 6 minutes. In my best time trial that fall, I ran exactly 5:30, and at the end I was gasping for air, my body in total distress. I couldn’t imagine how I could possibly cut 30 seconds off this immense effort when I was a year older. The 5-minute mile started to seem more like an out-of-reach dream than an achievable goal.

Naturally, my first instinct was to train harder. And, naturally, I developed a knee problem. By December 2012 the problem was a crisis. I had to make the decision I feared the most in my quest. I would have to “shut it down” and completely stop running.

On New Year’s Day 2013, I could not run at all, but I was not giving in. My New Year’s resolution was to change the way I approached running and develop a nine- to 12-month plan to get myself into 5-minute shape.

After taking two months off to heal, I was excited to begin running again, as though I were a kid starting over. In the initial phase of my new training plan, I focused purely on slow, short runs to adapt gradually and hopefully eliminate the chance of injuries. I also decided to do all of my running on the treadmill for softer landings and a controlled pace.

Len Ferman ran a sub-5:00 mile at 50.

By the spring, I had built up to 20–25 miles per week. And I was injury-free. These were the prerequisites necessary to move on to phase two.

In phase two I maintained a total mileage of 20 to 25 per week and added short speed workouts two or three times a week. A typical speed day was 4 x 400 in 80 seconds with a 2- to 3-minute rest. I was careful to monitor my body, always cutting back if I didn’t feel just right, as part of the priority of avoiding injury.

On this training, I ran a 5:11 mile in a local track meet on June 11. I was ecstatic. I could start to taste the 5-minute mile. I had still not ramped up my training to the maximum I could handle. With three months to go before I turned 50, I had reason to believe that I could cut 11 more seconds off my time.

And then I injured my back in a nonrunning accident. I could not run faster than a jog for three months.

When I turned 50 on Sept. 3, I decided it was time to step it up, even with the bad back. I decided I would make my sub-5:00 attempt at the Florida Senior Games in December, when the weather would be cooler, my training would peak, and my back would be better, hopefully. The games only had a 1500m, so I would aim for the 4:40 equivalent.

I turned the focus of my training to the last phase of my plan, which included faster and more frequent interval workouts. Typical workouts were 4 x 200m, 2 x 400m or a time trial of 800 or 1200 meters. All the intervals were at or just slightly under 5-minute pace. My intention was to do these workouts every other day, while keeping up with my daily easy runs on the off days. The back injury, however, forced me to take many extra days off in the early fall, including a 10-day stretch at the end of October.

In the beginning of November, I went into a “go for broke” mode. I ran short but hard workouts every day.

By late November I couldn’t keep up this pace. I was developing some overuse muscle injuries that could have threatened my ability to run the big race, so I stopped all speed work. But the bulk of the training was done by that time and, thankfully, I hadn’t pushed it over the edge. It was time to taper for the record attempt.

With my three-week taper, my legs felt “locked up” when I tried to stride out on race day, but I did not panic. I knew from experience that if I warmed up enough and did some more strides, I could get past this.

At the starting line, I felt a familiar unease. I knew that after this race I would not have another opportunity until at least spring, meaning another four to six months against my biological clock. That could be enough to tip the scales so that I might never reach the 5-minute mile at 50. This was it.

The gun went off, and immediately I felt totally focused. When I reached the first turn and cut to the inside lane I felt perfect—no issues with my stride, strong and confident. But I also felt butterflies in my stomach, knowing what was to come.

I had trained so much at race pace that my body instinctively knew the rhythm I needed as I ran the first lap alone in the lead. I came through the 400 in 71. A little fast. But it’s comforting to have a tiny cushion. The 800m mark passed in 2:26, making that 400m exactly on pace.

I felt like I was in a trance. My gut gnawed at me. I knew I had to keep up this pace on the critical third lap.

I passed 1200 in 3:42. I had just 300 to go, and I had 57 seconds to cover it. I only had to maintain pace. My thought was, “Yes, I’ve got it!” In hindsight, I was not thinking clearly. I should have been stepping it up as hard as I could go because those last meters are the most difficult.

I crossed the finish line, looked at my watch and saw 4:39. Whew! I had cut it close, but I had done it. The scorer confirmed my time.

The epic goal that I had dreamed up three years before had been conquered. I have not yet formulated my next goal. It’s hard to find something as perfect as the 5-minute mile at age 50.

SUMMARY CHART OF TRAINING PHASES FOR THE 5-MINUTE MILE AT AGE 50

Phase Timing Workouts I 3 months •Slow, steady runs •Gradually built up to 20–25 miles/week •Ran every day II 3 months •Introduced short speed workouts at a pace slower than goal race pace (e.g., 4 x 400 in 80 seconds) •Ran speed workouts two to three times per week •Listened to my body and skipped speed workouts if necessary to avoid overuse injuries •Maintained total mileage at 20–25 miles per week •Ran every day III 3 months •Increased intensity and frequency of speed workouts •Ran all speed workouts at goal race pace (e.g., 4 x 200 in 37, 2 x 400 in 75, 1 x 800 in 2:30, 1 x 1200 in 3:45) •Ran speed workouts every other day •Increased frequency to every day in the period three to six weeks before the race •Maintained total mileage at 20–25 miles per week •Ran every day IV 3 weeks out from race •Tapered by cutting speed workouts to once-a-week time trials •Maintained total mileage

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