How to Run a Faster Mile: A Coach’s Guide

Want to improve your mile time? Start with how you race it.

There are small changes you can make to lock in an optimal race strategy for each individual, but a good rule of thumb is nothing matters til 600m to go. When you have this mindset, it reduces unnecessary moves and anxiety while shifting the focus to being in position when it matters the most.

Stop wasting energy in the first 400m

So much of being able to close down a race is about mental and emotional control leading up to and within the race. We need to preserve mental fuel as much as possible for the end, because we know we will be out of physical juice and you need the capacity to lean into the discomfort. Burning mental energy when the physical tank still has gas is just wasting fuel that you can't get back.

Calm, cool, and confident. Always my last words to my athletes.

My favorite 1500m and mile workouts

As a sub 4 miler and a high school coach since 2014, these are some of my go to mile specific sessions.

Alternating pace

• 6 to 8x400m alternating above and below mile pace w/75s
• 6x200m alternating mile and 800m pace w/75s

Combo session

• 2x1k at 3k pace with 2 and 3 min rest
• 2x(500-300-200) with 90s and 3 min
• 120-140-160-180-200 w/walk back rest

Race sim

• 1000m at race pace w/3 min rest
• 6x400m threshold w/1 min rest
• 5x200m at 800m race pace w/100m walk

The elite version

• 6x600 w/4 min rest. 600s at mile pace
• 3x(500-300-200) w/jog next rep. Mile to 800m pace, then 6 to 8 min, then 1x600m cutdown
• 800, 400, 800, 400 w/400m easy shuffle. 800s slightly slower than mile pace, 400s slightly faster. Then 5x150 smooth and relaxed, walk back rest

These are elite workouts. Modify them based on experience and only after a great foundation.

Put it in a season

Workouts only work inside a structure. My mile training plan lays out 54 workouts across 3 phases so you know what to run and when. If you want it built around your races, that's 1:1 coaching.

What is your favorite mile workout? Send it to me.

Written by Coach Travis Mahoney

3:57 miler · coach of 2 sub 4 milers · 4x US Olympic Trials qualifier

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