The 4-minute mile is an idea and imagination can break it
June 24, 2025 9:51 AM Subscribe
Faith Kipyegon attempts to break the four-minute mile On Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 1:15 pm EST, Faith Kipyegon will try to break the four-minute mile for women, at Stade Sèbastien Charlèty in Paris. Like Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-2-hour marathon in Vienna, a success will not mean an official record, due to highly controlled conditions. However, like Kipchoge’s achievement, and Roger Bannister’s in 1956, a breaking of this benchmark (once thought impossible) could mean an opening of the athletic imagination, causing more records to fall.
The event will be streamed live on both Prime Video and Nike’s YouTube channel at 1:15 p.m. ET on June 26 (as well as on Nike’s Instagram, TikTok and Douyin accounts).
due to highly controlled conditions
indeed! my wife's really into track and the larger world of professional running, so I've been following this more closely than I might otherwise. these sorts of record-breaking attempts are fascinating because they're such a collaborative effort of both athletic prowess/preparation and technological insight and innovation.
there's a documentary about this on Amazon Prime -- really it's more of an extended Nike ad, but it does get into some of this in interesting ways. like how they designed and iterated on Kipyegon's running suit and her shoes, or how much aerodynamic and logistical planning goes into where and how her pacer group will surround and follow her as the attempt progresses.
posted by Kybard at 10:23 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]
indeed! my wife's really into track and the larger world of professional running, so I've been following this more closely than I might otherwise. these sorts of record-breaking attempts are fascinating because they're such a collaborative effort of both athletic prowess/preparation and technological insight and innovation.
there's a documentary about this on Amazon Prime -- really it's more of an extended Nike ad, but it does get into some of this in interesting ways. like how they designed and iterated on Kipyegon's running suit and her shoes, or how much aerodynamic and logistical planning goes into where and how her pacer group will surround and follow her as the attempt progresses.
posted by Kybard at 10:23 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]
best of luck, fast woman. show us all what you can do!
posted by supermedusa at 10:23 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 10:23 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
Here's the wiki on the progression of the mile record
posted by lalochezia at 10:40 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by lalochezia at 10:40 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]
I really hope they play the track 'titles' from chariots of fire by vangelis (from the eponymous film) on the highlights WHEN she does it
posted by lalochezia at 10:42 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
posted by lalochezia at 10:42 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
I mistakenly said that Bannister broke the record in 1956 but it was 1954.
posted by toodleydoodley at 10:50 AM on June 24
posted by toodleydoodley at 10:50 AM on June 24
Data science article on Nike Vaporfly shoes (NYT gift link), the first of these super shoes.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:21 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:21 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
This is great! I really hope she's able to do it, thats an amazing record to break and once you know it's possible that's a huge mental barrier broken.
posted by Art_Pot at 11:24 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
posted by Art_Pot at 11:24 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
A deep dive from sports science journalist (and former elite runner) Alex Hutchinson. His conclusion: This would require a 3.1 percent improvement, which seems impossible. On the other hand, "Nike must have something up their sleeve, the thinking goes, otherwise they wouldn’t be sticking their necks out." There's some discussion of the shoes, which would differ from shoes like the Vaporfly, which are designed for long distances.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:27 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:27 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]
As someone who might be able to handle a 5 minute half mile if my life absolutely depended on it - more power to her.
And does it not offcially count because it's not a race against others? Unless they were doing something that would speed her up, I guess I don't understand why the distinction - she's still got to power herself along, regardless if everything has been made ideal.
posted by drewbage1847 at 11:58 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
And does it not offcially count because it's not a race against others? Unless they were doing something that would speed her up, I guess I don't understand why the distinction - she's still got to power herself along, regardless if everything has been made ideal.
posted by drewbage1847 at 11:58 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]
The World Athletics governing body has loads and loads and loads of requirements for events and you can only set a record at a sanctioned event.
posted by mmascolino at 12:22 PM on June 24 [3 favorites]
posted by mmascolino at 12:22 PM on June 24 [3 favorites]
drewbage1847, one of the TLDR on that is that she’ll probably run in a tight drafting formation which you couldn’t do in a sanctioned event.
posted by toodleydoodley at 12:28 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by toodleydoodley at 12:28 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
From what I've read, drafting is the big issue, but another is that the shoes will not have been certified as meeting the requirements in advance, although Nike said they will be designed to meet those requirements.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:35 PM on June 24 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:35 PM on June 24 [1 favorite]
This will be fascinating to watch and if anyone can do it, it's Kipyegon. She is a powerful, fantastic runner.
It's hard to express how challenging it is for anyone to run a sub four minute mile. Only about 1750 people, all men, have done it since Bannister in 1954. The world record is 3 minutes 43 seconds. Usually, shorter distances like the sprinting events or longer ones like the marathon get more attention. There's an argument, though, that the mile (1.609 kilometers or four laps and a bit around a standard track) is one of the most perfectly balanced expressions of speed, endurance, and mental resilience.
The sprinting events reward sheer explosive power but are over very quickly. The long distance events are all about pacing, fatigue management and endurance over a long period of time. But the mile has to be run with a fine balance of aerobic endurance and anaerobic power. If you really, truly race a hard mile, you're going to be feeling uncomfortable by the end of the first lap, aching by the second, in real pain by the third, and hanging on for dear life by the end.
To give a real life example: I've raced the mile in time trials as part of my running club. I'm in my mid forties, focused on distance running from the 10k up to the marathon, and have done so for about five years, but was never a competitive track runner. I can break six and a half minutes for the mile, but I'm dying at the end of it - legs burning from lactic acid, fireworks behind the eyes, stomach churning. It's one of the hardest physical things I've ever done, although you will feel like a damn Terminator at the end of it.
There are two people in my run club out of about 30 who can break six minutes in the mile (coincidentally both women). Running a mile that fast at any age puts you into the top 1% of runners period. If I did nothing but train for that goal over the next couple of years, I could potentially break it. Running one under four minutes is so far out of my depth it doesn't even seem possible.
My coach once said running a really fast mile is way harder than running a decent marathon. He was exaggerating a little - the amount of fatigue you have to battle through in the last 10k of a marathon is no joke - but I see his logic.
I will be watching this with great eagerness. Certifiable world record or not, it's going to be amazing.
posted by fortitude25 at 12:54 PM on June 24 [7 favorites]
It's hard to express how challenging it is for anyone to run a sub four minute mile. Only about 1750 people, all men, have done it since Bannister in 1954. The world record is 3 minutes 43 seconds. Usually, shorter distances like the sprinting events or longer ones like the marathon get more attention. There's an argument, though, that the mile (1.609 kilometers or four laps and a bit around a standard track) is one of the most perfectly balanced expressions of speed, endurance, and mental resilience.
The sprinting events reward sheer explosive power but are over very quickly. The long distance events are all about pacing, fatigue management and endurance over a long period of time. But the mile has to be run with a fine balance of aerobic endurance and anaerobic power. If you really, truly race a hard mile, you're going to be feeling uncomfortable by the end of the first lap, aching by the second, in real pain by the third, and hanging on for dear life by the end.
To give a real life example: I've raced the mile in time trials as part of my running club. I'm in my mid forties, focused on distance running from the 10k up to the marathon, and have done so for about five years, but was never a competitive track runner. I can break six and a half minutes for the mile, but I'm dying at the end of it - legs burning from lactic acid, fireworks behind the eyes, stomach churning. It's one of the hardest physical things I've ever done, although you will feel like a damn Terminator at the end of it.
There are two people in my run club out of about 30 who can break six minutes in the mile (coincidentally both women). Running a mile that fast at any age puts you into the top 1% of runners period. If I did nothing but train for that goal over the next couple of years, I could potentially break it. Running one under four minutes is so far out of my depth it doesn't even seem possible.
My coach once said running a really fast mile is way harder than running a decent marathon. He was exaggerating a little - the amount of fatigue you have to battle through in the last 10k of a marathon is no joke - but I see his logic.
I will be watching this with great eagerness. Certifiable world record or not, it's going to be amazing.
posted by fortitude25 at 12:54 PM on June 24 [7 favorites]
So cool! Women’s running needs a Katie Ledecky to constantly redefine what women can do. This could be it!
(I was a mile specialist in high school, pretty good for a girl in the 90s. My track club now has those all-comers meets and I just laugh because why on earth would I ever do that to myself ever again)
posted by hydropsyche at 1:06 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
(I was a mile specialist in high school, pretty good for a girl in the 90s. My track club now has those all-comers meets and I just laugh because why on earth would I ever do that to myself ever again)
posted by hydropsyche at 1:06 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
Faith is a monster (complimentary!) in her sport. The 1500 meters is just shy of a mile and she hasn't lost a 1500 in years, is the current world record holder, etc., etc. To be able to contend for a four-minute mile at age 31 is astonishing.
(On a tangent, if you want more running content, I've watched this video by youtuber "jumpman" about the biggest blowouts in track and field history a bunch of times, and still find it compelling: The Biggest Blowouts in Running history.)
posted by maxwelton at 1:31 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
(On a tangent, if you want more running content, I've watched this video by youtuber "jumpman" about the biggest blowouts in track and field history a bunch of times, and still find it compelling: The Biggest Blowouts in Running history.)
posted by maxwelton at 1:31 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
I used to coach middle school track and there was one girl on our team who was an absolute murderer. She ran the 800 in flea market knockoff keds and went to county as a sixth grader. The 800 is the shortest race where you have to plan; you can’t just go out and blast. If our school had been a little better resourced I have no doubt our kid could have trained to be at least a state level runner. Middle distance events are so much harder than most people give them credit for. To the viewer, they’re over in a couple minutes. To the racer, it’s a second-by-second saga.
posted by toodleydoodley at 1:59 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by toodleydoodley at 1:59 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
I can break six and a half minutes for the mile, but I'm dying at the end of it - legs burning from lactic acid, fireworks behind the eyes, stomach churning. It's one of the hardest physical things I've ever done, although you will feel like a damn Terminator at the end of it. . . . My coach once said running a really fast mile is way harder than running a decent marathon.
And yet, Kiptum's marathon record is like 2 hours and 34 seconds, and Ruth Chepng'etich's is just under 2:10. So there are humans who can run 4 and a half minute miles essentially forever. It's mind-boggling.
Some of my favorite videos are the ones where Nike takes this (heavily padded) treadmill to a track and lets people try to run 13 miles per hour on it -- like at all, just run that speed for a few steps. And you get to watch these trained runners be all cocky as its gets up to speed and then they go flying off the back. And then you're like: yeah, now do that that for 26 miles.
posted by The Bellman at 2:34 PM on June 24 [5 favorites]
And yet, Kiptum's marathon record is like 2 hours and 34 seconds, and Ruth Chepng'etich's is just under 2:10. So there are humans who can run 4 and a half minute miles essentially forever. It's mind-boggling.
Some of my favorite videos are the ones where Nike takes this (heavily padded) treadmill to a track and lets people try to run 13 miles per hour on it -- like at all, just run that speed for a few steps. And you get to watch these trained runners be all cocky as its gets up to speed and then they go flying off the back. And then you're like: yeah, now do that that for 26 miles.
posted by The Bellman at 2:34 PM on June 24 [5 favorites]
IMO the 4:00 mile is going down. I just checked recent races for a couple of states - high school girls are running 4:30s and boys doing 4:02s- with some dedicated training those could drop by 10 seconds and more.
IMO the 800 is the toughest race because it's the longest straight sprint. To do a 2:00, it's basically 2 400s at 50-60 seconds in a row. I was never that good - I usually did like 2:15s, good for 6th place. A niece of mine is running that now - 35 years later -good for 1st or 2nd place but not good enough for state records.
With athletes, equipment, and training getting better, I think the mile is headed that way as well - it's no longer a mind race - it's becoming a straight sprint, except for 4 laps!
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:35 PM on June 24 [5 favorites]
IMO the 800 is the toughest race because it's the longest straight sprint. To do a 2:00, it's basically 2 400s at 50-60 seconds in a row. I was never that good - I usually did like 2:15s, good for 6th place. A niece of mine is running that now - 35 years later -good for 1st or 2nd place but not good enough for state records.
With athletes, equipment, and training getting better, I think the mile is headed that way as well - it's no longer a mind race - it's becoming a straight sprint, except for 4 laps!
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:35 PM on June 24 [5 favorites]
The_vegetables, that's amazing to hear about the current state of high school track and field. I ran in the 90's in CA and I dug up my old records and I was 5th in the school record list at the time with 5:43 and now I'm 15th on the list (though it looks like what's uploaded is missing info) At the time I was a decent runner, but even then I only made it to the county one year.
posted by Art_Pot at 3:22 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by Art_Pot at 3:22 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
We had a guy who could do a 4:08 mile in high school. You couldn’t even run across the field to cheer for him on both sides of the track—by the time you got there he was already gone. I can’t wait to see if this woman is able to break 4:00! That would be momentous.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 3:41 PM on June 24 [4 favorites]
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 3:41 PM on June 24 [4 favorites]
Why is this considered an “exhibition” run (and therefore not eligible for a world record)? Just because it’s not the Olympics ?
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:39 PM on June 24
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:39 PM on June 24
St. Peepsburg, see the responses to this comment above for an answer to that question. One of the main reasons is that she will have other runners assisting her through drafting, which is not allowed in regular races.
posted by mbrubeck at 5:11 PM on June 24 [3 favorites]
posted by mbrubeck at 5:11 PM on June 24 [3 favorites]
Brief public service announcement: "EST" does not mean "Eastern". Use "ET" all year round and impress timezone pedants! Google "EST vs EDT vs ET" for more info.
posted by intermod at 9:12 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
posted by intermod at 9:12 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]
This is so cool, thanks for sharing! I second the jump man YouTube link above, his analysis is great. This will be at 19:15 local time in France, I will be watching!
posted by ellieBOA at 6:40 AM on June 25 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 6:40 AM on June 25 [1 favorite]
with some dedicated training those could drop by 10 seconds and more.
Remember that anyone who's running at these paces is already doing insane amounts of training.
Kipyegon is 31 and ran her first world championship at 16, so she's basically spent 15 straight years dedicating her entire life to training: That's how she got to be the fastest woman in history at these distances. Most people could easily improve their mile time by 3 percent because we barely train. She already trains as much as her body can physically handle, aided by all the best existing technology and coaching, so improving by 3 percent will be somewhere between insanely difficult and impossible.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:00 AM on June 25 [3 favorites]
Remember that anyone who's running at these paces is already doing insane amounts of training.
Kipyegon is 31 and ran her first world championship at 16, so she's basically spent 15 straight years dedicating her entire life to training: That's how she got to be the fastest woman in history at these distances. Most people could easily improve their mile time by 3 percent because we barely train. She already trains as much as her body can physically handle, aided by all the best existing technology and coaching, so improving by 3 percent will be somewhere between insanely difficult and impossible.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:00 AM on June 25 [3 favorites]
It’s the Final Countdown for Faith Kipyegon’s Sub-Four Mile Attempt
Our Sweat Science columnist is on the ground in Paris for Nike’s Breaking4 race on Thursday
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:58 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
Our Sweat Science columnist is on the ground in Paris for Nike’s Breaking4 race on Thursday
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:58 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
And thanks for the link, glad to see Georgia Hunter Bell and Jemma Reekie among the pacers, two of my favourite runners!
posted by ellieBOA at 1:40 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 1:40 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
Most people could easily improve their mile time by 3 percent because we barely train. She already trains as much as her body can physically handle, aided by all the best existing technology and coaching, so improving by 3 percent will be somewhere between insanely difficult and impossible.
I'm talking about the future runners - not necessarily her. They are running 4:30s now and also doing school work and other requirements of high school kids.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:01 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
I'm talking about the future runners - not necessarily her. They are running 4:30s now and also doing school work and other requirements of high school kids.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:01 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
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