How To Run A 6 Minute Mile With Pictures

Psychologically, your brain looks at that 6-minute mile and goes wah-ha-ha-ha-ait a second. 6 minutes? Are you crazy? But 90 seconds of going all out? . . . Why not?

As you get better at it, up the intense periods. Go to 75 seconds of running and after that, 45 seconds of rest. Keep going in small increments until you’re up to two 3-minute chunks. Then all you have to do is piece them together!

Use it as a reason to change up your environment. Move your run to the gym, your home treadmill, or a different trail outside. It’s about keeping your mind fresh, too! Build your endurance by spending a little more time running each day. You might start running for 10 minutes, then increase it to 15 minutes during your next workout.

This is a good excuse to change up your routine, too. It’s easy to hit the gym or your favorite track at the beginning, but then you inevitably get bored with it and hit autopilot, never reaching your goals. Spice it up by finding a hillier route to keep your mind in the speed zone, too.

That being said, don’t feel the need to do this every day. Work on your skills for the majority of the week and then see how far you’ve come. If you do it every day, it’ll just become a drag.

Start strong. Unless you’re playing the dark horse card, you don’t want the pressure of making some ultimate comeback. Hang near the front group initially so you aren’t facing a mob of obstacles in front of you. But don’t feel the pressure to be in the lead at first. That person sets the pace, breaks the wind, and feels an enormous amount of pressure from all the people running at their heels. They’ll get tired eventually and that’s when you make your break for it. Make sure to run your own race. The worst mistake you can make in a middle to long-distance race is in the first minute; that is, going out too fast. If you’re running on a track, pass on the straights. If you try to make a go of passing the runner in front of you on a curve, you’re actually running a bit further to get around that person. Just a waste of energy, really. Push yourself in the third lap. Deepen your breathing, smooth out your stride, and push yourself a little more. Your mind will tell you to stop long before your body makes you. If you push yourself a little more than the first two laps here, then your pace will remain constant or improve. You need to feel like you are running faster in the third lap for you to maintain your pace. Also, it is much easier to push yourself to your limits in the last lap, so if you push yourself a little here, it will only improve your time. Once you can see the finish line, you can almost always find the drive to finish strong. Focus on your form, breathing, and what’s in front of you. Also, once you start your finishing kick, focus on still maintaining form and driving your knees a little higher. Do NOT focus on your crowd of adoring fans, your coach, or your feet. Keep your head straight and your eyes on the prize and don’t get distracted. A second’s look could make or break your time.

Try to get into a rhythm while you’re running. Take a breath every 3 or 4 steps. Staying in sync will give you something to concentrate on, too.

Cool down after your workouts, too, with a good stretching session. That’ll help bring your heart rate down and get your head back down from the rush you’ve just had, in addition to keeping your muscles safe and not freezing back up.

For your upper body, make sure you are looking forward to the horizon and not to either side. Keep your shoulders loose – if you notice they’re stiff, give ’em a quick shake to rid yourself of the tension. Keep your back straight and your elbows at a 90-degree angle, hands in loose fists. For your lower body, make sure you’re hitting the ground lightly (quieter = quicker) with your mid-foot, rolling onto your toes, and propelling forward. Lift your knees slightly, keep your strides short, and your feet land directly beneath you. Aim to feel as if you’re springing off the ground.

Incorporate work with free weights into your routine as well. Do bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, or hammer grabs working your biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders. You can work out your arms even when you’re just in front of the television, too!

Water is by far the best thing you can drink. However, coffee (black) ingested before a run can give your body a jolt of energy. Just don’t rely on it and definitely don’t go overboard or depend on it the day of a race. You never know how caffeine will react with your body and digestive system.

A piece of fruit (like a banana, an apple, or peach) can give you a natural, safe sugar rush. An English muffin or some oatmeal is good, too. [1] X Research source Try energy gels, like Gu, if you’re interested. It’s a blast of sugar and energy to your system that may be able to make you reach that finish line a few seconds quicker.

That being said, you need muscle even more. So don’t start cutting the calories, dropping weight, and expecting to practically fly when all you’re doing is losing muscle. If you’re an acceptable weight for your height, you’re fine.

The heel and upper portion should feel snug, but not tight. You should be able to slide your foot out when the shoe is laced but not tied. Feet swell naturally throughout the day and during runs, so make sure there’s enough toe room – about a thumb’s width of space. [2] X Research source And if you want to be doubly careful, buy your shoes in the evening, when your feet are the largest they’re going to get. Try out the shoe. Put the pair on and take a jog around the store or on their treadmill – just standing in them won’t tell you much. You need to make sure the arch of your foot matches the arch of the shoe. You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it, right? Unless you have something really wrong with your stride that needs to be corrected, don’t splurge on expensive orthotics. It is much better to get a good pair of shoes in the first place than spend hundreds of dollars on something unnecessary.

Get some workout clothes. There are pieces marketed specifically for “runners,” but at the end of the day, if you’re comfortable moving in it, it’s good. Get a nice towel, water bottle, “fuel” belt, stopwatch, etc. Material things may not be what the world’s about, but having nice stuff to use will definitely encourage you to use them.

The Internet is full of ready-made playlists for you to choose from if you don’t know where to start. You’ll need an iPod or some sort of music player, of course!

Or you could take turns with your friend – makes the timekeeping a lot easier. And knowing someone is standing at the finish line judging you is quite the kick-starter!

And be sure to reward yourself! After every 10 seconds shaved off, treat yourself to something you’d enjoy. You may not think 10 seconds matters, but it sure does add up over time. And for that you deserve something!