What Is The Fastest Mile Ever Ran?

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The current record for the fastest mile run is held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco with a time of 3:43.13 for men and Faith Kipyegon of Kenya with a time of 4:07.64 for women. El Guerrouj set his record on July 7, 1999, while Kipyegon broke the previous women's record on July 21, 2023.

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According to Wikipedia, Hicham El Guerrouj is the current men's record holder with his time of 3:43.13, while Sifan Hassan has the women's record, pending ratification, of 4:12.33.

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The record for the fastest mile run is currently held by hicham el guerrouj with a time of 3 minutes -!: 43 seconds

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Hicham El Guerrouj is the current men's record holder with his time of 3:43.13, while Svetlana Masterkova has the women's record of 4:12.56.

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Table of Contents

  • Introduction to Mile Records
  • Men's Mile World Record Holder
  • Women's Mile World Record Holder
  • Other Notable Mile Times
  • How Mile Times Have Progressed Over Time
  • Training and Physiology Needed to Run Sub-4 Miles
  • Ideal Running Conditions for Record Mile Attempts
  • Future Possibilities for Mile Records

Introduction to Mile Records

The mile run has long captivated runners and fans alike as one of the most prestigious and historical event distances. Running a mile in under 4 minutes was once thought impossible, until Roger Bannister broke the mythical 4-minute barrier in 1954. Since then, world records have continued to be pushed lower and lower. But who currently holds the world records for the fastest ever mile time for men and women?

Men's Mile World Record Holder

The current men's world record holder for the fastest mile is Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco. He ran an astonishing 3:43.13 at a race in Rome on July 7, 1999. That's an average pace of roughly 55.76 seconds per quarter mile!

El Guerrouj is considered one of the greatest middle distance runners of all time. Some key stats:

  • He held the world record for 7 years until it was broken in 2007
  • He is a 2-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1500m and 5000m
  • He dominated the 1500m for over a decade in the late 1990s and early 2000s

Women's Mile World Record Holder

The current women's world record holder is Svetlana Masterkova from Russia. She ran 4:12.56 in Zurich on August 14, 1996.

Masterkova was one of the top Russian runners of her era. Some key notes:

  • She held the record for 23 years until it was recently broken in 2019
  • She is a 2-time world champion in the 1500m
  • She won Olympic bronze in the 800m and 1500m in consecutive Games

Other Notable Mile Times

While El Guerrouj and Masterkova currently hold the records, there have been other impressive mile times run through the years:

  • Noureddine Morceli – 3:44.39 (1993)
  • Hicham El Guerrouj – 3:44.39 (2001)
  • Steve Cram – 3:46.32 (1985)
  • Alan Webb – 3:46.91 (2007)
  • Daniel Komen – 3:48.28 (1997)
  • Jenny Simpson – 4:13.11 (2019)
  • Shannon Rowbury – 4:20.34 (2015)

On the men's side, the 3:44 barrier has only been broken by El Guerrouj. For women, only 5 have ever run under 4:20.

How Mile Times Have Progressed Over Time

As nutrition, training, and shoe technology have improved, so too have mile times. For example:

  • 1916: The first sub-4:20 mile by Paavo Nurmi – 4:10.4
  • 1931: The first sub-4:15 mile by Jules Ladoumegue – 4:14.4
  • 1937: The first sub-4:10 mile by Don Lash – 4:08.2
  • 1954: The first sub-4 mile by Roger Bannister – 3:59.4
  • 1999: The first sub-3:44 mile by Hicham El Guerrouj – 3:43.13

Mile times have come down significantly in the last 50 years. But they seemed to hit a plateau in the early 2000s. It may take significant advancement in sports science, training, and footwear to reach the next major milestones like sub-3:40 or sub-4:10 for women.

Training and Physiology Needed to Run Sub-4 Miles

Only a select few athletes ever accomplish the feat of running a sub-4 mile. Here are some of the training and physiological factors needed:

  • High VO2 max (~75+ mL/kg/min for men; ~65+ for women)
  • Excellent running economy and biomechanics
  • High lactate threshold for sustaining fast paces
  • High percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers
  • Very fine balance of endurance and speed development
  • Typical training exceeds over 100 miles per week with intense interval sessions

In addition, world-class middle distance runners are light and lean. Elite male milers tend to weigh 120-135 lbs at most. An ideal physique provides a power-to-weight ratio advantage.

Ideal Running Conditions for Record Mile Attempts

When chasing world record times, everything has to come together perfectly on race day:

  • Weather – cool (50-60°F) with little to no wind
  • Pacing – even splits or slightly faster closing laps
  • Competition – other runners to push the pace
  • Course – flat track at sea level with good surface
  • Fueling – proper hydration and carb-loading pre-race
  • Equipment – lightweight spikes and technical racing apparel

Also, many mile records are set at mid-summer meets in Europe when athletes are fully sharpened from previous training.

Future Possibilities for Mile Records

What does the future hold for the mile world records? Here are some thoughts:

  • The men's record has only been lowered by 2 seconds since 1999, so a sub-3:40 mile could take decades unless there are radical tech advances.
  • A women's sub-4:10 mile seems achievable in the next 10-15 years if more female athletes focus on the event.
  • Lowering the 1500m records (currently 3:26/3:50) may be an intermediate step.
  • Running on low-gravity treadmills or with unregulated shoe tech could enable records, but would sacrifice legitimacy.
  • With more countries developing strong distance programs, the next record holder may not come from Africa/Europe.

While mile records are stagnant now, the 4-minute barrier was once deemed impossible too. It will take an exceptionally talented athlete under perfect conditions to make history again. But the appeal of chasing the mythical mile will continue to inspire athletes and fans alike.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the current men's world record holder for the fastest mile is Hicham El Guerrouj with a time of 3:43.13, while Svetlana Masterkova holds the women's record of 4:12.56. While these global pinnacles stand for now, the prospects of a sub-3:40 mile or sub-4:10 mile could motivate a new generation of runners to push the limits and make their mark by achieving the seemingly impossible.

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