5 min readWhatever your favorite distance to train for and race, there’s something exhilarating about running a single mile as fast as you can. It’s sort of a sweet spot between an endurance run and an all-out sprint, putting both your aerobic fitness and explosive power to the test.
Even if you’re nowhere close to world-record time (let’s be honest, most of us aren’t—it’s 4:07.64 for women and 3:43.13 for men), shaving seconds off your mile PR is a thrilling challenge.
Gearing up to run a faster mile doesn’t mean you’ll need to run lap after lap on your local track. Instead, our training plan below mixes up your paces and inclines to keep things interesting—and calls for you to perform the workouts on a treadmill to keep things extra-precise.
“A treadmill is a great tool for training to run a fast mile because it offers precise control over speed, incline, and intensity,” says Vinnie Murphy, USATF-certified Run Coach, certified personal trainer, and senior fitness manager for The Edge Fitness Clubs in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.
Murphy told us all about what workouts are crucial for mile training and why the treadmill is so perfect for this running goal. Plus, he put together a plan to get you there in about a month.
The Best Workouts for Improving Your Mile Time
As we mentioned, this four-week plan mixes up workouts and paces—not just so you don’t get bored on the treadmill but because a fast mile taps into both your aerobic and anaerobic systems. “When your goal is a fast mile, the best workouts are long runs for endurance, threshold runs to improve pace sustainability, and hill sprints or short sprints to build explosive power,” says Murphy.
Along with steady-state runs, two to three speedier sessions (from short sprints to longer tempo runs) are essential for conquering the mile. “Speedwork is crucial because it improves your ability to run fast, especially when your body is fatigued,” says Murphy. “While steady-state runs build endurance, they don’t train you to handle high-intensity efforts or maintain speed in the later stages of the race.”
The types of intervals Murphy included in the plan range from 10-second hill sprints to 1,000-meter repeats. Shorter intervals (think: anything between 100 to 400 meters) build speed, anaerobic power, and explosiveness. “Shorter intervals are run at or faster than mile pace, to develop fast-twitch muscle fibers and improve neuromuscular efficiency,” says Murphy.
On the flip side, longer intervals (like 600- or 800-meter repeats) boost your aerobic system and ability to sustain a fast pace for more time. “You should run these at 3K, 5K, or 10K pace with shorter rest to enhance your lactate threshold and aerobic engine,” he says.
The Benefits of Training for the Mile on a Treadmill
The treadmill is a great (if sometimes dreaded) tool for any kind of training but especially when you’re prepping for a mile PR. Some of the reasons Murphy recommends it:
→Speed control: You can easily tap into the exact paces you want to maintain for anything from super-short intervals to threshold runs. “This helps ensure consistent anaerobic and aerobic training,” he says. You can also quickly slow the belt for the exact length of recovery you want between intervals.
→Incline function: No hills in your neighborhood? No problem, says Murphy: “Simulate hill sprints on the treadmill to build strength and power for the final sprint of the mile.”
→Weather independence: No rainy/snowy days over the next four weeks will keep you from knocking out every workout on the schedule.
How This Treadmill Plan for Your Fastest Mile Works
Each week, you’ll have two speed workouts (with a mix of short and long intervals), two easy runs, and a long run. Keep an easy, conversational pace for any run marked easy, recovery, or long. Anywhere incline is not specified, Murphy recommends keeping it at 1 percent.
For speed workouts:
- Warm up with at least 10 minutes of easy running, followed by some dynamic drills (like 20 meters of skipping, heel and toe walks, and lateral shuffles) and four to six reps of 100-meter strides.
- During recovery intervals, slow the treadmill to an easy jog or walk and lower incline to 0 to 1 percent.
- Cool down with at least five minutes of jogging at an easy pace and stretching your hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and calves.
For paces:
To figure out your paces for speedwork, Murphy recommends the VDOT calculator, which takes estimates your current fitness based on your time for running any distance and then breaks down what your training pace should be for a variety of intervals. You can also use our training pace calculator.
If you don’t know your race paces as listed, we also offer rate of perceived exertion or RPE suggestions. Think of those numbers on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 an easy stroll and 10 an all-out effort.
For cross training:
Murphy advises working in some strength training two to three times each week (ideally after speed workouts) for an extra boost. “By strengthening key muscle groups, you enhance power, endurance, and efficiency while also reducing injury risk,” he says. Aim for three to four sets of eight to 12 reps of the following moves:
- Legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves): Squats, lunges, and deadlifts for power and stride endurance
- Hips: Hip thrusts, glute bridges, and step-ups strengthen hip flexors and stabilizers to support better running form
- Core: Planks and leg raises for stability and better posture
- Upper Body: Push-ups and rows for arm swing and running efficiency
For interval conversions:
If you don’t have a treadmill that shows track laps, here is the conversion to miles:
- 200m = 0.12 miles
- 400m = 0.25 miles
- 500m = 0.31 miles
- 600m = 0.37 miles
- 800m = 0.5 miles
- 1,000m = 0.62 miles
Your 4-Week Mile Treadmill Plan
This plan is designed for more intermediate to advanced runners who can run continuously for at least 45 minutes.
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
