Birthday Mile Pyramid

Workout - Birthday Mile Pyramid

• 12min 30s @ 7'00''/km
• 4 lots of:
  • 100m @ 3'30''/km
  • 1min rest
• 800m @ 3'00''/km
• 2min 24s rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 400m @ 3'00''/km
  • 1min 12s rest
• 4 lots of:
  • 200m @ 2'45''/km
  • 1min 12s rest
• 12min 30s @ 8'00''/km

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Intro

Seth James DeMoor shares a birthday-mile challenge in Sub-5 Mile at age 40? My FUN Birthday Challenge as a Master’s Runner. Here’s how to use the birthday-mile workout yourself. His full video has the background.

Key points

• Birthday mile: race a single mile around your birthday and aim for a birthday-mile PR rather than a lifetime best.
• Goal: sub-4:38 mile at age 40 on a track, run at race intensity.
• Quarterly tradition: schedule a birthday mile each quarter (July, August, September) to keep speed training honest.
• Training approach: cut weekly mileage to 80-100 miles and lean on track workouts (200 m, 400 m, 800 m repeats) for the speed mile pace demands.
• Pacing insight: a quick mile requires being fast at shorter distances first. Build from 200 m through 800 m repeats.

Workout example

1. Warm-up: light jog, dynamic stretches, and switch into spikes.
2. Mile time trial:
   • Target sub-4:38 (~68-69 sec per 400 m). 68 sec on the first 400, 70-71 sec on the second, hold that into the third.
   • Run on a track or flat course and capture each 400 m split.
3. Post-run: cake, then log the result in the Pacing app and calibrate your paces going forward.

Practical tips

• Mark the birthday mile on your calendar so the quarterly check-in doesn’t slip.
• Keep weekly mileage around 80-100 miles to give speed sessions the room they need.
• Progress through interval distances (200 m to 400 m to 800 m) to build the foundation a fast mile demands.
• Use the Pacing app to set split targets and dial in your rhythm.

Closing note

Try the birthday mile this month. Adjust the splits to where you are now and log the results in the Pacing app.

References

• Sub-5 Mile at age 40? My FUN Birthday Challenge as a Master’s Runner - YouTube (YouTube Video)