Magic Mile Challenge Returns
August 24 to September 8 run one Mile as fast as you can and share your performance with the world
By Martin Yelling, The Guardian
The perfect test of your running ability is not a marathon or a 5K – it's a simple Mile, at your best speed. Challenge yourself, and compete against other runners, by taking part in the Marathon Talk Magic Mile.
The Mile is a historic distance: 1609 meters of pure running indulgence. Ever since Roger Bannister first broke the 4-minute Mile barrier, the distance has held an almost mythical attraction.
Back in the heyday of the 1980s, Britain ruled the iconic distance. Then, with Olympic champions Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe swapping world records, and Steve Cram lowering them further, the Mile was at its lofty height.
But these days people rarely run a Mile (Mo Farah's superb 1500m last weekend notwithstanding). The recent "running boom" has seen long-distance races such as the marathon and even ultra distance events rise in popularity. Opportunities to plod for miles are plentiful, but the chance to participate in something short and snappy isn't as accessible.
Try finding a marathon to run and you'll be spoiled for choice on roads, trails and mountains. Try finding anything less than 5K to enter and you'll struggle, unless you fancy navigating the complex and sometimes intimidating world of track racing.
I'm all for personal challenges, stretching boundaries, pushing endurance barriers and running further than we've gone before, but at the same time running as fast as you can brings a different set of challenges, thrills and spills.
The Magic Mile is all about having fun, doing something different, experiencing running faster and getting involved. Run your Magic Mile between August 24 and September 8. For full details and to sign up, go to: marathontalk.com/magicmile
Continue reading at: www.guardian.co.uk
