Olympic-level sprinters are known as the fastest athletes in the world, reaching some of the top speeds ever recorded by humans. But have you ever wondered how their speed fares over longer distances? The reigning Olympic 200m champion, Gabby Thomas, and her training partners at the Buford-Bailey Track Club put their endurance to the test during an off-season workout in Austin, Texas, and the results weren’t as fast as you might think.
Thomas, who was confident going into the race she’d finish somewhere around five minutes, started at a swift pace, covering the first lap at a 4:40/mile pace. However, her pace slowed significantly in the second lap, which she completed 20 seconds slower than her first. Thomas completed the mile in five minutes and 43 seconds, about a minute slower than her initial pace.
After the workout, the 28-year-old took to social media, admitting her belief she could run a sub-five-minute mile was a little ambitious. “I know there’s a video circulating of me running a mile time trial,” Thomas wrote. “I may have gone out too fast that first lap, but I’m a SPRINTER! It’s all I know!!”
I know there’s a video circulating of me running a mile time trial…I may have went out too fast that first lap, but I’m a SPRINTER 😂 it’s all I know!! 😂
— Gabby Thomas (@itsgabbyt) December 13, 2024
Thomas finished third among her Buford-Bailey Track Club training partners, behind two 400m hurdlers, Jessica Wright and Bianca Stubler. Physiologically, it checks out, as the 400m hurdles event requires a blend of sprint speed and middle-distance endurance. Stubler had the top mile time, finishing in five minutes and 25 seconds (a pace of 3:21/km). American 100m sprinter Tia Jones was the final athlete to complete the mile in seven minutes and 18 seconds.
Many of them were sprawled out on the track the moment they finished the mile rep. Let’s hope they won’t need to tackle an all-out 5K anytime soon.
Head coach and former American Olympic hurdles medallist Tonja Buford-Bailey said she scheduled the mile time trial before three sets of 7x100m (with 45 seconds rest, 12 minutes rest between sets) as a test of fitness. She said the group had been back together for a few weeks of winter training, and the mile time trial was designed to help her athletes get in shape and see where they are at before the indoor season ramps up in late January and February.
In addition to Thomas, the track club also includes two other global medallists: Olympic 100m hurdles silver medallist Cyréna Samba-Mayela of France and 100m sprinter Tamara Clark, who won world 4x100m gold with Team USA in Budapest 2023.
