According to data from Strava UK runners rank as 16th in the world for their average mile pace. This can’t be right. We led the way with the first sub four minute mile! We dominated the distance. We need to give the Strava Mile a good crack in June to bump ourselves up the table!
Strava has released data from over 5.6 million runners showing the average best mile efforts from 25 countries ahead of the Strava Mile - a new campaign to encourage all runners to try to run their fastest mile during June. Over sixty years after Sir Roger Bannister’s iconic first sub four-minute-mile, the magic of the mile distance hasn’t been lost, and neither has the prestige.
During June, runners from all over the world are invited to challenge themselves to run their fastest mile. Before the challenge starts, the data released shows how different countries and cities shape up as part of the global running community.
UK runners ranked 16th, with an average mile best effort pace of 8:23/mile, just ahead of the USA in 18th (8:31). Germany ranked 9th with a pace of 8:16/mile. Sweden were top of the pile with 7:45/mile.
The fastest four nations of Sweden, France, Switzerland and Norway were significantly faster than the rest of the nations (8% quicker than the global average).
Of the UK’s cities, Edinburgh (8:01) and London (8:02) rank 9th and 10th internationally, with the list topped by French cities - Lyon (7:25) followed by Paris (7:39) and Marseille (7:44). Munich placed 8th with a time of 8:01/mile. The only US cities to rank in the top 10 were Boston in 4th (7:54 - home of the fastest Strava marathoners) and Portland, ME in 6th (8:00).
A mile can be a hard distance to relate to - since Bannister’s landmark achievement, more people have climbed Everest than have broken the magical four-minute barrier. The Strava Mile is a chance for everyone to understand why his effort in 1954 was **voted the greatest ever athletic achievement, but also to experience for themselves how the mile is is one of the most accessible sporting challenges.
Just about any runner can get through a mile, but it takes courage to toe the line and go for a new PR. The Strava Mile is about bringing all kinds of runners from around the world together and encouraging them to run their fastest mile.
Any runner who uploads a run at least one mile in distance and tags #MyMile in their activity title has the chance to win running shoes from Wiggle for themselves and up to ten of their Strava followers.
Strava will also be bringing the campaign to life at a series of global events throughout June. They’ll be taking place in London, Paris, Berlin, Chicago, New York and LA.
