Speed Series: How To Drop A Minute Off Your Mile Time

Mike Collette • February 17, 2021

By: Evan Cleaveland (Intern at Prototype Training Systems )

If you’re anything like me, your stomach starts doing flips at even the slightest thought of a long-distance run. Many of the members and athletes that come into Prototype Training Systems, may agree because a lot of our members that have come in and started doing our CrossFit classes or even personal training , want to get “fit” without having to run a lot (not everyone, but many!)! Luckily, I’m going to share some tips with you that will improve your runs!

I’ve always gravitated towards sprinting as opposed to running (long-distance). This goes against our anatomy; human beings relatively are the best runners on the planet. We were able to survive the previous eras by evolving as a species that can outrun our predators with stamina. However, we are lacking in our capability of pure ALL OUT SPEED.

As an example, did you know that cheetahs can move at speeds up to 75 mph?

The reason for these functional differences is due to our bipedal locomotion, meaning that we walk on two legs. This is in contrast with most animals being quadrupeds or walking on four legs. It turns out that bipedal gait is superior when it comes to saving energy, but we lose speed because only our two legs can actually push off the ground.

Now let’s talk about how we can accentuate this mechanical advantage of ours while endurance running. Here’s a quick tip: RELAX. Our muscles need to expend energy in order to contract. So in order to maintain the most efficient running form for long distances, we should only be contracting the muscles that are going to move us forward. This might sound obvious, but we tend to tense up while running.

Two major examples of this:

-Clenching your fists

-Clenching your jaw

These two common tendencies seem trivial, but the amount of energy you expend doing them will add up over the duration of a long-distance run and drastically increase your fatigue. Try to keep your hands and jaw as relaxed as they can be. This applies to the whole body as well, you can still move quickly in a relaxed running gait if done correctly!

Here’s an excerpt from Smart Marathon Training: Run Yourself Ragged by Jeff Horowitz that supports this idea, “Too many runners waste energy by clenching their hands tightly as they run. A better idea would be to direct all of your energy to the muscles that are moving you forward while keeping everything else as relaxed as possible”.

Check out this video below of a collegiate mile race (Fun fact: I was at this meet!)

Keep in mind that these men are running a mile in under four minutes, which is VERY fast. However, notice that even though they are moving quickly, they appear to be very relaxed at the same time. This seemingly effortless shape is what allows them to reserve enough energy to keep them moving at that pace for the full mile.

What about sprinting?

This technique may come in handy while sprinting as well depending on the duration. For example, in a team sport such as soccer, let’s say you’re a starting midfielder that will play for the whole game. There will be many times where you have to sprint to get to the ball or move into the best position, so it would pay off in spades to save the amount of energy you lose just by being tensed up. However, in a 100m sprint, the distance is so short that you shouldn’t be limited by fatigue. In this case, it wouldn’t make sense to worry about saving energy since you may just end up losing speed.

Whether you’re racing in a marathon or just going out for a casual jog, keep this strategy in mind. It has the potential to tremendously improve your times and make for a better workout!

The post Speed Series: How To Drop A Minute Off Your Mile Time appeared first on Prototype Training Systems.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Previous Blogs

Chasing Consistency: How Building an AI Coach is Refining Our Human Coaching

By Mike Collette • April 24, 2025

How we are using Ai at Prototype and how its just beginning

Developing Young Leaders: Why Competition Matters

By Mike Collette • April 16, 2025

Yesterday was a great reminder of what a little friendly competition can do. We set up a simple 1-v-1 game: kids had to sprint, tap two cones, and race back to knock over a foam roller. Nothing fancy, just movement, focus, and a clear goal. But something cool happened. The second it became head-to-head, the energy shifted. Kids were locked in. They ran harder. They pushed themselves—not because they were told to, but because someone else was giving it their all too. Even the kids watching got invested—shouting encouragement, clapping for effort, reacting to every close finish. That sense of shared experience, of community rooted in challenge, is exactly what youth development should be about. It was a perfect example of how competition, even in its simplest form, can bring out motivation and effort . Not for a prize, but just for the challenge of it. More Than a Game: The Real Value of Friendly Competition In today’s world of participation medals and well-meaning “everyone wins” culture, it’s easy to misunderstand the role of competition. But when designed thoughtfully and guided with intention, competition doesn’t diminish self-worth—it enhances it. According to a 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, structured competition can lead to higher intrinsic motivation, improved self-esteem, and a greater sense of personal accomplishment in youth participants (Bonfiglio et al., 2019). When kids compete, they learn that effort yields results. They learn how to win graciously—and perhaps more importantly—how to lose with resilience. They discover the value of hard work, discipline, and focus. They get to ask: “How fast can I be?” “How far can I push myself?” And, “What happens if I try just a little harder?” The Pride in Performance There’s a moment—right after a child finishes a race, or a round of a competitive game—where they catch their breath, stand a little taller, and smile. Whether they won or not is almost secondary. What matters is that they showed up and gave their best effort. That sense of pride? That’s not vanity. It’s the birth of confidence. And when that confidence is built through movement, through play, through sweating and trying and doing—it sticks. Not just in sport, but in school, at home, in friendships, and beyond. Final Thoughts Competition, when framed the right way, helps kids build confidence, stay motivated, and take pride in their effort. It’s not about winning — it’s about showing up, trying hard, and learning what they’re capable of. At its best, competition doesn’t separate kids — it brings them together, showing them how to push themselves while supporting each other along the way.

Stress, Money, and Your Health: How to Make Better Decisions in Uncertain Times

By Mike Collette • April 10, 2025

It’s no secret — we’re living in a world that feels increasingly volatile. Financial markets are unpredictable. The news cycle is overwhelming, social media noise is constant and it's harder and harder to sort through what's real and what's not. And when uncertainty rises, it's human nature for people to start making emotional decisions. Being in the fitness industry for close to 20 years and operating Prototype Training Systems since 2012, I've seen this happen time and time again — not just in the stock market — but in our gym community. When we feel stressed financially (and trust me, i've been there as an entrepreneur), one of the first things they often cut is their investment in their health. Cancelling the gym. Skipping workouts. Pressing pause on coaching or training. We can go into a frenzy of what needs to be prioritized and what doesn't, and often it's rooted in anxiety and fear. On the surface, it makes sense: "Let me tighten up my budget until things feel safer." But here’s the truth — it’s completely backwards . Emotional Decisions Rarely Lead to Positive Outcomes In a recent conversation I had with Brendan Sheehan, founder of Waymark Wealth Management (and one of our community business sponsors), we talked about this exact thing. As we are facing that uncertainty now in the market. Click the link to listen to the full podcast! Brendan was sharing when the market drops — whether it’s 5%, 10%, or more — people panic. But the data shows this happens all the time. He shared that "the m arket dips of 5-10% happens three times a year on average." Dips of 10-20%? Happens at least once a year. It’s not unusual — but when emotions take over, we make decisions that can hurt long-term. And this same pattern can show up in health and fitness. Your Health is Not a Luxury — It’s Essential Let’s be real — when life feels hard, stressful, or uncertain, you need your health more than ever. Exercise isn't just about aesthetics or performance — it's your anchor. Working out helps you regulate stress, sleep better, stay clear-headed, and avoid the emotional roller coaster that uncertainty brings. Cutting your health investments when things get tough is like saying: "The storm is coming... so I'm going to throw away my umbrella." It doesn’t make sense, but this what happens when emotions are high, it's REALLY hard to make logical decisions. We can get into a binary mode of thinking... then we take action which often isn't fully thought out. The Vicious Cycle: Stress → Cut Health → Decline → Regret Here's the common pattern we’ve seen over the years... and I would argue is common in every gym across the country... Things get tough financially or emotionally. We go into "panic" mode... start to take action. People cut their gym membership or stop exercising. Maybe you over narrate it's not worth it... maybe you over narrate I'll just do it on my own and change my entire routine... or maybe you think it will only be very short term. Then, stress increases. Energy drops. Sleep gets worse. Health declines — physically and mentally. Time passes... regret kicks in. "I wish I hadn't stopped. Now it’s even harder to get back ." Sound familiar? It's a vicious cycle and REALLY hard to break. We’ve seen it over and over — and we’ve helped people climb back out of it. But we’d rather help you avoid that spiral in the first place. What Should You Do Instead? Have faith in your routine and take a second to pause before making a major life change. Double down on habits that ground you — like fitness, community, and nutrition. Talk to a coach. Share what’s stressing you out — we’re here to help. Be curious — ask questions before making big decisions. Remember: health is not the problem — it’s the solution. Final Thought: Uncertainty will always be part of life. Markets go up and down. Challenges will come and go. But the best investment you can make — in any economy — is in your physical and mental well-being. At Prototype Training Systems, we’re more than a gym. We’re a community that helps people stay grounded, consistent, and healthy — no matter what’s happening outside our walls. If you’re feeling the pull to cut your health in hard times — let’s talk. Book a Free Goal Review Session with a coach... seriously, we're here to help. We’ll help you navigate uncertainty the right way — by staying strong, staying consistent, and investing in yourself.

Climb to New Heights

Prototype Training Systems is more than a gym - it is a lifestyle. Join us today!

Book Free No-Sweat Intro