The 3 minute mile.

[Fat Bastard]

btw is it really a mile?

Is what a mile?

I know of a deserted Spaceshuttle Emergency Landing Strip near me 8D

[funkyphreakout]

Even here in flat old Florida it's hard to find a mile of good concrete/asphalt that doesn't have a downhill bias.

Also, I've found dropped/lowered boards are easier to push but my pushes don't have as much power because I don't have as much leverage. Is that just me?

[Rabid Skunk]

No I've notice that too. During the central park race, I was definitely having the ease of push but the one guy who beat me had such a huge push with great leverage from his top mounted gravity.

[marv]

i am going to try this out tomarrow(tuesday)
i have a track near my house, so i will just do it 4 times
i will have a non-moving start, and start the clock at my first push
i will share the results then

do you guys think pumping could aid this?
i am thinking push like a maniac for the straight part of the track, then pump through the curves on either side
even though it will slow me down to about 15, i will have a chance to rest so i can go strong on the straight parts

what do you think?

also, i am going to have a hell of a time doing this as my board, wheels and bearings are less than ideal

loaded pin
avalons
abec 7 bearings (these will most likely do ok, but cermamics would be better)

i'll tell you guys what happens tomarrow

[Roodog]

i am going to try this out tomarrow(tuesday)
i have a track near my house, so i will just do it 4 times
i will have a non-moving start, and start the clock at my first push
i will share the results then
what do you think?

Aint gonna work. Most tracks are build a s a soft surface to be easier on runner's joints (cinder, rubber composite, wood chips, old running shoe tracks made of chopped EVA foam). Basically not good for boards, you would be hard pressed to find a concrete or asphault track if you tried. Even the tracks that are seem stiff, have a base of softer material that would slow you down.

[K-Rimes]

I think I could do it... Doesn't sound too hard. I can hold a steady push of about 30+ km/h on the flats for awhile.

[pavedwave]

Well the slower time could because he (she?) was dead tired after pushing like a raging gorilla for almost 4 minutes, and the try to do it again without rest?

We took a full hour of rest in between to try to factor out exhaustion.

I think this would help satisfy the rule of making it fair.

The "run it both directions" is the same rule employed for the 176-foot cyber slalom distance. It's really the only way to ensure a flat course, particularly with a one mile distance.

We've been pushing the idea of a cyber mile for a while on the Pumping forum on ncdsa, getting some interest but no DATA sent to us yet!

we would be SO DOWN for sponsoring an international event...
again, the key thing is trying to make sure it's 100% accurate...
if you can PROVE to me that you've done this, we will publish official times...and photos!
just email me at mbrooke@interlog.com
to break it under 3 minutes would be INSANE...

If you want to send your times to Michael Brooke, then please do that as well, or instead, or whatever... Pavedwave.com doesn't have the funding to sponsor an international event, but we're just trying to spur some interest in this form of race at least in the Pacific Northwest, for starters. (postnote... maybe Concrete Wave can primary sponsor our Velodrome race?! )

We will definately be holding a cyber mile at the Redmond Velodrome (addresses Roodog's concerns - inside lane is a concrete flat apron track, built for bicycles) -- and thinking of doing this August 26th, the day before the August 27th MS Skate 25-mile marathon. Of course, if you just want to show up on any given weekend, drop us a line and we WILL meet you out there and log some times!!

I think the best "proof" for whomever claims a time in the top ten or so slots will almost have to be a live performance. Looking over the standard top Cyber Slalom times, note that all those names have shown up and proven in person in public races!

[silversurfer]

The rules for the Trap are very similar to what the cyber mile seems to be.
No one has sustained an average speed of 20 mph over even the 176 ft distance. So the 3 minute mile seems to be....well they used think the 4 minute mile was out of reach for runners sooo.....

I'd love to see K-Rimes times for the Trap or the Cyber Mile or both.

The quest for the flat land skateboard mile record would make a great article for concrete wave!

I'd love to read about it and see times on pw, sf or ncdsa...or montly results and rankings in the mag...

[Greenamtern]

But a lot of these records were set by people competing neck-and-neck against each other. If you really want to push your limits, you're going to have to have someone there to help doing the pushing (of limits ... not the actual pushing of the board ... bah ... words fail me once again). HAHAHA, can you imagine a mob of 1000 skaters taking over the track during the Olympics to race in various events?

[surfinsmiley]

I've got to try this on the rolls

That`s the board that`ll do it!

Don`t sell it off just yet, it has a purpose in your life ...... The Majic Mile!

[RideForLife]

I do not know of any place that is a mile long and would be suitable for a test like this. Drag strip would be your best bet if you relaly wanted to try this.

[pavedwave]

I do not know of any place that is a mile long and would be suitable for a test like this. Drag strip would be your best bet if you relaly wanted to try this.

A nice-asphalt bike trail without intersections is a good bet. The only place I've found where running it both directions might not be required is the Velodrome, here's the GPS from that run. (4 laps, set the GPS to auto-stop and log time at the 1-mile mark -- 4:14 mile)

[theothervagabond]

you are all so lucky. i wish i could complain about not having a mile of flat ground. all i have to do to get flat ground is skate a mile in any direction out my front door. would hit the bottom of the closet hill for seven or eight miles.

[skategeezer]

well, keep me posted on the times

this is a pretty cool idea...

[markgroenenboom]

A nice-asphalt bike trail without intersections is a good bet. The only place I've found where running it both directions might not be required is the Velodrome, here's the GPS from that run. (4 laps, set the GPS to auto-stop and log time at the 1-mile mark -- 4:14 mile)

Nice work James. Excellent way to present the data.

Can you get a 4 minute mile?
Any more respect for Mr. Bannister?
Is the velodrome the way to go or would straight get be better?
Seems like the corners would slow you down, do I see a pattern in the data that suggests this?
Why the change in elevation? Where can I see a picture of this place?

I got to get up there.

How winded were you after the run? Rather than a strenuos challenge, it seems to me that this challenge is more a balance of brute pushing with coordination to keep one's balance. Am I wrong?

Seems like a rolling start is a must if a 3 minute mile is even to be considered. I think that folks will get a reality check on just how fast a 3 minute mile is.

Maybe a 2 minute kilometer is in order first. That would equivelent to holding 18.6 mph for 2 minutes. Perhaps one of our Canadian neighbors will get this .

I got to shut up and get a GPS and answer these questions for myself - my birthday is next week.

[easy]

Some perspective... the world record for the 4 x 400 m relay is just under 3 minutes, it is hauling - roughly a six second trap (176') sustained for a mile.

[markgroenenboom]

Some perspective... the world record for the 4 x 400 m relay is just under 3 minutes, it is hauling - roughly a six second trap (176') sustained for a mile.

Interesting perspective.

Skategeezer, I think this would help our cause with getting longboarding taken more seriously. Also, helmets are a must.

[theothervagabond]

whats this gps you speak of? where do i come upon such a device? it tells you how fast you go? this is amazing.

[funkyphreakout]

Some perspective... the world record for the 4 x 400 m relay is just under 3 minutes, it is hauling - roughly a six second trap (176') sustained for a mile.

A very good point. If you've ever seen an athlete running 400 ms, that's some fast ####. Then again, as long as we're talking about a straightaway it is possible to skate faster than that.

[silversurfer]

Who would be faster over a mile, a world class runner or a world class skateboarder? I would have said skateboarder but...