In the mid-20th century, breaking the four-minute mile was considered an insurmountable feat. Then came Roger Bannister in 1954, who shattered that barrier and changed the landscape of middle-distance running forever. But what if this extraordinary athletic achievement had effects that went beyond the track?
This question sparked a study, Outrunning the grim reaper: Longevity of the first 200 sub-four-minute mile runners, that delved into the longevity of the first 200 runners to break the four-minute mile, revealing fascinating insights about the interplay between extreme endurance exercise and lifespan.
The study, led by Stephen Foulkes and Mark Haykowsky from the University of Alberta, was built on a small-scale analysis done by previous researchers over a decade ago. “It was initially an analysis of the first 20 runners to run a sub-four-mile,” Foulkes said.
Their preliminary work, though brief, showed that these athletes lived on average 11 years longer than the general population. “It really is the ultimate physiological test for a human being [to run a sub-four-minute-mile]… you need your maximal aerobic capacity to be able to run for the 4 minutes, but you also need every ounce of your anaerobic, non-oxidative capacity as well,” Foulkes explained.
Intrigued by these preliminary findings, Foulkes and Haykowsky set out to conduct a more robust analysis.
“We focused on the first 200 milers,” Foulkes explained, as they belonged to a generation old enough to show significant divergence in life trajectories.
They sourced data from an online registry listing all documented sub-four-minute milers, including their nationality, date of birth, and the year they achieved this milestone. From there, they tracked who was still alive, who had passed away, and when, using sources like Wikipedia, news articles, and running compendiums.
To ensure accuracy, the team collaborated with epidemiologists and used the United Nations’ life expectancy data to match each runner’s expected lifespan based on their nationality and age cohort. This method, known as conditional life expectancy, is more sophisticated than simply using life expectancy at birth.
“It’s a way of looking at life expectancy that continually updates for the runners,” Foulkes noted, providing a clearer picture of how their lifespans compared to the average male population from their respective countries.
The results were striking. On average, these sub-four-minute milers lived 4.7 years longer than their predicted life expectancy and most hit their mile at the age of 23. But the data revealed even more when broken down by the decade in which the runners achieved their milestone.
“The earliest milers from the 50s lived 9 years longer,” Foulkes shared, compared to about 5.5 years for those in the 1960s and 2.9 years for the 1970s cohort. This trend suggests that advancements in healthcare might be narrowing the longevity gap, as modern medical treatments and diagnostic techniques compensate for some of the benefits previously attributed to intense physical training.
Another key point Foulkes makes is the idea of a cumulative mortality benefit, which means it takes time to see the long-term survival differences between two groups. For the 1950s group, they had over 70 years plus the 23 years it took to do their sub-four-minute mile, giving Foulkes and Haykowsky about 93 years of follow-up to see how they differed. On the other hand, the 1970s group only showed an extra 2.9 years of life expectancy. But since many of them are still in their 60s and 70s, they might have another 20 years to gain more longevity benefits.
The study also explored the broader implications of high-intensity exercise on longevity.
“There are 2 competing schools of thought,” Foulkes said. One argues that extreme exercise causes damage to the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscles, potentially leading to conditions like coronary artery disease or heart failure. The other suggests that intense exercise causes micro-damage, which then stimulates repair, ultimately strengthening the body.
Foulkes and Haykowsky’s findings align with the latter view.
“The vast majority of athletes doing really high-level exercise do live between 5 and 9 years longer,” he said, highlighting similar results from studies on Tour de France cyclists and Olympic athletes. However, he emphasized the importance of endurance. “Endurance athletes get the benefit to longevity, whereas the power athletes really don’t,” making the sub-four-minute milers a unique group that combines both power and endurance.
But what about the psychological aspects of achieving such a feat? Foulkes believes the mental discipline required to train for a sub-four-minute mile also plays a crucial role. “The discipline it takes, the ability to understand the challenges,” he says, contributes to maintaining healthy habits such as diet moderation and regular exercise, which are vital for longevity.
What about women? As no woman has yet to break the four-minute barrier. Foulkes is optimistic about future research. “In about 10 to 20 years, we’ll have enough time of follow-up to really tease apart some longevity differences” for female athletes, particularly those who compete in events like the 1500 meters.
For the general population, the key takeaway is not that one needs to be a sub-four-minute miler to reap the benefits of exercise. “Just doing 4 more minutes of activity than you’re currently doing can really start adding days, months, and years to your life,” Foulkes advises.
“And it doesn’t have to be at the level where you’re running a four-minute mile, it can just be doing some exercise where you get a little bit out of breath, or you get a sweat up and trying to build on that… because otherwise, one thing that’s for sure, is even if you don’t exercise, all of a sudden, running to catch the bus is the equivalent of running a four-minute mile when you’re really struggling with your fitness.”
The legacy of the sub-four-minute mile extends far beyond the track. Along with offering valuable insights into how pushing the human body to its limits, with the right balance of effort and recovery, can contribute to a longer, healthier life. It also underscores the importance of regular physical activity, both aerobic and strength training, in enhancing both the quantity and quality of life.
As Foulkes put it, “Looking to athletes as a source of inspiration for our own lives to kind of move more and focus on the benefits” is a powerful takeaway from this research.