19 replies to this topic

[FutureOfToday]

Will humans, in their biological form, ever be able to run a mile in under 3 minutes? It was asked in this TIME article from 2000: http://content.time....,996612,00.html Thirteen years later, and we are still nowhere near achieving a 3-minute mile. When, if ever do you think it will be achieved?

[rtardx]

I plan on it, Using my super speed subliminal. Alot of people have told me it's increased their running, reflexes, and processing speed quite a bit. 2-3 have claimed to now be able run at an olympic level and beyond, Although, One even said he'd upload a video soon to prove the effects of my vid. As soon as I get a nice pair of headphones I'll get to straight to it.

[FutureOfToday]

Well, very good luck on that! The current record is 3 minutes and 43 seconds, and hasn't been beaten since 1999. It will take a hell of a lot of work.

[rtardx]

Eh, Not sure if I'd upload the video though. If I were to do something like that I'd draw alot of attention and if a certain group of people found out how I "attained" that amount of speed. Well, Gee, It wouldn't be pretty. Hell, I'm probably being watched already. I hope I'm just a paranoid maniac.

[WithoutCoincidence]

Well, technically you already have people who can sprint in excess of the required speed, so it'd be a little genetic trickery to get people the endurance to sustain that. When genetic play is a bit more widespread, expect it. Not planning on it appearing in the Olmypics anytime soon, cheating and all that, but people will do it just to be able to run that fast. 2060s-2090s.

[SG-1]

Impossible to predict accurately. 

There is no reason why someone from the 2050s should be able to run faster than someone today or from the 2020s.

 

I think we have an excellent understanding of the body to condition it to running a sustained speed required to make a 3 minute mile.  I'll say the 2020s just because though.

 

EDIT: There has to be a limit to humans though.  We may be able to run that fast if we get them all crazed on adrenaline or something.  At some point running any faster for any period of time will cause injury.  A 3 minute mile is probably very close to that range.

[Futurist]

2060s-2090s.

[DJKiran]

If someone as fast as Usain Bolt can run at that speed for a mile, then he would do it under 3 minutes.

All we need is an endurance sprinter, or just someone who has biomechanical implants that fights the effects of lactic acid

[rtardx]

Impossible to predict accurately. 

There is no reason why someone from the 2050s should be able to run faster than someone today or from the 2020s.

 

I think we have an excellent understanding of the body to condition it to running a sustained speed required to make a 3 minute mile.  I'll say the 2020s just because though.

 

EDIT: There has to be a limit to humans though.  We may be able to run that fast if we get them all crazed on adrenaline or something.  At some point running any faster for any period of time will cause injury.  A 3 minute mile is probably very close to that range.

Yeah, Humans today aren't genetically any different from humans 100 years ago. The only difference is the training methods.

[FutureOfToday]

The point I was trying to make, though, is that the first 4-minute mile wasn't achieved until the 1950s, and it was a huge thing back then.

[SG-1]

Yes the training methods have really come a long way.  So have techniques and understanding of our bodies physical needs like electrolytes and lactic acid build up.  We can train runners to resist lactic acid build up, but it is very hard.

 

I don't doubt that a 3 minute mile is impossible but I am pretty sure it is very close to the limit anyone can run.  I think it is only a matter of time before it happens, it could happen just as easily in 10-20 years as in 50-60.  Of course in 60 years our understanding of the body will be even better so I may turn out to be wrong.  Still I think it is possible today.

[Yuli Ban]

We'd need respirocytes. Otherwise, we'd burn up oxygen halfaway there and blow out our muscles.  Maybe some overclockwork neurons could also aid in the effort.

 

What I'm trying to say is that we'd need some lesser-end transhumanism to achieve such a feet. 

 

Feet, get it? You're supposed to laugh. Ha. Ha ha. Ha.

In all seriousness, a mile in 3 minutes?

If you run at a constant of 20 mph, you can achieve roughly 1 mile in 3 minutes.

the problem being that runners... Okay, let Wikipedia explain

 

• Human physiology dictates that a runner's near-top speed cannot be maintained for more than 30–35 seconds due to the accumulation of lactic acid in muscles.

Hence my respirocytes argument. Even if your top speed is 25 miles per hour then you still could not pull it off.

So if they ran in a parabolic rate of motion, there's a chance they could pull it off, but even then it's risky and might not work.

[CamGoldenGun]

Naturally, we'll never run a 3-minute mile. I'm sure eventually we'll have drugs to make us faster or inhibitors to make us fight through the burn and run at 100-Meter sprint speeds but we'll never get there naturally.

[Squillimy]

I believe they will. Due to natural influences. Such as if food becomes healthier and contains more energy density (which could be done artificially, without any artificial enhancements to the human itself. Also better health monitoring and health supplements, which again don't really require "artificial enhancement"

[Alric]

It depends what you consider naturally. If you take some pill does that still count? You would probably consider vitamins but where is the line between natural vitamins and chemical made in a lab and out right nanobots?

 

On a side note, I am not even sure those other animals listed could make that run. Most of them animals are more sprinters than us humans.

[Italian Ufo]

I doubt it

[KaRdAsHeV~sCaLe]

2050s

[inkybinky3]

2020s-2030s. I guess.

[Roh234]

Highly doubt it unless you count thousands of years of human evolution as still "naturally human". SelMelvins explained it better than me.

[zEVerzan]

Naturally? Hm..

 

It would take a generation or two of trickery to get to that point, I believe.

 

Say you were to find both the fastest man alive and the fastest woman alive and got them to procreate. Their offspring were, in turn, rigorously trained to remain at peak cardiopulmonary endurance and muscle strength.

 

Maybe one of them would be able to run the mile in 3 minutes. If not, it may take another generation.