We Broke the Three-Legged Mile World Record — Here Is How We Did It

My teammate Hugh Carlson and I set out to do something most people would call ridiculous — run a mile while tied together at the arms and legs. The current three-legged mile world record was five minutes and 38 seconds, and as two Division 1 runners at LSU, we believed we could smash it. Our goal was to go under five minutes flat.

The Idea Behind the Three-Legged Mile

The fastest I have ever run the mile is 4:06, but that is nowhere near the actual mile world record, which sits well under four minutes. Hugh and I started wondering what world records we could realistically attempt, and that is when we discovered the three-legged mile. The rules are straightforward — both participants’ legs must be within seven and a half inches of each other throughout the entire run. It sounds simple on paper, but the reality is a completely different story.

Figuring Out How to Actually Run Together

Here is the thing nobody tells you about a three-legged race at speed — we had genuinely figured out the details 30 minutes before the attempt. We had literally never tested it. Hugh and I strapped our legs together and immediately realized that syncing our strides was going to be the hardest part of the entire challenge. Our first attempts at jogging were a disaster. I was waddling while Hugh looked straight up and ran normally. I have never felt more unathletic in my life.

We quickly learned that leaning into each other was essential. We also had to hold hands to keep our balance, which got some laughs from the crowd that had gathered to watch. Our teammates tried it too, but their legs were way too far apart — they were not following the seven-and-a-half-inch rule. We called them out as cheaters.

Testing Our Pace Before the Real Attempt

Before the actual record attempt, we timed ourselves over 100 meters to get a feel for pace. In track, timing out 100 meters is a common practice that allows you to gauge whether you can sustain a target pace. For us, hitting the world record meant running about 20.5 seconds per 100 meters, which would give us 41 per 200, 82 per 400, and roughly 5:30 at the mile. We hit 22 seconds flat on our test run, which put us on pace for around 5:52 — a second and a half off where we needed to be per 100 meters.

I also want to point out something most people get wrong. A mile is not exactly four laps around a track. The 1600 meters that most Americans think of as a mile is actually 9 meters short. A true mile is 1609 meters, and we lined up at the full mile start line. I recorded that specifically so that if we did break the record, Guinness could verify it.

The World Record Attempt

As Division 1 athletes, Hugh and I both spend most of our lives running, so it is safe to say we have pretty accurate internal clocks for pacing. But all of that goes out the window the second you are physically attached to someone else. We came through the first 400 meters in 83 seconds, which put us on pace for a 5:32 — tight but doable. However, our split through the actual 409-meter mark had us cutting it much closer.

Then the stumble happened. It hurt my ankle and our chances of getting the record. By the time we hit the 800-meter mark, our split was 2:53, putting us on pace for about a 5:45 mile — roughly seven seconds slower than the world record. Instead of giving up, we simply picked up the pace. The strap was tearing at our ankles and our form was falling apart, but we ran the third 400 in 82 seconds. The last lap would have to be our fastest yet.

Crossing the Finish Line

As our videographer made her last trip across the track, only one thing was going through our minds — we were going to become world record holders. We crossed the line in 5:14, well under the existing record of 5:38. That was the most tiring mile I have ever run in my entire life. The excitement afterward was unreal. We were showing everyone our watches, celebrating with the crowd, and calling our parents to share the news.

Getting the Record Officially Approved

The attempt itself was only half the battle. Getting a world record officially recognized takes time — 29 weeks, to be exact. When Hugh called me to tell me the record had been approved, the feeling was surreal. We are officially better than everyone else in the world at this one very specific thing, and that is a sentence I never thought I would be able to say.

What I Learned From This Experience

The three-legged mile taught me something I did not expect. Running is usually an individual sport — it is just you against the clock. But this challenge forced Hugh and me to trust each other completely. Every stride had to be synchronized. Every stumble was shared. When you look at people’s strides, it is easy to say they look the same, but once you strap their legs together, every tiny difference in form becomes a massive obstacle. The whole experience reminded me that the best achievements often come from doing things that seem ridiculous at first, with people you trust to go through it with you.

If you are a runner looking for a challenge that has nothing to do with PRs or race results, I highly recommend trying something like this. Find a teammate, strap your legs together, and see what happens. Just make sure you practice more than 30 minutes beforehand — trust me on that one.

Watch the Full Video

Check out the full video above to see the entire world record attempt from warm-up to the moment we got the call that Guinness approved the record.