“For those who dare to dream and chase that dream, history is yours to write.” Elliot Hill
There was a time when the 4-minute mile was considered impossible.
Doctors said it might kill you. Coaches called it a fantasy.
For years, it stood as sport’s greatest psychological barrier a line etched in fear more than physiology.
Then came Roger Bannister. On May 6, 1954, he ran a mile in 3:59.4 and in doing so, he shattered more than a record. He shattered belief systems. The impossible was possible after all.
This week in Paris, nearly 70 years on, we saw another barrier bend. Another belief remade. Another dream made real.
A fellow Nike athlete Faith Kipyegon ran a mile faster than any other woman in history again.
With a time of 4:06.42, she broke her own world record and cemented her place as the most decorated female middle-distance runner the sport has ever known.
More than a result, it was a moment. A moment built on years of work. A moment carried on the shoulders of teammates, coaches, scientists, pacemakers and belief. A moment that reminded the world what happens when courage meets opportunity.
“It was tough, but I am so proud of what I’ve done, and I’m going to keep on trying, dreaming, and pursuing big goals,” Faith said afterward. “I want to show the world, and especially women, that you have to dare to try.”
That spirit the daring, the dreaming, the defiance of limits is what made Faith’s run more than a race. It was a moonshot.
The kind of act that leaves a lasting impression on anyone watching, no matter their connection to athletics.
Because the 4-minute mile literal or symbolic lives in all of us. It’s the thing that scares us. The thing that feels out of reach. The thing we don’t speak out loud in case we fail.
Her performance wasn’t hers alone. Running, especially at this level, is a team sport.
Scottish middle-distance runner Jemma Reekie was among the key pacemakers supporting Faith. Alongside a crew of elite athletes she helped maintain the brutal pace and provided critical wind shelter in those unforgiving laps.
But it’s not just about the physical support. Faith’s partnership with Nike spans 16 years a relationship built not only on elite gear and science, but belief. Belief in her ability.
Belief in the idea that women from Kenya, mothers, leaders, and athletes of every background deserve a platform to push the limits of what’s possible.
That belief is stitched into every detail of this Breaking4 performance. Nike’s holistic approach from coaching, to data, to innovation shows that progress isn’t random. It’s built, tested, sharpened, and refined. But at the centre of it all, there must be a human heart with drive willing to push both mind and body.
As Steve Prefontaine said: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
Faith has never sacrificed her gift. She’s honoured it not just with wins, but with consistency, humility, and hunger.
She showed that we should chase the thing that seems out of reach. Her amazing documentary shows the struggle and how to still press forward.
We might not have pacemakers or super spikes. But we all have a finish line we’re trying to cross.
For me, as someone navigating paralysis, injury, and illness, the 4-minute mile looks different. It’s found in rehab progress, mental battles, days where the body says no but the spirit insists otherwise. My miles are measured in persistence.
Faith’s performance is a reminder that personal bests are sacred, even when no one sees them. Maybe especially then.
So what’s your mile? Is it finishing therapy? Returning to the field? Starting something you’ve always put off? Or just waking up and choosing not to give up today?
Whatever it is let Faith’s words echo: You have to dare to try.
Her run wasn’t just a world record. It was a message. A beacon. A moonshot that says: this is what’s possible when you go all in.
History doesn’t only belong to the fastest. It belongs to the brave. To the ones who keep showing up. The ones who run when no one’s watching. The ones who believe fiercely that their dream matters.
Faith Kipyegon believed and for those four laos of the Olympic track in Paris I cheered as loud as possible with broken ribs at the Television in the hope that she felt every step of this beautiful miles energy and truly lived in the moment.
