Who broke the 3-minute mile and when?

Answer 1

No one on record has broken the 3 minute mile in the last 116 years (since the first modern Olympics). Any records older than that are up for speculation since the mile was not always a standardized race. Here are a few cool stories though:

In 1870 a native American ran behind a horse for a mile. The horse was clocked at 2:40, the native American was not clocked. However, eye witnesses noted his distance behind the horse at the start and at the end of the mile as being very close to the same.

Ladas of Argos in the ancient Greek Olympics. No specific time was recorded, and the distance was 20 stades (about 2.5 miles), but the inscription on his statue says "His speed was demoniac, nor could it even be described."

Asahel from The Bible (2nd Samuel 2) during a battle, chased Abner running fast enough to impale himself on the butt end of a stationary spear which went through his entire body including the armor which he was wearing during the chase. The physics of such an account would suggest that a minimum speed of over 20mph (3 minute mile pace) would have been needed for the blunt pole to travel in one side and out the other side of his body through armor and muscle.

In England during the time of the Roman Empire (2nd century CE) entire tribes of warriors (with similar lifestyles to the native Americans) were noted as being able to catch and overwhelm horse riders while running on foot.

I would be difficult to get any of these, or the dozens of other accounts, to be recognized and accepted by modern scholars. And none of them could be labeled with an exact time or proven to be under a 3 minute mile, but they make for an interesting study.

Answer 2

No one on record has broken the 3 minute mile in the last 116 years (since the first modern olympics). Any records older than that are up for speculation since the mile was not always a standardized race. Here are a few cool stories though:

In 1870 a native American ran behind a horse for a mile. The horse was clocked at 2:40, the native American was not clocked. However, eye witnesses noted his distance behind the horse at the start and at the end of the mile as being very close to the same.

Ladas of Argos in the ancient Greek Olympics. No specific time was recorded, and the distance was 20 stades (about 2.5 miles), but the inscription on his statue says "His speed was demoniac, nor could it even be described."

Asahel from The Bible (2nd Samuel 2) during a battle, chased Abner running fast enough to impale himself on the butt end of a stationary spear which went through his entire body including the armor which he was wearing during the chase. The physics of such an account would suggest that a minimum speed of over 20mph (3 minute mile pace) would have been needed for the blunt pole to travel in one side and out the other side of his body through armor and muscle.

In England during the time of the Roman Empire (2nd century CE) entire tribes of warriors (with similar lifestyles to the native Americans) were noted as being able to catch and overwhelm horse riders while running on foot.

I would be difficult to get any of these, or the dozens of other accounts, to be recognized and accepted by modern scholars. And none of them could be labeled with an exact time or proven to be under a 3 minute mile, but they make for an interesting study.

Answer 3

I think that would have been Broke by a Humanoid chasing prey or running from threats Natural or Physical about 100,000 years ago?