Summarize:

One of the easiest ways to improve your mile time is to make sure that you're wearing appropriate footwear. This may seem irrelevant, but if you're running in shoes that are too old, too snug, too loose, or which just don't give you the correct support, then you may not be maximizing your potential. Don't be shy. Go to a running store, where a professional can help you find the best fit, and sometimes even watch you run to see what type of shoe would suit you the best. Here are some things to keep in mind when you consider buying new running shoes:  How long you've had the old pair. You should replace any pair of running shoes after running between 300–400 miles (480–640 km), which can translate into less than a year of running about 10 miles (16 km) a week, or a lot sooner if you used to them for marathon or half-marathon training. Running in shoes that are no longer in good shape will not only make it harder for you to run fast, but they can lead to injuries.     {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5c\/590103-13b1.jpg\/v4-460px-590103-13b1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5c\/590103-13b1.jpg\/aid590103-v4-728px-590103-13b1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}  Wiggle room. You should have at least a thumb's width of room between the end of your longest toe and the front of your shoe. Most people buy running shoes that are actually too small for them, so it's okay if it feels like you're wearing clown shoes, at first.     {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b0\/590103-13b2.jpg\/v4-460px-590103-13b2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b0\/590103-13b2.jpg\/aid590103-v4-728px-590103-13b2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}  A secure fit throughout the mid-foot. Your feet should feel pretty snug on either side. A secure fit throughout the heel. Slipping in this area can lead to injuries. You should be eating well enough to give yourself plenty of energy for running, but not so much that you feel sluggish or tired. Don't eat less than an hour before your mile training, or you will feel sluggish and tied down. If you know you'll be doing some intense training on the track or sprinting, eat until you're about 2/3 full. You should eat foods that contain carbohydrates and that are easily digestible, and which will give you energy without weighing you down. Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to eat right to help yourself get faster:  It's all about balance. Though the right carbohydrates will give you energy, don't forget that protein or those fruits and veggies. If you're just training to improve your mile time, you do not need to load up on carbohydrates. Don't eat a heavy bowl of pasta before your run, thinking it will give you the energy you need. If you're looking to eat a snack that will help you train, try a banana, a peach, half of a Cliff bar, a piece of wheat toast, or an English muffin with jelly.     {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/590103-14b3.jpg\/v4-460px-590103-14b3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/590103-14b3.jpg\/aid590103-v4-728px-590103-14b3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Drink at least a 16 oz. glass of water an hour before your run, and make sure you consume at least 8-10 of these glasses throughout the day. In addition to drinking water, drinking a cup of coffee about 30 minutes to an hour before you run can make you go faster. However, don't try this for the first time on race day, or it can make you feel a little bit too jittery and can lead to some digestive issues.     {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/590103-15b1.jpg\/v4-460px-590103-15b1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/590103-15b1.jpg\/aid590103-v4-728px-590103-15b1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} If you're at a healthy weight for your height and frame, then you don't need to try to lose weight at all. However, if you are carrying a little extra weight, it will slow you down because it will weigh your body down as you try to run your mile. Therefore, work on finding a healthy routine for weight loss while continuing to run regularly and eating foods that keep you strong. Running with people who are at your speed, or preferably faster than you, can help you stay motivated and not slack off if you're getting tired. Whether you're on a track team, in a runner's club, or running 5Ks in your town as often as you can, just having the company of others can help you stay strong, think fit, and try to break your own records. And most of all, running with other people can remind you that while fitness is an important goal, so is having fun! Whether you're doing them with your track team or on your own, if you want to improve your speed, you should periodically time yourself when you run the mile, simulating the pressure you'd feel if you were running a real race. You don't have to time yourself every time you do the mile or you will put too much pressure on yourself, but you should do it at least once a week so you put the pressure on, put your body in adrenaline mode, and get ready to succeed. If you beat your PR (personal record), celebrate and think of all the things you do right, so you can continue to kick up your speed in the future. If you're trying to be the start of your high school track team, then yeah, you can aim for running a 6-6:30 mile, or even a 5-5:30 mile. But if you're just trying to run a mile faster because you want to have fun and stay fit, then aiming for that 12 or 10 minute mile is a very impressive goal as well. You don't have to be Usain Bolt to feel good about how quickly you run, and you don't have to keep the pace with all the other runners around you if your body is screaming for you to slow down. It's great to improve your speed, but it's even more important to stay healthy and be proud of yourself for staying fit.
Make sure you have the right shoes. Eat well. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Lose weight if it's necessary. Have company. Do time trials. Set your own standards.