Instead of looking at the whole, break down the mile into parts; it's a lot more manageable to work on your skills in 90-second chunks. When you get to that 90-second 14 mile (0.4km), start working on your 1/2. When you can do a half mile around 3 minutes, you'll be jazzed to see if you can keep the pace. So skip the unnecessary duress on your knees and break it into pieces. Psychologically, your brain looks at that 6-minute mile and goes wah-ha-ha-ha-ait a second. 6 minutes? Are you crazy? But 90 seconds of going all out? ...Why not? That stands for High-Intensity Interval Training and it's quite possibly one of the best things you can do for your mile time and for your overall athletic performance. It's like sprints (as discussed above), but repetitive and cyclical. For example, you might run all out for one minute, rest for one minute, and repeat for 8 or so cycles. Eventually, that 6-minute mile seems like a leisurely walk in the park. As you get better at it, up the intense periods. Go to 75 seconds of running and after that, 45 seconds of rest. Keep going in small increments until you're up to two 3-minute chunks. Then all you have to do is piece them together! When you train, run more than just that goal of 1 mile (1.6km). Speed isn't the only key -- endurance will get you going, too. So take a break from your speed training and go for a nice, long jog to break up your running routine. When you routinely run 5 miles (8.0km), the 1 mile (1.6km) poses way less of a threat. Use it as a reason to change up your environment. Move your run to the gym, your home treadmill, or a different trail outside. It's about keeping your mind fresh, too! The third player here, in addition to endurance and speed, is strength. To propel your body at this speed, you're gonna need to build it up. Jogging the track for miles won't do you as many favors as a hilly track will! Getting your heart rate up and your muscles earning it on inclined terrain primes them to take you to the next level when the ground is flat. This is a good excuse to change up your routine, too. It's easy to hit the gym or your favorite track at the beginning, but then you inevitably get bored with it and hit autopilot, never reaching your goals. Spice it up by finding a hillier route to keep your mind in the speed zone, too. Learn to run a 14 mile (0.4km) in 1:30, then a 12 mile (0.8km) in 3:00, then a 34 mile (1.2km) in 4:30, and finally try to reach the goal of a 6 minute mile. Find a route where you can easily see the distance markers, grab your stopwatch, and see where your feet take you. It's the only way to know how lofty your goals are -- or how attainable. That being said, don't feel the need to do this every day. Work on your skills for the majority of the week and then see how far you've come. If you do it every day, it'll just become a drag. If that 6-minute goal is because you're a competitive runner, there's some science that can help you get ahead of the pack and get you to the finish line sooner: Start strong. Unless you're playing the dark horse card, you don't want the pressure of making some ultimate comeback. Hang near the front group initially so you aren't facing a mob of obstacles in front of you. But don't feel the pressure to be in the lead at first. That person sets the pace, breaks the wind, and feels an enormous amount of pressure from all the people running at their heels. They'll get tired eventually and that's when you make your break for it. Make sure to run your own race. The worst mistake you can make in a middle to long distance race is in the first minute; that is, going out too fast. If you're running on a track, pass on the straights. If you try to make a go of passing the runner in front of you on a curve, you're actually running a bit further to get around that person. Just a waste of energy, really. Push yourself in the third lap. Deepen your breathing, smooth out your stride, and push yourself a little more. Your mind will tell you to stop long before your body makes you. If you push yourself a little more than the first two laps here, then your pace will remain constant or improve. You need to feel like you are running faster in the third lap for you to maintain your pace. Also, it is much easier to push yourself to your limits in the last lap, so if you push yourself a little here, it will only improve your time. Once you can see the finish line, you can almost always find the drive to finish strong. Focus on your form, breathing, and what's in front of you. Also, once you start your finishing kick, focus on still maintaining form and driving your knees a little higher. Do NOT focus on your crowd of adoring fans, your coach, or your feet. Keep your head straight and your eyes on the prize and don't get distracted. A second's look could make or break your time.

Summary: Work on your 14 and 12 mile (0.4 and 0.8km). HIIT it. Work on your endurance with long-distance running. Run hills. Start training for time. If you're racing, keep a few things in mind.

Deep breathing is one relaxation technique that can help reduce stress. Learning to relax may help decrease pain. Lie flat on your back. Use pillows under your knees and neck to make sure you are comfortable. Put your hands palm-down on your stomach, right below the rib cage. Place the fingers of your hands together so you can feel them separately and know you are doing the exercise correctly. Take a long, slow, deep breath through your nose by expanding your belly. This ensures that you are using your diaphragm to breathe rather than your rib cage. Your fingers should separate as they lie on your belly. Exhale through your mouth. Do this as often as you can. Use a variation of a Chinese Qigong breathing exercise. Sit down comfortably. The lungs' natural rhythm will take over immediately. Take three short inhalations through the nose. On the first intake, lift your arms, reaching in front, keeping the arms at shoulder levels. On the second intake, move your arms to the side, keeping the arms at shoulder levels. On the third intake, lift your arms over your head. Repeat 10 to 12 times. If either exercise causes any dizziness, stop. Do these exercises as often as you need. Another way to decrease stress and cope with pain is through progressive muscle relaxation. Start with your toes. Tighten them by curling them under your feet. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Then slowly relax the toes. Move on to the feet next. Tighten all the muscles in your feet and hold for five to 10 seconds. Then slowly relax the feet. Move up through your legs, thighs, abdomen, arms, neck, and face, tightening the muscles in each area. Relax slowly every time. Positive visualization can be a form of meditation. Positive visualization and meditation can help relieve stress, which can help ease discomfort and lessen pain. Pick a favorite spot and get comfortable. Remember a favorite place. Close your eyes and picture that place. Keep the image in your mind. Breathe deeply as you keep the picture in your mind. Don't worry if you lose the image. Just take a breath and start again. Until you have some practice, you may need to start again a few times. Try and make sure you do this during a time that you are least likely to get interrupted. Look into doing guided imagery through YouTube videos or apps. Using positive affirmations may be effective in helping change your mentality about the pain and lift your mood. Publically say positive things about yourself and your pain. Positive self-talk can help boost your mental perception of the pain. Some people write down their positive affirmations on sticky notes and post these notes everywhere they can. Use the present tense and repeat as often as you can. Examples of positive affirmations are: Yes, I can. I can get through the pain. I am getting better. I feel better every day. I can control my pain.
Summary: Try deep breathing exercises. Do progressive muscle relaxation. Use positive visualization. Say positive affirmations.