Project 222 was launched to loud fanfare on social media in the Spring as Josh Kerr and Brooks Running formally announced the intention to attempt to break the existing men's mile world record at the fast-approaching London Diamond League meeting on July 18th. In the build up to Kerr's record attempt, RunThrough will be hosting the Josh Kerr Mile — Presented by Brooks at The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park South Park on Thursday 16th July 2026, bringing runners together for an exciting summer evening celebration of the iconic mile distance.
It's been so long since this record was revised that only readers of a certain age will recall that the current world record of 3:43.13 was set by the great Hicham El Guerrouj, way back in 1999, at the precursor to what we now know as the Diamond League circuit — the Rome Golden Gala.
With a lifetime best of 3:45.34 set two summers ago, the reigning British 1500m record holder (3:27.79) has to find 2.22s to be precise in order to run a mile in 222 seconds, or 3m42s — by now you are getting a feel for why it has been named 'Project 222'. It has a certain ring to it!
Whilst the 2023 World 1500m champion will hope to cross the line in our Olympic stadium alone, should he succeed in this audacious bid, his race will not have been run alone. For starters, Brooks have developed customised race-day gear with aerodynamics in mind, coupled with a carefully modified custom carbon-plated spike. This is part and parcel of The Brooks Run Research Lab, which supports with trips to high-altitude training and simulation chambers back home, as well as sleep and more generic recovery optimisation.
The 2024 Olympic silver and 2021 Olympic bronze medallist over 1500m is guided by Danny Mackey of the Brooks Beasts Track Club, an advocate of what Kerr (2026) has referred to as 'funnel periodisation' — a method designed so that he can peak specifically for his target races. The principles of this approach can be referenced in some of the work of the esteemed sports scientist Steve Magness, whose classic The Science of Running is a must-read.
So what principles underpin his training?
Strong aerobic base
According to Hobson (2026), Kerr undertakes a regular long run as part of his microcycle — but significantly it is a means to an end rather than a blind process of adding as many miles as he can manage. He has reduced his long run of late by a mile or so, but added a little speed play in there to spice things up.
To add to aerobic base building, Kerr tends to run a weekly continuous threshold run at around the pace one could theoretically sustain for an hour or so, or a 7 out of 10 on a rate of perceived exertion scale. If you don't feel ready for that, consider breaking the work into aerobic intervals of between 4 and 7 minutes. A good indicator that you are running too fast is whether you can float (slightly faster than a jog) the recoveries — if you are reduced to a mere shuffle between efforts, you've pushed a little too hard.
Speed endurance
Some of Kerr's 'go to' sessions prior to competition are reputed to involve 8 x 400 metres, run marginally quicker than goal pace for 1500m. A second favourite involves a progressive element: 4 x 800m may see the first two reps run slightly slower than 1500m goal pace, with the last two picking up to around 10s quicker.
Speed
Some of the Scot's alactic work involves short sprints of less than 10s over small wicker hurdles. This type of work can be incorporated into a RAMP warm-up or undertaken as a stand-alone session.
Strength and strength endurance
As well as hill work — a must for all of us — plyometrics are key for Kerr, and typically involve box step-ups and jumping squats (see Hobson, 2026). Strength work may combine bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups with weighted work like power cleans, push presses and weighted squats. Significantly, the lifting is done on days where he 'sessions' rather than easy runs: "Lifting also releases testosterone which can aid recovery, but the biggest factor is to not add extra load into the easy days" (Kerr, 2026).
Recovery
Like all of us, the reigning world indoor 3000m champion needs his rest, and typically takes a day a week of passive recovery where he won't run. Between the days he 'sessions', Kerr will do recovery runs — a more active mode of regeneration. He is reputed to be a user of both sauna and hot-and-cold tub rotations. If you don't have access to those, consider what he does in taking the dog for a walk: cheap and cheerful!
Individual-centred
In sentiments which echo the words of Gemma Hillier Moses, Kerr himself has offered the insight that: "They say comparison is the thief of joy, and that can be one of the biggest traps. I do not compare my training to others." A timely reminder that when working with a RunThrough Coach, training schedules must be both athlete-centred and individualised.
This leaves us with the following questions for self-reflection:
- How long does my traditional long run really need to be? If I'm training for a marathon it may be materially different from training for a parkrun PB.
- What type of threshold work am I undertaking, and is it best served as a continuous or discontinuous variant — or a mixture of both?
- When might I vary my speed endurance work to include a progressive element, whereby paces increase over the course of the efforts?
- Why might my alactic work — typically strides of less than 10s — benefit from being diversified with the use of small hurdles?
- To what extent is my strength and strength endurance work divided between bodyweight exercises and weighted work?
- When is it best to undertake my strength work — on hard or easy days, or a little and often by microdosing daily?
- How do I balance my recovery between passive and active modes of regeneration?
References
Hobson, B. (2026) Josh Kerr swears by power-to-weight training to improve his speed — here's how and why you should do the same. Runner's World. runnersworld.com
Kerr, J. (2026) I spend 12 hours a day in my bedroom altitude chamber. The Telegraph, 30 June. telegraph.co.uk