The mile is an iconic distance that is rarely raced since athletics in countries that traditionally use imperial measures moved to metric to conform to international standards.
The mile race is 1609.32 metres. It remains the only imperial distance for which the IAAF records an official world record.
It has never appeared at the Olympics and is not offered at any Masters championships. Opportunities to race the distance are limited to standalone events.
The addition of the mile category to the NZ Masters records is a recent change, followed by Wellington Masters, so the lack of mile races mean the records themselves are sparse. It is certain that many otherwise eligible records have not been identified from pre-record tracking days.
Only track miles are accorded record status. Road miles are a separate event for which no records are maintained.
Electronic times are preferred but not required, with the proviso that hand times require three watch readings. Where it is not readily evident that a historical hand timed record or electronic time is faster, both will be listed. [I believe any time given with a single decimal is hand timed but unless marked it is not explicitly expressed.]
| Wellington | NZ National | World | World Indoor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M35 | 3:56.77 Nicholas Willis (2018) | 3:56.77 Nicholas Willis (2018) | 3:51.38 Bernard Lagat USA (2011) | 3:56.34 Bernard Lagat USA (2010) |
| M40 | 4:34.41 Grant McLean (2010) | 4:18.80 Rod Dixon (1990) | 3:57.91 Bernard Lagat USA (2015) | 3:54.91 Bernard Lagat USA (2015) |
| M45 | 4:37.03 Daniel Clendon (2022) | 4:16.75 Dave Sirl (1987) | 4:13.96 Davide Raineri ITA (2019) | 4:12.94 Anthony Whiteman GBR (2017) |
| M50 | 4:49.66 Grant McLean (2021) | 4:37.15 Wim Luijpers (2021) | 4:19.59 Brad Barton USA (2019) | 4:23.07 Sean Wade USA (2016) |
| M55 | 4:55.18 Peter Stevens (2021) | 4:55.18 Peter Stevens (2021) | 4:35.04 Keith Bateman AUS (2010) | 4:39.84 Guy Bracken GBR (2018) |
| M60 | 5:29.43 Todd Krieble (2019) | 4:51.85 Tony McManus (2012) | 4:47.69 Hakana Erissson SWE (2021) | 4:50.95 Nolan Shaheed USA (2012) |
| M65 | 7:06.00 John Skinnon (2016) | 4:56.4 Derek Turnbull (1992) | 4:56.4 Derek Turnbull NZL (1992) | 5:04.01 Paul Forbes GBR (2022) |
| M70 | 6:11.22 Keith Chapman (2022) | 5:55.47 Ian Carter (2022) | 5:19.75 Joop Ruter NED (2003) | 5:29.81 Gary Patton USA (2017) |
| M75 | 6:44.78 Brian Hayes (2023) | 6:44.78 Brian Hayes (2023) | 5:41.20 Hans Smeets NED (2022) | 5:41.95 Earl Fee CAN (2003) |
| M80 | 8:09.60 Roger Robinson (2023) | 8:09.60 Roger Robinson (2023) | 5:56.93 Jose VR Lopez ESP (2021) | 6:42.10 Inocencio Cantu USA (2014) |
| M85 | 11:16.00 Michael Browne (2016) | 11:16.00 Michael Browne (2016) | 6:40.25 Manuel Alonso Domingo ESP (2021) | 7:46.94 Inocencio Cantu USA (2019) |
| M90 | no record | no record | 8:21.34 David Carr AUS (2022) | 9:56.58 Orville Rogers USA (2008) |
| M95 | no record | no record | 11:56.04 Antonio Nacca ITA (2019) | 14:39.91 Orville Rogers USA (2013) |
| Wellington | NZ National | World | World Indoor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W35 | 4:53.41 Tina Faulkner (2018) | 4:53.41 Tina Faulkner (2018) | 4:17.33 Maricica Puica ROM (1985) | 4:29.46 Helen Clitheroe GBR (2010) |
| W40 | 4:58.89 Anne Hare (2006) | 4:58.89 Anne Hare (2006) | 4:23.78 Yekatarina Podkopayeva URS (1993) | 4:38.73 Sasha Gollish CAN (2022) |
| W45 | 5:38.34 Anne Hare (2013) | 5:02.31 Heather Matthews (1991) | 4:48.42 Yekatarina Podkopayeva URS (1997) | 4:54.82 Corinne Debaets BEL (2008) |
| W50 | 5:21.85 Heather Walker (2022) | 5:23.63 Heather Walker (2023) | 4:57.83 Nicole Weijling-Dissel NED (2017) | 5:03.60 Lucy Elliott GBR (2017) |
| W55 | 7:02.98 Helen Willis (2019) | 5:41.71 Meghann Stewart (2019) | 5:08.47 Anne Gilshinan IRL (2019) | 5:07.01 Anne Gilshinan IRL (2021) |
| W60 | 7:10.41 Liz Bentley (2022) | 5:36.29 Sally Gibbs(2023) | 5:39.84 Lesley Hinz USA (2018) | 5:43.75 Lesley Hinz USA (2018) |
| W65 | 6:46.87 Michele Allison (2020) | 6:32.27 Christine Adamson (2022) | 5:54.59 Angela Copson GBR (2015) | 5:51.74 Kathryn Martin USA (2017) |
| W70 | no record | no record | 6:38.30 Sharon Gerl USA (2018) | 6:26.60 Kathryn Martin USA (2022) |
| W75 | no record | no record | 6:58.44 Jeanne Daprano USA (2012) | 7:13.51 Jeanne Daprano USA (2012) |
| W80 | no record | no record | 7:34.74 Yolande Marchal FRA (2019) | 8:19.70 Helly Visser CAN (2014) |
| W85 | no record | no record | 10:55.25 Blanche Cummings USA (2015) | 13:00.96 Ivy Granstrom CAN (1999) |
| W90 | no record | no record | 12:48.59 Heather Lee AUS (2020) | 15:15.58 Betty Lindberg USA (2019) |
| W95 | no record | no record | 13:41.36 Heather Lee AUS (2022) | no record |