One of the most iconic records in track and field history has stood untouched for 27 years — and this Saturday, a Scottish-born miler is stepping onto a London track with a very specific number in mind.
Josh Kerr is targeting Hicham El Guerrouj’s legendary mile world record at London Stadium on July 18th, and a newly released behind-the-scenes film from FloTrack pulls back the curtain on exactly how this audacious attempt has been built.
The number his coach has been obsessing over? 222 seconds. A 3:42 mile.
Here’s everything you need to know about the most compelling world record attempt in recent athletics history — and why it just might actually happen.
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A Record That Has Outlasted An Entire Generation
El Guerrouj’s 3:43.13, set in Rome in 1999, is one of sport’s great untouchables.
It has survived every generation of milers since — including some of the fastest men ever to lace up spikes. Kerr’s own British record of 3:45.34 currently sits sixth on the all-time list, which tells you just how elite his credentials already are.
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But sixth isn’t first. And Kerr, 28, isn’t here to be sixth.
His Project 222 campaign — named after the target time of 222 seconds — has been unusually public and meticulously planned, from sleeping in an altitude chamber to a video series featuring his own family. This isn’t just a race. It’s a full mission.
The Number His Coach Has Been Building Everything Around
Danny Mackey, who has coached Kerr for nearly a decade with the Brooks Beasts, has been laser-focused on one benchmark above everything else.
If he can be in 1:43 shape by July 18th, then that’s one of the factors he’ll need to be hitting to be ready to run the world record in a mile. I feel confident with this plan. He’ll be prepared for July 18th.
That 800m fitness marker — 1:43 — is Mackey’s internal compass for whether Kerr’s body is truly ready to do the unthinkable.
The buildup has included a grueling 4,000-meter session at world record pace just three weeks out, one of the final truly hard workouts before race day. Every rep, every split, every session has been pointing toward a single evening in London.
A Tune-Up That Changed On The Fly
The FloTrack film follows Kerr and Mackey through their last competitive outing before London — the USATF LA Grand Prix on June 14th, exactly 34 days out from the attempt.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
The original brief was straightforward: run 1:43 in the 800m and win. Then Mackey spent two days studying wind readings and analyzing the track’s tight turns — and the plan shifted.
In Josh’s situation, it might come down more to who he beats versus what time he runs.
Kerr made what Mackey described as “an audible mid-race,” finishing fourth in 1:45.46 — one spot behind former world 800m champion Donavan Brazier, with Brandon Miller taking the win in 1:43.94.
Neither man lost any sleep over it.
I was hoping to obviously run a little bit faster today, but my biggest goal for today was to run hard. It’s another day that my body showed up exactly how I thought it would.
Doing Something He’s Never Done Before
Kerr has built his entire career on championship racing — the tactical, reactive, survive-and-advance format where Mackey says an athlete “needs to be ready for three or four different things.”
This attempt is completely different. There’s no opponent to beat. No tactics to play. Just a clock.
I’m racing a clock and a time versus an individual.
Mackey echoed that shift in mindset, describing just how regimented the approach has become.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
This is the first time we’re trying to run a specific time and have it be really regimented. We generally know what he needs to run July 18th, so we’re really specific in workouts, targeting that type of pace.
For a competitor who has never chased a clock this deliberately, the mental adjustment alone is monumental.
Bouncing Back From Tokyo Heartbreak
This attempt also carries extra emotional weight. Kerr’s 2025 indoor season ended in painful fashion when a calf injury derailed his world 1500m title defense in Tokyo, forcing him to limp home in last place.
It would have broken some athletes. Kerr responded by immediately asking his coach to point the entire outdoor season at the mile world record.
I was a little curious how he’d bounce off that.
Mackey credits Kerr’s resilience to something deeper than athletic ability — a sense of self that isn’t dependent on results.
His identity is not attached to the sport, so he’s really secure about whatever the result’s going to be.
What Mackey Really Wants For His Athlete
The most quietly powerful moments of the FloTrack film belong to Mackey — and they reveal a coach who sees something truly rare in the athlete he works with every day.
He’s one of these athletes where I wish that time kind of froze so I could coach him forever.
Beyond the record, Mackey has a simpler wish for Saturday evening.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
If there’s something beyond the record that I’d like him to have, it’s just some joy and fun. This might be the only time in his career where he can focus on trying to be a world record holder and not have to worry about other races. So I hope he’s elated.
Kerr himself isn’t making promises — but he isn’t hiding from the moment either.
There’s no guarantees in this sport other than I’m going to give my full effort on that day, July 18th. And whatever that result is, I believe it can be a world record.
Kerr lines up in the Emsley Carr Mile at the Novuna London Athletics Meet on Saturday evening, with Yared Nuguse also confirmed in the field. US viewers can watch live on FloTrack. Whether or not El Guerrouj’s 27-year reign ends this weekend, one thing is certain — this is a race you won’t want to miss.
