Chicago Man Runs 1 Sub-6 Mile a Month to Prove Fitness

Brendan Rogers, 24, has gone viral for his unique approach to staying in shape.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Brendan Rogers, a 24-year-old Chicago resident, has gained attention for his unconventional fitness routine. Once a month, Rogers will run a one-mile time trial on a treadmill, aiming to complete it in under 6 minutes. If he succeeds, he considers himself fit enough to skip the gym for the rest of the month. Rogers, who has a background in high school track and cross-country, believes the sub-6 mile is a reasonable fitness benchmark for him without pushing too hard. His routine went viral after his sister shared it on social media, sparking debate about whether this approach is genius or flawed.

Why it matters

Rogers's monthly mile time trial has sparked discussion about what constitutes an effective fitness routine. While some criticize the treadmill-only approach, others see it as a clever way for a busy young adult to maintain a basic level of fitness. The story highlights the diverse ways people can stay active and the role of personal preference in developing a sustainable workout plan.

The details

Rogers, who graduated from college in 2020, started the monthly mile challenge after realizing he would rather spend his free time socializing and playing video games than going to the gym. He believes running one all-out mile is a more time-efficient way to stay in shape compared to longer, more traditional workouts. Rogers has a history of competitive running in high school, though he didn't have any standout performances. His fastest time during the experiment so far is 5:38, but he considers anything under 6 minutes to be his fitness benchmark.

  • Rogers started the monthly mile challenge after graduating college in 2020.
  • In July 2025, Rogers ran his fastest time of 5:38 during the experiment.
  • Rogers runs his monthly mile time trial at the beginning of each month.

The players

Brendan Rogers

A 24-year-old Chicago resident who runs a one-mile time trial on a treadmill at the beginning of each month, aiming to complete it in under 6 minutes.

Claire Rogers

Brendan's sister, who works as a journalist at GOLF Magazine and shared his unique fitness routine on social media, causing it to go viral.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This works because he is 24.”

— Claire Rogers, Brendan's sister (Instagram)

“I like to say I have the diet of an unsupervised 12 year old who's home alone for the first time.”

— Brendan Rogers (Runner's World)

What’s next

If Brendan Rogers fails to break 6 minutes in his monthly mile time trial, he says he will likely reach out to one of his friends who works out regularly to get advice on how to improve his fitness.

The takeaway

Brendan Rogers's unique fitness routine highlights the diverse ways people can stay active and the role of personal preference in developing a sustainable workout plan. While some may criticize his treadmill-only approach, his story sparks discussion about what constitutes an effective fitness routine, especially for busy young adults.