Project 222: Inside Josh Kerr’s World Record Journey—and Box Altitude’s Role

Some world records happen unexpectedly.

Others are planned years in advance.

Josh Kerr’s historic 3:42.66 mile world record was the latter.

Long before stepping onto the track at London’s Diamond League meeting on 18 July 2026, Kerr publicly announced his ambition to become the fastest miler in history. The campaign became known as Project 222—named after his goal of running the mile in approximately 222 seconds, eclipsing Hicham El Guerrouj’s legendary 3:43.13, which had stood since 1999.

When Kerr crossed the finish line in 3:42.66, he didn’t just break the record.

He became the first athlete in history to run under 3 minutes 43 seconds for the mile, ending one of athletics’ longest-standing world records.

A Project Built Around Marginal Gains

Project 222 wasn’t about discovering one revolutionary advantage.

It was about combining hundreds of small improvements into one extraordinary performance.

Throughout the build-up, Josh and his team documented almost every aspect of the process—from specialised Brooks racing equipment and carefully planned pacing to nutrition, recovery, strength training and sleep.

Nothing was left to chance.

Perhaps more than anything else, Project 222 demonstrated what happens when elite talent is matched with obsessive preparation.

Living at Altitude Wasn’t Enough

One of the most fascinating parts of Project 222 came from Josh’s own account in The Telegraph, which was later reported by numerous international publications.

Josh already lives and trains in Albuquerque, New Mexico, approximately 1,600 metres (5,250 feet) above sea level.

For most endurance athletes, that would already be considered an ideal altitude-training base.

But for Project 222, Josh and his team decided they wanted even more.

Rather than relying solely on Albuquerque’s natural elevation, they converted his bedroom into a simulated altitude environment, increasing the effective sleeping altitude by roughly another 900 metres (3,000 feet).

The result was an environment equivalent to around 2,500 metres (8,250 feet) above sea level.

Twelve Hours Every Day

Perhaps the statistic that attracted the most attention was this:

Josh spent around 12 hours every day inside his altitude bedroom.

That wasn’t just overnight sleep.

It included his evening routine, overnight recovery and daytime naps after training.

His entire daily schedule revolved around maximising recovery and altitude exposure.

As Josh explained, consistency—not occasional “hero workouts”—was the philosophy behind Project 222. Every small decision accumulated over weeks and months until race day arrived.

Box Altitude’s Part in Project 222

For everyone at Box Altitude, Project 222 became much more personal than simply supplying equipment.

Before Josh began using the system, I travelled to Albuquerque to personally install and commission his Box Altitude bedroom system.

We checked the installation thoroughly, ensured the room was performing exactly as designed and worked through the setup so Josh and his team could focus entirely on training.

When an athlete is preparing to attempt one of the most iconic world records in athletics, reliability matters.

The goal wasn’t simply to install an altitude system.

The goal was to make sure Josh could rely on it every single day throughout one of the most important training blocks of his career.

Why Simulated Altitude?

Elite endurance athletes have used altitude training for decades.

The principle is straightforward:

Spend enough time in a hypoxic, or lower-oxygen, environment to stimulate physiological adaptations while maintaining the ability to complete high-quality training.

For Josh, living in Albuquerque already provided a significant natural altitude stimulus.

Adding a simulated altitude bedroom increased his overall altitude exposure without requiring him to relocate or compromise his carefully structured training program.

Project 222 demonstrated that altitude wasn’t viewed as a standalone solution.

It was integrated into a complete performance system that prioritised training quality, recovery and consistency.

The Bigger Lesson

It’s tempting to look for one secret behind a world record.

Project 222 showed there wasn’t one.

Instead, there were hundreds of decisions made correctly.

Training.
Recovery.
Nutrition.
Equipment.
Sleep.
Altitude.
Consistency.

No single element won the race.

Together, they helped create the conditions that allowed one of the world’s greatest middle-distance runners to perform at his absolute best.

Congratulations, Josh

Watching Josh Kerr become the fastest miler in history was an incredible moment for athletics.

It was also a proud moment for everyone at Box Altitude.

We’re honoured that Josh and his team trusted our simulated altitude technology as part of Project 222, and that I had the opportunity to personally install the system in Albuquerque before one of the greatest performances the sport has ever seen.

World records are never achieved by equipment alone.

They’re earned through extraordinary talent, exceptional coaching, relentless commitment and years of disciplined work.

We’re simply proud that Box Altitude could play a small part in helping support that journey.

Congratulations, Josh Kerr, on becoming the new mile world record holder with an incredible 3:42.66.