How to train for a 400 in two weeks

Ohio, your instincts are very good here. You're not training guys for a college track season--you're training them for a single event in a couple of weeks, and you've got to be realistic. A limited volume and high intensity are key for you guys--distance running and high-rep training are more long-term workouts, and the long term is what you guys haven't got!

Two weeks, three workouts per week (of specific training) with 1-2 days off between workouts is exactly right for you. Be sure to warm up and cool down *moderately*--if you guys do too much warm up the quality of the actual workout will be affected! Also, do not push any workout--"when in doubt, cut it out"--cut any workout short to prevent injury or bad habits (why practice running badly?).

Week 1:

a) 2 sets of 3 200's @ 80-90% effort, 200 walk between reps and an additional 400 walk between sets. NO RACING OR TIMING.

b) Probably some soreness today. Do the 100's, but build into them: 8 x 100, building *very gradually* from 60% effort on the first to 90+% on the last two. At least 300m easy walk between reps. Do the last few reps with the wind at your back.

c) Find a fairly gentle hill of 300m, if you can--ideally a hill that takes 50-60 seconds to run. Run up it three times. Slow walk back after each, and any additional rest desired. Each of the three runs should be very high quality.

Week 2:

a) 4 x 200, aiming at your likely pace in the race. Recoveries as desired.

b) 6 x 100, with the first at 80-90% speed and the last 2-3 at 95%--again, wind at your back on the last ones. Full recoveries.

c) [Two or three days before the race] one set of 4 x 150 *fast* with 50m jog/walk recoveries--ONE MINUTE from the time you start one rep to the time you start the next.

You'll also want to get *a little* specific handoff practice in. Practice handoffs when fresh, toward the beginning of the workout--can be the final part of warmup. (Yeah, you'll have to hand off when you're tired, but it turns out that you'll *still* learn the skill better when you're fresh.)

Good luck. That's quite a pickup team you've got there.

PS--1) Get a really good night's sleep the night-before-the-night-before the race. If the race is on Saturday, get a great night's sleep on Thursday.

2) No more than two drinks a night, for anybody, until the race is over. Alcohol dehydrates and you can't afford any crappy workouts/recoveries (or injuries).

Thanks for the detailed insight. Anybody else?

Don't neglect the most important component of successful preparation: thorough rubdown of your sure-to-be sore muscles by sorority girls.

my 2 cents:

may not be another team with that much talent, so......

RACE SMART

If you are the most talented, the only way to lose the race is to run too fast too soon. You can feel REAL good and show off for the girls for first 150, but you'll pay the price. Be very smart through 200m like EXTRA conservative and let it all go with 150 to go. It is about 250 in an untrained athlete where the lactate and hydrogen ions will wreak havoc.

race smart, win easy and reap the rewards

my advice, especially if you have remained somewhat active, is to maybe just jog a mile or two a couple times in the next 2 weeks and stretch. maybe do some strides.

i'm probably about 4-5 years older than you guys, but here is my experience, which i think is similar.

i ran in college, then took a couple years off. i ran 48relay/1:51.

this past spring i ran a 400 without any sprint training, just jogging basically for a few weeks, and ran 51.6? FAT. it was faster than i expected and i started training a lot harder and faster, hoping to get back under 50. well, about a month later, after some faster training, i ran 52.3. it sucked.

i think i was just tired. 2 weeks isn't enough time to get your speed back AND recover in time, especially if you haven't been running.

i really think you should just limber up some and make sure you don't hurt yourself.

"... what they ran their senior YEARS of high school."

Probably just a typo but when talking about frat boys it isnt uncommon.

Oh, yeah: ohio_miler, please let us know how the race goes!

Dear god, please just stretch properly before the race. You are all going to puke, but hopefully you'll be walking the next day.

Good luck!

This sounds like alot of fun and a good challenge. Your focus should definitely be on remind your bodies what it feels like to run relaxed at a relatively fast pace. Here's my recommendation:

Warm-Up (each day):

* 800m (alternating stride 50, walk 50, starting slightly faster than a jog and building throughout to a little slower than a 800m race effort).

* 2x25m high knees, butt kicks, skips, backwards running

Cooldown (each day):

2x100m strides

400m jog

stretching

Specific Workouts:

#1- 4x200m @ 35-37

#2- 6x100, building from 1-3, 400m race pace 4-6.

#3- 200-150-100-50-25 (start @ :35/200 and build)

#4- 4x200m @ 33-35 (as #1)

#5- 2x100m @ 15-16, 1x300m @ 45

#6- 1x200m @ 35, 4x100m @ race pace

#7- race

You should take as much time as necessary between intervals to feel 100%. If you are going to race in spikes, I would recommend doing all your workouts in spikes (but all wu/cd in trainers). The main goal should always be on good fundamentally sound technical running and trying to be relaxed.

Also, the "healthy living" aspect a prior poster mentioned is a very good idea. Being well rested and unpolluted will make a big difference.

Good luck!

Dont forget the mental/psychological element of preparation for this race. Use imagery,team talks,motivation and encouragment to and get them mentally fit to win!

Put them through a tough, disciplined regime over 2 weeks to include 8 hours sleep, strict diet,no alcohol,junk foods or outside distractions- all part of winning, tough but vital afraid.

Good luck.

Thanks for everyone who posted replies for training ideas. Athleticsfreak, thanks for the advice, but you have to remember we have our priorities in life, namely beer, girls, and believe it or not, school. We start "training" this week so we will see how things go.

Day 1: Run 50m

Day 2: Run 50m, walk 50m, run 50m

Day 3: Run 50m, walk 50m, run 50m, walk 50m, run 50m

Day 4: Run 100m, walk 50m, run 50m

Day 5: Run 100m, walk 50m, run 100m

Day 6: Run 150m, walk 50m, run 100m

Day 7: Run 150m, walk 50m, run 100m, walk 50m, run 50m

Day 8: Run 200m, walk 50m, run 100m

Day 9: Run 200m, walk 50m, run 100m, walk 50m, run 50m

Day 10: Run 250m, walk 50m, run 100m

Day 11: Run 250m, walk 50m, run 100m, walk 50m, run 50m

Day 12: Run 300m, walk 50m, run 150m

Day 13: Run 350m, walk 50m, run 100m

Day 14: RACE DAY

Overdistance is the key. By completing Day 12 and Day 13 workouts of 450 total meters it will give you the confidence that you need that you can complete the entire 400m without walking. However, don't overdo it. If you need a walk break, take it because it has been proven that people who take walk breaks during races run a faster total time. If Powell would have taken a wlking break the otehr night, he would have run aroung 9.64 instead of 9.74

Hey, OP--what was the outcome?

Bump

I just became heavily invested in this, I really want to know the outcome.

likewise, I would like to know the outcome

assuming a base where a guy can play a game of basketball, in two weeks, you want to do 3 or 4 workouts only on the track.

3 x 200m recovery 45 seconds.

90 percent effort

2 days, run 2 miles each day, 6 x 100m strides easy full recovery

1 day off

4 x 200m 45 seconds recovery

90 percent effort

2 days, run 2 miles very easy each day, 6 x 100m strides easy full recovery

1 day off

3 x 200m 20 seconds recovery

85 percent effort first two

full out last 200m.

2 days, run 2 miles each day, 6 x 100m strides easy full recovery

2 day off

race fresh.