What pace does one revert to....
I think Pmoax has it spot on....you use your CP system for the first 16-18 seconds (this mabye only 12 seconds worth in the fall but the sharpening work lengthens it out with an enzymatic response to speed endurance work) and you hopefully can leg out 150m in the first 18 seconds. Next your body shifts into using your anaerobic power and you are trying to maintain pace while slowly decelerating. If you have built up a good speed base, done the work building up the 200-400m reps with LESS than 3min recovery (so your CP stores dont replenish) you can stretch this phase out as the primary feeling for another 400-500m. Then you start to feel the monkey on your back. You have two things occur
1. You do start reverting to aerobic power systems. If you build up your power base, you can hold the speed longer than you would have imagined, and come home the last 200m well enough. Remember it isnt that your aerobic power pace is 28 seconds, but rather that you are already going 26 second pace you use your aerobic power to slow down less fast.
2. Secondly you can switch over from striding to sitting, and move the power generation from back-end mechanics to front end. Lactic acid build I found is 65% systemic ie throughout your whole body) and 35% regional. If you have blown out your glut and hamstrings, you might still have some gas left in your quads and hip flexors. This is why you do drills, weights, and hills to get to the next level.
Given Pmoax natural speed I am certain with 8 weeks of training he could run a 500m in 1:05. With 6 months of training he can run a 600m in 1:19. Without aerobic strength, I fear he will have a hard time "coming home" off that pace. Difference between a 16:40 5k strenth and a 18:30 5k strength is the difference between coming home in 28 on the last 200m or coming home in 33. It is the difference between going to the Olympic Trials or going home after your college league meet. This is why the best 800m guys spend 75-80 percent of there training during the year on strength.
Pmoax
Try the following
800m in 2:30...400 jog
800m in 2:25.....400 jog
800m in 2:20.....400 jog
Just get that workout booked.
Same week do
3*1 mile in 5:30...30 seconds rest...fake tempo run
Start adding an 800 rep every two weeks at the next level down (ie add in 800 in 2:15 next) and add 800m to the tempo run. Once you get to 5*800m start moving your times down slowly. Once you get to 4 miles, start to reduce the rest until you cut it out.
Build your Sunday run to 10 miles....good form, 7 minute pace. Something happens to you after around 8 miles...legs get heavy and you have to start concentrating on form. You will remember this feeling at the end of an 800m.
Do only one real "speed" workout per week
on the off days 3 out of the 4 do 100-150 strides to keep your speed fresh.
12 weeks of this in Jan/Feb/Mar you will feel "slow" but you will be amazed that you can hang onto pace in races. You will think you are racing above your head. It will be because you are running on strength without having the speed endurance work yet. Then start your normal regime and see how much of a higher peak you end up with.
up to you!