What does it take to bring down significant time in the 800

Make sure you do a lot of goal pace intervals i.e 12x400 @ 65 or 16x200 @ 27 with minimal rest. An extremely simple, but killer, workout that you should try is 20x400 at race pace with 2 minutes rest. This helped me out a lot not only aerobically. I felt like I was mentally prepared to run 2:11 + 2:08 during a race because I had run 65s incessantly. I think 20-30 mi/week is sufficient amount for a senior in high school. Source: I ran 1:53 and 4:19 on 15mi of rest as a junior last year so this year I'm going to increase my mileage slightly as well as incorporate more reps of 40os/200s at faster paces.

The guy above me gave you terrible advice.

The best advice you can hear is go read the sub 150 thread

Improving the 800m is simple. Either choose to improve your sprint speed or choose to improve your endurance. Maintain the other.

To bring down 'significant' time in the 800??….a short track, nasal strips & liver, lots of liver

kdkdo wrote:

Improving the 800m is simple. Either choose to improve your sprint speed or choose to improve your endurance. Maintain the other.

Why would that be the answer? The problem with anonymous posting is that people who obviously have no clue what they are talking about decide it is a good idea for them to chime in. Based on your post there is NO WAY you have broken 1:50. So why chime in and give advice on the 800?

Your 400m time would indicate your are running the 800m off of strength rather than speed. I think you probably could use a bit more distance early in the season and then try to sharpen your speed as the season progresses. Running some 1600's early in the season will help your 800m as well.

You should also concentrate on your race tactics. If you get into a race with 1:54 or better guys you are going to need to stay with the pack on the first lap and then make your move early. Start moving up with 300 to 350 to go, maintain a good position on the last curve and then run the tank empty to the finish line.

I think if you can get to a 1:54 800, a 4:20 mile shouldn't be an issue.

Why not run 400 and 800 utilizing your strength over endurance? Obviously you' have to up your mileage. I spoke with an elite coach recently who gets frustrated that more of his 400m runners won't step up to the longer distance.

Half right. Focus on the 400. Become proficient at this distance while keeping at least 35 mpw base.

Then go over to the 800. You will see improvement or I will refund 100% of your money.

You need to improve your endurance. Here, read this:

http://img.runningwarehouse.com/pdf/middle_distance_guide.pdf

It's long, but the main gist of it is contained in this quote: "This point needs to be reinforced to young athletes that if there is any “secret” to racing a fast 1500 or mile it is that it takes months of hard aerobic work that is just plain tough. To run a fast mile requires consistently hard 800’s, 1k’s and mile reps, 4-8 mile tempo runs and 12-18 mile runs at uncomfortable paces for the majority of the training year. The sustained “speed work” of fast 300’s and 400’s done in the spring is the fun stuff for the competitive miler. Performing the solidly paced aerobic sessions during the 8 months that precede this is invariably what separate the 1500m runners who make improvements in race times versus those who do not."

You need to be a distance runner for 8 months. Then at the end of the year once you have a huge base you get to be a miler. Don't worry about losing your speed, you can do maintenance stuff along the way, plus you race a lot in high school. It's easy to hop on the 4x400 regularly. That's enough to maintain or even improve your wheels.

I guarantee if you get that 5k under 16, your mile will immediately improve even without mile specific work. Your 800 will improve too, though obviously improvements there are small, 1-2 seconds.

By the way, my high school prs:

50.9

1:55

4:25

16:50

Late 20's/early 30's:

51

1:53

4:16

15:25

Not sure how much lower I could have gone at 800. Once you get to sub-1:55 you can find yourself in races that go out pretty darn fast. One race I went out in 54-mid just to maintain contact, then came home in around 60 to finish mid-pack. Tough to go out in 54 when your best 400 is 51. I suppose I could have run more even splits but I'd have been in last at the halfway point. Maybe 1:51 would have been my dream peak, but I came decently close.

With you running 52, you have good speed but not world beater speed. How low can you really go for 800? Work the higher volume and try to be a miler. 52 is fast enough to get you to 4:05 to 4:10, though not this year obviously. Your 800 will still improve, but with 52 second wheels you might be topping out at 1:52 to 1:54.