Splits for a 4:35 1600?

34.375s/200m

Seriously, just try to even split. Or go out in 67-68, keep the next two laps sub 70, then balls to the wall far the last one. And by lap I mean 400m.

What's your 800 and 3200 pr?

Perfect splits aren't going to all of the sudden make you a better runner. Stop focusing on running 4:35 and try to win the race. Who cares if you run 4:35 or 4:05 if you take last place

dial it up wrote:

Perfect splits aren't going to all of the sudden make you a better runner. Stop focusing on running 4:35 and try to win the race. Who cares if you run 4:35 or 4:05 if you take last place

All I know is if I ran 4:05 for the 1600 and was in last place, I'd still be insanely psyched at my time.

dial it up wrote:

Stop focusing on running 4:35 and try to win the race. Who cares if you run 4:35 or 4:05 if you take last place

This is not good advice. What if the next best guy runs 5:04 or 4:58 or whatever? It's definitely ok to try to go after a time; just winning is not enough sometimes. IF he ends up RACING someone in there, then great, maybe that will push him to even better than 4:35, but often in high school you find yourself in races where no one is close, and even at 4:35, that can happen.

Perfect splits would be 68-69. But very few people can run perfect splits. And if you are on here asking, you can't go negative.

Id suggest goal splits to be:

66

68

70

71

I like to get out a little fast, then cruise but staying focused over the next 800, then start hammering down. So the splits for a 4:35 would look like this:

34,34 68

35,35 70 2:18

35,35 70 3:28

34,33 67 4:35

Blahbaba wrote:

Perfect splits would be 68-69. But very few people can run perfect splits. And if you are on here asking, you can't go negative.

Id suggest goal splits to be:

66

68

70

71

Progressively going slower throughout the race is definitely not the way to go.

Don't listen to this guy op. Go through the first 2 laps (or 4 if indoor) at a solid pace, pick it up on the third lap (or 5th/6th lap) to where you notice yourself going faster, and finally use your mental ability to keep your pace on the last lap.

go:

68

70

68

69

You might even end up going faster than 4:35.

seriously, have any of the responders ever raced a 1500/1600/mile?

i agree wth the guy who said if you want to run your fastest you do need to race the race and not just try to hit some pre-determined splits. i always run my fastest times when i'm not actually focussed on getting the PR but more focussed on racing intelligently. you need to position yourself well, read and anticipate what others are doing, etc. the goal should be to conserve energy and put yourself in striking range for the bell lap.

anyway, an ideal race in my mind has the following laps as fastest to slowest:

4, 1, 2, 3

so, get out quick to establish position in the first lap, cruise the second, lap 3 will inevitably be a few secs slower than 2 (use this to move in to a good position if possible), and then move on the last lap.

so let's say: 68/69/71/67

Good post. Today I ran 4:34 in what felt like a consistent maximum effort. The splits ended up being 64, 70, 72, 68. Definitely went out too fast but it always seems like the fast twitch phase in the first 200m is use-it-or-lose-it and then a small slow fade until the 4th lap.