10x400 with 2 minutes rest between...?

Pretty good workout for a miler, but I'd slow them down to mile pace rather than faster than mile pace.

That certainly wouldn't be the bread and butter workout for the week during cross, but if you've got good mileage/tempo/longer interval sessions under your belt, then yeah, it's probably OK.

Sloppy Joe wrote:

This is my coaches classic workout. We usually do it once a week at least in season gradually adding 400 repeats as the season progresses (Up to 14 repeats for me he says this year). The 400's are supposed to be "all out but consistent" (which usually end up being 2 seconds quicker than my mile split for me). We do this workout A LOT. Seems like a pretty ridiculous workout but I do it of course. Ever heard of a workout like this? Wouldn't one minute rest be more effective or a minute rest at goal 5k pace be better?

I'm not against it or don't mean to be "rebellious" I just want to know if this is a workout many other coaches do.

---

You did not say what event you run. It will make a difference.

I'm a girl and when I was 12 years old in the 1970's I did 20 x 440 with 2 minute rest every week. I raced the 880. My 880 time got slower. The other interval day we did 40 x 220. I left the coach and went back to doing a variety of distances during a interval workout and ran better. I just depends on the individual and they body responds to the workouts. Training should not be one size fits all. Ask your coach what's the purpose of this workout.

Thanks for the replies. Anybody else?

This is running economy work. Most elite programs do it, and it should be a bread and butter workout. However, you seem to work it harder than you need to. Most programs would use 150s, 200s or 300s, but 400s can work as well.

I would advise using your mile rp or a few seconds slower. Practice running relaxed while running fast. This workout should NOT be too taxing.

With 2:00 rest, mile pace should be doable.

10x400 at mile pace with 1:00 rest is very hard for most, although it gets more manageable for experienced runners with a serious long-term aerobic base.

I find 10x400 with 1:30 rest to be a sweet spot for mile pace work. I think that 10x300 is also very reasonable for masters, HS runners and others who might take as long 55 per 300 or 70 per 400, making the "classic" workout very hard indeed!

standard workout for mile training, or even 5k/10k guy early on.

Deek was one of the best marathoners ever and did 8x400m 200m/Rjog weekly. Sammy Wanjiru's bread and butter track workout was 10x400m-

I was always doing 20x400m/100m Rjog for my marathon training and Frank Shorter told me to cut that in half and do 10x400m but run the 400s faster.

In my case 70-72 instead of 75-78- I would say you are in good company with that workout. Keep it up!

This was Bannister's signal session prior to running sub-4:00. I do them year 'round, but don't time them during the non-competitive season and often do them on a dirt path with effort going easy to harder, controlled rhythm throughout.