Good 400m workout?

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ThatAverageRunner:

Why are you running at 400m pace? The idea of speed/speed-endurance session is to work on technique AND actually getting faster.

Well I used 400m pace as a rough guideline. I’d probably try to be under 400m pace.

But this is why I’m asking for advice.

My best quarter is 50.5, was very close to making it to state but unfortunately did not my senior year.

One workout I recall which was pretty difficult was running my 300s 39 or better 5x with about 5 mins of rest. My best was a 37 this session and I could not even get up after finishing my last one. For you, You'd have to adjust this workout depending on your 400m time of course.

We also did overdistance workouts for strength, fast 500s, basically aiming to run a 400 @85-90% and maintain form and speed as best as possible the last 100. We did this about 4 times with full recovery.

Speed endurance like 150s are good too, 95% 6-8x full recovery.

Alactic speed sessions, 6x60m maintaining good form but going basically all out. My coach never wanted to say all out because he didn't want people to get injured. Flying 30s work as well for speed.

Ladder workout near end of season, 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 90-95% full recovery. By the time the 400m came I ran a 51 or 52 I believe.

One of the hardest workouts I did was one I later researched that Michael Johnson sometimes did. You'd run a 300m fast and get like 30 seconds of rest and then a 100m all out. We got 3-4 mins of rest and did this 3-5 times.

This is just what I remember doing, obviously you can't all do this back to back. A lot of these sessions bring you a lot of lactic acid as that's what the 400m does to you. If I were you, you have the strength from being an 800m runner, it's the speed you're most likely lacking. So the alactic sessions, plyometrics, and 150s would probably help you. (For me, my endurance was bad, I ran a 22.8 open 200)The specific sessions with 300s are good but we didn't do them until mid-late season.

I use the sets of 300-100 workout but only do three sets. 1:00 after 300 and 5-8min after 100.

ThatAverageRunner wrote:

100, 150, 200, 150, 100 @ 400m pace. 4-6 minutes rest between. Enough so I feel ready to hit pace on the next rep.

I’m an 800m guy but also trying to work on my 400m a little more this season. Not too sure about 400m workouts themselves.

Periodization matters a lot.

So that kind of work is fine but it a sharpening workout.

6 x 200 at close to 400 race pace with 30 seconds of rest between is they type of workout you need early in the season. Then later on you do not want to do anything slower than 400 pace.

Remember too that you want to spend some time on form work. The sprinter should be using a ball of foot landing. This can only be achieved if the arms, torso, and hips are aligned with the feet in an efficient manner. I suggest running drills and specific work on running form. Perform dynamic stretching. Only do static stretching at the end of the workout if at all.

Sprinters must spend a lot of time doing things well, not just working on dealing with lactic acid.

Running both the 800/400 can work out quite well but the aerobic system must be developed all the way until the end of the season. Fartlek sharpening workouts such as 50-50 for 2 miles is a good thing to do late in the season.

Early season workout would be where you would do the following 5 mile runs, Recovery runs of 2-5 miles, 600-500-400-300-200 with 400 jogs between, 6 x 300 at 400 pace, Fartlek, 8 x 100.

Obviously the above is far from complete. That would take 20-30 600 page books.

Thanks everyone.

I have a good idea of what workouts I can do, I guess I was wondering more on what types I should focus on.

I am an 800m runner, and I have a pretty good base (for a 400/800 runner), but my speed / speed endurance is likely lacking. Most of my races will be ~April.

I'm thinking shorter reps would be more beneficial to me right now.

I may do something like 4x50m, 2x100m, 2x150m.

Starting with the shorter reps since those will be at top speed and I want to be fresh for those. The 100's and 150's won't necessarily be all out, but hopefully sub 400m pace. I'm not worried about 'over distance' training since I am not a sprinter running the 400m, I'm a distance guy running the 400m. An I'll do more longer reps at goal pace in 3-4 weeks since I won't be racing for 6-8 weeks.

A good rule of thumb is to set aside one day per week to work on speed.

Do this all year.

Why?

Because the hardest thing to develop in training is speed.

If you want to get faster you must always work on it. Most coaches do not agree with me on this but many Olympic distance coaches do.

ThatAverageRunner:

Your "speed session" is actually structured well. Although I would cut the volume in half initially so your "speed session" is 2X50m, 1X100, 1X150 - trust me, if it is done correctly this will be more than enough. Once you are comfortable with this program add one more rep to each distance set until you work your way up to your "original" workout. At this point you should have developed your technique enough to be competent. For extra credit add a 200m with a 100m flying/stride lead-in.

I would also suggestion is that the 100s and 150s need to be done at near max/max speed with excellent technique; the 400m is a sprint. This is especially true for you since you are not a "sprinter"; you need to get used to moving at high speeds. You are correct to not be overly concerned with the over-distance work since you are coming from an 800m background BUT it still needs to be addressed at least once per week (assuming you train 2-3 days a week).

Runfastrunfar

NB: Warm up thoroughly. Pay particular attention to your hamstrings, calves, and Achilles heels.

waltertompatton wrote:

A good rule of thumb is to set aside one day per week to work on speed.

Do this all year.

Why?

Because the hardest thing to develop in training is speed.

If you want to get faster you must always work on it. Most coaches do not agree with me on this but many Olympic distance coaches do.

Quoted for truth !!!!

This won't be my first sprint session ever.

I've run 1:52 and 49.9r and will often add in some hill sprints after tempos.

A few weeks ago I completed 8x70m all out, and often do strides and other sprint work to keep in touch with my top speed. I will play the workout by ear and if I'm gassed I will take more rest or cut the workout if need be. The actual work is nothing new to me, I just wasn't sure what I should work on and when.

Keep it simple, some 50m to 150m reps for 4 to 6 reps. Also, do some short hill reps.