400m/800m Training Help and Goal Evaluation!

You need to build up your aerobic engine. Build up over the summer doing a hour steady. And, a few times a week do some hill sprints, strides, fartlek runs, and once a week do a light workout such as 6 x 1k/ some 200m/300m reps.

Hey NotZay,

If you want to be the best 800 runner in your city's history:

You certainly have enough speed to run 1:53 with a 400 @ 50 but you lack the aerobic capacity to sustain that over 800m.

1. Once per week, focus your faster runs (intervals and repetitions) at or faster than goal race pace of 1:53 (28.25 per 200m).

Intervals (incomplete recoveries of 30 - 60 seconds generally) @ 28 per 200m

Repetitions (complete or near complete recoveries of 3 - 5 minutes generally) @ 24 to 25 per 200m (assuming your best

200 is in the 22 - 23 second range?)

Does your high school compete in 1A, 2A, 3A or 4A Florida classification? Unless this year's results were an aberration, a

point scoring placement (Top 8), would be 1:52 - 2:01 depending on classification.

2. Being that you do not have an aerobic base and it's almost Summer, I would begin to develop your cardiovascular system

with a slow build up to 5x or 6x weekly easy runs. Since official track season does not begin until late January in Florida,

you would have 7.5 months to devote to this and could possibly ramp up to a weekly mileage in the 30 to 40 range by the

7th month (5 easy runs of 6 to 8 miles each with a monthly increase of 1 mile per run)! Perhaps you could start

conservatively with just 3 runs of 2 miles on non-consecutive days each and see how your body reacts to this volume and

if this reaction is positive, add a 4th run, gauge reaction and if positive, add a 5th run and if positive add a 6th run. Then

once you can Try not to run all your easy mileage on pavement, as that pounding will take it's toll over time.

These easy runs should be heart rate based not pace based in Aerobic Zone 2 = 60% - 69%

Max HR. Using the Karvonen Formula. Easy runs should feel effortless, like you could maintain that pace all day and you

might be humbled at how slow you have to run initially to keep your HR in Zone 2. Be patient and your pace restraint will

reap big dividends during track season.

(Actual Max HR - Resting HR) x 60%) + Resting HR = Zone 2 Minimum HR

(Actual Max HR - Resting HR) x 69%) + Resting HR = Zone 2 Max HR

Do you know what your actual Max HR is? If not a substitute is using one of the many formulas to estimate it:

Example if you are 17: 211 - (17 x 64%) +/- 11 = 190 to 211. You could be an outlier and be above or below this range so if

you feel you are healthy (no injuries or medical issues), fit (have been running at least 3 times a week for several weeks and

well-rested (2 to 3 days since your last hard run, warm up thoroughly then run all out for ~ 3 minutes and record your peak

HR. Finding your Max HR is brutal so be careful and bring a friend as a precaution.

3. Buy a heart monitor. Get one with a chest strap as those are more accurate than the wrist-watch only versions.

4. Consider running on the Cross Country Team this Fall. Talk with the Coach first and tell him your considering this to prepare you to be a State Finalist in the 800 and see if his/her training methodology is compatible with your goal.

5. Work on ankle and hip mobility daily. I can detail this out in another post if you would like me to?

6. Include strength training 2 to 3x weekly. I can detail this out in another post if you would like me to?

I welcome your feedback and questions and would be happy to monitor your progress and make adjustments along the way!

Check out this thread for inspiration:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2669719

My take:

If you want to be an elite 800 runner, elite 400m speed is more important than elite 1500m speed. You're young, so take this opportunity to improve as a 400m runner. 48 seconds should be your goal. Train on the speed-side of things, as you've been doing, and gradually start to introduce more volume and more 800m race pace work. Some sessions that I think would be beneficial for a 48/153 guy:

2x(3x200) w/ 1,2,3 mins rest: 26,25,24,26,25,24

3x400 w/ 8 mins rest: 52s

4x300 w/ 2 mins rest: 40-42

Lots of strides, hill sprints, short tempo work. Speed development days with the short sprinters. Emphasis on quality miles, not quantity. To be a great 800 runner, you'll need to do a little bit of everything. Start by improving on your strengths (400m speed) and gradually make the transition towards shoring up your weaknesses.

Have you considered doing cross country?

If you start doing mileage go into it steadily, staying healthy so that you can be consistent is possibly the most important part of training.

I also hail from Jax, Bartram alum, so I hope you bring glory to the city!

I'm in Floridas 2A classification (I was in 3A last year thus why I didnt make it far) those kids are legit in 3A and most are juniors

My goal for base building was to start off easy then slowly build up to my 45 mpw with weights 2-3x a week, strides after each easy run, fartlek/tempos once a week,hills every 10 days until I get adjusted to this workload then once a week,4 easy runs a week, 1 tempo or fartlek and one long run a week.

My XC team at my new school is buns the best runner ran like a 19 as a senior..I'd be fairly on my own for XC and I really want to get in the 16s in my first season at that school they use XC as a means to get in early track and field work.

Please detail the mobility and strength work in a post I was just going to do what Mo Farah does for his weights haha.

I'll also look into the HR stuff and a monitor..do you have an e-mail i can get?

Bartram is legit! Did you run collegiality and I will be doing XC this year but I'm transferring to Raines from Paxon so idk how that'll go

Nah I have no talent (though Nowicki and younger Frank got the most out of us) but I had some teammates who went on to run for some good schools

I don’t know much about either of those programs especially nowadays but you should definitely run XC, the Jax cross country circuit is pretty great.

you can reach me at

elitesportandwellness@gmail.com

. I will get back to you tonight as I have a lot of household things to do before out of town family arrives over the weekend!

Patrick

What kind of weightlifting equipment and accessories do you have access to?

can you e-mail me your number xavieramirgreen@gmail.com id like to discuss over the phone thank you so much for your help

2x(3x200) w/ 1,2,3 mins rest: 26,25,24,26,25,24

--> Har session for a 50 @ 400 guy, do this rarely.

3x400 w/ 8 mins rest: 52s

--> Way too fast for a guy that ran 2.00 and has 50 as personal best. Run them at 56

EverClever wrote:

5. Work on ankle and hip mobility daily. I can detail this out in another post if you would like me to?

6. Include strength training 2 to 3x weekly. I can detail this out in another post if you would like me to?

I welcome your feedback and questions and would be happy to monitor your progress and make adjustments along the way!

I'd love too se these two things in more detail!

Lets start with an Ankle Mobility Test.

You will need a 12" Ruler, Yard Stick or Tape Measure

Warm Up calves for a few minutes then do some light to moderate stretching

To Measure the Soleus Calf Muscles in Dorsi-Flexion (Pulling Toes Up Towards Shins):

Place Measuring Device on Floor Perpendicular to and Touching Wall

Stand Split Stance Barefooted with Longest Toe 1" or 2" From & Facing Wall

Toes Pointed Straight Ahead

Place Hands on Wall for Support

Bend Both Knees While leaning Forward Until Knee of Front Leg Touches Wall

Keep Heel of Forward Leg on Floor

Move Back in 1/2" Increments & Repeat Until Heel Lifts Off Floor

Switch Stance & Repeat Sequence w/ Other Leg

< 4" is Poor

Bilateral Variance: < 1/2" Difference is OK

To Measure the Gastrocnemius Calf Muscles in Dorsi-Flexion (Pulling Toes Up Towards Shins):

Same procedure as above except:

Stand about 36" from and facing the wall; taller and or more flexible persons might need to stand further away whereas shorter and or less flexible persons might need to stand closer to the wall

keep back leg straight (knees locked)

measure back leg not front leg distance between end of longest toe while holding at least a 24" long stick straight down to the floor from the front of the mid point of the knee (this knee will not be touching the wall) and the distance between your long toe and the stick is your score

< 5" is Poor

Bilateral Variance: < 1/2" Difference is OK