10x800 workout thoughts

It's a good indicator of 5K pace but it's not going to tell you much about your marathon fitness.

Sounds like Yasso 800s at goal marathon time. You're ready.

So I could presumably run a 5k right now in sub 19?

And I know it's yasso-ish, and you were probably being sarcastic, but my rest was half the time of Yassos which makes this a much better workout in my opinion.

Yassos are a great workout, just not always a great marathon predictor. Unfortunately it will depend on your endurance and how well you're suited for the distance. Your upcoming half marathon will tell you much more about your chances to run 3:05; if you run 1:28 then you'll be in the ball park, although 1:26 would be much better....

Ezekiel bread wrote:

Sounds like Yasso 800s at goal marathon time. You're ready.

Ugh, sorry, maybe it's just me but I have seen zero correlation between these Yahoo 800s and goal MP. With 3 min rest, I could manage this workout (Soy viejo), but no way am I running anywhere close to a 3 flat full (and I do the requisite training).

What about with half the rest?

whatdoyousay wrote:

I did 10x800 at 3:02 average this morning with 90 sec rest between. First rep was slowest at 3:06 and last one was 3:00 on the dot so know I had some left. Shooting for a 3:05 BQ in 6 weeks and have been running 60 mpw to that end. I'm a mid-30's guy with no cross country background so not really inclined to speed. Curious what others think this workout says about my marathon chances and/or current 5k shape. Have a half marathon time trial race in 10 days that I'll be shooting for 1:28. Thanks.

I ran 8 x 800 with 200 jogs about 3 weeks outs from a marathon with a very similar background (mid 30s, minimal speed, 60mpw etc). They were all about 3:10 and I felt pretty controlled and confident. I ran a pretty conservative first half and a huge negative split to sneak in at 3:04 at Philly a few weeks ago. I'm certainly no expert, but it's possible.

HahaRiiiiiiight wrote:

Yassos are a great workout, just not always a great marathon predictor. Unfortunately it will depend on your endurance and how well you're suited for the distance. Your upcoming half marathon will tell you much more about your chances to run 3:05; if you run 1:28 then you'll be in the ball park, although 1:26 would be much better....

Flip it around.

Yassos are a great marathon predictor only if one has done the work. I'd never do Yassos to get in shape, develop speed, or stamina.

If the OP is put in the miles over the last 10 weeks, done the tempos, and intervals, then it looks good, if not it will be a crash and burn.

It's encouraging to see that data point as you're both quite similar to me: mid-30s male, no serious running background, poor natural speed, have run aimlessly over the years for fitness but have gotten more serious and upped my mileage to 40--50/wk with specific training over the past four to five weeks (workouts, long-ish runs, easy runs). I plan on running my first marathon in Spring 2019 with the perhaps ambitious goal of a BQ (which may require sub-3 in the 35--39 age bracket -- check out Boston's web site for previous years' qualifying cut-offs). I'm running a HM this weekend and will increase my mileage for the marathon.

I ran 8x800m last week averaging 2:58 while aiming for 3:00 with 60s walking rest. I could have done a few more but didn't want to overextend myself because of this weekend's HM. Other recent workouts have been: one 6x1mi @ 6:00 pace with 90s rest cutting down to 60s prior to the last two; two 3x2mi @ 6:15 to 6:20 pace with 3:00 rest; and a 5mi tempo @ 6:25 pace on tired legs. I haven't run a race in eight years and don't know how these workouts will translate to race pace -- I suppose that's why it's good to race often. FWIW, I ran the workouts in trainers but I'll wear flats this weekend.

The HM course looks to be fairly flat and I plan to set out at 1:25 pace (6:30 miles) until halfway and pick it up from there if I'm able. I may fail spectacularly but I'll give that a go and report back -- I like when people follow up prediction posts with results.

I'm certainly no expert either, but I'll guess you're in 18:30--19:00 5k shape and that 3:05 is certainly possible, presuming you've run at least a few long runs of 16, 18, 20mi with a few late miles @ MP in those.

Good luck!

Dude, you seem to be in a fantastic spot to break 3 in your marathon debut. Those are some solid workouts.

As to my other workouts, yes, I have put in the other work.

I've already run 2000 miles for the year, and this marathon cycle has included various tempos, intervals, and long runs including 22 @ 7:57, 16 with last 8 @ 6:59, 20 @ 7:51, 18 with last 3 @ tempo, etc.

Speed is my weakness, so seeing it won't be what holds me back has me feeling very confident.

whatdoyousay wrote:

I did 10x800 at 3:02 average this morning with 90 sec rest between. First rep was slowest at 3:06 and last one was 3:00 on the dot so know I had some left. Shooting for a 3:05 BQ in 6 weeks and have been running 60 mpw to that end. I'm a mid-30's guy with no cross country background so not really inclined to speed. Curious what others think this workout says about my marathon chances and/or current 5k shape. Have a half marathon time trial race in 10 days that I'll be shooting for 1:28. Thanks.

I did 10 by 800 in 2:52 a couple weeks before a marathon...then blew up massively after 21 and ran 3:14.

yassos only mean anything if you 60-80 miles per week.

kmaclam wrote:

Ezekiel bread wrote:

Sounds like Yasso 800s at goal marathon time. You're ready.

Ugh, sorry, maybe it's just me but I have seen zero correlation between these Yahoo 800s and goal MP. With 3 min rest, I could manage this workout (Soy viejo), but no way am I running anywhere close to a 3 flat full (and I do the requisite training).

Obviously you don't do the requisite training.

I'm not sure the 800s are a great marathon estimator but those longer interval workouts (1-mile and 2-mile repeats) are solid workouts, I'd be surprised if you aren't close to the shape needed for your marathon goal.

Good luck.

There are meaningless race workouts to predict times and Yasso's are them except entirely when coincidental lightning strikes. Such a myth that deserves a painful death.

It is a good workout but don't pin a marathon finishing time on it.

Better indicator is a 15 - 16 mile MP run and how you feel afterward, done on a similar course as the race.

At least you did finish strong which is a good indicator you might prevent yourself from starting too fast.

Good luck.

Yassos are basically just a VO2max type workout. If you look at the VDOT for any marathon pace, you'll see the VO2max pace is pretty close to Yasso.

So it suggests that you are aerobically strong enough to run that marathon time, but that's all. Very few people can run a marathon time in line with their VDOT (I'd guess less than 5%), so that would suggest that Yasso is only a negative predictor. If you can't do Yassos, you have basically no chance of running the corresponding marathon time. If you have a ton of miles under your belt, including runs that are both long and fast, then it's possible, but not guaranteed.

But keep in mind that doing Yassos doesn't mean that it's your true VO2max pace. People can dig deep and do VO2-type workouts that are faster than their true VO2 pace. People also tend to dig deeper when they think the workout will prove something.

Decent workout if you weren’t racing. Half race will tell you more. GL

gonna have to correct you there wrote:

kmaclam wrote:

Ugh, sorry, maybe it's just me but I have seen zero correlation between these Yahoo 800s and goal MP. With 3 min rest, I could manage this workout (Soy viejo), but no way am I running anywhere close to a 3 flat full (and I do the requisite training).

Obviously you don't do the requisite training.

Nope, I actually do. But at 60 plus years old, it's a bit different than these guys in their mid 30s.

whatdoyousay wrote:

Dude, you seem to be in a fantastic spot to break 3 in your marathon debut. Those are some solid workouts.

As to my other workouts, yes, I have put in the other work.

I've already run 2000 miles for the year, and this marathon cycle has included various tempos, intervals, and long runs including 22 @ 7:57, 16 with last 8 @ 6:59, 20 @ 7:51, 18 with last 3 @ tempo, etc.

Speed is my weakness, so seeing it won't be what holds me back has me feeling very confident.

Now these workouts are telling. The 800s, not at all. 3:05 looks like a cinch with good weather.

I appreciate the confidence. I doubt it will be a cinch, but this workout was promising about my current fitness.