My PB in youth was 1:56. Latter in life once more aimed the 800m,achieved 1:59 at 39 (one moth from 40).
It was a low milage high intenisty build + weights.
After cannot replicate it,almost burned out during that build at that age.
Weekly two workouts:
-200meters building up to 10x with diagonal jog across field. Build into 28-30s with flying start.
-4x (10x short hill sprint 5-6sec + 500m @1500 pace working down to 1000m pace) Recovery was walk/jog back 500m. This one was tricky had to build up from 2 reps up to 4 during 8 weeks.
Did two TT before the race an 500+300m (100jog) and a 600+200m (diagonal jog) both at 2:00 800 pace. Then I know I was ready.
OP, given your PB and your natural aptitude, you can do it. Breaking 2:05 at age 40 is always a great achievement—and even more so with each passing year. By far the most important training goal is staying injury-free. During my 40s, I repeatedly focused on the 800m/1500m for certain periods. I didn't quite manage a 2:05, but I wasn't far off. Looking back, what worked well was: about 35 miles/week (I’m not naturally gifted, so I always had to do more volume), two workouts, and cross-training. Good workouts included 200s at about 800m pace—for example, 8–10 x 200m / proper rest. For endurance, 400s, 800s or short, hard tempo runs. What I did wrong, in hindsight, was trying to force things too much. For instance, I always viewed those 200s at about 800m pace with proper rest as my key session, and I was able to gradually increase both volume and speed. While 8–10 x 200m with 90s of rest is a good workout, I tried to do more than that or with shorter rest and failed to recover; that led to problems and setbacks. You have to listen to your body and be sensible.
I’d recommend looking into the Norwegian singles method. It’s a much safer way to training and a couple of old dudes have run very quick miles and 800s (sub-4:30/2:10) off of the method. If you have not sprinted since your 20s the likelihood of you getting injured by training like a 4/8 guy in your 40s is extremely high.
Don't believe the injury scaremongers. Your risk of injury increases when you do stuff that you don't normally do, too hard, or too soon if you're building up to it.
1:O8 HM and 1:59 800 PRs late in grad school at age 28. Hip injury going all out at running a fast 'thon at 30 killed my desire to compete in my 30s. BUT I got healthy & played a ton of basketball, kept lifting, and never stopped sprinting/jumping, and running for fun. Got itch to compete again in late 30s, 2:06/4:39/15:38 for 800/mile/5k at 40. Can still grab a basketball rim, and do flying 100s/200s at the same speeds when 28. For me, I feel it's the speed endurance that has gone away - ability to *hold speed* doesn't feel the same. But the whole "you're gonna get hurt/pull something" mindset around sprinting is garbage (if you build up to it, are consistent with it, and do proper "prehab"/strength training to protect vulnerable spots - hammys and calves for me).
Are you gonna be slower? Yeah. But I personally enjoy this type of training, and only running 30-40mpw. I'd be miserable doing the "midlife crisis marathon" slog that someone else suggested you do. Go for it, life is too short not to.
To be fair, the times you listed were in your 20s and 30s. The OP is already over 40 and doesn’t have the consistency of playing lots of basketball, sprinting and lifting like you did throughout your 30s. You also seem to be the exception, not the rule. If you tell 90%+ dudes over 30 and especially in their 40s, who haven’t been springtime and jumping for years to start again, it will destroy them.
How would you recommend the OP start to work back into this type of work? How does he begin to sprint and jump again, while avoiding injury?
Some coaches refer to the 800m as a "long sprint" to emphasize that speed and strong 400m capabilities are essential to the event. As a former 1:49 runner, the OP has gone far too long without working on his speed. In countless threads here on LetsRun, former middle-distance runners lament the loss of speed. The OP needs to factor this into his training from the very start—something he is well aware of himself. It begins with a few easy strides, eventually progressing to flying 100s at 90% effort, and so on. If the OP wants to run sub-2:05, he really needs to be capable of running the 400m well under 60 seconds; anything else is hard to imagine. And you simply don't get there without training for it.
I'm a former 1:49 800 guy, haven't run a race since college. I have stayed in pretty good shape though by lifting, swimming, and running the odd 3-5 miles, but haven't sprinted since my 20s.
Instead of doing the average mid life crisis thing and running a marathon or getting a road bike, I'd like to see how fast I can go for 800 with about 12 months training.
I'm pretty injury prone these days, so planning to do fairly low mileage and train more like a 400/800 guy than an 800/1500. (Think fast 200s, 300s, 500s, 600s. Eventually plyometrics. Maybe one threshold session per week in base phase). I'll probably cross train instead of doing easy runs.
Anyone done something similar and can give me a reasonable idea of training and what times I might expect to run? Is a 2:05 realistic?
With your base speed background, do-able. I'm in my 40s and have retained/recovered a lot of my own mid-d speed from when I was young...er. My biggest advice would be plan on a lot of recovery and to approach your overall workout planning with a longer period of "introduction". I never stopped running (~70 mi/wk) but when I started speed again in my late 30s I found it was hugely helpful to take many weeks to build back up to the intensity used in short reps like 200s.
Launching right into sets of 200s, for example, at that pace meant I was very sore for 2-3 days afterward and ultimately delayed my ability to also fit in a day of vo2max or thresh work. It worked a lot better to start w/ "mini workouts" at the target 200 workout pace. First week or two: 50m. Then a week or two at 100m. Then 150, then finally full 200s. Adjusting as needed w/ feedback from my legs' recovery. As I said, I was running 7 days @ 70+ mi/wk for this so experience may vary.
So yeah. In short: you can do it, but definitely be conservative with turning up the intensity knob, so to speak.
The world records for men aged 40-45 is 1:48 by a 1:45 guy. And 1:1:49 for 45-49. Just over 2:03? for 50 -55. Train consistently and focus on speed based on your 400/800m profile, but without overdoing it and rest a lot more between hard sessions. Keep the gy up Then go for the latter WR and everyone after that as long as it makes sense. Or a NR. It's a longer term goal coz the problem with solving a midlife crisis in 12 months is the post achievement malaise and lack of direction already kicking in next year. That's like tying up in life at the start of the second lap.
Some coaches refer to the 800m as a "long sprint" to emphasize that speed and strong 400m capabilities are essential to the event. As a former 1:49 runner, the OP has gone far too long without working on his speed. In countless threads here on LetsRun, former middle-distance runners lament the loss of speed. The OP needs to factor this into his training from the very start—something he is well aware of himself. It begins with a few easy strides, eventually progressing to flying 100s at 90% effort, and so on. If the OP wants to run sub-2:05, he really needs to be capable of running the 400m well under 60 seconds; anything else is hard to imagine. And you simply don't get there without training for it.
On the other hand, he has trained to retain strength and if he did stay sharp the wear and tear would have also had their way. Sometimes natural talent plus no serious training means that a possibility for a good comeback is there. Sometimes not. Just saying.
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