Running the 800

So many people here are referring to the last 200 meters as "guts time" or something similar. You can have all the guts in the world, but if you've given away too much on the first lap, you're going to break down in that last 200.

Example: My PR is 1:56, which I have hit several times, usually running roughly 57.5 for the first lap and 58.5 for the second. One meet, I decided to go for a big PR. I went out with the leaders and hit the quarter in 55-high. I thought I was doing well, tried to stay relaxed down the backstretch, and came through 600 in 1:25. As I came around the turn, I was thinking about arms and pumping and maintaining form, but I just couldn't do it. My form broke down and I ran a 32-second last 200 for a 1:58.

You have to run the first lap with the last 200 in mind. The 800 is not about who has the best kick, it's about who slows down the least. The key is to preserve your momentum without making any big moves.

Ideal splits, in my opinion, are as follows: First 200 is 1 second faster than goal pace, middle 2 200s are at goal pace, and last 200 is one second slower than goal pace. For 1:56, this yields 28-29-29-30.

The best laid plans of mice and men...

Yeah, unfortunately we aren't dealing with a computer. So, every race is a test/experiment.

What works for one will not necessarily work for another.

My/your "ideal" is something that exist in our mind and keeps us striving to achieve the goal.

Some of my outstanding 800 runners have been "winddown" and others have been "stayers".

The problem is to determine the "type" and then hopefully provide the "ideal" balanced training that will help them reach that perceived perfection.

Best wishes in your quest for success.

Thank you very much for all the responses so far. I mentioned earlier that I'm more of a 5k/10k type runner and will be in college, so I think trying to run conservatively the first lap is my best option.

While the 800 is not my primary focus, I'm wondering what types of workouts would be best in order to maximize my potential in that race while still preparing for the 1600 and 3200?

Thank you for any responses and to those who have responded so far.

my advice:

go out as hard as you possibly can for the first 400.

make sure everyone at the meet notices how far ahead you are.

then pretend to black out or fake an injury and pull off the track at around 550m.

works every time.

you need to do some 150m or 250m. 8x150m w/ 3oom rec is a good one. run the 150m @ 400m pace.

53 400

15:20 5k

= 4:18 mile and under 2min 800

good luck

There are tons of good workouts.

A good one I got from RoJo: 600 at 800m pace, 4:30 recovery, 2x300 at pace w/ just a bit shorter recovery, then 2x150 harder. Not full recovery, but enough so that the work can be done well.

Adam Kedge, a pretty good HS coach in New Mexico has what he calls "the trunk". Essentially it's 3x4x200m at 800m pace w/ 60 seconds recovery between reps and a mile job between sets. You can modify this all sorts of ways: 4x200, 3x300 and 2x200; 3x 200,400,200 and so on.

Thanks for all the workout advice. I really like "the trunk" workout idea, it sounds like it would help a lot. One question though... Should I run the 200's at goal pace or at my current 800 pace?

Any other workout ideas would be appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

It depends at what point of the year you're at relative to when you want to be in peak shape. If you are 8 weeks or more away from your goal peaking time I'd run date pace.

You could do 200m at mile pace then 100m in about the same time as a type of fartlek. If you aim for 4:40 you'd run a 200m in 35 and then a 100m in 30-32 seconds. I find it works well with my younger ones.

There are all ways that you can do it. I prefer to start my kids at current 800 pace and work down to goal 800 pace, maybe even faster.

So, if I'm doing 3 sets of something like 200's I'll do the first set at curent 800 pace (:28 - 29 for a 1:55 guy) then work down to :27 - :28 on the second set and on the third set I may have them go :27, :27, :26, :25 if they can.

About 5 weeks before my goal race I begin sharpening sessions at 400 pace. 10x100 w/3min.walk/jog. Feels easy the first 5, but youstart to feel it the last 5. The last session is either a race/time trial at 400m 4 or 5 days prior. In conjuction w/other, more strength-oriented sessions and races, it will bring you those final precious seconds of improvement.

Is this Adam Kedge?

can someone give me an estimate of what a 21.6/47.3 athletes could run in the 800?

davids wrote:

can someone give me an estimate of what a 21.6/47.3 athletes could run in the 800?

Between 1:42 and 2:00.

1:44-2:12

Mtn Dew wrote:

davids wrote:

can someone give me an estimate of what a 21.6/47.3 athletes could run in the 800?

Between 1:42 and 2:00.