Sub-2:00 800m Training

JOhn1234567890987654321 wrote:

good luck my man this week can either make u or break you!

Ah, I dunno. It's a long season, and the weather often sucks for the early meets anyway. Early meets are probably better for focusing on "how" rather than "how fast." Don't worry about split times (or final times!) too much--run strong, have fun, COMPETE like crazy.

And keep us posted on how it works out. Good luck to you and your team!

I was in the same position you were in HS

I had run 2:03 and had 51 sec. 400 speed, yet I couldn't get under 2. My 5k time was like 17:45 during cross country but I sagged off indoor training and burnout to about 25-30 miles a week. That just won't cut it. I had the speed and could do the 4X400 @ 60sec work out and 10x200 @ 30 workout. Yet I'd breakdown with 200m to go every single time, and I'm talking about some real bombs, coming through in 1:26 and dropping a 38. Things like that.

Basically keep the 10 milers, up the mileage a bit now to like 40 or so. Concentrate on aerobic workouts and don't quit. At the time I didn't really understand running. Breaking your habits is a good thing if you're in a rut.

I ran in college for a while and now just love running on my own just for the sake of running, but I always think....I should've ran more miles during season.

Hey thanks dude!

But yeah, first meet today, just an intrasquad scrimmage in the freezing cold! I forgot sweats, so my warmup didn't go so great, but PRed in the 1600 today at 4:47 and split a 53.7 on the 4x400 relay!

The pacing on the mile fell off, because a lot of our team wasn't really feeling the whole intrasquad thing, but I'm really thrilled with today. I negative split all but the first 100 on the 400, which was pretty weird, and cool, but I've still got to work on my top end leg speed somehow...

How would I do that? I've heard about doing a few 200's with full recovery, but would 100-150 work better for sprint speed? And how often?

But the season's looking good!

I don't know how my 800 next week will go, because it's been months since I ran the event, but I'm aiming for 2:07-2:08 for the first race and might take a crack at the 2:00 barrier at one of the early invitationals. :]

Sorry, I forgot to check the second page.

Yeah, to the other guy, I know my 1600 time's not really up to par, but I'm fairly confident some mileage will help me out. I don't think I have to sacrifice quality with what I'm doing, since I'm not planning on 60 mpw or anything, just 40 or so. I'll be keeping the quality track workouts, definitely, and if I can get some mileage in my tempos are gonna be so much better.

Will not forget the speedwork.

Thanks for all the input, guys, and same boat floats I feel your pain.

Sam01 wrote:

Hey thanks dude!

I've still got to work on my top end leg speed somehow...

How would I do that? I've heard about doing a few 200's with full recovery, but would 100-150 work better for sprint speed? And how often?

:]

I wouldn't really worry about your top end speed during the season. I think you will find that you get a lot faster as you back off your training at the end of the season. I have seen it plenty of times in the kids that I coach that as we back off the training at the end of the season, their 400 times come way down, this is usually without even doing any real "sprint training"

I think that too much worry about top speed will zap your legs and leave you feeling heavy. I think a good time to work top speed is during the off season. Short hill sprints are good, I have always liked 150s as well. Bounding and bleachers also do the job.

Well, since it is February 23rd ideally you should have started running more mileage back in December or January. Your first race is coming up fast I wouldn't worry about a lot of slow miles right now.

Endurance isn't just about going long, it's about going long at a steady effort. If you want to increase your endurance then run a comfortable distance at a slightly harder pace. Keep your mileage where it is, 30-35, but try to run harder. Start by pushing the pace in the latter half of the run then gradually increase the amount of time you spend pushing the pace. A good March will set you up for a good May.

In the future try to get out and run more, put in more miles early. Then you aren't cramming 2-4 weeks before your first race. For track this would mean running long in December, January, and February. Start easy then by February you should be pushing it pretty hard on your runs. Then once the real training starts you can run easy on your easy days and rest.

Alan

Yeah, I really wish I had! But it's too late for more heavy duty stuff, and I don't know if I'll be able to walk on in college next year. I actually struggled with pushing the pace on mileage runs for a while, but I think what miles I have put in have kept me in better shape, so I'll definitely try and pick it up.

BUT RACE DAY TODAY!

I doubled in the 1600 and 800, and had double PR's!

1600 in 4:31, last 400 in 59 seconds, it was crazy! I'm extremely happy with just that, it's a 16 second PR and a fantastic race for me.

I ran the 800 in 2:01, I split 62-59, and again I'm psyched, this was my first 800 in eight months and I've NEVER negative split an 800 before.

Today went really, really well. I think whatever I'm doing, my legs are responding to it quickly and nicely, and I'm really looking forward to some harder LT/tempo runs. btw, last week-

Saturday - 5 miles

Sunday - 11 miles (my longest run ever, but all flat)

Monday - Ladder workout, 100, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, and back down, all at 62 second 400 pace (rest was jog to start of next, if 300 to 350, jog 50m and go so finish at start)

Tuesday - 2.5 miles and weights

Wednesday - 3 miles

Today - Race

From Sunday to Sunday, I had 42 miles per week.

Sorry for the double post, but I'll probably hit around 40-44 mpw this week from Sunday to Sunday, largely due to the 11-miler.

Thanks you guys, posting here's really kept me motivated. It's been a huge help.

6 miles sounds really short to be a long run. I'm kinda where this kid is at, i ran 2:03.5 as a sophmore and i'm lookin to go under 2:00 this year as a junior. The one thing i've changed so far this year is my mileage. I've stepped it up alot, last your the most i did was around like high 30's this year i'm alright at 45, high 40's. My longest run is 12 miles on a saturday or sunday. I dunno, 35mpw doesn't sound ridiculous for breaking two, but i definetly think more mileage would help. But w/e, everybody does their own thing.

I've been following this thread. Awesome improvement. Closing in 59 on a 1600 tells me you can go under 2 this season. Was the 800 your second race of the day?

I still think you can get some benefit even this late in the game by increasing your mileage in March and holding steady in April. You can drop a bit in late April/early May, which if I understand correctly is when it really counts.

One thing I want to caution you about: If you are "pushing the pace" as you put it on ALL runs AND increasing mileage (even to 40+) you may burn out or get injured if you aren't sensible. You may improve for a while and then wham!! Make sure you have some easy days every week and even perhaps a rest day every other week or so.

You may think a short 3 or 5 mile run is easy. But, it's not if you are running it too fast. Despite what another poster said, I feel that on your easy days it's OK to go 7:00 pace or even slower. Ask yourself what your easy days are for. You are supposed to recover while still stimulating some aerobic development. You aren't going to lose your speed because you are doing other faster stuff in the week too.

Yeah, thanks man! Means a lot to me.

I'm still not quite sure what happened on the 1600, I've never felt that good before! If it means much, there was a 1:54 800 runner on the other team and I was afraid he'd outkick me on the bell lap, so I figured I'd go for it with about 450 left. Really cool stuff.

Next meet is a week from today, I'm definitely going for that 2:00 barrier then.

But hey! No worries.

I'm a huge fan of slower runs now, I think I've responded well to the 7:30 pace. I've already beaten my season goal for the 1600, 4:40, and I think it's largely thanks to the smarter mileage. It's kept me going longer, definitely, and I feel a lot fresher for our intervals and LT runs. I am thinking of quickening my tempos and hard runs (fartleks, days when it counts) though, like he said, but it'll be on feel and not for time.

Another 800m runner with similar times to yours in HS and I can say that my times dropped like CRAZY when I started working in long, slow runs (like 50-60 mins at 800m pace).

I was extremely aerobically weak and I guess this just helped.

Great job! Keep it up!

Oops: should have read 8:00min pace. 60 min runs at 800 pace wouldn't be that slow :)

8x300m/3 minutes if you can do this in under 45 seconds you WILL break 2 minutes.

Dude my 5K Pr in HS was 17:00 and i ran 1:55. you can do it, get that mileage in and you'll be fine. it doesn't matter how fast you run a 10 miler as long as you're running it. Also, make sure to get some full rest speed work in at the end of your season. 4by400 (sub 60 full rest with spikes)

This thread sounds very similar to the sub 15 min 5k thread from James Madison...

Anyways, I agree with the few threads I have read. If you are more of a 200/400/800 person there is no need to run 10 milers on a regular basis. If you are a 800/mile runner with decent 400 speed then the 10 miles once or twice a month will help in the early season. When April and May come and you are in the championship phase of your training focus on the speed.

One workout that the milers did on the Farm Team (goal sub 4) was 6 x 400 @ sub 60 with 30 seconds rest. That was a doosie and would only recomend that one on a week you dont have a race. And of course adjust for your own goal mile pace...

Sam01 wrote:

I doubled in the 1600 and 800, and had double PR's!

1600 in 4:31, last 400 in 59 seconds, it was crazy! I'm extremely happy with just that, it's a 16 second PR and a fantastic race for me.

I ran the 800 in 2:01, I split 62-59, and again I'm psyched, this was my first 800 in eight months and I've NEVER negative split an 800 before.

No f'ing way. Your PR coming into this race was 4:47. Now all of a sudden you come through 1200 at 4:42 pace (a 5 second PR), then suddenly drop a 59 bomb? I don't think so.

We've all been trolled. Magnificent job though. 9/10. It would have been higher if you reeled us along for all of the outdoor season first.

Having the force makes you a good runner. Get a high mitochlorian count.

Doesn't bother me, dude, I ran what I did yesterday and that's all. I even said here that the pacing was off on the 4:47, because nobody cares for intrasquad meets, and I closed fast in that race too.

Five and a half mile run today. Probably four tomorrow and 8-9 on Sunday. Two meets next week, on Thursday and Saturday, and I'm pretty psyched for the Saturday invitational.