Master runners, what is your 400 meter time?

Nope. I'm completely out of shape. Have been for a while. I couldn't break 65 right now.

I was a sprinter in high school and college, and although I've tried to dabble in distance running over the years, my heart just isn't in it. I'm not a distance runner. I'm too bulky, especially in the lower body. I'm not a great sprinter either, but I'm definitely a better sprinter than distance runner, and I like sprinting. But at 30 years old there just isn't much opportunity for me to compete. I'm too old and slow to hang in the college meets, but I'm too young to compete with Masters. So I'm kind of lacking motivation to train.

i kinda like running wrote:

Nope. I'm completely out of shape. Have been for a while. I couldn't break 65 right now.

I was a sprinter in high school and college, and although I've tried to dabble in distance running over the years, my heart just isn't in it. I'm not a distance runner. I'm too bulky, especially in the lower body. I'm not a great sprinter either, but I'm definitely a better sprinter than distance runner, and I like sprinting. But at 30 years old there just isn't much opportunity for me to compete. I'm too old and slow to hang in the college meets, but I'm too young to compete with Masters. So I'm kind of lacking motivation to train.

Does your area have open track meets? I live in Atlanta and they have some in spring/summer and it is a fun way to motivate to train for some events. I never ran track in my life, was more a general fitness/weight-lifter until I picked up distance running in college. I sucked, and am larger for distance (5'10", 180lbs, but low body fat) and developed a lot of lower leg issues. I turned to hill sprints last year as an efficient way to stay lean as a "new dad" and discovered local track meets as a way to motivate myself for actually training (vs. just vanity). When I was distance running, I couldn't even crack 70 for the 400m (at age 28-29), but now at 35 I consistently train at 59 (going all out alone on track) and am gearing up for racing at 56-57 next Spring. Give it a shot, dude, you've got nothing to lose. Even for your own personal satisfication and health, nothing beats sprinting...I love it.

440 in 58

Age 50, 400m 63.0, 200m 29.5. Age 21 440 PR 57.0, mile 4:29. 5K PR 16:04 at age 35. 16:41 at age 48. 4:52 mile at age 49.

Before you can compete you have to get fit first. Find a local group of serious runners who do track/hill sessions. Ask to work in, doing 200s,400s,600s, whatever. Be creative, running with the speedier guys, but doing eveery other rep, or part of reps, run with the fast chicks :), whatever. As long as you are courteous and enthusiastic, they will probably welcome you and encourage you. Then find all-comers track meets and shoot for some "new career" goals. Definitely consider the 800, which incorporates the greatest range of training/racing variables.

i kinda like running wrote:

Nope. I'm completely out of shape. Have been for a while. I couldn't break 65 right now.

I was a sprinter in high school and college, and although I've tried to dabble in distance running over the years, my heart just isn't in it. I'm not a distance runner. I'm too bulky, especially in the lower body. I'm not a great sprinter either, but I'm definitely a better sprinter than distance runner, and I like sprinting. But at 30 years old there just isn't much opportunity for me to compete. I'm too old and slow to hang in the college meets, but I'm too young to compete with Masters. So I'm kind of lacking motivation to train.

Thanks for the advice/encouragement, folks. I live in the Raleigh, NC area. I've looked around in the past for all-comers meets where I could compete. I haven't really found much besides local collegiate meets. But like I said, even if I get in 54-55 sec shape, I'll get smoked by even mediocre college runners.

I guess the key is, like Demonic Possession said, get fit first and then worry about where you can compete. Right now I couldn't compete with high school girls.

Oh, actually according to NC Masters website, there is a 30-35 age group. I thought it started at 35. Well, I guess I'm gonna try to get in shape and look for some Masters meets.

i kinda like running wrote:

Thanks for the advice/encouragement, folks. I live in the Raleigh, NC area. I've looked around in the past for all-comers meets where I could compete. I haven't really found much besides local collegiate meets. But like I said, even if I get in 54-55 sec shape, I'll get smoked by even mediocre college runners.

I guess the key is, like Demonic Possession said, get fit first and then worry about where you can compete. Right now I couldn't compete with high school girls.

I understand your all-or-nothing thought process, as I am the same way (like, if I can't excel at this, why bother?) but you won't know unless you try, and trying is a lot more fulfilling than being out of shape or feeling like crap. I personally get a charge out of setting a personal best running on the track all by myself and there is something so perfect about the 400m distance to me. I obviously suck also...but life is about getting better at something, so I picked this as one of those things (and the side effects are that you will feel and look great too!). I also find that the training really carries over to other things, especially recreational sports like flag football I play now and then. I imagine what goes through the poor soul's mind who has to cover me as I run repetitive deep routes and jog back to the huddle not even breathing hard!

Word, Benson. I hear ya. I think I'll make a go of it. Like I said, I just realized today that I can compete at Masters meets in the 30-35 age group. So that's motivation for me. I saw on some website that the "All-American" mark for the 400m at my age is 51.50. I'm not sure that's a mark I can really achieve at this point, but it's something to shoot for. I've run faster than that before, and I guess I'm not ancient yet. Won't know until I try.

I agree, the 400 seems like the perfect race distance for some reason :)

At 25 yrs old - 56-57s

50-54 66.20

55-59 71.80

60-64 74.60

65-69 79.30

70-74 86.26

75-79 95.04

Race times at various age groups,on distance training for

5K to marathon.

Focus on hte improvement aspect. When I starteed my "second" running career in my late 30's, I ran the 400 in 64 seconds (57 was my best in HS/college. I worked on my speed, because I wanted to run the 800, and by age 44 I ran 55.8. The 400 is fantastic because you don't need a big race set up for it: the track is waiting there for you, any time of day or night.

Wow. A PR in the 400 at age 44? That's impressive. My PR is 49.7, but I was injured a lot and I think it's probably significantly off my true best. My goal now is to get down to 51.5 which is the All-American standard for my age group I think. Seems like a long shot but hey, it's something to work towards.

Demonic posession wrote:

Focus on hte improvement aspect. When I starteed my "second" running career in my late 30's, I ran the 400 in 64 seconds (57 was my best in HS/college. I worked on my speed, because I wanted to run the 800, and by age 44 I ran 55.8. The 400 is fantastic because you don't need a big race set up for it: the track is waiting there for you, any time of day or night.

That is exactly what I love about it. Question - what type of training did you find provided the biggest improvements for you? I currently maintain a pretty generic year-round schedule of:

Sunday - all out track (2x400, 2x200, 2x100)

Monday - off

Tuesday - hill sprints (8x80-200m, mixing explosion and floating) followed by some basic plyos

Wed - weights (total body, deadlifts for legs)

Thursday - off

Friday - 3.5 miles tempo run or light jog, depending on how I feel

Saturday - weights (total body, with squats/calves)

I find as I've gotten older I need the off days for my legs to get back under me, and the plyos really seem to take a toll. It's also hard for me to get to the track more than once per week. I've been trying to think of ways to mix it up and better optimize my training.

43.19, and it really wasn't all that difficult. But I did eat my Wheaties that morning. If I had only leaned.

Benson,

Do you ever incorporate "over distance" workouts? Like say a few 600s?

i kinda like running wrote:

Benson,

Do you ever incorporate "over distance" workouts? Like say a few 600s?

I actually was planning on starting to do that, as I find that my sprint endurance is really lacking (eg, I really peter out on the final 100m). It is definitely a good idea to start incorporating them.

That looks like a good schedule. I was training mainly for the 800 (I had trouble breaking 27 seconds for 200, but ran 2:06), and coming off of early season distance training (40-60 mile weeks in early spring), so overall it was different than for a sprinter. A key element was that as I was peaking I was running a race or time trial every four-five days at least (200-800).

One session I liked was "100 walk-backs" (turns out Clyde Hart uses these also)which are flying-start 10x100 with a walk back in at least 3 min. for recovery. I was hitting these at 13-flat at my peak.

I also learned to use blocks and that seemed to help at least psychologically getting me into "sprinter" aggressive start mindset. I am a rock climber and do weights (though not so much when I ran my PR), so that is helpful (Lat pull-downs/pull-ups help keep form for final 100)

A great thread on 400 training:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=372910

What whould be a good speed workout in Nov?

To the guy in his 30s....

I'm 37 (38 in Dec) and ran 50.93 for 400m this summer and closed in 55.17 in the 800m off a 63.1 first 400m.

The 50.93 came after an 800m PB earlier in the day - I think sub 50 is realistic in 2011. In fact, it will happen assuming my body holds up.

The difference now is that I have to work at my speed whereas in my late 20's it still came fairly naturally - some fast 200's used to cut it, but no longer.

During base period a basic speed workout is:

3m w-up

Drills

6 * diagonals

3 * 150m in / outs

3 * 30m max patch

2 * 100m downhill fast relaxed.

Alternatively I will do:

3m w-up

Uphill drills

10 * steep hill sprints for no longer than 11 seconds.

4 * downhill strides