Is Bekele's 6x800m (64s 1st lap, 53s 2nd lap) worth implementing for a 16-flat 5k guy? (With adjusted paces, of course)

If I recall correctly that workout originates from Australia. It's a excellent peaking workout for championship style race where you have to change gears in the last lap. I'd recommend it for peaking purposes once or twice in a training cycle.

Thanks for answering.

It really makes sense not doing it too many times, seems an otherworldly hard workout.

Do you have any idea on the rest one should take between reps?

That session was done by Geb and many other of the Ethiopians.

I don't recall the rest between reps, but maybe 10 minutes.

Interesting. Where did you see this workout mentioned?

I would not only adjust the pace but perhaps the distance as well.

Something like 4x600m with 300 just slower than 5k pace, 300 just slower than 800. Also rest is an important component as well.

I wouldn’t just introduce this workout at the end of the season for a peak. This should be done in some form throughout your training. Maybe start with 200m change gears at 100m, then build up to 600m over the course of your training.

Good luck with your training. Don’t leave your best efforts in practice. Everything should be with competition in mind.

these days 200 in 64 200 in 53 wrote:

Interesting. Where did you see this workout mentioned?

I would not only adjust the pace but perhaps the distance as well.

Something like 4x600m with 300 just slower than 5k pace, 300 just slower than 800. Also rest is an important component as well.

I wouldn’t just introduce this workout at the end of the season for a peak. This should be done in some form throughout your training. Maybe start with 200m change gears at 100m, then build up to 600m over the course of your training.

Good luck with your training. Don’t leave your best efforts in practice. Everything should be with competition in mind.

I first saw it in a Total Running Productions video "Analyzing the greats: Kenenisa Bekele" then I saw it in other sources throughout the web (other than Sweat Elite, of course).

That's a really good advice on how to build up to it, definitely will follow it, as it as way to build progressively and will keep me in touch with the purpose of the workout during the whole season (just doing it once or twice wouldn't really create significantly adaptation).

I did a session of 6x660 on 10' in the 1960's, with the first 220 at 2 mile pace, then taking off with the last 440 at sub 880 pace. This workout helped me to have a really strong kick in the mile.

I dont know how old you are or how much training you've done what type of endurance or speed you have but even if you adjust the paces it might be too ambitious to try.

Going 1:17 for the first 400 then 70 for the second 400 would be doable but I can't see you doing that second lap closer to your 800 pace the way Bekele did.

Try to finish some of the intervals with the second 400 at goal pace but do you have enough speed, speed reserve and requisite stamina to finish a 5000 at close to 800 pace?

dunes runner wrote:

I did a session of 6x660 on 10' in the 1960's, with the first 220 at 2 mile pace, then taking off with the last 440 at sub 880 pace. This workout helped me to have a really strong kick in the mile.

Oh, thanks for the feedback that it really works. Because I had a little doubt if he had a good kick because he did this workout or if he could do this workout because he had a good kick. Seems like a really long rest is the way to go.

Brazilian Guy wrote:

dunes runner wrote:

I did a session of 6x660 on 10' in the 1960's, with the first 220 at 2 mile pace, then taking off with the last 440 at sub 880 pace. This workout helped me to have a really strong kick in the mile.

Oh, thanks for the feedback that it really works. Because I had a little doubt if he had a good kick because he did this workout or if he could do this workout because he had a good kick. Seems like a really long rest is the way to go.

Oh, I see the rest you're getting between work bouts. In my post above I was considering something like 6x800 with 3 minutes rest.

coach wrote:

I dont know how old you are or how much training you've done what type of endurance or speed you have but even if you adjust the paces it might be too ambitious to try.

Going 1:17 for the first 400 then 70 for the second 400 would be doable but I can't see you doing that second lap closer to your 800 pace the way Bekele did.

Try to finish some of the intervals with the second 400 at goal pace but do you have enough speed, speed reserve and requisite stamina to finish a 5000 at close to 800 pace?

You have some good points here.

I had thought about doing the first 400 at 5k pace then the second at around mile pace as you suggested, as as introduction, then progressing to 400s with first 200 at 38, second 200 at 31-32, and build up, because I agree with you, right now I can't see me closing the second 400 at about 800 pace.

As for the last question, I have a reasonable speed, not blazing but reasonable speed, and even though it's a tall task to finish the race close to 800 pace (like some very elite athletes do) the idea is to just finish as fast as I could possibly go.

coach wrote:

Brazilian Guy wrote:

Oh, thanks for the feedback that it really works. Because I had a little doubt if he had a good kick because he did this workout or if he could do this workout because he had a good kick. Seems like a really long rest is the way to go.

Oh, I see the rest you're getting between work bouts. In my post above I was considering something like 6x800 with 3 minutes rest.

That would be too short of a rest. Even shorter than what I would take for a 4x400 at 800 pace which would be 600-800 jog as Daniels advise.

Brazilian Guy wrote:

coach wrote:

Oh, I see the rest you're getting between work bouts. In my post above I was considering something like 6x800 with 3 minutes rest.

That would be too short of a rest. Even shorter than what I would take for a 4x400 at 800 pace which would be 600-800 jog as Daniels advise.

The rest worked. My HS athletes would do the following:

(example 10 minute 3200 meter runners)

75-73

75-72

75-70

75-68

75-67

74- whatever they can do

Oh, I see. This way, getting closer and then faster than mile pace it really works.

A though but doable workout. Really worth trying.

For the actual workout what do you think think a good pause would be? (Although I fell a long rest is necessary, I have no idea of how much would be necessary and how much would be an exaggeration)

Brazilian Guy wrote:

For the actual workout what do you think think a good pause would be? (Although I fell a long rest is necessary, I have no idea of how much would be necessary and how much would be an exaggeration)

I wouldn't know, I never had my HS guys finish 800s at such a fast pace I wouldn't know how much rest is needed. I never did such long "reps" either.

Wouldn't be better to do 5 x 1,000 instead? Americans and their obsession with the English system...Jeez.

doctorj wrote:

Wouldn't be better to do 5 x 1,000 instead? Americans and their obsession with the English system...Jeez.

I don't get it. 5x 1000 following the premises of this workout would be absolute crazyness, maybe even for Bekele and this workout is already crazy enough.

Try this variation instead:

6x800 where each one you kick the final 200. Not like all out kick but when I was a 15:30 guy the kick was in 30.

For me it looked look a 600 in 2:00 (5:20 pace) then a kick in 30 so that the full 800 is 2:30 which was approximately 5k race pace.

Great workout. Hard. Don’t do it too often, maybe once a month at most.

But if you do enough of these types of workouts with a strong finish soon you’ll start to feel like you can run a final 200 in 30 no matter what has happened in the race, how much you’re hurting. It’s just another 200 in 30 like you’ve done a million times before.

Thanks for the idea. I will try it during one of my regular 6x800.