I am a serious mediocre runner, and one of my pick-up soccer buddies who is very fast, but doesn't run, thinks he can beat me in an 800m. We will race in 5 weeks. I need help with training and pacing as I've never trained for such a short distance before.
My background: My highschool 800m PB was 2:18. At that time I was running 1600m in 5:07 and 3200 in 11:55. I am now currently 35, and in better shape, than I was in high school, but probably lack speed.
Base: I built a base from April to June, gradually increasing the miles from 30 mpw to 56 mpw (90kpw). I held 56 mpw for 5 weeks. From July to Nov I've run mostly easy runs, plus one day of pick-up soccer, and one tempo run (or race/time-trial), mostly in the 45-50 mpw range.
Recent race results (All PBs)
- Aug 11th, 10k time trial on the track in trainers, 38:33
- Oct 11th, Half marathon, 1:25:18
- Nov 14th, 1500m race, 4:40.67
I stopped running from Nov 14th - Dec 4th (3 weeks) due to Achilles tendonitis, which is now better. For the last 3 weeks, I've done easy runs (20 miles, 35 miles, 40 miles, 50 miles) and am unsure how close I am to the shape I was in during those recent PBs (3 weeks is quite a break from running).
I figure if I can get sub 2:20 it would be really hard for this non-runner to beat me, right? Since I've only been running easy for 3 weeks since my 3-week break from running, when should I start adding some speed workouts? I'm guessing I'll need to be doing one workout per week goal 800m pace? Maybe 200m reps?
Also, should I try hard to find track spikes? I currently have some Hoka Carbon Xs, and Saucony racing flat, so could use one of those. It's hard to find track spikes in Australia right now due to COVID.
Help me (a 35 yro serious mediocre runner) train for the 800m
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If you had Achilles injury, I would not start wearing spikes, it is not worth the risk.
You are in great shape for your age, regardless of the upcoming race. Nice work!
Just stay healthy. No spikes. -
should have mad it over a longer distance.
Fast enough to take his edge off, and not so far he gets to settle in. -
so truey wrote:
should have mad it over a longer distance.
Fast enough to take his edge off, and not so far he gets to settle in.
The 800m distance was settled on because it is long enough that it isn't guaranteed he'd win and short enough that it isn't guaranteed I would win either. It's also short enough that our soccer friends can watch and not get bored ;) -
I agree with not wearing spikes. Spikes will put more stress on your Achilles tendon especially since you are not used to wearing them. Go with the racing flats.
Good luck and I hope that you beat him! -
MatthewXCountry wrote:
I am a serious mediocre runner, and one of my pick-up soccer buddies who is very fast, .
When will Yanks learn it is called football?
Based on your Achilles injury, which is probably not that healed, pay the man. -
Was there a specific run that caused your Achilles To flare up? Was it Soccer or running that caused it?
This needs to be addressed if possible before you start training for an 800. History has a way of repeating itself.
Some questions:
Foot strike?
Before April were you active?
Past history with injuries?
What pace are the easy runs?
With pick up soccer, do you rotate positions with your mates or are you the guy they stick in the goal all the time?
When are you looking to run your 800?
When you break 2:18 are you going to move on to another distance or is this a long range goal to do your best at the distance? -
You need to run 35s for 200m x4 to cross the line in 2:20 for 800. Can you run 35s for 200m right now?
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You just need to get some faster stuff on the track. 300s, 200s a few seconds faster than RP and maybe even a few 400s at RP. No spikes needed. Race in your flats.
If your achilles holds up, you should smoke him like a Christmas ham. -
Be careful, soccer players tend to make good 800m runners.
That being said, I’d just keep doing your easy mileage, but incorporate short fartleks like 1-2 miles of 100m on 100m and 200m on 200m off.
I find workouts like that are good primers for a 400/800m race -
The most important thing is to take care of your body enough to make it to the starting line. Introducing any amount of speed work is going to be harsh on your body at first. 5 weeks is not a lot of time, so be smart about it. You can introduce spike work gradually and be used to them by race time. I would say don’t bother with spikes unless your competitor is going to wear them. If you beat him while wearing spikes and he isn’t, I’m sure he will say the spikes had a lot to do with it. That being said, spikes will give you an advantage so don’t show up with flats and he is wearing spikes.
If you’re doing weights on a regular basis, keep up with your routine until the week of the race and do 1 session 3-4 days out.
How many days a week are you running? I would say do 5-6 days a week max. With the introduction of faster running at least one day off per week will be much appreciated by your body.
Again, the hardest thing won’t be the training, it will be getting to the start line in one piece.
Email me if you want a 5 week schedule or just to bounce ideas off of.
[email protected] -
otter wrote:
Was there a specific run that caused your Achilles To flare up? Was it Soccer or running that caused it?
This needs to be addressed if possible before you start training for an 800. History has a way of repeating itself.
Some questions:
Foot strike?
Before April were you active?
Past history with injuries?
What pace are the easy runs?
With pick up soccer, do you rotate positions with your mates or are you the guy they stick in the goal all the time?
When are you looking to run your 800?
When you break 2:18 are you going to move on to another distance or is this a long range goal to do your best at the distance?
- It either flared up after a soccer game on an uneven surface (followed by beers, where I didn't notice the injury due to the alcohol or the easy run the next morning). Ultrasound revealed no tearing or inflammation in the Achilles area. The physio who saw me after the ultrasound said that he thought the Achilles looked normal, and that instead one of the smaller peroneus tendons that run along the achilles tendon but attach around the inside of the foot felt like there might be minor inflammation. He works with several elite runners and approved getting back into running. I'll run any speed work by him before starting.
- footstrike is mid-foot with mild over-pronation
- injury history is mostly knee and foot, same leg as the achilles. I have a history of running for 2 years or so with only minor injuries, followed by something that nocks me out for years without any doctor knowing what it is
- prior to April I was active, running 3 times a week, 15 mpw, plus one soccer game, plus rock climbing for about a year
- easy runs are at 9 - 9:30 min/mile. If I'm feeling really good, and haven't run a workout recently, it can get down to as fast as 8 min/mile.
- rotate positions, everyone plays goalie for a bit. It's a very casual game.
- Ideally, I'd like to run the 800m in 4 - 6 weeks, but the soccer player said I can take a bit longer if I need it.
- When I break 2:18, I'll move on to mile, 3km, and 5 km until the season ends (it's summer track season right now in Australia). Breaking a 5 min mile is a life long goal of mine, the 4:40.67 in the 1500m suggests I'm close. I think the 800m training will likely help with the mile too. As it cools down I'll switch to longer stuff 10km-marathon (targeting Aug/Sept for the long stuff). -
Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:
You need to run 35s for 200m x4 to cross the line in 2:20 for 800. Can you run 35s for 200m right now?
I assume I probably can. My opening 200m in my 4:40, 1500m race, was roughly 35. While the pace slowed to 38s, I would guess that I could hold the opening 200m pace for the remainder of the laps. Maybe 8 x 200m in 34s, with super slow 200m jog recovery, would be a good workout? -
I think that's a reasonable, basic workout, although with your weekly mileage, you can probably handle more than 8.
MatthewXCountry wrote:
Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:
You need to run 35s for 200m x4 to cross the line in 2:20 for 800. Can you run 35s for 200m right now?
I assume I probably can. My opening 200m in my 4:40, 1500m race, was roughly 35. While the pace slowed to 38s, I would guess that I could hold the opening 200m pace for the remainder of the laps. Maybe 8 x 200m in 34s, with super slow 200m jog recovery, would be a good workout? -
Update. I just did an 800m time trial in spikes 5 days before the race (mostly so I could gauge pacing). I ran a 2:16.2, with splits of 65.9 & 70.3. I think it would be hard for a non-professional soccer player to beat this without any running specific training, and I think the pacing in this time trial isn't unreasonable either. So trying to split in 65-66, and maybe come back in 69 or so, would probably be a good strategy. I think I want the first lap to be fast, mostly so I avoid the soccer player, who has more speed, sitting and kicking off a comfortable pace - if he is in 2 secs of me with 100m to go, I'm in trouble.
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MatthewXCountry wrote:
I stopped running from Nov 14th - Dec 4th (3 weeks) due to Achilles tendonitis, which is now better.
Lol you’re trying to do too much. Max level effort at so many different distances? Why stop there, challenge your friend to a pickup game of basketball, water polo, arm wrestling, chess, spear fishing.. -
800 meters? I think at the age of 35 there is more potential to hurt oneself than if they ran a 5k. Be careful and try not to over stride too much. With your intervals start with 100 meters to build a good sense of pace and work up.
