How to fix my 800m splits?

Try going out slower and seeing if it helps your second lap. If you're young there's a lot of learning just how hard is "too hard" in races like the 800.

FWIW my 800 PR is something like 54-61 so do as I say, not as I do.

if you think you're in 212 shape, go out in 66 (maybe have someone at the 200/100 (33, 16.5) to make sure you're at the right pace) and then close as fast as you can. If it is a negative split, good job, maybe go out in 65 or 64 next race or time trial and again try and close hard as possible. Sub 2:10 is very close, you got this!

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll take the advice you guys have given to heart.

Soup_Is_Life wrote:

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll take the advice you guys have given to heart.

Going out a little slower and working to make it reaaaalllly hurt the last 200 will probably get you a nice PR.

Consistent training and good sleep are key as well!

Dude, go out in 64. If you push hard from 500m, you'll feel like the 2nd lap is much more difficult than the first and you should prolly come back in 68.

As you get fitter, try to go out in 63 and still hit 68. Or, go out in the same 64 and see if you can come back in sub-68.

It's ok at this level if your splits are 4-6 sec apart bc you're still improving, so don't worry about that for now

Good luck!

63/72 is pretty bad but not uncommon in the high school ranks.

As a high school coach, 63 does not give me enough information. There is an enormous difference between a 28-35 and a 30-33. I'd put money on the second kid all day. When an athlete finds their ideal first 200 split, even starting 1.0s-1.5s fast through that first segment (excited to start a relay perhaps) can have disastrous results. We had several 4x800 athletes get a little overzealous (again, just 1.0s-1.5s over-aggressive through 200m) in their last race, and they each lost about 5s on lap two.

If you haven't hit your 2:12 yet, I'd aim for 31-33-33-34 as a general template to aim for. With more experience, you'll be able to find your best individual fit.

Soup_Is_Life wrote:

I'm aware that you should generally run positive splits with around a 2 second difference, but my splits are all jacked up. Currently, I'm a freshman who runs a 2:15. I would confidently put myself at 2:12 ability (not at all wishful thinking btw) if it weren't for a bad race. Even so, my splits are sucky: 1:03/1:12. I'm aware that I may be going too hard for the first lap, but I still don't feel like absolute garbage when I run that second lap (not saying I'm taking it easy on the second of course). What should I do to improve these splits? And if I do, do you think I could probably go sub 2:10?

400m: (800m split) 1:02

1600m: 4:54

O.P., if you are a legit 57.00 F.A.T. 400m athlete, you are not going to necessarily race 800m faster by racing first lap slower than 62 seconds. There is a reason elite (45.00 to 46.50) F.A.T. 400m guys tend to split 1st 400m 51.5 or faster. I am sure 45 to 46.5 400m 800m runners tried racing 1st 400m 53 plus with everyone else. The only successful 800m guys with sub-46.5 400m I can think of who were willing to race 53 plus first lap, James Robinson & Yuri Borzakovsky (I am not typing his name in weird Russian spelling).

Advice on going out slower is spot on.

Many races, even at the pro level, have people going out too fast in the 800 and dying at the end. Of course, there's the famous Wottle gold medal run at the 1972 Olympics. But watch Mark Everett and Tony Parilla in this one and learn from it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD0TI58oxms

there real question is what are your 200 splits?

Most runners hit the first 200 so fast, that the 2nd 200 is where the big slow down begins and continues from there on in.

for example, i watch a kid do this all the time:

27

33 = 60ish at 400 if we only look at 400 split we would miss this

33

32

runs 2:05

obviously he is going out too fast in the first 200. WHy? actually two reasons:

1) he has the speed to do so...but that doesn't mean he should. i would rather see him use that speed at the end

2) his coach always tells him to get out fast

there is generally only one big mistake is mid/distance running = going out too fast

can you go out too slow, maybe but it won't kill the rest out your race like going out too fast does.

in fact some of the best racers look like they go out too slow (but if you look at their actual splits (Dave Wottle Olympic race is perfect example) he is in last place at 200 and even gapped. but his splits don't show that. because everyone else goes out soo fast, it looks like he is making up time but in fact he is slowing down like everyone else but just not as much.

now don't get me wrong you can run the 800 from the front, middle or back as that 72 Oly 800 shows - look at the top 3 finishers who are within tenths of a second. they each ran with a different style (one took the lead, one ran on his shoulder, and the other was in dead last).

it is all about execution of the race plan, and how you train for your racing style.

When i advise you to go out slower, i am not saying go out slow. I am saying don't sprint the first 200 or 400. Or if you can't help it (due to nerves or habit) just stop sprinting after the first 150 and simply start cruising. It is like driving fast without pushing the pedal down....you already have the speed/momentum so now just take your foot off the gas at 150m and coast...let the pack catch you and pull you along.

1st 200 - try going just a little slower (sometime just easing up .5 - 1.5 seconds is enough)

for someone running 2:12 goal time - you should not be at or below 30. Maybe 31-32.

2nd 200 - since everyone else goes out blazing you should be getting passed during the first part of this 200 by those who did not take their foot off the gas (actually this getting passed or caught should start happening around 150 meter to 250 meters) somewhere around the top of the curve and 300 meter mark they should stop moving away from you and you should be able to hold your position as they have slowed back to your pace. from 300-400 hold your spot and cruise the the 400. Hopefully you'll be around 64-65...but 63 is okay and 66 is okay. one is a little on the fast side and one is a little on the slow side for a 2:12 goal. A more speed oriented runner will be closer to 63 and a more distance/endurance based runners will be closer to 66.

the 3rd 200 is critical that you don't know start running everyone else's pace. since they have likely gone too fast early on - they should be slowing down on this 200, you should not. Since you took your foot off the gas, you want to try to maintain the speed of your 2nd 200. and should be gradually passing people.

4th 200 - if you did the 3rd 200 right, you should enter the final 200 with momentum of passing some people and try to open it up and kick the last 200.

what most do vs what you should do

1st 200 = 30 31.5

2nd 200 = 34 33

3rd 200 = 35 33

4th 200 = 33 31.5

so bad split would be 64,68 and better is 64-65 and 64-65