400 Training Plan time scaling

ar400 wrote:

Hello all!

I am a 400m sprinter in my JR year of high school and I've been following this training plan for a while.

http://oldserver.usatf.org/groups/Coaches/library/2007/Sprint%20Training/Clyde_Hart3.pdf

The performance times say they're for a 46 second 400m runner, but I've only ran 51.18 my sophomore year, and I'm looking to just run sub 49 this year. About how would I scale the times in the workouts to fit my own needs?

As you are in HS and I assume still growing, key for you will to avoid injury, and develop your knowledge of the event as well as fitness and technique.

My time was in the 1970s and I was a 46 second 400 runner.

I was a jumper turned sprinter post injury so was not blessed with huge endurance but was extremely strong and powerful. I could tolerate a lot of discomfort and most of my sessions were about speed endurance and variable speed. I was more a 100, 400 guy.

So winter was more about fitness, rhythm work. Fartlek, lightish weights a couple of times a week. Lots of grass running, and mostly keeping my interest up as I trained solo.

As the season opened I'd be doing medium to 'fast' 150 to 300 work. Always focused on maintaining efficient and proper technique. As soon as the technique started falling apart you back it off. Learn how to run at speed and not lose rhythm. If you do it right, your speed naturally improves as your fitness improves.

Approaching the season I'd get more into specific session. M 10 X 300 sub 40, walk 100 recovery. T 20 X 200 walk 200, W 10 X 300 Thursday I do a ladder session. As the season arrived and I started racing - M 5 X 300 34 - 35 seconds. T 150s, off the turn accelerations. Sometimes sustained speed, sometimes variable. W 5 X 300. Thursday 60 m accelerations and starts. 400 / 100 week would be that session. 200 race week W would be 100 , 200, 300, 500, 300, 200, 100 ladders. T 60 m acceleration. I never worried about 200 race week. I didn't mind running flat.

Obviously this is all going to too hard for you, but find a pace that allows you to find the spirit of the session. Key in high school is to learn how to develop your rhythm. Avoid getting injured. Develop a feel for your body. Don't be a slave to the watch. If the night is too tough, ease the pace back rather than cutting the reps.

Above all, a year's worth of growth and development, as long as you haven't eaten yourself too heavy, or spent all your time doing bench press, dropping into 48 - 49 should be well within your capabilities. Things to think about. Breathing, stride length, what you are doing with your toes and feet. How your arm movement is going. Good habits to focus on so that you don't have to do anything in a race except race.

Keep lean. As an old man, I realize now that unnecessary weight is a performance killer, and also leads injuries.

You need to be strong enough. And nothing more.

Good luck. You're in high school. Don't be a hero. Pay attention to your coach, unless he's a wrestling coach making few extra dollars.