Is a sun 2:00 800m realistic

A few questions:

1. What is your current 400m time as well as your 400m PR?

2. Have you done any 800 or faster paced intervals?

3. How many years have you been running and what is your age?

4. What is your miles per week currently, and what was it at its peak?

The answer to those questions will help determine whether or not it is realistic.

1.) 55 seconds

2.) Yes, once or twice a week

3.) 3 years, technically only 1 because I took COVID off, and I'm 18

4.) About 30, but during XC peaked at like 45

55 seconds is enough speed to break 2 in the 800. That being said, the vast majority of high schoolers (I am assuming since you are 18), do not have the aerobic strength to run that close to their 400 PR back to back. Especially on 30 miles a week.

I asked about the speed work because I wanted to see if there was potential that you would get faster by doing pace specific work, but it looks like you have already started to gain those benefits.

All of that being said, you are still relatively new to running so a lot of quick gains can be made. If you continue doing 800 pace work, improve your speed (~53), and are peaking in may I think you might be able to squeak under. It is going to be close though.

Well, I ran the 55 on a 4x400 relay split 30 minutes after I ran the 800m, and I ran the 2:07 30 minutes after I did a 2:10 4x800 split, so I'm thinking if I only ran 1 800m, I could potentially already be a good amount faster than 2:07.

In that case, you are definitely in better than 2:07/55 shape. How much? Not sure. I think it is more likely now that you have provided that info

You can 100% run well under sub 2 running well under 30 miles a week

I agree with that, I ran 1:55 in HS off of 15 miles a week, but I had 49, 400 speed.

I was saying breaking 2 with only 55 speed will be hard without aerobic strength, and 30 miles a week isn’t generally enough to have the aerobic strength to run that close to your PR back to back.

It can be hard, especially since the 800 is an anomaly of an event in that the optimal way to run it is with positive splits.

For breaking 2, you’ll ideally want to be 58.x/60.x or 57.x/61.x. That’s going to take some dress rehearsals of running 500s at that opening lap split and feeling like you have something left in the tank.

also, if you’re not doing 3-6 200s about 3a4 days a week after workouts or steady runs, start doing it.

not likely but you will be in the ball park, id say 2:00-2:03. try running on pure hate, have your gf dump you before a big race.

Make your move on the backstretch of the 2nd lap, and hang on.

As an update, I am at 2:02 right now, and haven't started speed work yet. I am confident in sub-2 in 2 weeks, and maybe sub 1:58 by the end of the season.

Rip that sh*t up man. Love to hear it.

If you can pull off 55/2:00, your best distance is probably the 1500m.

I'm not sure, we run the 1600m/mile in my area, and my times for that are barely sub 4:50 and around 4:45. My speed for the 4 is probably closer to 54 or maybe even 53, which is why I think the 800m is more a race for me than the 1500 or 1600m.

did you get a gf and have her dump you yet? If so I stand by my prediction 2:00-2:03. If not you still have time.

Can't say I have, my anger is more focused on locking in on a division rival who smoked me in XC and runs a 1:59, so logically when I race him in the championship, beating him will be a sub-2:00 if not a bit faster.

I disagree with your prediction, I will be sub-2 soon, if not by my next meet in 2 weeks, and I will improve from there as well.

I know (of) someone who runs a low 48 and a 2:02. 1:55 off 15 mpw seems insane to me

All depends on how you use those 15 miles. 5-6x300m at 800m pace is an immaculate fitness builder and is only about a mile worth of volume. Some athletes get to world class caliber doing 15-30 mpw, but your genetics need to work very well with that training.

My highschool teammate ran 52, 1:58 and 4:27 off of 15-20 mpw training during HS track, but has barely improved in the mile and regressed in the 400/800 doing 60-70 mpw with me in college.