2x400m with 90" rest = 800m race pace?

I think remember hearing Nick Symmonds say that the best 800m prediction workout was 3 x 400 at 800m race pace with 1 minute rest. If thats right then your workout would be easier so not as great of a predictor.

But in your race, I’d say go out 67 and see what happens. 800 is a weird event and takes a bit to get the feel of.

I believe it’s actually 3-4 minutes rest for the 3x400m workout.

That being said, you usually want to be over distance for predictor workouts.

A 400m predictor my coach uses is 2x200m @100% from a standing start, 30 seconds rest, wait 5 minutes, and do it again.

I think something like 400m 1:30r 400m 6:00r 400m 1:30r 400m would be a better predictor.

Although it’s not a full predictor, given your workout, I’d bet money you can at least break 2:18, but probably not able to go much faster than 2:14

I am pretty sure if you just believe enough you can run a 2:15 I knew kids who were super talented that never trained and run 2:15. I knew guys who came in trying to break 2:40 and ran around 2:15 without any major changes besides believing they could.

I agree. Something like 3-4 x 400m w./ full recovery (3:00-4:00) would be a better predictor workout. But to run two hard 400s on 90s rest & be able to negative split is pretty good. Go out in an even 66-67. Sub-2:15 is probably there.

When I was in 1:58 shape, I did 2x400 in 56,57 with 2:00 rest.

your workout predicts what your opening 400 would be. Your second 400 is going to be 2-4 seconds slower.

I say add your two 400s together (with the tenths) and then add another 3 seconds. That’s your predicted time.

my prediction workout
2x400m with 60sec rest
15-20min Rest
2x400m with 60sec rest

Run an all out 800m

This worked and it was unintentional. We used it to pick a 4x8 team and it ended up matching their PR's:

2 sets of:

300-200-200-400 1 minute rest. Keep a cumulative time. When you finish the set you have an 800 time.

Full recovery- 3-5 minutes

Repeat

Average your times. I've used it myself and have been within 2 seconds of what I can run. I run pretty slow because I'm old.

Standard Kosmin test (look it up) for 800m is 2 x 60sec (3min recovery). there is a chart and formula.

Doing a predictor workout solo and with a group (don't care if tapered or not - why would you be tapered if january in Northern hemisphere?) are not the same. Knew a girl who ran a 600+200 (1R) in a group workout = 2.12, then raced a 2.18 the next week. Wondered why? I told her (wasn't her coach, but observed the workout) that she just raced a 600m, then raced the 200m, so why would that have been a predictor? Set yourself a target, then go with that. It's like many people in a group situation who think they are doing a "tempo" run, when in fact it is closer to a time-trial.

3 step progression (ideally solo) - (1) 2x 400m (60sec rec); (2) 500 (45sec rec) 300; (3) 600 (30sec rec) 200. Some people handle this well, some do not. I feel that the 2x400 is the hardest of the three, so I usually use either a single 600TT or the 500+300.

With longer recovery (3-5 min) I will use 4x400m is an early competitive phase.

This workout doesn't say as much as you think. Someone else mentioned this tells them something about your opening 400 but not the full race - I agree with that.

A classic 800 workout is 4x400 on 4min rest. The average pace will be pretty close to race pace. Since this workout is twice as long, it can tell you a lot more about the pace you can run the full race in.

I don’t understand. Each set is 1100m total. How could that possibly equal an 800 time?

My bad!!! 300-200-200-100

You should be able to the workout at least 5 seconds total faster than your 800. However, your time is o so slow tha predictor workouts on't mean very much. You may be able to hit your time but a normal 1:55 type high school guy could easily do 2x400 at 55.

It's very conservative, you should never do worse than that.

The best prediction for the 800m is 2X 400m with no rest.

4x400, 5 minute break. most good 800 guys in HS will go sub 60.

Just run a 600m TT solo and with any mental race fortitude, that should be your race pace. If you want to make a mega lactate tolerance session out of it, follow the 600 with 400, 300, 200, 100. Rests are 6 (between 600, 400), 4, 3, 2 min.

For 400, 300TT solo is sufficient. All of this field tested many many times.

I think 400m, 3 min rest, 500m taking the first 400m + the 400m pace of the second 500m is a good indicator

The 4 x 400 w/ 5min rest was my go to. Over 60s ave double your ave. Under 60s add a min. Bot 100% obviously but was pretty close for far majority of my athletes.

500 1min rest 300. Rest 6 min repeat was also a good indicator but was mostly a death march that made an 800 feel a lot easier.