How can I drop to a 2:20 800m in 4 monthes?

Improving your 800m time from 2:29.2 to 2:20 requires a focused and well-rounded training approach. Here are some training principles and guidelines that might help you in your quest to achieve your goal:

1. **Base Building:**
- Develop a strong aerobic base with consistent mileage. Include steady-state runs and long runs to build endurance. This forms the foundation for your speed work.

2. **Speed Endurance:**
- Incorporate longer intervals at race pace or slightly faster. For example, run 400m or 600m repeats with short rest intervals to improve your ability to sustain a faster pace.

3. **Specific Endurance:**
- Include race-specific workouts such as 2x400m or 3x300m repeats at goal race pace with full recovery. This helps your body adapt to the demands of the 800m.

4. **Strength Training:**
- Include strength training exercises to build overall body strength. This can improve your running economy and help prevent injuries. Focus on core exercises and leg strength.

5. **Speed Work:**
- Continue with short speed work, but also incorporate strides and accelerations after easy runs to work on your top-end speed.

6. **Rest and Recovery:**
- Ensure proper rest and recovery between hard workouts. Listen to your body, and don't hesitate to take easy days or rest days when needed.

7. **Race Strategy:**
- Work on developing a solid race strategy. Know when to push and when to conserve energy during the race.

8. **Consistency:**
- Consistency is key. Aim for a gradual progression in your training, and avoid sudden increases in intensity or volume that could lead to injury.

9. **Seek Guidance:**
- If possible, consult with your coach or seek guidance from experienced runners to tailor a training plan that suits your individual needs.

Remember that improvement takes time, so be patient and stay committed to your training. Regularly reassess your progress, adjust your training accordingly, and stay focused on your goal. Good luck with your training and pursuit of a faster 800m time!

You got a coaching advertisement and a chatgpt response.

Are you male or female? If you're a guy, you can probably do almost anything with your training as long as it's hard and hit 2:20. If you're a girl, you might need more specialized training.

If you're serious about improving potentially past 2:20, start going for easy 20-30 minute runs (start off shorter if you need to, these runs shouldn't tire you out) on most days you don't do speed. Also, get in the gym (squat, deadlift).

Questions:

- What does your coach tell you to do at this point in the year?

- How many miles/minutes per week are you running right now?

- How many harder workouts per week?

- What were your times in other races last year?

Didn't even use chatgpt 4.0 with the quality of that response

Do not pay attention to this screed.

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Thank you so much for these workouts!

I'm worried about if I should be able to make that big of a jump in the 800m considering I am a girl and last year I got to a 2:29 from a 2:40 through just focusing on the 800m.

Would the repeats be similar to speed endurance? And how much rest would you advise?

Hi! Thank you for your post.
I am a female and my coach has mainly been making me do hill repeats, short speed work, and speed endurance. Because of that, my mileage is pretty low with just 20 miles per week. Last year, I got to a 2:29 with a 1:08 400m since my endurance was pretty good and since I just got out of XC, we are trying to up my speed again. I've been doing 1 speed endurance workout a week so I guess only 1 hard workout per week.. Last year, I only really focused on the 800m but I believe my 1600m was around 5:40? My XC times this year were okay... I had a 19:19 3 mile.

You definitely can achieve 2:20 with strength you list. 19:19 XC shows you have good strength. You just need to run the 800 to your strength rather then the speed 800 racers. "check out Dave Wottle videos". I use to teach my daughter the endurance way of running the 800, 3 phases. 200-500 (300) - 800 (300). Don't kill yourself in the first 200, strong start not all out. 2nd phase 200-500, stay relaxed, control breathing pass those who did go out to hard, relax behind those that are running a consistent pace. 3rd phase 500-800, start increasing pace, pass people on backstraight away, then last 150 (phase 4) go to your arms and start pumping them. She was 2:46 (8th) 2:29(9th) 2:24(10th) and 2:20.5 (11th). She had a big break through during indoors in the mile 5:14, so her focus was that her senior year. Plus couldn't get her coaches to run 4x4's and 400's so she really never increased her speed her senior to improve her 800.

You'll want to get your 400 time under 65 to get to 2:20. So, get into as many 4x4's as you can. Plus run some miles during the season (dual meets). and get you mileage up to 30-40 miles per week, as you need the strength.

Best work out for 800 is (2) 600 (@ mile pace) 3 minute rest x (2) 400 (faster then mile pace) 2 minute rest x (2) 300 (@ 800 pace) 1 minute rest. reduce the rest every time you do the workout so that the rest goals will be 1:30 between and after 600's 1:00 after 400 and 0:45 between 300's. If work out gets too easy add a 300.

Also, hill 200's are good, find a 200m+ long hill and run (8-12) once every week.

Endurance days (1) 6-8 miles and (2) 4-6 mile runs.

Good luck with your season. Let us know how it goes.

because your 400 speed is not super fast, make sure you are not going out too fast. since you top out at 68 in 400, you don't want to be going out too close to that speed.

because you are a distance runner you may already be running the race right, but if not:

many high school 800 runners go out too fast.

I would suggest something like this:

1st 200 - shoot for 34-35 when your are in 2:20 shape....for first race or so maybe best not to go out under 35....shoot for about 36 = 2:24 pace

2nd 200 - gradually settle in (most runners slow up some here so 37-38) has you coming thru 400 in 73-74

3rd 200 - because you are a distance runner you should not be slowing down much compared to other runners - so you might even be passing others in this 200 and holding 37-39

4th 200 - time to kick (everything you got left) by not going out fast you should be able to close faster than you start - 33

this gets you mid 2:25...if that works just try to take 1 second off per each 200 as the season progresses.

I have used 200 repeats with a lot of success for my runners. These are not fast sprint 200 but 200 with short rest to work on running quick when tired. possibly keeping the rest to as low as 30 seconds: something like this:

200 - 35-36 (30 sec rest) this first one should feel almost too easy since you are starting fresh, better to be slower than faster, so don't press the pace on this one.

200 - 35-36 (30 sec rest) or add 10-15 seconds if needed (so 40-45 seconds)

200 - 35-36 (30 sec rest) or if adding 10-15 - (take 50-60)

200 - 35-36

probably best to stop after 4 and then do a second set of 4 same as above. This is not meant to be a killer workout - the hard part is the recovery (with it being so short your breathing will still be labored = which trains your for the middle and later stages of the race so that is what you should be thinking about - holding your pace even when you are tired and breathing heavy. This also teaches you how to kick that last 200.

If my girls did 4 200's and then a second set of 4 200's under control, I would let them do 2-3 more a little faster with more rest (1 min) with spikes on for a little speed work. They might hit these in 32-33.

Thank you so much for your post! Although I am more on the distance side, I had a problem last year where I would only PR when I paced my races really badly. Both times that I broke 2:30, I had a 1:10 first lap... Do you think that there is anything I can do to fix my 400m time?

Thank you so much for your post! Lately, I've been focusing on trying to improve my speed a lot more than my endurance so that's kinda lacking a bit right now. I'll definitely make sure to start doing longer runs again. Do you suggest doing anything specifically to get my 400m to a 65? Also, do you recommend doing and gym/strength work?

I think your coach is on the right track.

You lack the speed at the moment to break 2:20, and so doing shorter sprint work (100-200m repetitions) and hills, should tackle this weakness.

I wouldn't neglect easy running though. Remember, the 800m is still primarily an aerobic event (roughly 65% aerobic, 35% anaerobic), and by doing more easy mileage, you will become a more robust runner, who's able to handle more intense workouts, and recover more quickly from them.

Simple. 16x200 in 33 in 90 seconds rest.