Hey ya'll. I'm pretty new to the running scene and I have recently started focusing on Improving my 800m. I'm 400/800 runner. I've been browsing through LetsRun.com and thought I'd reach out to this community for some advice, since I'm just training and coaching myself for the most part as of right now.
Currently, I feel super under-raced, coming off a winter season having only run the 800 twice. I'm also definitely not the fastest runner on my school's team. I'm still really learning my own running mechanics, and low-key tryna fix my form and posture. With the spring season coming up and everyone, and I mean everyone, joining the team. I low-key wanna stand on business. If ykw I mean. Gotta lock in. If ykyk. ight bet.
I'm 5'8. My running form isn't bad, but could use bit of work. I'm definitely not a long strider like all the 6'0+ polish kids on my team. I take somewhat choppy, but quicker steps especially near the last 200 of my 8.
My 200 pr is a 25.9 (ran this last season) then did time trials and came in at 26.2. So its reasonable to say I got about 26 second 200 speed.
For the 400 my fastest time I ever run was a 59.5. Last season I actually regressed a bit and ran 60 flat. Ran consistently at 60 seconds So 60s shape for me is plausible.
My 800 is an egregious 2:53 I did actually improve from the first time I ever ran the 800 from the start of last season where I ran a 3:01. All I have to say is I'm definitely the sprinter kind just moving up to to mid-distance and the 800 is genuinely something I want to get better at as I've been committing training to Improving my time even though I haven't seen any crazy results. I intend on running under 2:30 maybe even 2:20 before the season starts for me. (I think I have a little under a month until our season opener)
But in terms of what I feel like I want help with concerning the 800 and also is apparent in my 4 is my overall endurance and speed endurance in general. Race strategy isn't even my strong suit per say, I just go out strong and try to maintain it and hope for the best going into the last lap. Actually, I find that my final lap for the 800 is where I struggle and I completely die out or if I don't go out too hard I completely fall behind. I've come to terms with the fact that my aerobic capacity and endurance is underwhelming but I've been working towards gaining a better base. In terms of the workouts I don't really have any specified distance workouts. I kinda just run at a relatively comfortable pace for a while for endurance and for speed I start slow typically at 75% for speed workouts and then I do repeats and go up to 90%. Just recently I did a 2 mile run and 5 x 300m repeats. Mileage per week for me has been like non-existent since as a sprinter first I pretty much only trained speed and never. but I'd like to try to hit at least 35 mpw to match my transition to distance. May even run the mile in spring, but I'm not gonna go anywhere near the 2 mile, since it low-key scares me 😥.
If you read all my yapping, hope it all made sense and thank you.
I would greatly appreciate any tips, training strategies, or advice from experienced runners or any who have excelled in the 800. And maybe just some general running technique advice or race strategy for a 5'8 short strider who runs from the back of the pack. Any further questions, just ask away.