Weekly mileage for masters 800 guy

Depends on what type of runner you are. Are you in shape? Quarter speed? ETC, ETC, ETC. I would think that 40 miles per/week with some serious speed work would be good. Some guys who don't have tons of speed may benefit from doing more mileage and doing the same amout of speedwork as the guys who has speed. I ran 1:52 in college but I don't have much speed ....maybe only 51-52 quarter speed. But I had the strength to open up with a 53 and hold on for a 59. Just depends.

I'm 45, and ran 2:16 this year off about 30-35MPW, but this was a bad season for me for various reasons. 2 years ago, I did 2:11 off about the same volume. I think I can run sub 2:10 again, maybe next year, but it won't be through much higher weekly volume, maybe 35-40MPW, but rather a shift in emphasis towards more tempo, VO2 max type sessions, and, the big one for me...CONSISTENT TRAINING. ie Many months in a row without big interruptions.

So, for me, I think 35-40MPW is fine. But, we are all different. Others will say that 50-60 would bring me my cherished 2:09.

53 quarter speed in my age bracket is all american standard!

Right now, I have about 56 quarter speed, but I am horribly out of shape. I can get that down to 54 pretty quickly.

varies wrote:

But I had the strength to open up with a 53 and hold on for a 59.

If you had "strength", you would have opened 53 and held 55.

If you had "strength", you would have opened 53 and held 55.

Not when my max quarter speed was around 51-52. If I am maxing at 90-95% on my first quarter, how am I supposed to turn around and run 55, 3 seconds slower than my best for the second quarter.

I think most people would agree that opening w/a 53 and holding on for 59 is not too bad for this kind of speed. Other PRs, 4:07, 8:12, 14:10. Makes sense now?

Name one person you know that can run 1:48 having a PR of 51-52 for the quarter!!!!!

wow that's really impressive.

varies wrote:

If you had "strength", you would have opened 53 and held 55.

Not when my max quarter speed was around 51-52. If I am maxing at 90-95% on my first quarter, how am I supposed to turn around and run 55, 3 seconds slower than my best for the second quarter.

I think most people would agree that opening w/a 53 and holding on for 59 is not too bad for this kind of speed. Other PRs, 4:07, 8:12, 14:10. Makes sense now?

Name one person you know that can run 1:48 having a PR of 51-52 for the quarter!!!!!

not.

exactly

Dillettante -jealousy will get you nowhere in life. This is very possible. Todd Williams ran 4 flat for the mile and I think his PR for the quarter was around 51.

I train a 53 year old on 35 miles a week. His times are 400/55,800/2:12. Last saturday he ran a 1:30.4 600.

I never questioned the veracity of his claim. 53/59 are pathetic splits. Learn to run the damned event properly.

53/59 sounds like the perfect scenario for a distance guy trying to run an 800. Even if he went out in 55, a distance guy with 52 quarter speed would be hard pressed to come back in anything faster than 58-59. The lactic acid build up and o2 deprivation in this scenario would be too much. 1:52 is a great time for the lack of quarter speed in this situation.

Not sure where you are going with "learn to run the damned event properly."

I wouldn't say great time, but good. No way this guy would be able to go out in 55, and then come back in 57 only with a PR of 52 for the quarter. 53/59 seems realistic.

My advice.

Go to Athlinks.com

find a good masters 800 meter runner and send them a message.

Cut out the middle men who don't know or can't prove what they have run.

I've run exactly one 800 in my life, so I'm not venturing any advice, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me why it's customary to run such positive splits in the 800. It seems as tho from the mile through the marathon even or perhaps slightly negative splits work best, but every time I see an 800 on TV or read about one, they always run significantly positive splits.

Is there a physio reason for this?

thanks.

Good morning "not old-experienced"

I dabble in the 800m occaisionally (suffered thru one last night). I am 45 yrs old. Since I run 400's to 10k's year round, I keep my mileage between 60 - 75 most weeks. Unless it is a Big race, championship or something, I don't taper down too often. In the past, this has kept me healthy, although I developed little "twinges" everywhere this year.

Without any speed specific workouts for a fast 800, last nights splits where mostly even (:29, :30, :30, :31 = 2:00). No real turnover, just muscled through it!

Good luck with your training! Staying healthy and consistent is the key at this age!

tony

What are you goal in the 800 this year. Do you need help with your training? My 600 is 1:21 in a workout i am 41.

Reminder to all viewers: times not verifiable as race results are to be read as: "I ran the *blah blah* in *blah blah*.

I was just reading some comments this morning from Ralph Doubell as to why he still has the Australian national 800 record 39 years after he set it. He said that a big part of the problem is that 800 meter runnners think of the event as a sprint now and don't have a part of the year when they run a good mileage build up. He said he did fairly high mileage all winter, he mentions hilly 10 mile runs, and says people don't do that anymore. That's very similar to Snell's take on why he still has the NZ 800 record after 43 years.

So I'd say you'd want to have a phase when you'd do something that seems like it's more than you need to do.

Hi HRE:

Could you have a link to Doubell's comments? I am very interested in Ralph Doubell's training. Thanks!