I want some ideas for end of the season workouts for a 800/1600 group. So far this season we have put in a mix of 3200, 1600 and 800 paced workouts and raced at a variety of events. We are ready as ready as we can be for some race-specific training.
There are 4 weeks of the season left- week 4 being the state meet. I want some opinions on ONE workout per week that will be specific to 800/1600 high school kids.
Thanks, just want to see what others would or are doing.
1600m:
Week 1: 3-4 x (600m @ race pace, 200m jog, 400m @ 102% race pace, 200m jog, 200m @ 104% race pace) w/ 3 min rest
example: if goal race pace were 75 sec/400m, then
100% race pace for 600m = 1:53
102% race pace for 400m = 73 sec.
104% race pace for 200m = 35 sec
so it would go
3 x (600m @ 1:53, 200m jog, 400m @ 73, 200m jog, 200m @ 35 sec) then 3 minutes off
Week 2: 6-8 x 300m @ 102% race pace w/ 200m jog or 45 sec. rest
example: if goal race pace were 75 sec/400m, then this workout would look like
6-8 x 300m @ 55 sec. w/ 200m jog or 45 sec. rest
Week 3: 2 x (400m @ 102% race pace, 200m jog, 200m @ 104% race pace, 200m jog, 400m @ 102% race pace, 200m @ 104% race pace) w/ 3 minutes rest
example: 2 x (400m @ 73, 200m jog, 200m @ 35, 200m jog, 400m @ 73, 200m jog, 200m @ 35, 200m jog) w/ 3 minutes rest
Week 4: Touch-up and refining:
6 x 200m @ 38-34 seconds w/ 300m jog or 45 sec. rest
like 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 34
I think the 800m can be a tricky business, but I'll give it a shot:
Week 1:
1-2 x (400m-300m-200m-100m-200m-300m-400m) @ 98-104-98% goal 800m pace w/ equal rest
example: 1-2 x (62, 46, 29, 14, 28, 45, 61)
Week 2:
3 x (400m @ 96% goal 800m pace, 60 sec. rest, 300m @ 100% goal 800m pace, 45 sec. rest, 200m @ 104% goal 800m pace) w/ 3-4 minutes rest
example: if goal 800m pace were 60 sec/400m, then
3-4 x (400m @ 63 seconds, 60 sec. rest, 300m @ 45 seconds, 45 seconds rest, 200m @ 28/29 seconds) w/ 3-4 minutes rest
63, 45, 29
63, 45, 29
62, 45, 28
Week 3:
3-4 x (300m @ 100% goal pace, 200m jog, 200m @ 102% goal pace, 100m jog, 100m @ 105% goal pace) w/ 2 min. rest
45, 29, 14
45, 28, 14
45, 28, 14
Week 4:
1 x :
200m-150m-100m all @ 104% goal pace, 1-3 min recoveries
100m-200m-300m all @ 102% goal pace, 1-3 min recoveries
200m-150m-100m all @ 104% goal pace, 1-3 min recoveries
I don't know, what do you think?
Thanks, that was an outstanding post.
I like that everything is within 4% of race pace, yet mulitple paces within each workout.
The volume will even fit with what my kids have done this year,
thanks again
I had something vaguely similar in mind for the 1600/800 kids:
4 week progression:
2x600- date 1600 pace
2x500- 1600 goal pace
2x400- date 800 pace
2x300- 800 goal pace
2x200- 1 sec faster than 800 goal pace
2x500- 1sec/400 faster than 1600 goal pace
2x400- 800 goal pace
2x300- 1 sec/200 faster than 800 goal pace
2x200- 400 pace
2x150- relaxed sprinting
2x400- 1 sec faster than 800 goal pace
2x300- 1 sec faster/200 than 800 goal pace
2x200- 1 sec faster/200 than 800 goal pace
2x150- relaxed sprinting
2x100- acceleration to 400 pace
1x400- 800 goal pace
1x300- 800 goal pace
1x200- 800 goal pace
1x150- 800 goal pace
1x100- 800 goal pace
Do these as sets (except the last week) with shortish recovery (but not too short) between reps and longer recovery between sets to work on race pace economy.
Good posts. I have one question. Do you only plan on doing one WO a week? If so what would the rest of the week look like? I think it is important to look at the whole of the next 4 weeks not just one specific WO per week.
Monday: Workout
Tuesday: Easy 40-45 min run
Wednesday: light threshold (3x1000 or so) +4x200
Thursday: Easy 30 min + light strides
Friday: Easy 20 min
Saturday: Race