Aerobic Capacity vs. Tempo Runs for 800/1500

First, you use terms I don't understand. Anaerobic conditioning means tempo runs? I don't think of tempo runs as "anaerobic" except in a negative sense of pushing the anaerobic zone higher. Tempo runs are all about making fast running aerobic, or better yet, making aerobic running fast.

I might relabel your 4 zones: Endurance, Stamina, Speed, and Sprint (credit where credit is due -- these come from Greg McMillan's website). Depending on who you talk to, aerobic and anaerobic can be misleading and controversial.

You say that the quality of tempo runs lag severely behind the other 3 areas. What do you mean by quality mean here? What are you expecting, and what are you seeing?

Regarding your 1200 repetitions, Typically, I think the pace should be more uniform, but I don't know if starting the first lap too fast is harming you. I would say you are doing them too fast if the last repeat is significantly slower or harder than the first one. I always follow the principal of starting out slow, and finishing fast. This goes for within a repeat, with respect to multiple repeats, for tempo runs (which may then turn into progressive runs), and even with respect to a whole season.

You ask how to improve tempo runs, e.g. by doing more? But you don't say what you're doing now, how long you're doing now, how fast you're doing now, and how often you're doing now, and why you think it's not working now.

Generally speaking, I think the key to 800/1500, is to develop the stamina to carry your speed all the way to the finish line. Most athletes accomplish this for a season by building the "aerobic" base first (more emphasis on easy runs, long runs, and tempo runs), and then afterwards developing speed once you get closer to the racing season. Aerobic fitness takes longer to develop, and lasts longer once developed. Speed can be developed more quickly, closer to the competitive season. Developing speed to early might cause you to peak too early, and start to lose sharpness before your racing season is finished. This is in line with what you say about Coe's sample schedule.

Hope this helps.

How fast are your 3 mile tempo runs? One thing that helped me was throeing in a 5 mile tempo run every 2-3 weeks at a slightly slower pace.

If you have come from a sprinter background and don't have much experience with aerobic training, you are better off doing "aerobic capacity" training rather than "anaerobic conditioning" for the time being.

If you do too many tempo runs, your legs will get stale and you'll lose the speed that is your biggest asset. Your speed oriented legs will not absorb the benefits of tempo runs as much as long intervals.

Remember, you don't train for the event, you train the athlete. An 800 runner coming from a 1500-3k background will train entirely different than an 800 runner coming from a 200-400 background. Your training will be different than what you read in Coe's book or any book (although you can learn a great deal from the principles outlined in that book).

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I'd recommend the following for the next 3-6 months as you build a base:

*Keep your mileage at just 40-45 mpw for the next 3 months, then 50 mpw after that. No need to rush the mileage, you will get hurt. You have a long time to adjust to mileage.

*Do your easy runs comfortably. 7:00-8:00 pace is just fine. You are better off taking those easy and truly recovering than pushing them at this point. You will need 3 easy runs per week. Do some light strides afterwards.

*Twice per week, do long intervals. Try 12 x 400 in 72, 7 x 800 at 75, or 5 x 1200 at 78. Afterwards try 2-4 crisp 200s. Don't go faster for awhile but you'll naturally get faster without giving much more effort.

*One day per week, do some hill work to maintain elastic strength, efficiency, and power. Start with 10-15 x 200 not very fast (about what 72 pace would feel on the track, that effort) on a moderate grade. As the weeks pass, you will develop the strength to absorb more aerobic benefits from the hill work. At first the muscles required to run uphill would not be adapted properly, and it would be an anaerobic activity (thats why its important to only give 72 effort at first). Progressively, you can go up longer and longer hills at the same effort/pace. Move up to 8-10 x 400 at that effort. Then 6-8 x 600. Then 5-6 x 800 by the end of the 6 months.

*One day per week do some pure sprint training to maintain that speed (your greatest asset if you're coming from a 200-400 background). Full speed or nearly full speed work with full recovery. Try 5 x 60m at 95-100% with 5 minute rests, etc.

If you have come from a sprinter background and don't have much experience with aerobic training, you are better off doing "aerobic capacity" training rather than "anaerobic conditioning" for the time being.

If you do too many tempo runs, your legs will get stale and you'll lose the speed that is your biggest asset. Your speed oriented legs will not absorb the benefits of tempo runs as much as long intervals.

Remember, you don't train for the event, you train the athlete. An 800 runner coming from a 1500-3k background will train entirely different than an 800 runner coming from a 200-400 background. Your training will be different than what you read in Coe's book or any book (although you can learn a great deal from the principles outlined in that book).

------------------------------

I'd recommend the following for the next 3-6 months as you build a base:

*Keep your mileage at just 40-45 mpw for the next 3 months, then 50 mpw after that. No need to rush the mileage, you will get hurt. You have a long time to adjust to mileage.

*Do your easy runs comfortably. 7:00-8:00 pace is just fine. You are better off taking those easy and truly recovering than pushing them at this point. You will need 3 easy runs per week. Do some light strides afterwards.

*Twice per week, do long intervals. Try 12 x 400 in 72, 7 x 800 at 75, or 5 x 1200 at 78. Afterwards try 2-4 crisp 200s. Don't go faster for awhile but you'll naturally get faster without giving much more effort.

*One day per week, do some hill work to maintain elastic strength, efficiency, and power. Start with 10-15 x 200 not very fast (about what 72 pace would feel on the track, that effort) on a moderate grade. As the weeks pass, you will develop the strength to absorb more aerobic benefits from the hill work. At first the muscles required to run uphill would not be adapted properly, and it would be an anaerobic activity (thats why its important to only give 72 effort at first). Progressively, you can go up longer and longer hills at the same effort/pace. Move up to 8-10 x 400 at that effort. Then 6-8 x 600. Then 5-6 x 800 by the end of the 6 months.

*One day per week do some pure sprint training to maintain that speed (your greatest asset if you're coming from a 200-400 background). Full speed or nearly full speed work with full recovery. Try 5 x 60m at 95-100% with 5 minute rests, etc.