sorry miler

Depends on your goal.

Right now your 400 reps are close enough to your best 400 to indicate you have a strong base. I'd guess you're in about 4:30 shape now.

If you want to get much faster, you need more raw speed. Are you doing any fast strides? If not, you're short on neuromuscular fitness. The only way to improve that is to run fast. Really fast. Close to your max.

The best way to improve speed is by doing speed when you are relatively fresh. Do 6x100 after a short warmup, pushing the middle 60m to your limit. 6 reps is a ballpark number you should be able to handle with your base. You know you're done when you start slowing down. There's no point at training at less than your max, and the risk of injury is higher when you're tired and forcing speed.

I meant to add that if you want to add mileage on speed days...do it after you've done your speed training. A full distance run first will compromise the quality of the speed work, but the reverse is not true.

1) Improve your aerobic endurance: 5-6x1000 at 3k pace, 4x1600 at 5k pace 4x2000 at 10k pace.

2) Improve your leg strength: 10xshort hills, basic bounding

3) work on under speed 2x4x400 at 800m pace (~62) with 2-3 min rest

4) work on race pace. Personally I like doing 500-600s since it is too easy to run quarters too fast.

3) work on under speed 2x4x400 at 800m pace (~62) with 2-3 min rest

can you elaborate?

The basic idea is doing something faster, makes the slower pace feel easier. There have been studies where doing lighter work faster, heavy work slower leads to more improvement than just doing (you still need to do some) work at the desired performance level. Unfortunately none if it was on runners (cyclist, weight lifters, and baseball players are the ones I am aware of).800m 2 sets of 4 x400. I was guessing his 800 pace is about 62s. 8 of them might be too much work depending on the runner (either do 300s or only do 6 of them). These are really hard anaerobic intervals. Most runners should do these too often.Similiarly an occasional speed workout along the lines 4x300 all out(400m pace), 5-6 min rest between intervalshelps the legs get used to running fast. I always did running starts to reduce the start up stress.Note these workouts are the icing on the cake. The hard aerobic intervals will lead to bigger improvements for most runners.

div wrote:

3) work on under speed 2x4x400 at 800m pace (~62) with 2-3 min rest

can you elaborate?

"Most runners should do these too often."

do or not do? and what is too often?

Should not. How often depends on the runner (15 verus 21, fast versus slow) and time of the season. Personally I did 1 hard anaerobic session a week. I would alternate between a 800m paced one and a 1600meter one. During the build up I was in favor of Jack Daniels style reps where you take long rests. You get the neurological benefit without the muscular distress I believe in the general idea that it only takes 4-8 weeks to maximize the buffering capacity of the muscles so I would rather work on aerobic endurance, basic speed, and running at race pace (JD reps). I was definitely more of a 1500/5k guy. If your a 800/1500 guy you might tolerate more anaerobic work. The one thing I used to always struggle with was running to fast. If I was looking to run lets say a 4:20(65), it was always tempting to run 8x400 in 63 with 90s rest. I think running 10-12x400 in 65 with 90s rest would have been a better workout.

div wrote:

"Most runners should do these too often."

do or not do? and what is too often?

desperateinvirginia wrote:

Ok so I'm a 20 year old male been running seriously for 6 years.

my open quarter is 58s

unbelievable. youve been running for years and you can only run a 58?? surely you meant to put 48.

ive run 427 and have been running my last 400s in 51-52 seconds. if thats all the footspeed you have, then you need to start focusing on the marathon.

the430miler wrote:

unbelievable. youve been running for years and you can only run a 58?? surely you meant to put 48.

ive run 427 and have been running my last 400s in 51-52 seconds. if thats all the footspeed you have, then you need to start focusing on the marathon.

You should be a hell of a lot better in the 800 but sadly you do not have the desire.

true. i want my race to last longer than 1:59.

i meant 58, thanks.

you sir remind me of my high school coach, just ripping into everyone with out ever offering up any suggestions on how to improve. i hope you are not a coach, you know with your great attitude and all.

430miler's name is Chris Hall. I searched for him and found some 158ish ad 425ish results. Sadly he hasnt improved them in the last 4 years. Im also anxious to see when he improves, if ever, in his college years.

430, what are you now? A Junior in college?

Time to break 420 my friend.