800m Runner - Training too hard for November/December?

800mrunner100 wrote:

Tomorrow I have a fartleg session.

lol

What is your overall mileage? Right now the best in the world are putting in 70-90+ a week with strength intervals (5X500m with 7 MINUTES rest is not strength work) once or twice a week, sprints, and tempos. The best in the NCAA are probably putting in 60-70 at least as well.

Just because you are training as hard as you can doesn't mean you are training as smart as you can. Usually it is far from the case.

You already know the answer. You know it, we know it, only your coach doesn't know it. You just better hope that you're a whole lot tougher than the other 10,000 high schoolers who are training like this, because most of them will burn out spectacularly, as I imagine you probably will too. Are the 700s basically all out as well?

It really depends on if you are a strength runner or a speed runner. The pace isn't terribly fast relative to your PR, seems like the workout is supposed to be highly aerobic intervals for a speed type 800m runner. The rest is awfully long though.

If 800m is you primary event, you can't just slog away mileage like more posters recommend and expect to race a high level 800m race. I've been successful in the 800m when I focus on one distance up in the fall season. So, the primary workout is at mile pace, with secondary workouts at 800 pace and 5k pace. Your workout 5x500 workout kind of looks like 800m date pace which is fine, 700's are probably at 5kish pace, and the longer run is just for general conditioning.

Here is the basic training of a former Oregon 1:44 800m runner that I found in some post. You'll see that there is some speed all year round.

Sub 1:50 800m Training

Strength Phase

Mon: am 8 pm 4 plus 6*200 might be 30-28-26...sprinter recovery (ie full)

Tue - am 4 pm 5*800m, 400 jog recovery...very important that you cut down. start slower, push the recovery, and have the last one start to get FAST. like I said before, a sub 1:50 guy might do 220, 216,212,208,200-204 with a 2min running rest.

Wed - am 4 pm 8 +drills

Thur am 4 pm tempo 4 miles...getting faster

Fri am 4 pm 8 plus drills/weights

Sat am pace work. 1600-1200-800-400, 1200-800-400. 400s would end up under 60....notice this is the 5000m mans sharpening workout, for us it was strength

Sunday am 16

Sharpening Phase

Monday am 4 pm 8 with 10 good hills

Tuesday 600-400-400-5*200 cutting down. 600 might be 122, 400s getting quicker, working on speed endurance

wed am 4 pm 8 recovery

thursday am 3 mile tempo sub 5 pm 5*200 cut down fast 30-28-26-24-22

fri am 4 pm 8

sat pure speed. 4*400 sub 50. 5 min rest

sun 14-16

Peaking

mon am 4 pm 8

tue 600 in 116, 5*200 in 24

wed am 4 pm 8

thur 5*300 in 37

fri am 8

sat race

sun 12-14

this is for 1:45 guys.....back off for normal 800m times...

'If 800m is you primary event, you can't just slog away mileage like more posters recommend and expect to race a high level 800m race.'

You have hit the nail on the head there

Some good sessions too

So the different phases/periodization people are talking about, what months should I be doing strength work, sharpening up, speed work?

Personally, the OP sounds like he is doing far too much lactic stuff for November/December. He will have good speed, but no longevity to his session.

For any newbies, 800m training was discussed comprehensively all last year in this thread....

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2669719

OldSub4 knows his stuff and the periodisation was discussed well. Be warned, it takes a few nights to read!

Remember the 800m is 54% aerobic...the last 200m is all aerobic power -- ie how fast can you go on your aerobic system after you have blown out your more powerful anaerobic system?

As Rich Kenah wisely said "the race begins with 100m to go"

Anaerobic systems respond to about 6-8 sessions of training....thus an 800m man ought to be spending 80% of his/her training on aerobic power (tempos, 800-1000m reps,etc)

The old thread from last year was good -- developing into a book right now as well