16 weeks to train an 800m runner

Monday

AM: 60 easy

PM: long run

Tuesday

AM: 60 easy

Immediately afterwards - 60-100 uphill with full recovery @ max speed

Wednesday

AM: 60 easy

PM: 20' @ 50% race pace.

Thursday

AM: 60 easy

PM: 3x6x60 + 2x4x80, recovery about 1'30", 5'/6' between sets

Friday

AM: 60 easy

PM: fartlek (just do ladder work or something like 2 easy 2 hard)

Saturday

AM: 60 easy

PM: 2x600 at 95% (13"6) in 1'21"6 (rec. 5') + 3x500 at 96% (13"45) in 67"2 (rec. 5') + 3x400 at 97% (13"35) in 53"4 (rec. 5'), rec. between sets 7'.

Sunday

AM: 60 easy

Monday

AM:60 easy

PM:long run

Tuesday

AM:60 easy

PM: 200m at 105% of race pace (rec. 2') + 300 at 103% (rec. 3') + 400 at 102% (rec. 4') + 500 at Race Pace (rec. 5') + 600 at 98%

Wednesday

AM: 60 easy

PM: 60-100 uphill with full recovery @ max speed

Thursday

AM: 60 easy

PM: 1200 @ 85% (rec. 4') + 1000 @ 87% (rec. 6') + 800 @ 90% (rec. 7') + 600 @ 93% (rec. 8') + 400 at race pace

Friday

AM: 60 easy

PM: tempo

Saturday

AM: 60' easy

PM: 2x600 @ 95% in 1'21"6 (rec. 5') + 3x500 @ 96% in 67"2 (rec. 5') + 3x400 @ 97% (13"35) in 53"4 (rec. 5'), rec. between sets 7'.

Sunday

AM: 60' easy

Repeat x 8.

my that is quite an impressive training plan for someone who has only run 2:40 for 800m.that is 5:20 mile pace ... for less than half of a mile. focus on fundamentals for a few weeks - simply training consistently, some longer runs, some shorter runs, some striders and some sprints. do some pushups and situps and workout in the weight room. 2:40 shows the need for general fitness.

wtf? That second Capablanca isn't me. Tbh I could never handle that. Thanks for the decent reply though.

Capablanca wrote:

wtf? That second Capablanca isn't me. Tbh I could never handle that. Thanks for the decent reply though.

How old are you and what team or you with?

14, and in the UK - not part of a club. (Sort of scared of joining until I'm moderately "fast")

Well since you followed this plan and only ran 2:40 I can safely assume that you are awful.

2:40? My paralyzed grandma in a wheelchair could beat that time with minimal effort. I run 2:40s if I have 15lbs of crap in my stomach.

Here is the program you should follow

Monday

50mins plus strides

Tuesday

Fartlek of 12x1minute on and 1 minute off

Wednesday

45 mins easy

Thursday

50 mins plus 6-8x100m uphill repeats

Friday

30 minutes plus strides

Saturday

Long run of around 80 minutes

Sunday

40 minutes easy and then lick my butthole

If you don't improve on this plan than you should kill yourself.

Are we really talking about a 14yo 800 runner here?

Running 45-60 mins a morning as a 14yo, but as training for 800? And then extra workouts in the afternoon? And doing all that from a 2.40 PB @ age 14?

This can't be serious.

I think he's parodying typical lets run advice. I'd get the kids legs and core strong, because you can do that rather quickly and it will help him to run more later. He wont be running 2:40 once he's been doing burpees, weighted lunges, pullups, leg raises skipping, tire flips planks and hill sprints for a few weeks. Have him run ladder workouts on the track too, starting with 100, going up to 600, then all the way back down to 100. The 600 can be a lot slower, but as he comes back down the ladder you should encourage him to faster.

The question you need to ask is if he plans on continuing to train and develop after the season as well. If it is 16 weeks and then see you next year, I would train him differently than 16 weeks and then do cross country base in the summer. Either way the focus should be quality, not quantity, but if he will be a true distance runner later on, I would establish a bit of the more distance based routines including easy distance runs (not too long though), longer intervals, and doing a few mile races to work on strength. If it is a 400/800 guy and won't be used in cross, you have to attack the race as a sprint and extend the training up. If the kid can't run a 100 in under 15 seconds he will have a hard time being competitive as a 14 year old. Most competitive 14 year olds will run between 2:00-2:12 which is 15-16.5s per 100. You might as well not run that event if holding 15-16 second 100s is a struggle and might want to try the mile. Although, if it is a 400/800 runner I would suggest something like this:

Mon- Flying 30s. Around 6-8 with strong focus on form and max speed

Tue- Volume, something like 1000, 800, 600, 400. The need is to train the lactic system and build respectable aerobic endurance

Wed- Strides/strength

Thur- 6-8 by 200s or 300s at 4 seconds faster than current 800 pace. This works on decreasing the 400 time which affects the 800 directly. Long recoveries toward the end of the year, but this could easily be an intensive tempo at the beginning by doing the 200s at 800 race pace with 30-45 seconds recovery.

Fri- Strides/stretching

Sat- Race