Tomorrow is an invitational meet and a lot of good athletes will be there from bigger schools. I am doing the 400m first, about 30 min. before 3k. I am only a longer distance runner and am only average in the 400, but my coach insists that I do. So what should I do in this case? I really want to do the best I can in the 3k, and idc about the 400, though I will still try in both. any advice?
Run hard.
Rest.
Repeat.
Since the 400 will be a fast, short duration anaerobic effort, my advice would be to get in a 10-15min jog/recovery run immediately after the first race. If I were in the situation I would also have a protein bar or shake along with water and gatorade. Then again, my stomach has been conditioned to this.
Don't worry about not having enough left for the 3000m. Instead, think of how mentally tough the double will make you.
My 2 pence
You have a big invitational on a Tuesday? That seems kinda odd. Are you sure it's not a dual meet?
I'm not your coach but perhaps he really wants to see what kind of top end speed you have. Or maybe this is a workout or a test to see how you run with some lactate in the legs. Maybe your just an experiment or maybe he's clueless. Whatever it is you just run hard.
Why come on a message board though? Why not just ask him directly? I am always open to my athletes thoughts and more than willing to explain if I want them to run an off event.
Btw, I ran a PR in the 5k after doing an 800, 400, 400 @ 2 mile pace 15 min before my race. Coach wanted us to run tired but it woke up my legs and probably led to a good warm up on a cold day. Anyways, just run man.
But I still don't think it's an invite.
My sophomore year of high school I fashioned myself an 800-1600 runner, with a special interest in the longer distance, and always wanted to run that 1600 fresh. I was underperforming at the beginning of the season and my coach wanted to steer me toward 400-800, so entered me in a JV 400 to start a meet. I was the only runner who didn't start from blocks. I gave it everything I had and scored a narrow win. The shortest 20 or 30 minutes later I was on the start line for the 1600, feeling a bit tired, but less nervous than usual--and the fast opening lap seemed perfectly manageable. I won the race in an eight second PR, beating the fastest miler on my team, and never had to run an open 400 again. It's early in the season and I'm guessing your coach entered you in that 400 for a reason, either as a workout or a psychological kick in the ass. Treat it with respect and give it your best and who knows, it might be the best thing for your 3k development.
underdawg wrote:
Tomorrow is an invitational meet and a lot of good athletes will be there from bigger schools. I am doing the 400m first, about 30 min. before 3k. I am only a longer distance runner and am only average in the 400, but my coach insists that I do. So what should I do in this case? I really want to do the best I can in the 3k, and idc about the 400, though I will still try in both. any advice?
In IL most of the meets are arranged so that the last 3 events go as follows:
-1600m
-200m
-4 x 400m relay
My coach used to throw me in the 800m, 1600m, and have me as the anchor for the 4 x 400m in meets
My situation is sort of the opposite (order-wise) as yours, but I think the baseline issues are the same. In all seriousness, you won't ever be 100% when you're doubling with such a short rest interval, so just go all out in the first race, and hang on with whatever is left for the second.
Would it be better if I warmed up like all the way for the 400, or should I just jog a little and treat the actual race as a semi- warm up?
Everyone is different, do what you feel is best. We did our normal Pre-race routine. Before the 3k maybe a lap or two easy and / or some strides. Again, talk to your coach and find what's best for you.
you need to obviously be very warm for the 400. It's a sprint. Get some good, fast strides in.
It is, however, still a hard anaerobic effort. Means you probably wont have much of a kick left in the 3k but you can still run fast. Don't fret it. Just cool down immediately after the 400.
If you're not very fast at the 400 (hint) then it won't bother you very much. But if you run it fast and hard then it could take a lot out of you for a 3k soon after. I used to run the 800 in high school, then race the 200 right after that, which wasn't easy at all but that's a big difference from a 400 and a 3k. Personally I wouldn't run the 400 hard and would just use it as a warmup for the 3k. If the 400 was after the 3k then you could run them both as hard as you wanted.