400/800m training programs

First, look at this.

http://www.nfhs.org/CoachingTodayContent.aspx?id=6827

You can also find many good things on this site, especially this thread.

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

Some Personal Background/Advice

I graduated HS 5 years ago and ended up with PRs (didn't run in college) of a 49.6 relay split and a 1:56 in the open 800. Didn't really run the open 400 but could've gone sub 50 fresh in my best shape. Ran a 23.1 in the open 200 as well.

I wasted the first 3 years of HS as an above average 200/400 guy until my senior year when the coach convinced me to do some 800 work for the indoor DMR running my first 800 ever in 2:00. My third ever open 800 race was at state where I went 1:56.30, during the season we had 3 meets a week and training was very limited/poorly coached. Looking back I should've started the 800 my freshmen year (with a 53.5 400) and could've been a state champ and ran close to 1:52 or so if not faster had I trained for the 400/800. But enough of my glory days.

My advice to you or an athlete entering your senior year is this.

1. Get ahead of the game and work during the offseason, if not doing XC (I played football) start with a low, comfortable mileage base (15-20 mpw or so) and slowly progress nice and easy while staying strong to get ready for indoor/season, this does not mean you should be doing balls out interval workouts on the track. I was never a big mileage guy, it wore me out. I tell my 800 guys 15 mpw is fine but to run faster as winter progresses. (7:00 down to 6:20 pace or so)

2. If doing XC, complement your training with speedwork/lifting when possible (perhaps not until the end of the season). I tell my 800 guys who run cross to lift easy (light lunges/squats/bench, keeping it simple) on the weekends, their coach has them do strides/core as well. You want to maintain sprint speed as much as possible while balancing XC training and staying healthy.

800 guys come in all shapes and sizes with different skillsets (a 48 quarter guy with toughness or an XC guy who can run consecutive 57s off a 53 open ability), but the BEST have raw speed, about 24.x or better 200m ability at the high school level. Look at Brandon Johnson for example. Mileage is good but if you want to run a fast 400/800 combo you better be able to break 12.0 for the 100, nothing special for sprinters but faster than the vast majority of cross country runners.

3. In the winter, like I said run some quality miles to build endurance and if possible some simple speed workouts on the track no more than once a week. I also have my runners do a "tempo" run of sorts, basically a time trial on the roads ranging from 1-3 miles fast every 2 weeks.

Now that you're not in a sport (exception being basketball/swimming) get in some hard lifting to build explosive power, look up some football stuff.

*Various Cleans/Squats/lunges and even upperbody/bench press are all good. Both muscular endurance (low weight/high reps) and power (low reps/high weight are necessary, the 800 is a "tweener" event.

*Short sprints in the gym (flying 30s)/80% effort strides- form focused

*core work/p90x/bicep curls and abs for the ladies ;)

Most importantly remember to not go overboard and stay healthy as the season hasn't even started yet, I also like to do some race pace work (with 4x200s, 300s, start/strategy/kick, ladders) just before things kick off (in December or so).

Any more advice just ask.