My first track meet is on Tuesday, and it will be my first time running the 1600. My best distances are 5k and up, and I don't have a lot of sprinting speed for a good kick.
My goal for this 1st track meet is just to hit the state-qualifying mark of 5:19.14.
What kinds of splits should I put out to hit this time? Should I just try to run even splits and aim to run every lap in under 79.8? Any responses from current or former track runners would be appreciated.
My advice would be to run 80 on the first three and then kick, regardless of whether or not you have speed. Not having speed does not necessarily mean that you don't have a kick. It's all relative. Don't sell yourself short. You will need to have roughly 70 second open 400 speed to run 5:20. I'm assuming that you have at least that much speed. Coming off 5K training, you should be able to hold pace for a mile, shouldn't you?
Add 10 seconds to your best 400 meter time. That's the pace that you should ultimately strive for in a mile. That's roughly your maximum potential. Maybe you can shoot for something better than 5:20.
Why not?
Fat Boy wrote:
My advice would be to run 80 on the first three and then kick, regardless of whether or not you have speed. Not having speed does not necessarily mean that you don't have a kick. It's all relative. Don't sell yourself short. You will need to have roughly 70 second open 400 speed to run 5:20. I'm assuming that you have at least that much speed. Coming off 5K training, you should be able to hold pace for a mile, shouldn't you?
Add 10 seconds to your best 400 meter time. That's the pace that you should ultimately strive for in a mile. That's roughly your maximum potential. Maybe you can shoot for something better than 5:20.
Thanks. My best 400 is 71, but that was after practice so I should be faster than that. I think your strategy should work, except I'll probably always be a little faster than 80 at the 400 mark because of all the kids sprinting at the start. As long as I don't start out too fast, I SHOULD be able to run the middle laps in 80, then kick it in the last 400. This is the strategy I'll try on Tuesday.
coach k wrote:
SMJO wrote:Why not?
Too long.
Says who?
He has no speed, 400 is just right.
I realise this is the parent asking and my comment is off topic, but you need to train speed. Train once a week with the sprinters and give up a distance session.
Year 7 FFS. You need to be sprinting until at least 15-16. It's more important than extra aerobic training.
I'm pretty sure the OP is female. I can't imagine 5:19 being a state qualifying time for a male. The qualifying time for our end of season JH COUNTY competition is 5:11 for males, and typically there are a few girls near or under 5:20.
Helloooooo? wrote:
SMJO wrote:Says who?
He has no speed, 400 is just right.
Uh, kicking involves speed. And you should never kick for 25% of the distance.
He has to spread his "speed" out over a more lengthy distance. Waiting and then blazing a 38 second 200 isn't going to do much.
Rui Silva used to kick for more than half of the 1500m.
There are no rules as to how long a kick should be.
Karma Police wrote:
Year 7 FFS. You need to be sprinting until at least 15-16. It's more important than extra aerobic training.
I agree totally with this, despite my handle, and Lydiard himself would have encouraged the development of 'fine speed'. Learn how to sprint, get some sensible miles in, and forget about OTT anaerobic sessions.
lap 1: stay within 10 meters of leader
lap 2: try to close to 5 meters of leader
lap 3: try to stay 5 meters of leader
lap 4: hold on for dear life and kick at 250 meters
or just Pre it baby
Good luck in your race and let us know how you do!
7th grade track athlete wrote:
I'll probably always be a little faster than 80 at the 400 mark because of all the kids sprinting at the start.
Your best shot at qualifying is to ignore the kids sprinting at the start and run your first lap no faster than 79. There is absolutely no advantage to going out hard.
What county are you talking about? And there are more than 1 middle school girl under 5:20? Okay...
5:19? wrote:
I'm pretty sure the OP is female. I can't imagine 5:19 being a state qualifying time for a male. The qualifying time for our end of season JH COUNTY competition is 5:11 for males, and typically there are a few girls near or under 5:20.
It's laughable all these "coaches" on here giving race advice to a 7th grader.
It's pretty clear that none of you get it.....or you are all tools, and possibly both.
In 7th grade the real key is to absolutely enjoy racing and learn from each race. You don't need gimmicks or tricks. Run the race straight up how it presents itself or decide how YOU would enjoy running it and do that. If that means take the lead early and ramp up the pace to take the kick out of people? Great. If you would feel more comfortable sitting and trying to kick? Good deal.
Whatever it is, don't get too caught up in the pre race hype. Just relax, and come race day go for it.
The development of strength endurance is one of the key’s to developing a fast mile. Strength endurance increases the fiber pool that an athlete can use and also increases the endurance, or ability of those fibers to work under fatigue.
With some other workouts (which Lydiard also had, such as his 50m sprint/50m cruise workout) you can extend this strength endurance to high intensity strength endurance. Meaning that you can train the body to recruit these fibers under highly fatigued conditions. At the end of a mile race, muscle fibers are 'failing' and your body is trying to compensate by cycling in others to replace them. With an increase in strength endurance, the athlete will have a better kick at the end of the race because he can call upon more fibers, which can last longer.
Good luck.
Steve
7th grade track athlete wrote:
My first track meet is on Tuesday, and it will be my first time running the 1600. My best distances are 5k and up, and I don't have a lot of sprinting speed for a good kick.
My goal for this 1st track meet is just to hit the state-qualifying mark of 5:19.14.
What kinds of splits should I put out to hit this time? Should I just try to run even splits and aim to run every lap in under 79.8? Any responses from current or former track runners would be appreciated.
Try to go out 80-2:40. Then try to push harder the next 200 and the next 200 after that. Hopefully you'll be under 4 at 1200m. Then you dig deep every 100m and bring it home. The key is the backstretch of the third lap; you don't want to lose momentum there because you feel like you're hanging on for the last lap. You might arrange for a teammate to be at the 100m point and have him remind you of this on the third lap.
Please report back on how it went.
Listen here kiddo wrote:
It's laughable all these "coaches" on here giving race advice to a 7th grader.
It's pretty clear that none of you get it.....or you are all tools, and possibly both.
In 7th grade the real key is to absolutely enjoy racing and learn from each race. You don't need gimmicks or tricks. Run the race straight up how it presents itself or decide how YOU would enjoy running it and do that. If that means take the lead early and ramp up the pace to take the kick out of people? Great. If you would feel more comfortable sitting and trying to kick? Good deal.
Whatever it is, don't get too caught up in the pre race hype. Just relax, and come race day go for it.
This tool makes a good point. Just have fun is number one.
Not sure how the rest of his "advice" is any different apart from ignoring actual numbers.
If you can't even break 5:20 it is a great idea to take the lead and ramp up the pace even though a there will likely be people who can run way under 5:00.
It will be just as easy to let them take the lead and mow them down even though they will likely be 100 meters ahead.
Thanks for the serious responses. I will report back on Tuesday on how it went.
7th grade track athlete wrote:
Thanks for the serious responses. I will report back on Tuesday on how it went.
why? no one cares
I do.