VA coach gives great advice all around. Start the workout slower-- that is excellent advice.
In prehistoric times, I ran similar workouts under the eye of my college coach. We'd have 3 - 4 guys doing the workout, so we'd focus on relaxation and rhythm as a group. I recall doing 2 @ 440, 1 @ 660 in 56, 54, 1:25. (Yes folks, in yards. I told you I was a dinosaur.) Likewise, we'd jog a slow lap and stay loose, about 5 min. between repeats. We did a lot of variations on this workout mixing up 440s and 660s.
The above was preceded by a 3 mile slow run, and then 6 @ 100 stride to get ready for some fast running. Sometimes we'd end with 3 @ 200 in 28, 27, 26. As va coach suggests, the idea was controlled speed. In a race, we'd aim for even splits. Yes, we'd always run the first lap of a half mile a bit too fast, but we'd save our race for lap 2.
I ran 1:58.4 880 off the above (1:57.6 equivalent 800), honestly shoulda been faster off that workout quoted above. I'd often spend it in the third 200 and struggle on the stretch run.
I did manage an 880 leg of 1:58.0 anchoring a 2 mile relay where I passed the 660 in 1:25.9. I flew on the third 220 and tanked big time at the end. Ouch.
For you, I think you can run mid 1:56 off current fitness, but you will need to run your first lap no faster than 56 high. Mid 57 is better. If you dip under 56 on your first lap, a giant bear will slip onto the track in the homestretch, jump on your back, and laugh with gusto as you start to run backwards.