400/800m training and diet

Wel you need to ask yourself if you want to be a 400m runner or a distance runner. you can be a great 400/800 meter runner, but that means you may sacrifice the XC season. what is your schedule like? If your workouts are mostly speed with your team, try to incorporate longer intervals or tempos on a saturday or sunday. 3 mile tempo @5:30 pace. Or 8x400 @ 65 60 sec rest.

Ultimately, your coaches are right and you are still young. you will get better in season just with more racing. I think this year you should focus on the 400. I think you can run a 50 point. the 800 will be harder to improve so quickly but in the end that could be your best event. Do not focus on losing weight. Keep lifting strong and working out hard. Do not eat less. You are not fat for a 400/800 guy by any means. Weight control will come with working out.

Our weekly workouts are the following:

Monday Speed: usually 1 all out 450 then 8x200 2-3 mile cooldown

Tuesday Recovery: 3-4 mile run @6:30 pace

Wednesday Speed : 8x150 2-3mil cooldown

Thursday Recovery: 3-4 mile run @7:30

Friday 2x400 (sub 60) 2x300 (sub 43) 2x200 (sub 28)

Saturday: easy speed or easy mileage.

Ask if on Monday's you can workout with the mid distance crew. But really that looks fine. Maybe up your easy runs to 4-5 miles

br0ski wrote:

Ask if on Monday's you can workout with the mid distance crew. But really that looks fine. Maybe up your easy runs to 4-5 miles

Alright thanks for the help :D

Your weight is perfect for the 800m. For the 400m you might gain some muscle. Do calisthenics, pushups, mountain climbers. This will give you some cardio too without taking anything out of your legs for workouts. Go for easy runs with strides if you feel restless. Diet? You want protein. Vegetables too of course.

You want to run sub 50 AND sub 1:58? Run the 200 and 400 for now. 4 seconds is a lot in the 400 and you will need more speed. You want sub 15:30 and sub 50? I don't know... not many people here on lets run can pull a sub 50. It doesn't help, running long miles. It's the big lie in running, that if you work on distance first speed will come.

If you do the majority of your miles on cross country courses or hilly roads, then maybe you can gain some speed. Hills are similar to speed work.

You can't just switch between being a sprinter and a long distance runner every 6 months. That would mean you aren't reaching your potential in one area. If you want to break 50 then you need to do the 200 to practice your top speed. To attain more speed you work on form, you hit the weights, you do hill sprints, and you work on form some more.