Long Run for 800m.

Personally I think a 40 min progressive (speeding up) run is ample, or if you're a speed type who hates long runs, then do cruise intervals like 5-7 x 1km on 90-120 secs recovery at 5-8km pace.

20-17 weeks out - 12-14 miles

16-13 weeks out - 9-11 miles

12-7 weeks out - 7-10 miles

Final 6 weeks - 4-7 miles

Thanks Karma. Do you think the 1000s are more of workout than the 40 min. Progressive run and better for endurance and stamina? If you are not a speed type person and you hate intervals because its more painful than the 40 min should you do more of that because thats probably your weakness? Vice versa?

Thanks again.

Guessing thats interesting. 7 months out I guess nothing to lose for doing it but do you think a 800 m runner really needs 12-14 miles of a long run? Do a lot of the 800 m runners do this? I hear 5 k guys say they run 14-18miles. But who knows maybe it works for some. If it takes that much than I am undertraining.

I ran 1:50 for the 800m. My longest run during base phase was 6 miles.

Radishes only runs 35mpw in base phase.

Who are these jackhoes suggesting a 12 mile long run? Are you literally stupid?

Depends on your background. There are plenty of guys in HS and college running high level 800s off a cross country and middle distance base. For those guys, a long run of 60-90 minutes may make sense during base building phase into early and mid season. That said, as you get into racing season I've found that 8-9 miles at threshold pace is as far as I'd go. Long, slow running kills speed.

If you're more of a speed guy, then I'd say 40-45 min is all you need.

Nick Symmonds runs 13 mile long runs

Seb Coe ran 13 mile long runs even during racing season

It depends on the individual. One outlier that comes to mind is Jim Ryun. He routinely ran 20 milers in high school. Guys like Rudisha probably don't go over an hour or so, but I really don't know specifics about Rudy.

Trial and error here. Train what you perceive to be weaknesses for you. Would you mind posting your PR's over various distances? That'd lend some perspective to your situation.

Aspiration wrote:

What should a long run for 800 be? 5, 6, 7, 8, ?

At what point does it become too much meaning higher than this is not beneficial for the 800m?

And should you run it like a marathon pace or make it a semi tempo or just slow?

How long do you think guys like Rudisha, Amos , kaki, and Simmonds run for their long run?

Thanks a lot guys.

SYMMONDS, learn to spell. IDIOT.

Symmonds, two weeks ago:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEjQaDIN51I/

Guessing wrote:

Nick Symmonds runs 13 mile long runs

Seb Coe ran 13 mile long runs even during racing season

Yeah great let's use the exception to prove the rule, more moronic hobby jogging comments.

If you go to ANY D1 program, NONE of the 800m runners are doing 13 mile long runs. OK maybe there's 1 or 2 freaks of nature out there, but for the most part, NO NO NO.

Also, you do realize Seb Coe trained differently for his 800m "season" and his mile "season?" When he tried to combine the two into one, well he was running 1:44-1:47 and losing to Ovett in Moscow, and doing better in the mile. Seb Coe ran his 800m PR SIX (6) SIX SIX SIX years before his mile PR.

Jesus the amount of idiotic misinformation here is appalling.

If that same individual also competes on the 1500m then it might make some sense to run 12 miles from time to time. Say once every week or each 10 days. 1500m is a highly aerobic event don't neglect the mileage.

Now if it's a guy who also focuses on the 400m then the excess of mileage can compromise the speed developement. Not the mileage itself, but the effort used for that mileage isn't being applied on the required speed.

If that's the case, I'd say that 6/7 miles should provide all the endurance you need really.

I did run D1. PR of 1:49.5. I had several teammates in the 1:46-1:52 range. I'd say 80% of us ran over 10 miles once a week, with several guys over 13.

I know that Canova says a few things about the long run and "aerobic work" for 800m guys.

For general resistance he recommends 1 hour runs

He also highly recommends long FAST runs that are around 40 minutes long at half marathon pace. He also recommends "long" FAST runs of 20 minutes at faster than half marathon pace

Lastly for aerobic support he recommends intervals of 1000m to 3000m at essentially 10000m pace.

What school? I don't believe for a second you had "SEVERAL" 800m runners on your team running over 13 miles a week. How many 800m runners did you guys have? Ever hear of Title IX?

Guessing wrote:

I did run D1. PR of 1:49.5. I had several teammates in the 1:46-1:52 range. I'd say 80% of us ran over 10 miles once a week, with several guys over 13.

How many D1 teams have more than 3 or 4 800m runners? And most of those guys are 400m runners who got bumped up or 1500m runners who dabble in the 800m...what are you talking about.

What are you talking about? I attended the school for 5 years including redshirt. True, maybe 3 or so 800 specialists per class, but a good handful of guys.

Guessing wrote:

What are you talking about? I attended the school for 5 years including redshirt. True, maybe 3 or so 800 specialists per class, but a good handful of guys.

What school has several 800m guys doing 13 mile long runs? Most 800m runners these days are 400m guys, black kids, who got bumped up...I just laughed picturing the 800m guys on my team doing 13 mile runs.

I took a kid from 1:53 to 1:49 in a season. He ran higher mileage during Cross Country, running a 15 mile long run when hitting his peak of 80 miles. During the Track season we stuck to 1000s early on and he averaged around 50-60 miles. No more than a 12 mile long run. Indoor he ran 1:53, Outdoor he cranked a 1:49 multiple times. The mileage made him quite strong and durable. It allowed me to throw more intensive stuff with him as we winded his training down and got him race ready with simulated race workouts.

There's a large debate about 800m runners and mileage. It all comes down to prior training (high school), the athlete's mentality, and their raw ability. The kid I'm talking about ran 26:30 for 8k and could run 49 seconds for an open 400.

So take it for what you will.