800 METERS!!!

You shuoldup to the mile.

I can run a 26 as my last 200 of a workout, and I'm a 2:05 800 runner(last year).

I would argue that if you already have 25/26 second speed, there's no need to work on that. You're max speed is good, it's your stanima that's lacking. How much mileage are you doing now? When you do 200s in 29-31, how many do you do? With 25 sec. ability, you should be able to develop your aerobic endurance in order to run all 4 of the 200s closer to max speed.

I do about 45 miles per week. 200 sessions are something like 12X200 in 30 with 1:15 rest.

Would it be worth increasing rest and speed, or should I wait til the end of the season for that? Or, at the end of the season, are you supposed to decrease rest?

Suggesting more "aerobic endurance" in this case is a crock of shit. Im not saying long runs dont have a place in mid d training but being able to run 17 miles in 2 hour regularly will show very little gains in a kick or even overall performance in an 800. What you need is to do things to make you stronger though the mid part of the race so you arent gassed for that last 200. Try doing longer reps such as 400's, 500's or 600's at very close to race pace. Obviously youll need a little more than usual rest to do longer reps this fast but dont take too much and they will pay off. Working so close to this pace (say run 600s in 132 working down to 1:28 as the season progreses)will make you more comfotable at that specific pace. Once you feel comfortable running 1:27 for example for 600m in a race it will be just competition coming out in you to carry you over that last 200 as hard as you can go.

Yeah, long runs for 800 meter runners is the dumbest thing I've heard.

Are ya'll suggesting keeping mileage the same and doing faster sessions, or just doing more sessions at the same speed, or cutting mileage and doing more sessions and faster sessions?

peter snell... wrote:

Yeah, long runs for 800 meter runners is the dumbest thing I've heard.

There is a time for everything. As I believe I stated, LONG RUNS HAVE A PLACE IN MID D TRAINING. Theyre for the base phase and not beneficial for middle of the season, impoving your kick/mid race strenth. Way to prove you dont know what youre talking about.

could you be more specific with the race-pace workouts? are we talking two 600's or five of them? four minutes rest or twenty?

Yeah...more speceficity please.

If I want to be able to use my 25/26 second speed, do I need to be doing more reps at top speed? Or more reps at 28? Or just get really comfortable doing 30s so that I'll have energy left for a 27?

I think you're on the right track with your mileage and strength work. Don't let these guys fool you though, speed is important, and you shouldn't ever get too far away from fast running if you're an 800 runner. If you are doing two quality sessions per week, I would do maybe one "faster" workout once every two weeks, like say some 300s in 42 and a couple of all out 200s. Make sure you focus on your strides to keep your speed up. However, you need some endurance, and I think doing some longer, mile-pace work or even VO2 max (5k pace) work would benefit you. I wouldn't necessarily try to get in a "long run" as in a 17 miler, but if you ever don't race on a weekend, try to get in a good solid long effort where you push the pace a little bit - not all out or anything, but enough to get the blood flowing, like say an 8-9 miler at 7 minute pace. I don't know how fast you do your easy days, but if your PR is 1:58 hopefully that will be enough to challenge your aerobic system a little bit. Just my two cents and I'm no expert. good luck.

Of course long runs are beneficial during the middle of the season. You just don't do them nearly as long or as frequently as you would do them during base phase. Long is a relative term.

Also "MID D training" is not "phase". Base training is a phase. Strengthening is a phase. Sharpening is a phase.

"MID D training" is generic, catch-all, meaningless term.

Forget tempo runs. Run distance on off days. To build strength in early phase of MD training (which you may already be past if you're competing indoor) run 6-8 x 400 in 63-65 for your race times or 10 x 200 in 31-32. Limit your rest to under 1:15 for 4's and 60s for the 2's.

Now progressing through the season run ladders: 600 400 300 200. run the ladder twice. then three times. keep pace constant the entire time at a little slower than race pace. As you progress through your season decrease rest time as you get in shape. To taper eliminate the 600, add more 200's and take MORE rest between reps.

Long run on Sunday after the meet. Run it slow. cross train once during the week.

Don't worry about mileage during the season. Worry about what your times are on saturday. People that brag about mileage usually end up only winning the training log contest

BEAR!!! You want to start running faster in the 800? Beg and plead your way onto the 4X400 every week. The 800/4X400 double is a great way to work on speed endurance, which is what you need to finish strong in the 800. If you can consistently get in that second hard effort of the day I think you'll find your times improving.

Without my long runs I would not have run 1:49. Some runners it helps some it doesn't don't be so narrow minded thinking that one type of training helps all runners.