Why do I suck at 800m?

You're weird man I can only split a 54 in the relay and I ran 2:05.. I can't run under 5 minutes in the mile too i'm currently running a lot more mileage and should break 2 in the spring. I'd suggest doing this workout 12 300s at 800m race pace.. Do at least 4 but ONCE you fall off pace come down to doing 200s a little faster than 800m pace.. once you fall off pace there come down to 100s at 400m pace. This workout sounds easy but it's tough. Recovery is like 90sec. Also do plenty of 600 time trials.

Run an open 400 as soon as possible. If you're running second leg on the 4x4 (which is a common distance runner leg), they may be screwing up the timing (especially if it's a three-turn stagger). If your coaches are sprint-based anyway, it makes much more sense to train for the sprints. Sub-24 feeling "easy" is much better than your distance times.

If you like the eight, try some of the workouts mentioned, especially the longer ones (repeat 600s, etc.).

Frustrated8 wrote:

This has been an interesting thread. Thanks for the suggestions and help you guys. I think I could have success in the sprints but again, I don't enjoy those much. but with 23-24 200s being easy-ish and the 400m runs not being horrible, I do wonder what I'm capable of with a sprinter's training regimen.

I'm very temped to try for 60 mpw or so and see where that gets me as well. I wonder if the aerobic side of me just needs more time to develop. I seem to drop a lot of time in the distance runs every year.

The weird thing about this though is that 4:46/17:15 indicates that you already have enough aerobic development to be faster than 2:09 (assuming the 49.x 400 is correct). I don't think putting in a ton more miles would help you a lot in the short term--you very clearly have both the speed and the aerobic strength to be a ~1:57 guy. Something else just isn't clicking.

Next track season, see if you can work in a few 800 specific workouts. 4x400@59 with 5 minutes recovery is great towards the end of the season for sharpening into sub 2 shape. 3x(3x300)@44 (jog 100 recovery between reps, 1 lap between sets) is another nice one to work into the middle of the season. 8x200@29 is a great workout for getting used to the pace you're running at for 800s.

Again, I really think you should get an auto timed open 400 in--I have a lot of trouble believing the 49.x 400 split based off what you've described. As someone who's worked with a lot of speed based 800 guys and long sprinters, the most extreme drop off I've ever seen from 400 --> 800 was a dude who went 49.5/2:12--and he was a sub 11 100m/sub 22 200m guy who couldn't scratch 6 for a mile. You have way, way better aerobic strength going on, and there's no reason for you to have that kind of dropoff.

What I think is more likely is that you're a 52.x / 4:45 dude with some iffy relay splits who'll be a solid 1:56 800 guy after a season of training. You just need to get used to the race, and do the sort of training that will simulate the last 200m. At that point, find a fast race and you'll be golden.

Frustrated8 wrote:

I can run just under 50 seconds for the 400m. I've been hand timed at 50-51 multiple times and have split 4x400 in 49-51 consistently. But when I do the 800 I struggle to break 2:09. Does this indicate I need more miles or more work with speed?

I'm also primary a distance runner and Ive never trained for the 400m specifically. I usually train for longer distances but my coach just puts me in the 4x4 because Im faster than the "sprinter" guys for the relay.

I've read a lot on here that a fast 400 should translate to a fast 800. Any suggestions on why this concept doesn't hold true for me?

You have great potential in the 800m but you need to do lots of aerobic workouts, run mileage and do speed endurance work.

Currently you are horrible so son you need hang out with the distance geeks or even better join the XC team to get in shape

He does hang out with the distance geeks and he DOES do XC....

OP, I was similar to you in HS but with only 53.5X FAT speed but I was crazy dedicated to distance. With 400 speed it takes longer for the distance training to get you to where you want to go.

You are fast enough to specialize in the 400 if you want to but even with 53 speed, when everything finally came together as a senior, it was glorious. School record in the 800 and 1600 and the ability to outkick milers 10 seconds faster than me in the the 3200. I was well into college before before my 90 mile weeks worked for 10k and I dropped from 33:00 to sub-31 one track season.

You will run at least 1:55.X in HS but if you stick with it long enough you could break 1:50 in college or shoot for a sub-4 mile, if you really can run 50.0X FAT.

You have some great workouts set down for you in this thread, so do them. What they will do for you is to get you accustomed to running fast (at 800m pace) when you are tired from running that pace already. That will be the missing piece to get you from 600m at sub 2 pace to 800 under 2. There was a soccer player in my hs who was a sub 50 open 400m guy and he ran 1:54 as a soph (eventually, 4:18 as a senior) without doing any distance training but only shorter track stuff and hill repeats. That seems more like what you will be running in a couple years.

do you have an open 400 time?

I think it's a mental thing, I have a 57 400m, a 17:00 5k and I've run 2:04. Admittedly the mile is my best event...

8/10

Comment about racing black people sealed it.

Get a life bro.