How to decrease my 800 time about 9 seconds?

5k around 17 flat/400 around 60sec. What are your current prs?

I'm a girl so a 17 flat 5K would put me at the top in the nation lol! Sorry should have clarified that. Right now my five K is 21:52 and my 400 is 65. Definitely can be improved

Those arent bad marks for a girl. Running around 19:30 is a good start to a sub 2:20 800. Do winter track and talk to your coach

You'll have to improve your 400 speed if you want to run 2:20 in the 800 meters. Besides summer base building make sure you work on pure speed and strength, not 400 specific work, pure speed.

2:20=70sec pace

Minimum 400m time 65seconds with a good endurance, but something like sub 63sec for you and 2:20 is more realistic, combined with a 20:xx 5k. For the 400m, train frequently (weekly) your basic speed with good recoveries along with the endurance work. 400m base work isn´t about high lactates.

Thanks!! Gotta work on my endurance 😂

Fresh419er wrote:

Those arent bad marks for a girl. Running around 19:30 is a good start to a sub 2:20 800. Do winter track and talk to your coach

Definitely, thanks for the advice

Coach wrote:

You'll have to improve your 400 speed if you want to run 2:20 in the 800 meters. Besides summer base building make sure you work on pure speed and strength, not 400 specific work, pure speed.

The 400 has never been one of my stronger events. I should definitely work on speed, thank you! Any suggestions for splits for a 2:20?

U.N.O. wrote:

2:20=70sec pace

Minimum 400m time 65seconds with a good endurance, but something like sub 63sec for you and 2:20 is more realistic, combined with a 20:xx 5k. For the 400m, train frequently (weekly) your basic speed with good recoveries along with the endurance work. 400m base work isn´t about high lactates.

Hillsandloops wrote:

The 400 has never been one of my stronger events. I should definitely work on speed, thank you! Any suggestions for splits for a 2:20?

U.N.O. wrote:

2:20=70sec pace

Minimum 400m time 65seconds with a good endurance, but something like sub 63sec for you and 2:20 is more realistic, combined with a 20:xx 5k. For the 400m, train frequently (weekly) your basic speed with good recoveries along with the endurance work. 400m base work isn´t about high lactates.

Start running hills. A good summer workout would be to find a short, fairly steep bit of hill that takes you 10 seconds to climb, with a bit of flat at the bottom to get rolling. Sprint up the hill, working knee lift and drive. Walk back down and walk/jog for a few minutes. Then repeat. Start with a few, and work up to 8-10 of these. Do this once a week for six weeks. Then go to the track and run a 400m time trial. You should be faster than 65.

You probably should aim something like 69-71 laps, although it depends. Faster (more like 400/800 type) 2 lappers usually have a bigger difference between splits, and vice versa.

Here´s a general example of a base phase that I think should suit to you. Mileage at the level that you can handle, training should be repeatable and progressive. If you start from the top you risk your health and lose the room for a safe progression. If you go through something like this for months you can be sure that you have a strong base and basic speed-anaerobic capacity. The sprints could be short hills in one week, or a combo of short hill and flat ground sprints for basic speed, and the 150´s are done more relaxed for anaerobic capacity which also can be mixed with the short stuff or done separately. Progression in these too and not too much in a single workout (5-8x short sprints / 4-6x150m is plenty).

WEEK 1

M Rest / easy run / cross training

Tue Drills + ~50-150m sprints (can use hills/mixed) /~3-5´rec, circuits/weights. Easy run

W Progression run / LT workout / Tempo run. + Optional easy run

Thu Easy run / medium long run / doubles

F Easy run/rest (circuits/weights)

Sat 800m-1600m workout, can use hills. No longer than 200m / ~30s @ 800m or 300m / ~45s @ mile pace/effort. Jog rec (1:3/1:2). Can include LT work. + Optional easy run

Sun Long run

WEEK(s) 2 (+3)

M Rest / easy run / cross training

Tue Drills, ~50-150m sprints (can use hills/mixed) /~3-5´rec, circuits/weights. Easy run

W Progression run / LT workout / Tempo run. + Optional easy run

Thu Easy run / medium long run / doubles

F Easy run/rest (circuits/weights)

Sat 10k-3k workout (+ 3-5x200 @ 800-mile pace). Can include LT work. + Optional easy run

Sun Long run

Every 3-4th week mileage around ~70-75% of normal, include rest day(s).

Increase the mileage/intensity after ~6-8 weeks and stay there ~6-8 weeks until increasing again. ENJOY

Great advice, thank you!!

Thank you so much for all of this help! Will definitely integrate this into my training for xc and winter track and hopefully reach my goal by next spring!

You´re welcome! Be patient, and remember that it takes some hard workouts and rust-buster races to really see the benefits of a good base.