New 800m-training program idea

That is kind of similar to an in season 800m training schedule. Maybe running 5 or 6 times a week with sprints, repeats, weights, and about 2 or 3 easy runs.

That's not really ideal. After a very hard workout, you need two days to recover. Think of a cycle more like this: (times given for 2:00 800 runner)

Day 1: Primary Workout (ex. 2x4x300 in 45sec, 45sec btn reps, 4min btn sets)

Day 2: easy recovery

Day 3: easy recovery + alactic sprints

Day 4: Secondary Workout (ex. 6x800 in 2:30, 1.5-2min rest or Tempo run)

Day 5: easy recovery + light lift

You can double as much as you like. Recovery after a workout is based on time, so cramming more doubles in won't affect recovery time significantly. You need the full 2 days after a specific workout day to recover for the next workout.

Pretty much what we do minus the rest day.

Mon: 30-50' + strides or sprints, drills, core

Tue: interval session (track)

Wed: 30-50' + strides or sprints, drills, core

Thu: Fartlek or progressive long run (60-80') and shakeout strides afterwards

Fri: 30-50' + weights

Sat: Hill session or tempo

Sun: Long run

Throw in a rest day every now and then when feeling crap.

If I could go back in time to my glory days I would replace about 80% of easy running with cross training. Since I stopped running seriously I started doing a lot of cross training. The idea is to do a hard session that is more beneficial than an easy run but also easy to recover from. For example intervals on the elliptical followed by intervals in the pool. Hard workout while you're doing it but easy to recover from. Then when I run the next day my legs are fresh and I can hammer a speed session.

Using this method I ran 1:55, 4:04 and 16:05 while only running 15 mpw and really only training for fun. My PRs are 1:53, 3:52 and 15:05 from when I ran 60 mpw and took it seriously. I believe I could be faster using the cross training method and 30-40 mpw.

Alistair Brownlee runs 28:30 for 10k. A lot of that is down to his swimming and cycling training.

Training twice a day? Not a good idea your body needs rest after a workout not 3 hard days then one day of rest.

Give it a try but I think you will be injured and body tired after a few months

Get a job or go back to school bduring the day

alabama runner wrote:

That's not really ideal. After a very hard workout, you need two days to recover. Think of a cycle more like this: (times given for 2:00 800 runner)

Day 1: Primary Workout (ex. 2x4x300 in 45sec, 45sec btn reps, 4min btn sets)

Day 2: easy recovery

Day 3: easy recovery + alactic sprints

Day 4: Secondary Workout (ex. 6x800 in 2:30, 1.5-2min rest or Tempo run)

Day 5: easy recovery + light lift

You can double as much as you like. Recovery after a workout is based on time, so cramming more doubles in won't affect recovery time significantly. You need the full 2 days after a specific workout day to recover for the next workout.

This is a really good post, and those are all really good early - mid season 800 workouts. I'd consider adding in some kind of easy cross training on days 6 and 7 (ideally swimming) but that's a very solid workout regime.

Yes, that thing you guys are saying about cross training actually makes sense to me, I already tought about it myself too. Maybe for a 10.000m runner it's beneficial to run very very much to improve running economy etc, but to a 800m guy, doing an easy or steady 30-60 minute run or a hard session on the bike, what is better? Because there's a lot less stress, you won't feel like crap from that cycling and it will benefit your cardiovascular system more AND it doesn't put any stress on the legs that can cause overuse injury (like shin splints etc) wich those easy miles do. Does this seem like the right explanation?

Warning; there´s nothing new in my example:

1 Rest

2 Sprints + circuits/weights, (easy run)

3 Threshold/Tempo/10k pace workout (easy run)

4 Easy run(s) moderate mileage

5 Easy run, low mileage

6 Workout @ 800-10k pace (easy run)

7 Long run

(easy run) = doubles if possible

Strides included during workouts

In my opinion it´s not optimal to do an intense endurance workout after a day off. In this example you have one 3 day period and one 2 day period of workouts and mileage, a rest day or an easy day in between. Even those short easy shake out runs are important in the long term to improve/maintain your basic endurance, which is very important at the 800m in the second lap, and often underrated. 800m is about 66% aerobic, and the second lap is even a lot more aerobic.