400m time improvement

Background/details?

22 years of age, 152 lbs 5'11 , weather conditions were ideal 70 Fahrenheit and little humidity. No former training, I wanted to buy a training program and then try to join a team for adults as a hobby, I don't know if to try longer distance like 800m or sprints.

Where did you run 49? In a track meet? Who timed it?

On a standard 400m track, my friend did. I ran towards a police speedometer a week ago that they place in neighborhoods and I hit 23 mph. 49.7x .

21cm wrote:

On a standard 400m track, my friend did. I ran towards a police speedometer a week ago that they place in neighborhoods and I hit 23 mph. 49.7x .

1/10

So you could be anywhere between 50 to 55 seconds depending on your friends timing.

I wouldn't quit your day job...

Really that's hilarious. 50 -55 seconds? LOL Thanks for nothing. yeah I'm sure he forgot to start it 5 seconds after he said go.

He was likely way off - I always find my friends time me far faster than I am - regardless - at best it was 51 or 52 which wouldn't even get you in a grade 10 final and you're 21.

Like I said - don't quit your day job!

Letsrun knows you can't improve your 400m time.

You are born with a 400m time that is untrainable, but you can run more mileage and use that 400m speed to run a great 5k or marathon or whatever

800ftw. wrote:

Letsrun knows you can't improve your 400m time.

You are born with a 400m time that is untrainable, but you can run more mileage and use that 400m speed to run a great 5k or marathon or whatever

Not distance running. God no.

800ftw. wrote:

Letsrun knows you can't improve your 400m time.

You are born with a 400m time that is untrainable, but you can run more mileage and use that 400m speed to run a great 5k or marathon or whatever

Exactly. He should be able to win any 10K race by sitting on the other runners who will "do all the work," and then "use his speed" in the last 400.

With hard training you'll run "real" 49s at best - maybe you could win a hobby jogger meat or a grade 10 high school event.

Just do it as a fun hobby but don't waste your time training seriously.

Anyone else? no (Envious) distance runners, please.

I'm a sprinter - I coach sprinters as well. Why don't you believe me ? What kind of improvement were you expecting??

21cm wrote:

Anyone else? no (Envious) distance runners, please.

Don't be a Gallowalker. Look up Hal Higdon's marathon training.

In 8 months you can probably break 60 on a real track with real timing. You will have more opportunity for success in the long term aiming for longer distances.

A realistic improvement is down to 46 seconds if your timing method is legit. HT is not bad really for a distance like 400m.

No actually 44 seconds - you're an Olympian already!

Somebkguy wrote:

A realistic improvement is down to 46 seconds if your timing method is legit. HT is not bad really for a distance like 400m.

Assuming you have no 400m specific training and ran 49.x, you might be able to run 47.x in 8 months with the right training.

If you learn how to run the 400, you might dip under 47. However, racing the 400m correctly is not easy. You might think it's just a matter of digging down harder or running faster or hanging on, but it's not. The 400m is a surprisingly technical race. I rather doubt that you can master it in 8 months.