macdaddy wrote:
Huge difference based on the type of runner you're training.
I know many HS 800m runners - somewhat injury prone - who ran about 10 miles a week. 1:53-2:00 guys. Something like 2-3 high quality workouts (200/300/maybe 400s), 2-3 easy days (20 minutes easy running and lots of dynamics) and 1-2 lifting days. These were almost always 400/800 guys. Trained their speed and just tried to hold on after 600m.
On the flip side, there are many 800/1500 guys who would plateau with this kind of training. Just depends who you are and what your goals are.
The most talented 800m runner I ever saw (and this is coming from a guy who ran 1:50) was this kid on my team in HS. He was a huge pothead and smoked cigarettes. Literally did like 2 laps of running each day in practice, HATED it. Literally sat down and refused to do any of our workouts because he was forced to be there as a consequence of his discipline issues at school and the coach couldn't throw him off the team. So he would "trot" with the JV girls (the cuties) for the 2 lap warmup, and then go chill with the field event guys so we could lay on the grass.
He ran a 1:58 or so 800m his freshman year. Unbelievable. I was a 1:50 guy at the time but I had only run 2:01 or so my freshman year, and I didn't smoke cigarettes and I did do like 15mpw. This guy smoked my freshman time while literally smoking cigarettes and literally doing no running in practice.
To this day I wish he had kept up the running. I tried my best to motivate him, tell him about going to a top college for free and making a lot of $$$, but then he disappeared from school the following year and I assume he ended up at a community college and in prison at some point.
For the shorter distances, natural talent trumps all else.