I was a 4:14 1600 runner and early in the season split 52.4 in a 4x400. I was not very fast in a sprint, better at the 3200 and eventually 10,000 in college. Since he's faster than that, I'd say at least 51, probably close to 50 flat... But now way he'd be running a 48.
No way anybody is believing that. There are entire states that don't have that number of fast milers or fast 400 runners. Those milers would put together the best 4x4 in the country.
macdaddy wrote:
600yd/600m man wrote:
Who is going to race the first leg? Usually the slowest or second slowest 400m guy on relay team. The sub-53.5 400m miler is likely to be the first relay leg, thus starting out of the blocks.
One - “usually the slowest or second slowest goes first”
Yeah, no. It’s usually 2, 3, 4, 1. Sure I’ve seen many other combos, but it’s usually this.
Two - “The 53.5 400m miler is coming out of the blocks in the 4x4”
Yeah, no. You’d be a bad coach to put a distance runner in the blocks. You’d want them taking the baton with a flying start because you’d be wasting a good start on them. Add in the inexperience of staying in your lane... just doesn’t make sense. Plus, in my state, most distance guys are the 4th runner as it goes 1600, 200, 4x4. We give them the extra 3 minutes of recovery.
For what it’s worth, the milers at my school back in the day:
4:20 - 51
4:20 - 49
4:17 - 51
4:11 - 49
4:06 - 48
4:03 - 47.high
5 of 6 were Allstate in XC (top 25) with the fastest 3 going top 7 in the state.
Distance runners are fast - especially when they’re springy in high school.
Does "back in the day" mean when you were in HS?
Anybody have any ideas? And how can a 53s 400m runner (4x400 split) develop sub 50 speed?