i need some training advice for the 400. i ran 48.8 last year with a bad hamstring. i didnt do that much training either cuz im really lazy. my previous fastest time was a 51.8. im trying to get down into the 45s, which i think is possible if i train hard. so i need any advice that anyone has to offer. thanks in advance
tell us what you’re doing now so we can critique and guide
well this is what i do now
on mondays and thursdays i do 2x600-2x300-2x200,
tuesday and friday i do 4x80-4x60-4x40
wednesday i run maybe 2 or 3 miles
im stil not sure how im gonna lift yet
too much volume and CNS depletion, but I’ll comment more later.
What are your avg times for the intervals as well as the percieved effort for those intervals (i.e. all out, 95% etc)? How good are your other events (like the 200 or 800)? What is your age and “training” age?
Without these it is hard to help as it is hard to tell how you are training and, thus, how to give advice.
Personally, i am a 400/800 athelete. so i do things a bit differently (notably higher volume) than a pure 400 guy or a 400/200 guy, so i can understand doing the volume you are doing, but without the intensity of those intervals known, i really can’t help.
If he’s a 200/400 runner, then the volume is way too high. He needs to throw in some Ext. Tempo and do only 3 hard days a week to allow for adequate CNS recovery and for better times during workouts.
Totally agreed. If you’re a 200/400 runner, I’d say either 3/300 or 5/200. My coach has had more success.
Hello Special K,
Before your sessions can be analysed details of times and recovery must be provided. Please detail times you perform your Monday & Thursday runs in. Also, what would you estimate your prs to be for each distance.
Your present set-up could work provided your longer sessions are run at a reasonable pace. Specific endurance work would also have to be included at a later date.
Are these sessions that are prescribed by a coach you are working with or are they self-prescribed?
400Stud- don’t be so quick to dismiss. Remember there is more than one way to skin a cat…
True, but there are still some general guidelines to go by and 3000m of intervals with no ext. tempo seems like a big no-no to me. He doesn’t even give himself a rest day during the week. He goes 5 hard days w/no rest or tempo and huge amounts of volume.
Agreed… 
We have no description of the intensity of the runs on the longer days. If it is extensive tempo it could be fine.
Just food for thought
One suggestion if it is ext tempo on the long days I would switch the days around. Do the speed work the day before the longer ext tempo work (if it is indeed ext tempo)
Cheers,
Chris
well im usually a 200/400 runner, but this year ill have to run the 4x8.
my times were
100-10.9
200-22.1
400-48.8
800-2:04
1600-4:56
on the shorter sprint days i usually rest about 30 to 40 seconds in between runnin at about 90% and on the llonger days i rest about 45secs to a minute at about 85 to 90%. on the other days i run about 2 to 3 miles at about 20 min pace.
should i do more longer runnin (600s 300s) or more short stuff. thanks in advance, just ask if u need more info