I’m an 800 runner with a pb of 1.51 but have not been able to come close to that over the last few yrs (best 1.55). I have had some injury problems but nothing serious enough to warrant that big a drop off in performance. One major change that happened was that my coach retired and I changed to another training group. My old coach always included a sprint component to each hard training session. So 2 days a week before our hard track session we would do something like 4x60 sprints+1x150 sprint and then have a rest before doing the main part of the session.
Off this I was able to run 48 high for 400.
However since changing groups the focus has been a lot more on endurance training and for the last few yrs I have not done much sprint training at all. My best 400 was 51 something off this work. I decided I obviuosly needed to change things and swapped coaches again to a group that includes a lot more speed work. I do a lot more work at race pace and we include some short sprints 1 day a week before our track session similar to what I have done in the past. I am back in the gym lifting again and my strength is just as good as it was back then but I am still struggling with my sprint times. I have heard of fast twitch fibres being converted to slow twitch fibres but I am unsure if this is actually the case and if it is can it be reveresed?
I guess I am looking for advice on 1) Whether it is possible to regain the 400 speed I had and 2) what elements do I have to include in my training to get it back.
A typical training week for me looks like:
Monday - medium length run 50-60mins
Tues - Track session - Something like 6x60m sprints+Tempo session - 12x200m (90sec) at 26-27sec
Wed -Recovery run - 45mins
Thurs - Fartlek - 3min+2min surges (40min total with approx 15min total surge time)
Fri- Rest
Sat- Fartlek or hills
Sun-Long run 90mins
I’m also in the gym 2 days a week.
Is there a way I can structure my week around better to help improve my sprinting speed again and what should it consist of? I’m not sure if I can afford to take out much of the other stuff I’m doing as I still think the endurance stuff is important but I just want to be able to continue doing that while improving my speed. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
from sun-monday it looks like you’re doing about 1/4 of your distance work. And then tuesday right after you’ve run some 20+ miles you have your first fast workout. Are you fresh when you do your speed work?
Sunday and monday are very much recovery sessions so i generally feel quite fresh going into these sessions but perhaps it would make more sense to do the sprints before the saturday session after I have had the rest day on the friday.
I just feel I need to be including a greater emphasis on speed training but not sure what to do or where to include it in the program. I’m sure training for speed is a little more complex than a couple of 60m sprints before the start of a session
Also, you have to keep in mind what EXACTLY you’re trying to achieve with your sprints. Myself, if I was workin’ at racepace/>Racepace (Like 200’s at 26-28) I wouldn’t worry too much about milage. Cause you’re trying to get used to running at a certain pace. (and you can run 26-28’s even with a bit of fatigue behind you.)
But if you are looking to do some max speed stuff (like the 60’s sound), I think 20~ miles is going to be hampering you even if it doesn’t feel like it the next day. Saturday would be a good day to do your sprint work.
Tough thing is, it looks like with your weekly WO’s is that you’re hitting both sides of the 800 at the same time. It is is a lot easier to plan an 800 from one side of the race or the other. (400 or 1500) because you can just load up on the half you’re working on until 2/3 of the way through the season, while incorporating small aspects of the half you’re not workig on. Then at the 2/3 mark you can just pound on the half of your race you’re missing.
So, even though you’re not doing 80%/20%. I’d say do 60/40 and remember which half is most important to you during that part of the training program.
I just rambld… Who’d’ve thought that after 2 years w/out a post, I’d still be able to get back on my ramble-wagon
You are on the right path with seeking to improve your speed to assist your 800’s. All the 800m runners I know who run into (800m) PB shape are also around 400m PB shape at the same time.
You need to go through th first lap around a 4 to 6sec differential from your 400m PB. If you are only running 52s for 400m then the best you can hope for is a 56s first lap and with the positive split you are probably looking at a 1.54 800m.
But if you are running around 48s for 400m then clearly you have the buffer to go through comfortably in 52 to 54s and come home in 56s.
I would stick to at least two genuine speed sessions per week. Maybe even 3.
We do stuff like 12 x rolling 50’s or 6 to 12 50/20/50’s or 6 x 150’s, 3 mins apart. Depends on what stage of your prep you are in.
But get the 400m time down and your 800m time will follow…
Thanks for the helpful replies. I did a little bit of a search on the forum and came across a post that Charlie Francis wrote saying that if he was to train an 800m runner he would do it with no longer running and focus mainly on intervals of 100m to 200m in length along with pure speed work. Sounds like an interesting approach. I would be interested to here from anyone who has tried this approach or would know what effect this type of training would have on the endurance required in the second lap of an 800m. For a 400/800m runner would a better endurance session be (1) 20x200m (60 sec recovery) in 30-31 sec or 2) 4x1km in 2.50-3.00 (2-3mins rest).
Does the lack of continuous running in this style of approach effect mitochondria development and hence overall endurance?