I’ll agree here john, once you hit your 20’s i think most Speed has been develloped, from that point on its refinement. Once kids hit 16ish (depending on growth), 400 work should be able to be withstood without too much drama. Before that, like you said, working on a good 200m time would be key. Particually as kids at that age area their natural hormones go on a rampage, so you might as well make good use of it.
The time to move on, instead of putting a age down, might be to put a speed down? ie, female 800m 200m time might be 25sec? If the best in the world are only around that time (or whatever it turns out to be) then continuing along that path would be a rather fruitless endouver perhaps? Then its time to build up to the next level, 300’s/400’s. perhaps just add 50m to the distance untill they can hold the same pace for the extra bit? by the time they are 19, they are running a pretty mean 600m in training!
Well I’m on the same level as u. I mean, u should develop speed in younger days. Then when u are at senior level u should keep up the speed but to focus on the strength and volume. I would choose a strategy like this;
ages 14-16 200/400
ages 16-19 400/800
ages 19+ 800/1500
But I think u should focus at a little bit of volume also in the younger days, because when u go from 200 til 1500 it’s a big difference of training. But of course u can do a lot of volume work and still improve u’re speed at 200. Look at Jeremy Wariner. He run 600’s, n he keeps improving his speed. I think u have to work with both volume n speedwork.
Speed is very important, which u also can see when u look at the 10 best 800’s. Everybody has done a sub-47.
Rohlen I went away from the 400’s pre 16 as a major focus (the occasional is fine) as I have read a fair bit about long term health issues with it too early.
I also agree some volume is necessary at all ages but early on see that at lower intensities rather than the gruelling vomit inducing sessions later on (and that is my reaction just watching them 
)
John, agreed you dont need to get her to do heavy lactic sessions for now, she will do plenty of that in races. However, volume can be added in simply by starting off the warm up with a 10-15min run, Tempo, 5min run. Or about 3k-3k-1k total of 7k. thats about 35k wk. That should be plenty of volume for the next few yrs. Mind you, miss 2days a wk, and volume is down to 20k, and you will start to notice it.
Even speed sessions, run say 60m, then jog the rest of the lap, thats 400m. It quickly adds up.
Tha is exactly my thoughts 
Is everything ready then? Good luck!
One of my guys preparing for Rome in March didn’t fare too well:
“I crossed the half way mark in circa 2hrs but by km 26 (of 42) the body closed down and I had to stop. My heart rate had reached 187 at it’s peak and although I couldn’t run any slower, it wasn’t getting any lower. So the first half of the race took me 2 hrs and the second half almost 3!!! Split times were sent to us after the race and it’s obvious that km 26 was the defining point, as the time per km dropped off hugely after that mark.
What happened???
Well, 3 days in MIPIM (property conference in Cannes) were not the ideal preparation. Client meetings, lunches, dinners and the late bar at Café Roma 3 days before the race left the body needing a little rest. Then I caught a head cold and whilst over Friday and Saturday it was clearing, and by Sunday morning I was feeling reasonably fresh, it was still lingering in the body. I was surprised by the effect it had on me. It was possible to cope with it for circa 45 mins to an hour but after that the body just caved in.
The last 16 kms were a combination of walking and jogging and lurching from refreshment stage to cold sponge stage which were located alternately every 2.5kms. They were my life saver and even with my pigeon Italiano I managed to befriend the volunteers handing out drinks and fruit as I gorged at the oasis in trepidation of the next 2.5kms.
So Nik, he basically got hammered in Cannes…not ideal preparation. I still think he’s got a sub 4 in him though.
The guy running London I’m literally not taking my eyes off for the next 7 days. He can do the pub crawl on the 23rd!
NickP,
thanks for the update. Has the guy that ran in Rome run a marathon before? If so what time? If not do you think part of the issue may have been it being his first one?
These things happen, I guess, in such situations!
I hope London is a better experience for some useful conclusions. Good luck and let us know!
Not enough O2 FUELED quality work repeated long enough.
John,
It was his first ever Marathon but he didn’t over-train, he wasn’t injured and he was never discouraged throughout his training.
He even ran a 20 miler so confidently and comfortably 3 weeks before the day.
He mentions that the head cold was an influence on his run, but colds shouldn’t really impair a performance unless the athlete is feeling a fever or muscle aches.
He even mentions stopping and starting for the most part of the second half, which is one of the worst things to do…very un-economical, and it can feel like trying to get rusty pistons back into motion.
I’d say a combination of the booze, his cold and what Pak is suggesting.
Don’t think so re: different energy demands. A 47, 51, 55 sec 400m runners expends the same level of energies at similar times. It is just that one goes quicker than the other. However, a 47 running at 53 is different again.
When stepping up to the 800m, from the 400m, you are running the first lap much slower than the normal balls out 400m. The energy usage shifts.
In the real world you are probably right.From a coaching perspective I always try to judge a positive or less positive outcome from the factors I have control over,starting from most direct to least direct. In this case:
- Training
- Health Status
- Booze
In training you supposedly have the most direct control of what is happening.
Indirectly the same over health status as you can deeply impact your athletes’ immune systems with training prescription,and the last thing you may desire is their immune system taking care of something else beyond getting ready for the race over the days before it.
Even more indirectly,but not less importantly over the Booze thing ,as it possibly shows a less than optimal overall approach to the task from an emotional standpoint.
Wasn’t Coe awesome!
Could someone point me towards additional info on the subject below?
Fetlock
Re: (1st post in thread)…“and, in Vancouver we were shown that the damage to long-term aerobic capacity is permanent.] [The heart wall thickens prematurely, limiting stroke vol for the future]”
He was a BEAST!
what if any part do you see Xcountry playing?
This is a staple with many mid distance runners in the winter.
my best ever season was doing Not x-country as we didnt have any but road races over winter. Since then, i have tried doing the interval thing over winter too much without the long runs and races over 5-10k. And since doing so, have slowed. I guess i will find out more by the end of this yr?
I’d say (from afar) that the accumululated training- aerobic and interval/speed enduarnce and specific rolled over a 2 year process is the key.
With that in mind how can you periodise all those components into a 12month block instead of 1+years?