GPP for 800m is almost complex.
I believe decent 800m requires a decent aerobic base.
Much has been said about doing tempo - tempo from a strictly Mid-long distance perspective Raises ones Vo2Max. Great for Aerobic work.
You also need a pure Aerobic base also, that means Long Slow efforts. Teaches the Heart to Beat continually. This is why any Great Mid distance runner also does Off season x-country or Road races.
If done correctly, a long slow run actually facilitates recovery.
Coming off Road/x-country requires a transition from that to Track - this is where a good GPP will come in hand.
The off season - Road n x-country require Long slow and Vo2 max tempo.
Gpp introduces SE at the end of that off-season running.
Depending on the natural speed of the athlete, will depend on whether Max speed work also needs to be undertaken.
If your goal is say Sub 1:50 - that’s 55sec 400’s or 27;50 200’s.
Just by playing with the distance and recovery’s in reps and sets can make some very interesting sessions.
Naturally you need some overspeed in there also.
Coming off road/x-country - 400’s for this level athelete will be too fast due to lack of SE.
Instead of doing the classic 3 x 400’s at speed. A good idea is split 200’s. So
200m in 26, 1min rec 200m in Hopefully 26 also.
Rest 10min
Repeat
If you could that 2-3 times per wk. Maybe 2 x wk for 3 wks, then 3 x week for the next 3 wks.
Then add in a 3rd set
So, a week might involve
Mon - SE and weights
Tue - Tempo and 15min slow jog
Wed - SE or Max Speed (if your slow)
Thur - as Tue
Fri - As Mon
Sat - easy tempo / slow jog - maybe 10km easy
sun off
The idea is slowly work up your SE capabilities so that basically you end up almost running an 800m.
Imagine running 4 x 200’s with only 30sec recovery in 26sec…
Or a 400m in 52sec, 30s recovery then 200m in 25sec!
Sure, the 25sec 200m is not FAST - but it sure is after a 52sec 400m. It sounds Intensive tempo at that speed - until you perform it after that 400m - its pure SE.
SEB coe trained his sets similiar. The difference between Seb coe training and CF style is purely the Hi/Low set up arrangement - and CF is not a fan of road runs or x-country.
When i cut my road runs out - i just got slower then following season… That last 200m was simply too hard. Sure you can get to 600m fast - but in a fast 800m, that’s where the race Begins, not ends.
I have hit 600m before, fast, and felt fine, like i could keep going, but, within 20m - out of no-where, im knee deep in mud. A lack of Aerobic base (long runs, not tempo) is the cause. Thats an off season training - you wont be with the field at 600m if you’re still doing 20km runs every sunday come competition time.