My girl is a Senior. Ran 59.23 as a freshman. Next two years pretty much ruined by shin problems and sickness. Never under 60. She has lost all confidence in her ability and approaches each race with a sense of doom. This year the shin problems are less, but in the last couple of weeks I have cut her down to essentially 2 workouts and one meet per week, eliminating two extensive tempo sessions to cut down on the pounding. Before yesterday, so far this season she has done 65.8 (30.7/35.1) and 66.5R. Her best 200 this year is 27.7.
Tuesday she did 2 X 200 w 2 min rest @30.0/30.1. Based on this, I was very optimistic for yesterday’s meet and I told her so. I thought she would be around 62. But she ran 64.0 (about 29.5/34.5). I was disappointed, she pretty much devastated.
So, two questions: Was I unrealistic to think 62 off that 2 X 200 test? Where do I go from here? She has to be at her peak in 4 weeks. She and I are both about at wit’s end. Any help greatly appreciated.
I think it is more unrealistic to think she will drop times that fast. I realize that she was on a blazin pace initially but I have seen time and time again where 400m girls start off as elite freshmans and drop off considerably.
Keep in mind these things. You don’t control what she does pre season. With 400, pre season training has a huge effect on performances.
Try moving having her run the open 100 or a 4x100 occasionally instead of the quarter. PErhaps she is using too much energy to run a fast first 200m. She needs to develop more speed because wHen the ability to run the 1st 200m quickly improves then the last 200 is easier.
I currently have a girl who started off the season with a 64 as a sophomore. She missed her freshman season with stress fractures in her shins. She still has the problem on and off as a junior so I know I cannot overwork her legs. She would get light jogging in the gym (softer surface) and on the grass and one fairly tough workout per week. Her meets became the venue for a workout. She would run the 4x200, 4x100 and the 200. Occasionally she ran the 4x400 and by the regional championships she was running a 58 split. Let the meets provide the workout and work on speed and short speed endurance in practice with occasional cardio on forgiving surfaces. Oh yeah, put some tape on those shins and have her ice during workouts and meets.
Conditions were 50 farenheit, no wind, same as when she did the 2 x 200 two days earlier. She did race 4 X 100 and had less than 15 mins recovery before her 400 race. That did not trouble her in the past, but it was the first time she has done that this season. Probably the last.
Our meets are on Thursdays. For the past three weeks on Mondays she has done int. tempo (5 X 200), special end. (2 X 300 @ 90%) or split runs (300-100, 90% then all out). Tuesdays have been max velocity work (flying 30s or 40s; 30-30-30 F-E-F) and/or relay work. Prior to the past three weeks she was doing combo of accels/max V and ext tempo.
Alas, she did no off-season or pre-season work to speak of.
Thanks for your interest, John. I follow your journal with great interest.
My girl is 18. The idea of dialing down her work is intriguing. I had planned one more tough spec. end. workout for coming Monday, then working more in the 80 to 150 range.
As for your daughter, hate to tell you this, but she may have more talent than her dear old dad. That happened to me, too.
Sonicboom: I like your thought about stopping running the open 400 and doing 4 X 400 legs instead. Less pressure and I don’t have to tell her her splits unless I feel like it(she is an emotional wreck and obsessed with her times now).
Whatever your expectations may be, don’t get hers up too high before a race. Things happen…
So, the 2 x 200 m session with 30 sec off was a couple of days before her 400 m race? And speed work on Tuesday’s is done after Monday’s Special End. or split runs? If that’s so, I would avoid both.
I would approach her training more from a short sprinter’s point of view with the occasional “400 m session” in there or using her races for that purpose rather than that of a 400 m specialist’s at the moment.
I’d have thought 63 off the session also. Do you have here doing pool work? That would protect her shins and allow for a tempo replacement. Check the archives for sample sessions.
Remember that the 400m races represent her main SE needs and the rest is likely related to speed- 150 and down. Keep the running vol down- the meets are enough to kick anyone’s ass!
That happened to me, too. 
