lack of success i think its more like a famine isnt it…with no rain in sight on the horizon
Yeah, you would think but suprisingly it seems to permit better hip mobility and allow the athletes to maintain speed. The atheles feel they are more relaxed doing it and I can’t see any overstriding even on video… its quite bizarre. Though i’m still unsure if concious effort should ever be part of the plan in a truely world class 100m?
By all means, but only if wind conditions perrmit. You should get a faster time running two straights and just one bend. That would be good for her head also, especially if you don’t point out that she only ran one bend.
Later, when she’s stronger, you can go with two bends by preference.
But you sometimes the wind is just so difficult, you try to avoid running the home straight into a hurricane.
I’ve always tried to find the best conditions for every track rep to give the athlete the best possibility of getting into and maintaining good form. Training in shitty conditions just contributes to an athlete producing a shitty run.
totally agree with your ideas on wind conditions i cop it from other “coaches” saying are they soft it wont kill em to run into the wind it’ll make em stronger for when its windy in a race"…
I must be gettin old as i dont even other a response these days just think to myself “dickhead” and get back to what im doing.
where we train almost everyday about 4pm a light NE wind kicks in so the last 100m will be with slight tail wind… she really wants to crack 39 for the 300 this week albeit from a roll start…
you mention the strength, looking back would doing our fast 300m reps with 2 straights be more beneficial short term so she and other developing athletes get a feel for speed on the turn instead of falling away technically towards the end of the rep 
yes.
it’s degrees of difficulty. You learn to run a straight line first, then when you have control, you put it on a bend, then eventually two bends.
i am now going into the 3rd week of gpp.
due to calf problems i do not dare to run every day, so i changed some workout to the pool or make it a circuit programm.
I took most of the GPP from the 6 week cycle kitkat uses and i am aiming for a <48 later this year.
Due to cold weather(it was 20 degrees warmer here last year, it was even warmer in januari) the target times are really hard to match.
at the moment i am happy with 2x3x200’s going in sub26(2’-8’breaks)
the 300+150 is also really though to run in a good time. did it in 39,7-19,9.(headwind in last 100). i really want the sun back here :mad: !
I am motivating myself with the thought weather will bet better, as will the times.
and them the calf should be ok.
Looks to me like you’re making good decisions.
Dead heroes are no use to anyone, so do what must be done to stay away from injuries.
You may consider doing slightly slower reps, slightly shorter recoveries, slightly more reps in the form perhaps of an extra set.
This will all contribute to a base which will enable to you do some good sessions when the sun shines again as it always does. At that point you need to be ready to put some more heat into your sprinting. But in the meanwhile you are establishing the “flush and feed” vascular network which will help the second half of your 400m.
And the weightlifting will give you the neural activation you need to compensate for the slower running you must do at the moment.
Patience and persistence, kk 
I HAVE posted the three Com Games 400m semi-final results below to illustrate a point which came up in discussions somewhere earlier on this thread.
The subject pertained to the period which should be preserved between the last individual 400m race and the start of a multi-round tournament involving the athlete racing the 400m. I suggested two-weeks be the inner-limit.
I was asked to advise a man tipped as a medal contender for the Melbourne 400m on when he should have his last 400m race before the Games.
When told he wanted to race in the Melbourne Gand Pix 400m - which was 11 days before the heats of the Games 400m - I advised the coach not to let the athlete run the Melbourne GP 400m.
As per the taper suggestions in this thread, I recommended instead that he time-trial a rolling 300, or even a rolling 200m.
But stay well away from anything that would tear down the athlete leading into a series of 400m races which is a particularly destructive process.
It is therefore sobering to look now at the Melbourne GP results and - in brackets - the corresponding performance of these men in last night’s Commonwealth Games 400m semi-finals.
Not one competitor from the Melbourne GP managed to qualify for the Comm Games 400m Final.
MELBOURNE GP (11 days prior to CWG First Round):
- James Godday 45.62 (CWG 4th SF2 - DNQ)
- Ato Modibo 45.72 (CWG 4th SF1 - DNQ)
- Clinton Hill 45.75 (CWG 5th SF3 - DNQ)
- Avard Moncur 46.04 (CWG 5th SF1 - DNQ)
- Robert Tobin 46.07 (CWG 3rd SF3 - DNQ)
- Sean Wroe 46.53 (CWG 8th SF1 - DNQ)
- Mark Ormrod 47.11 (CWG DNQ Indiv 400)
CONGRATULATIONS TO SPRINT-COACH WHOSE ATHLETE DID REACH THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES 400M FINAL.
HAVING said all that, the winner of the Melbourne GP Women’s 400m went on to run a huge personal best and win gold in the CWG Final on the same night as the men’s 400m semis.
It remains probably more than coincidence that none of the men who raced 400m 11 days prior to the Games managed to progress past the semis.
But the performance of the English women’s 400m winner suggests more systematic research into the tapering process for the 400m - and the possible discrepancies between the sexes - would be warranted. (I will selflessly volunteer to test the women 
)
HERE IS THE WOMEN’S 400 RESULT
Final Women’s 400m
Rk Bib Country - Name Birth Date Lane Reaction Time Results Record
Type
1 1390 ENG
OHURUOGU Christine 17/05/1984 5 0.269 50.28 PB
2 1165 BAH
WILLIAMS Tonique 17/01/1976 4 0.170 50.76
3 1593 JAM
WILLIAMS Novlene 26/04/1982 6 0.228 51.12
4 1160 BAH
AMERTIL Christine 18/08/1979 3 0.264 51.52
5 1595 JAM
WILLIAMS Shericka 17/09/1985 2 0.215 51.81
6 1476 GRN
REGIS Hazel 01/02/1981 7 0.207 52.35
7 1518 IND
KAUR Manjit 04/04/1982 1 0.346 52.58
8 1095 AUS
HAYWARD Rosemary 10/11/1980 8 0.223 52.81
…
AND HERE ARE THE CWG MEN’S 400M SEMI RESULTS…
Semifinals Men’s 400m
Rk Bib Country - Name Birth Date Lane Reaction Time Results Qualified Record
Type
1 1564 JAM
SPENCE Lansford 15/12/1982 5 0.323 45.32 Q
2 1356 ENG
ROONEY Martyn 03/04/1987 3 0.221 45.35 Q PB
3 1903 RSA
GORRIES Paul 28/02/1981 6 0.177 45.41 SB
4 2128 TRI
MODIBO Ato 19/03/1979 4 0.256 45.44
5 1152 BAH
MONCUR Avard 02/11/1978 2 0.166 45.72 SB
6 1787 NGR
WELGOPWA Saul 14/06/1984 1 0.168 46.12
7 1424 FIJ
VEREKAUTA Niko 16/02/1987 7 0.189 46.28 PB
8 1081 AUS
WROE Sean 18/03/1985 8 0.207 46.47
Qualification: First 2 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the next round
…
Semifinals Men’s 400m
Rk Bib Country - Name Birth Date Lane Reaction Time Results Qualified Record
Type
1 1072 AUS
STEFFENSEN John 30/08/1982 5 0.283 45.05 Q PB
2 1473 GRN
FRANCIQUE Alleyne 07/06/1976 3 0.215 45.36 Q SB
3 1556 JAM
GONZALES Jermaine 26/11/1984 6 0.350 45.38 PB
4 1778 NGR
GODDAY James 09/01/1984 4 0.308 45.80
5 1625 KEN
MUSEMBI Wambua 26/04/1977 7 0.370 46.34
6 1911 RSA
MOGAWANE Iginitius 20/02/1982 8 0.350 46.46
7 1747 MRI
MILAZAR Eric 01/06/1975 1 0.254 46.48
8 1201 BOT
MASHETO Gakologelwang 01/11/1984 2 0.150 46.97
…
Semifinals Men’s 400m
Rk Bib Country - Name Birth Date Lane Reaction Time Results False Starts Qualified
1 1146 BAH
BROWN Christopher 15/08/1978 6 0.182 45.24 Q
2 1203 BOT
MOLEFE California 12/03/1980 3 0.289 45.36 FS 1 Q
3 1361 ENG
TOBIN Robert 20/12/1983 4 0.236 45.74
4 1552 JAM
CLARKE Davian 30/04/1976 7 0.213 45.74
5 1046 AUS
HILL Clinton 19/04/1980 1 0.206 45.86
6 1927 RSA
VAN DER MERWE Jan 16/03/1984 2 0.250 45.93
7 1312 DMA
LLOYD Chris 10/10/1980 5 0.162 46.24
8 2122 TRI
BARRY Damion 03/03/1982 8 0.418 46.96
I missed John Steffensons race?
Can anyone tell me what his race looked like?
wow a good decision on our own 
did a track session of 3x3x300 2’, set 8 then 10.
ran them betweenbelow 42.8(too fast) and 44.6 from a rolling start that was between 2 and .6 sec faster then a few months ago. and breaks between sets were 2’ shorter.
I gu\ess some pool work doens’'t hurt, so back to the pool for the next few days :rolleyes:
Too bad there aren’t beautifull women to look 
at.
Steffenson looks comfortable.
He ran a very conservative first 200m, and made his now customary run for home from the 200m mark.
Very similar to what MJ used to do, but it is more obvious with John. came off the bend strongly, and never looked like being beaten really.
Had a look around on both sides with 10m to go, made sure he was in the lead and let up the last 10m… 45.05… definently a sub 45s run for him… looks like he could be hard to beat, assuming to occassion isnt too much for him
KK
progressive splits from the 4 step roll start 300m she did yesterday…finished the rep on the 3rd 100m due to wind…
11.8 / 25.6 / 39.5… not the sub 40 she was looking for but looked tech sound and tall coming into the straight… she felt as thought she had at least a strong 50m left in her…
left for Taiwan last night am here now and will miss the last 10 days of the season and major meet… but good to know she has a good speed reserve in place for the meet…
she has 2 x 200m races the day before the 400m but shouldnt effect her to much i hope as she should cruise through the heats into the final…and seems to race better the 2nd day into a meet.
would you go out to a distance of say 120m during the last 10 days at any stage or keep it all at race rhythm/modelling work as planned…
nanny
You have a difficult situation because you’re trying to bring her up as much for a 200 as a 400.
I would take another look at the technical aspects of PJ’s Postcard From Melbourne on the work he did with his 100m star and maybe take a leaf from that “book”.
But other than that, I would suggest always to stick with what you know.
As far as going out in distance, I went out well beyond 120 with my 400 runners inside the last 10 or 11 days - out to 300m at least 10 or 11 days before the heats of a tournament.
But even inside that, I’ve gone out to 200m and definitely to 120.
But just keep it fast and fresh and take “the physical” out of it. She doesn’t need to tear down before this championships, she just needs to fire the neural patterns and keep the motor idling and warm, set to release…
FOR THE RECORD, Sprint-Coach’s man missed a medal but ran a mighty race. He can do something very special in another year from now if he stays the course . . .
Final Men’s 400m
Rk Bib Country - Name Birth Date Lane Reaction Time Results Record
Type
1 1072 AUS
STEFFENSEN John 30/08/1982 4 0.201 44.73 PB
2 1473 GRN
FRANCIQUE Alleyne 07/06/1976 7 0.206 45.09 SB
3 1556 JAM
GONZALES Jermaine 26/11/1984 8 0.216 45.16 PB
4 1146 BAH
BROWN Christopher 15/08/1978 3 0.264 45.19 SB
5 1356 ENG
ROONEY Martyn 03/04/1987 5 0.182 45.51
6 1203 BOT
MOLEFE California 12/03/1980 2 0.283 45.78
7 1903 RSA
GORRIES Paul 28/02/1981 1 0.161 45.79
7 1564 JAM
SPENCE Lansford 15/12/1982 6 0.322 45.79
Just to save some of your valuable time
By Eugeny Pavlovich Wrublevsky
“Individual approach to women’s training in speed and power track and field events”.
New Studies in Athletics, 19 (4), 17-26, 2004.
I’ve read and read and Copy pasted much of this thread to read it on private places :p.
but i still have some questions i think were not aswered.
It’s mainly about the speed of runs in the GPP.
sessions of 300+150 seems to go allmost full out at 400 m pace.
in the next programm i’d like to know what the emphasis is:
“Track fast, relaxed 300+4x60, 250+3x60, 200+2x60, & 150+1x60.”
does it mean a fast(rp) 300, or in tempo(relaxed)? then full effort sprints? and are there full rec. or only short?
also for the “300+60,50,40,30; 200+60,50,40,30; 150+60,50,40,30” wich seems sort alike, so I asume the same sort of breaks will be applied here. Only what ar ethe breaks you’re working with? full recovery or not?
Save me the agony Niko if you please: what does he say which may be relevant.
I ALWAYS recommend athletes must train “systematically” and also “symptomatically”.
By that I mean that if you’r 300 PB is 32.0sec but you can’t move much better today than 37sec because you are tired, sore, tight or the prevailing wind is terrible and there’s nothing else you can do about the situation, then 37sec is what you run. Then you try to put in just as much in the back-up reps.
In the sessions you have listed, there is a 30 seconds rest between the finish of the long repetition and the start of the first short rep in each set (eg: between the 300 and the 60 there is 30sec rest.)
Then after the 60, all the subsequent recoveries are with a relaxed walk back.
So that would be 300m, then 30sec rest, then 60m (standing or more usually rolling start), then a 50m walk back to a marker cone situated 50m to the finish line, sprint that 50m, then walk back 40m, turnaround and sprint from the 40m cone to the finish line.
All the short reps are marked out before the session starts and all finish at the same line. I always try to line up the short sprints to run with an assisting wind.
Between the sets you take what time you need to recover to a level that will allow you to put in just as much energy as you applied during the entire first set. The recoveries between sets may be 10minutes to 20 minutes or they may be a bit more.
As you get faster in the reps, you will probably need longer to recover between the sets, although when you become fitter and can tolerate the extra speed, the recovery periods may come back in duration.
Of course if you are running your 300m in 37 for the whole year, you can look forward to some very slow 400m races in summer.
So if you cheat on effort, you cheat only yourself.
But by the same token if you are really only in 35sec shape for 300m (for whatever reason) and you try to run 33sec when it’s not in you yet, then disaster may be just a step away.
So be kind to yourself, be gentle with your body. Build speed from rhythm, mechanics and relaxation on the run.
Listen to your body, pay attention to the warnings. Your first instincts then will nearly always be right, which will help you avoid injuries in the short term and help you come to good speeds when your body can cope.
You are ready when you are ready and not a moment earlier.
I know I bang on about keeping to a time-line schedule.
But of course, The Way It Should Work Is That WHEN You Are Ready To Run Fast, Only Then Should You Look For A RACE.
The reality too often is far different. Most athletes are impatient and/or irrational and will race simply because there is one on the calendar.
The art and science of coaching tries to match the peak state of preparedness of the athlete with the peak events on the calendar (such as national titles, grands prix, and/or international tournaments.
kk
I’m not sure how much speed work Christine had done before she actually raced in the final. Perhaps for her the chance to run a full 400m flat out helped her blow out the cobwebs and since the womens times arn’t so fast as the mens it doesn’t affect their CNS as much?
In the UK there is the common saying “race yourself fit”, which basically means you havn’t done any speed work so race as much as you can and it will come together…
Also Christine hasn’t been running very long (3 years i think) and so perhaps for her she still has a long way to go before she reaches her potential?
Hey KitKit,
I have a question. As far as running the 400 meters, I have seen that people run it different ways based on there strengths.Do you see any different types of 400 runners?
Also I have a question about your sprinting form.When sprinters sprint,the knee lift is high and powerful.When 400 meter runners run the 400,the knee tends to drop just a little bit. Is this normal or should your 400m running technique be like your 100 meter technique?
My last question,what is the race mind set and the training mind set when running the 400 meters?How should the runner approach the race in his head?