Post deleted as would probably turn out a camel
KK,
what was the background and times of your athletes before becoming 400m specialists? I’m guessing they were pretty succesful over 100m & 200m.
I know your top guy couldn’t race under 200m due to injuries but prior to that?
The top male ran 100m and 200m as a junior and was extremely competitive before concentrating on 400m from the age of 17. As a sub-junior I know he regularly ran sand dune circuits on a Sunday.
The top female ran cross-country and won 3000m track races as a youngster before switching to 400 and the shorter sprints.
She retired for about 18 months and came back to run all three sprints with me, winning a state title at 100m, a national title at 200 and was top-8 on the IAAF grand prix points rankings (not the new, current rankings system obviusly because she’s long since retired) before reaching an Ol 400 final.
In private messaging, sprint_coach has been in touch to advise things did not go as fast as had been hoped in a mid-GPP race. “Athletics keeps you humble” was the comment.
That’s the problem with plans: if you break from them, you usually regret it. Then again, if your federation demands it, you have no choice but to eat a bit of humble pie. Remember though, the background work must be done some time. Hard to lay a base when racing demands freshness and maximum velocity. Hang in there sprint_coach.
So long as the federation doesn’t have clauses around the performance and can see the big picture 
Intersting re your athletes KK, wow the woman must have been a rare talent. A real change from CC and 3k to 200m National titles. Do you think it was an initial poor event selection choice?
After a few days of ‘sulking’ - we are back on track!! A mid 33 is not what we planned for, but the bigger picture remains … Japan is ONLY in August/Sept 2007. Ample time to prepare!!
Although it was HARD to accept the outcome, we have learned a few things. (Patience is one!!) And I am still pleased that my athlete competed - although in the middle of a GPP cycle. If one sees everything in perspective, it becomes easier.
My athlete struggled in the heat - it seemed as if he was HEAVY in everything which he tried. The start, the first part, the bend, there was no ‘floating’, only HARD, SLOW running, etc etc. In the final he improved a LITTLE, but he still did not look like the athlete I know. It was even difficult to analyse and tell what the reasons are. Thanks to Kitkat, NOW I know what happened!
Furthermore, what I DEFINITELY learned - no athlete OR coach in track and field can become arrogant. Maybe if you are Clyde Hart??!! I am NOT!!
Sprint Coach,
thanks for the update. It is always interesting to read your posts.
How do the times your athlete ran compare with his PB’s?
Are you able to expand on Thanks to Kitkat, NOW I know what happened!
you always refer to not bending at the hips during the bottom bend of the 400m. are the image on post #1129 and 1130 as good as it gets?
Yes, I think so. But not dropping the inside hip is contingent on straightening (pretty much) the knee at the moment when the hip, knee and ankle line up. I haven’t found many decent photographs which illustrate the point, but there are a couple in this series of Michael Johnson in his upright running mode.
I put the start shots in because they are excellent images of what he does in the set and acceleration modes.
Block and acceleration experts may be better to offer analysis, but one thing I take from these is how he loads his spine, backing up against the blocks.
The only thing about his block and acceleration that I could offer is he doesn’t seem - in these images at least - to place a huge emphasis on how fast he gets out. I say that because his heels are not pressed back against/over the blocks, and his arms appear to have very little range of motion at the start. It’s like he’s getting out as relaxed as possible, which is not a bad thing in 400m.
what about from the other angle then, have you got any pics of bending / dropping the hip at its worst?