Hi,
Just got back from a major meet, where I got talking to a successful 400m coach.
He said that he believed the best way to run a 400m was with almost even splits for each 100 meters. The specific example he gave me was for a intermediate female wanting to run 55.8s with a 200pb of 25.5:
100m = 13.7
200m = 27.5 (13.8)
300m = 41.3 (13.8)
400m = 55.8 (14.5)
So the speed reserve is 2s and drop off of only 3%!
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Do others think it is possible to maintain this pace even at such a low 200m spit?
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Is this more realistic for men or women?
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Would this hold up at faster paces e.g. 50s, 47s, 45s etc?
These splits sound good for a 55 runner. Now, as you get faster at 400m, your 2nd 100m section shall be the fastest of all. Note that a 55sec race and a 45sec race, regardless of the athlete level and the distance, is a completely different event. Think about race time not only race distance, and you will find solutions for these kind of individual problems. Teh difference in splits for men and women is that women tend to generally have a bigger speed drop in the last 100m of the race, while they cover the same distance, their effort time is longer.
I’m sure it’s possible, but to add to what Pierre said. It would be a lot harder to run even splits the faster you’re running the race. Not only that, an elite sprinter would most likely get his @$$ handed to him if he or she did. Cuz most likely the splits would have to be much slower for them to maintain that pace.
If someone tried to run 12.00 for each 100m, they would come in at 48. Which would not work on the elite level.
If that person tried to run 11.00 for each 100, they would run 44.00.
If I remember right, when MJ broke the 400 record, he went…
1st 100m - 10.9
2nd 100m - 10.1
3rd 100m - 10.5
4th 100m - 11.4
I don’t know if these splits are right. I haven’t seen them in a while.
If you look at 13.7 and 13.8 for the first two 100m sections, these arent even splits - you would have to slow down to achieve this as you have a running start into the second 200m. With MJs times that is more realistic as he runs 8/10ths faster the second 200 which shows at least a maintenance of speed if not a slight increase.
There are a few general trends in how 400s could/should/are run, but invariably the second 100 is the fastest (based on pure times) the pacing thing is all well and good on paper but I think there is a bit more to it than just simple figures that add together to get a 400 time!