Hey sprinters. I’m a newbie and ran a 400M yesterday for the first time ever. Ran it in 63s. I was hoping to break 60 at least…disappointed! Anyways, I felt like I was in slow motion in the last 80M and at or around the turn my hamstrings just cramped up. It was chilly/windy outside…almost about to rain. What should I focus on in training? Also, I ran some hard hills 2 days before. Is it cool to not rest before races at the beginning of season? I will want to peak in summertime.
Mike
Are you training on your own or do you have a coach? How old are you?
WHEN YOU HAVE TIME, read everything on Lactate Threshold Training in ‘Fundamentals’ - you’ll get a LOT of knowledge and recommendations how to improve the last part of the 400m.
Good luck! The 400m is an EXCITING event!!
welcome to my world 
SC’s advice is VERY good, but what would also be helpful is an understanding of your background and any other race times.
No coach. Just started training about a month ago. I did middle distance running past 2 years. Ran 5K in 18:04 (best at the time). I’m 27 years old. Never ran in high school/college.
Mike
What is your training like now?
I would work on GPP, check video for sale on site. Look at 400m as a Speed event (or speed based)
Read the threads mentioned and take note of KitKats suggestions.
Good Luck
It’s a speed event if you run 45. If you run 60, not as much.
An 18-minute 5K is a pretty good base fitness level. If you’re going to be running 400m, you’ll have to build up your speed, and get used to running at higher speeds. Your body & muscles aren’t used to that sort of output if you’ve been running middle distance.
What is GPP?
You need to do a bit of research on the forum - search for GPP and look around.
Essentially it is one of the training phases that makes up peroidicised training periods.
As a distance runner you will no doubt be familiar with the concept of building mileage, then reducing mileage and doing more speed work, then racing.
There are equivelent concepts in sprinting.
More of a speed event at 45 yes, still a speed based event at 60.
Don’t think of GPP as a distance runner, which is about mileage.
Some really good stuff on GPP and 400m on this site.
General Preparation Period - the first period of training, where you build an ‘all round’ base. After that you get SPP - Specific Preparation Period, then Pre-Competion, then Competition training. Years ago, coaches refer to GPP as ‘winter training’.