400/800 METER IDEAS AND TRAINING
MATT MUSIEL
BOYS/GIRLS HEAD TRACK AND FIELD COACH
LINCOLN NORTH STAR HIGH SCHOOL
At Lincoln North Star I believe our 400/800meter runners have been the backbone of our track and field teams over the past 13 years. Through my past 27 years of coaching at Bellevue West High School and now Lincoln North Star I have often trained these runners together or at least part of the workout together. I expect any boy or girl who comes into our program as a 400meter runner to able to step up and handle a 800 meter race or a 3200 meter relay leg if we need them to. Obviously this would be done by a step by step progression in workouts and training. The most important part to this is addressing the mental side with the runner to ease tensions and stress that would come with tackling the 800 meters.
In high school track and field with the right motivated young men and women I believe the training aspect of these two races can go hand and hand. Sure there will be some obvious differences in training, but if the 400 meter runner is properly trained, the 800 meters can be added to their arsenal quite easily.
Training together? There are many different beliefs out there when it comes to training 400meter runners with the sprinters, or the 800 meter runners with the distance squad.
We do separate them at times but the majority time I keep them together Subtle changes in workouts do happen but the mind-set of toughness is one thing that we take a lot of pride in.
400 Meters
The 400meter run is an endurance sprint incorporating the speed of the sprinter and the endurance of the half miler. It is one of the most demanding and grueling events in track.
Usually the 400meter will fall into two categories, sprinter types and half-miler types. The percentage of aerobic to anaerobic is 30%-70%.
The ability to distribute one’s speed and energies in the most efficient manner over the total racing distance becomes the primary concerns in reaching success in the 400 meter run. No one in high school is capable of running the 400 meters from start to finish all out. Good pace judgement in pace is a key. Outstanding experienced 400 meter runners will have approximately a one second deferential between their best 200 meters and the time it will take them to run the first 200 meters of the 400 meter run. The less experienced 400 meter runner should have approximately a two second deferential. A good formula for predicting the 400 meter time for 200 meter runners, provided they are hard workers and will give all they can to be a top 400 meter runner, would be to double the time of their best open 200 meters then add 3. 5 seconds.
Breaking down the 400 meter race into 4 phases.
I remind the 400meter runner that the first 75-100 meters will dictate the type of race he or she will have IF they have been putting the work in. Getting out hard from the blocks or after the exchange is that mentality that we want our runners to have. Race the curve, race the curve, race the curve. The backstretch or the next 100 meters is a major area where races can be won or lost. “Float” the backstretch is another key word we use. Floating is a relaxed sprint not a time to slow down! The runner then enters the “black hole” area on the bottom curve. Proper training mentally and physically will help the athlete deal with the stress that they will face toward the end of the 400meter run. A key word I find myself saying is to “slingshot” off the curve.
Entering the final 100 meters the runner will try and stay relaxed and hold his or her form
over the last 100 meters will be one that will be successful in the 400 meter run. The closer to the finish line the runner ties up the more successful they will be. Pain and discomfort is inevitable in the 400 meters, but if the runner goes through these feelings in practices and solid race-like workouts he or she will not be afraid to race.
A typical speed session workout day together for the 400/800 meter runner on the track:
- TEAM MEETING
- INTRODUCE AND EXPLAIN THE WORKOUT OF THE DAY- WHY?/ TARGET GOAL TIMES/ RECOVERY/ PURPOSE/ MOTIVATE/ ETC.
- GROUP WARM UP/ LIGH WARM UP RUN- 800-2 MILES/STRETCHING/CORE/
- HYDRATE/ RESTROOM/ SPIKES (IF NECESSARY)
- TRACK WORKOUT
- 1600/ 3200 RELAY EXCHANGES (DESIGNATED DAYS)
- BLOCK PRACTICE (DESIGNATED DAYS)
- POST WORKOUT WARM DOWN/STRETCHING/ ICING/ CORE
- HANG OUT TIME!!
400Meter Sample Workouts
Speed endurance workouts are vital for a good 400meter runner. This is where a runner goes into high oxygen debt, and there is definite lactic acid buildup. Distances that can be run vary from 100 to 600 meters. Number of reps. Is figured by multiplying the race distance 2 ½ times, in this case this would be about 1400 meters. Recovery will be around 10 to 15 minutes to give the runner almost full recovery so there is quality in the runs. 3- 4 minutes between the second set of reps.
A. 2 X 450M / 3 X 200M
B. 3 X 350M / 4 X 150M
C. 4 X 300M / 2 X 100M
D. 6 X 200M / 3 X 50M
E. 8 X 150M
F. 10 X 100M
800 METERS TRAINING AND BELIEFS
The 800 meters is probably the most unforgiving of all track events. If requires a combination of strength, raw speed, anaerobic endurance, and split-second judgment to decide when tactics can be invoked to achieve victory. The requirement of both anaerobic and aerobic expertise for success at 800 meters puts unique demand on both abilities. The percentage of anaerobic to aerobic is 43% to 57%. The 800m runners will have to be able to run the last 45-50% (300-350 meters) of the race anaerobically.
800Meter Thoughts To Consider.
1. Do we give our runners with speed a chance to run these races? (mental toughness)
2. Have they been trained with enough sprint speed for this event? (distance type)
3. Can they handle racing and maneuvering in traffic? (Boxes/ Front Running/ Sitting)
Is this practiced and discussed during the week?
4. Do we prepare our runners to go into their races with a plan for racing their opponents, do they usually just run to hit splits, or run without a plan?
5. Runners behind at the break-line are at a disadvantage because they will have to run wide for much of the remainder of the race in order to move up and gain position with the immediately from the outside lanes, and run a diagonal straight line to the next curve to minimize the extra distance they have to run and avoid the congestion in the inside lanes.
Are runners taught the correct way to cut at the break line?
6. Be alert at the start, be prepared to be spiked, knocked down, elbowed etc. Position yourself to be on the outside edge of the lead runners.
7. Remind runners to go out with good speed because it is always easier to ease up than to speed up.
8. Accept that there will be pain at the end of the race.
800 METER SAMPLE WORKOUTS
(2:00 HS runner)
a. 4x (4x200) @ 33-32-31-30-29 w/ 50-45-40-35-30 sec. Interval by set/ 3-4min. rest between sets
b. 4x (3x300 @ 47-48 w/ jog or walk 100m)- Jog 800 m between sets
c. 2x1000 @ 3:00 (75 pace) w/ 60 sec. Rec./ 6-8 min. rec./ 3x500 @ 1:21- (65 @ 400m pace) w/ 60 sec. Rec./ 6-8 min. rec./ 1x 1000 @ sub 3:00
d. Pick up Reps.- 8x 400 @ 70 w/ 90 sec. rest- #2/5/8 @ 62-63 sec.
e. Negative Split Run- 2x (300m – 500m- 400 w/ neg. split 100m), Example: .32 + .14= .46 sec. for 300m/ 66 + .14= 1:20 for 500m/ .48 + .14 = 62 sec. for 400m.
f. 5 x (400m @ 64 sec-. rest 30 sec./ 200m @ 28 sec.) – jog 1200m between sets.
g. 400m @ 90% effort/ 60 sec. rec./ 200m @ 90% effort/ 30 sec. rec./ 200m @ 90% effort.
RELAXATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS.
The ability to appear relaxed while running is a trademark to all great runners. In order to run fast, the body must be relaxed. We have all seen runners in the 400/800 meters that fall apart once fatigue sets in. So how do you run at top speed and still stay relaxed? PRACTICE! From your face to your toes, you must remain relaxed in order for your muscles to use tension and release properly.
Think about how your body tightens up as you perform drills and sprints in practice. Try to have your runners adjust in practice so that you can accomplish relaxed acceleration during competition. Remember that the effort needed to accelerate is greater than that needed to maintain speed. Every race has periods of acceleration and maintenance. Try to have them experiment when “pushing the gas” and when you coast. Remember, relaxation does not mean moving slower! Good technique will allow you to coast longer!
In practice at, first, your runner may only be able to keep his or her mechanics good and relaxed for 20-30 meters. But if you can work on relaxation in your running every day, in a short time it will grow and cover their entire race.
A huge part of relaxation during competition is to relax your mind as well. I have found that nothing relaxes a runner more than confidence. I can then see the race in my mind before I ever get to the starting line. Using mental pictures and key words often help the runner. I will often tell my 400/ 800 meter runners to take themselves out of their body and imagine watching themselves from inside the infield or in the stands. How do I look? How is my form? These are questions to be asking myself as I race.
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