Remember to use five types of training during the base work and competition phase: Hill training, interval training, repetition training, speed endurance and acceleration runs.
Summer Training:
Base-Building Schedule
Base building will be be called Aerobic Period. Without base work, conditioning training you'll have a hard time maintaining your fitness during the competitive season. Without the base work, you can't sustain fast times for very long. Understand the first 400 meters of an 800 meter race is primarily anaerobic, while the second 400 meters is more aerobic and it helps you consistently maintain a high-quality velocity during the second lap of your 800 meter race. Start with 1-mile repetitions after you reach 100% base work; 3x1-mile plus 1x400 with a three minute recovery; You start running with 83%, 86%, 89%, and 92% of your PR mile, the objective is to reach the time prescribed by the workout percentage, during the precompetitive phase.
Workouts for 800 meter runners during the Fall
3-Month Cycle
3-Month Cycle
select one workout
100 meter workout:
3 seconds slower than best effort over the distance or 800 speed at date pace
15-18 x 100's with 3 minutes jog rest
200 meter workout:
1500 (mile) race speed at date pace
12-15 x 200's with 3 minutes jog rest
400 meter workout:
3-6 seconds slower than PR 400 speed
3-6 x 400's with 3 minutes jog rest
600 meter
3200 (2-mile) Race Pace
3 x 600's with 3 minutes jog rest
If the athlete cannot achieve the times desired during the interval workout, or if the recovery time exceeds the above prescribed, the athlete must discontinue the workout.
After a 3-Month Cycle of training and competing. Start a resting period (12 or 15 or 18-days) resting period. Don't train beyond five weeks, you must take time off, to be tuned to your inner biological clock, rely on a calendar to let you know when it is time for a rest. Pushing too long doesn't pay, you can only push for so long. If you're training and competing six days a week. Take a resting period after the first three weeks of your season, then alternate the three-day rests every three weeks. If you're overextended physically, take the three-day resting period every three weeks.
A 12-day resting period begins with two rest days, followed by an active rest day and two more rest days. Then come three training days, followed by two rest days, an active rest day, and one more rest day. An active rest day may include a 20-30 minute easy run or light workout.
Winter Training:
In December continue with only aerobic mileage (easy runs). After three weeks, run one hour in the hills twice a week, if you run hills on Wednesday, the next time run hills on Saturday, give your body a few days to recover from the hills. When starting base work, after three weeks, run nine 100 meter strides (9 x's one-minute cycle) at 5K pace, 3 times per week after your easy warm-up run;
Note: one-minute cycle for nine minutes: run 100 meters and rest; start again and repeat every one-minute for nine minutes. after your nine minute, one-minute cycle, stretch and start your endurance or speed training.
The Competitive Phase
select 1 workout
9x100 Meters @ 400 speed w/ 100 meter walk recovery
3 sets of 4 x 300 4 @ 51 seconds with 100 meter walk recovery
3 sets of 4 x 300 4 @ 48 seconds with 100 meter walk recovery
3 sets of 4 x 300 4 @ 45 seconds with 100 meter walk recovery
3 x 400 meters @ 90-95 % PR 400 meter, w/ 6-9 minutes rest recovery
3x600 meters @ 800 pace w/ 100 meter walk recovery
May: Acceleration workouts and should be used at the end of the season.
