Race Strategy - How to run the 400 meters
July 10, 2007 by Jimson Lee
What’s the best way to run the 400 meters?
Go hard for 300 meters and hang on; and if you die, you die? Or run even pace splits?
Both work depending on your conditioning and experience. Once you have a race plan, you stick with it. Of course, talk it over with your coach first!
In 1992, I was able to run back to back 400 meters with a 48.37 (semi-finals) and 48.36 (finals) 24 hours apart using both strategies. Hours before the gun went off, it was clear in my mind how I wanted to run my race.
However, your strategy may backfire.
Herb McKenley of Jamaica tried both tactics in the 1948 & 1952 Olympic finals, only to be beaten by his own teammates! (Arthur Wint ‘48, George Rhoden ‘52)
Even pace
For instance, in 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, Butch Reynolds was the favorite and liked to run even splits. He won the US Olympic Trials in 43.93 and ran a WR of 43.29 in August with a superior last 150m. In the Olympic finals, he had drawn lane 3 inside of Danny Everett, who at the time was the only person under 44 sec (he ran 43.98 at the US Olympic Trials).
But he misjudged the efforts of Steve Lewis, who along with Danny, was coached by John Smith of HSI. I can’t blame Butch at all. Steve’s PB before 1988 was 45.76 and before the Games, he ran 44.61 (QF), 44.11 (SF), and 44.37 at the US Olympic Trials. In Seoul, he ran 45.31 (heats), 44.41 (QF), 44.35 (SF).
Lewis drew lane 6 and just ran his own race. The end result was Lewis winning in 43.87, Reynolds 43.93, and Everett 44.09, an American sweep. Butch ran a well executed race, but he didn’t count on Steve running 43.87!
Go hard for 300 meters and hang on for dear life
If fitness is not there, going hard will result in carrying a piano, elephant, and bear over the last 150m.
In 2005 Mt-SAC Relays, the showdown between Jana Pittman, the 2003 World Champion in the 400mH, never materialized. Here we see Marion Jones run a very good first 250 meters. She almost makes up the stagger on Jana in lane 5 and “tucks” or “drafts” behind her until 150m to go. Unfortunately, the race is 400 meters.
Have a race plan and stick with it!
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Related Posts:
- Calculating Splits for the 400 meters
- Michael Johnson’s racing strategy in the 400 meters
- Speedlinking: The Complete Guide to 400 Meter Training
- Jeremy Wariner’s 2 x 350 meter workouts
- 400 Meters: Can you Drop from 45 to 43 in One Year?
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[…] Not everyone can or should run even paced splits for the 400 meters. Butch Reynolds and Mike Larabee, the 1964 400m Olympic champion, are names that come to mind. But this race strategy can backfire sometimes. […]
I teach my 400 meter runers to run the first 150-160 meter all-out. They should Allow their momentum to carrie them for the next 40-60 meters which will be a flot and then begin to sprint for the last 180 meters of the race. Our 400 meters sprinters should always know their first 200 meter split of the 400 meter race so that they don’t use less or more effert that’s needed for the race.
@Michael - My **personal** experience was to run the first 40 meters all out, “float” from 40-200, then start kicking at 200m.
Clyde Hart emphasizes going all out the first 60 meters, then controlling the pace.
But you are correct, the 3rd segment is where the race is won or lost, and the athlete should start kicking from 180-220m (depending on the stagger and your lane draw)
[…] Olympics - 400 meter Silver medal and 4×400 meter Gold medal (click on the links for the […]