How should you run your 400m?
Even splits?
If your opening 200m is within 1 second of your best 200m, with the 2nd half about 2 seconds slower than the first, then the simple formula to determine your 400m time potential is doubled your best 200 plus 4 seconds
i.e. best 200 = 21, so split 22 + 24 = 46
For the 400m specialist with the proper speed and special endurance background and training, then we use the traditional “doubled 200m plus 3.5 seconds” formula to give:
i.e. best 200 = 21, so split 22 + 23.5 = 45.5
Thus, is a differential of 1.5 to 2 seconds between the first 200 and second 200 the norm?
Yeah right.
Berlin 2009: IAAF Biomechanical Analysis
Take a look at the IAAF Biomechanical Analysis from Berlin 2009. Renny Quow from Trinidad is the only sprinter in the group with near even splits. Otherwise, a differential between 1 and 3 seconds is the norm.
Only 29% of the sprinters had a differential of between 1.5 and 2 seconds.
Of course, some of the stats are skewed from the heats if they are leading and simply trying to conserve energy for the next round by “jogging” the last 100m.
| Athlete | Round | 400m | 1st 200 | 2nd 200 | DIFF |
| Erison Hurtault | Semi | 45.59 | NA | NA | NA |
| Renny Quow | Semi | 44.53 | NA | NA | NA |
| Renny Quow | Final | 45.02 | 22.43 | 22.59 | +0.16 |
| Renny Quow | Heats | 45.21 | 22.30 | 22.91 | +0.61 |
| Kevin Borlee | Semi | 45.28 | 22.28 | 23.00 | +0.72 |
| Ramon Miller | Semi | 44.99 | 21.99 | 23.00 | +1.01 |
| Michael Bingham | Semi | 44.74 | 21.84 | 22.90 | +1.06 |
| Leslie Djhone | Semi | 44.80 | 21.87 | 22.93 | +1.06 |
| LaShawn Merritt | Final | 44.06 | 21.49 | 22.57 | +1.08 |
| Ricardo Chambers | Semi | 45.13 | 22.00 | 23.13 | +1.13 |
| Tabarie Henry | Semi | 44.97 | 21.91 | 23.06 | +1.15 |
| Matteo Galvan | Heats | 45.86 | 22.31 | 23.55 | +1.24 |
| Maksim Dyldin | Heats | 45.91 | 22.33 | 23.58 | +1.25 |
| David Gillick | Semi | 44.88 | 21.80 | 23.08 | +1.28 |
| LaShawn Merritt | Semi | 44.37 | 21.51 | 22.86 | +1.35 |
| Jeremy Wariner | Semi | 44.69 | 21.63 | 23.06 | +1.43 |
| Leslie Djhone | Heats | 45.20 | 21.86 | 23.34 | +1.48 |
| Chris Brown | Semi | 44.95 | 21.72 | 23.23 | +1.51 |
| Martyn Rooney | Heats | 45.45 | 21.94 | 23.51 | +1.57 |
| Ramon Miller | Heats | 45.00 | 21.70 | 23.30 | +1.60 |
| Michael Bingham | Heats | 45.54 | 21.90 | 23.64 | +1.74 |
| Tabarie Henry | Final | 45.42 | 21.83 | 23.59 | +1.76 |
| Jeremy Wariner | Final | 44.60 | 21.41 | 23.19 | +1.78 |
| Tabarie Henry | Heats | 45.14 | 21.67 | 23.47 | +1.80 |
| Marcin Marciniszyn | Heats | 45.77 | 21.98 | 23.79 | +1.81 |
| William Collazo | Semi | 44.93 | 21.56 | 23.37 | +1.81 |
| Leslie Djhone | Final | 45.90 | 22.04 | 23.86 | +1.82 |
| David Gillick | Final | 45.53 | 21.83 | 23.70 | +1.87 |
| Michael Bingham | Final | 45.56 | 21.84 | 23.72 | +1.88 |
| LaShawn Merritt | Heats | 45.23 | 21.66 | 23.57 | +1.91 |
| Erison Hurtault | Heats | 45.55 | 21.82 | 23.73 | +1.91 |
| Chris Brown | Heats | 45.53 | 21.78 | 23.75 | +1.97 |
| John Steffensen | Semi | 45.50 | 21.74 | 23.76 | +2.02 |
| Rabah Yousif | Semi | 45.63 | 21.80 | 23.83 | +2.03 |
| Joel Milburn | Heats | 45.56 | 21.74 | 23.82 | +2.08 |
| Young Talkmore Nyongani | Heats | 45.92 | 21.89 | 24.03 | +2.14 |
| Sean Wroe | Heats | 45.31 | 21.57 | 23.74 | +2.17 |
| William Collazo | Heats | 45.52 | 21.66 | 23.86 | +2.20 |
| David Gillick | Heats | 45.54 | 21.67 | 23.87 | +2.20 |
| Kevin Borlee | Heats | 45.61 | 21.70 | 23.91 | +2.21 |
| Rabah Yousif | Heats | 45.55 | 21.66 | 23.89 | +2.23 |
| Sean Wroe | Semi | 45.32 | 21.52 | 23.80 | +2.28 |
| Mohamed Ashour Khouaja | Heats | 45.56 | 21.63 | 23.93 | +2.30 |
| Ricardo Chambers | Heats | 45.57 | 21.62 | 23.95 | +2.33 |
| John Steffensen | Heats | 45.37 | 21.51 | 23.86 | +2.35 |
| Robert Tobin | Heats | 45.50 | 21.55 | 23.95 | +2.40 |
| Lionel Larry | Heats | 45.64 | 21.49 | 24.15 | +2.66 |
| Johan Wissman | Heats | 45.83 | 21.50 | 24.33 | +2.83 |
| Chris Brown | Final | 45.47 | 21.31 | 24.16 | +2.85 |
| Teddy Venel | Heats | 46.16 | 21.64 | 24.52 | +2.88 |
| Jeremy Wariner | Heats | 45.54 | 21.30 | 24.24 | +2.94 |
| Cedric van Brateghem | Heats | 45.94 | 21.46 | 24.48 | +3.02 |
What are the open 200m times of the above athletes?
I feel it is important to know what type of sprinter you are dealing with. The faster 100 sprinters require different Race Plans than those with much slower maximum speed but great Lactate Tolerance abilities. Proper planning requires finding the optimal 200 split for each type of sprinter and then really training the sprinter to BOTH increase Max Vel and learn to efficiently run the first 200 at the desired split time.
Ideally, two equal segments could be achieved. For example, Lee Evans’s 1968 400 meter world record of 43.86 seconds had nearly identical splits of 21.9. I know Butch Reynolds could also replicate that type of efficency. Though, I don’t know what type of splits Michael Johnson’s 1999 world record at 400 meters had (43.18).
John Smith also ran equal (22.2/22.3) when he set the 440 yard WR at 44.5. Notice that Evans, Reynolds and Smith were similar in terms of 200 speed but lacked the 200 speed that MJ had. Coaches need to know the type of 400 runners they have in order to develop training plans that replicate race plans designed for the type of sprinter (400/800,(Juantorena) 200/400,(MJ) 400/200(Smith, Reynolds, Evans) or 100/200/400.
I notice that the first half was faster for all of the above races.
Does anyone think it’s possible to run a negative differential in the 400m event? Is it physically possible to go out in 24.00 and return say in 22.00?
Renny Quow came the closest to running and even race splitting 22.43 and 22.59.
Thanks in advance.
I have heard track authorities advise 400 meter runners to “go out close to 100 percent” for the 1st 100 meter segment (supposedly, lactic acid will be at 100 percent). That is pure folly. Any sprinter who strives to run at 100 % effort will find himself in the category of those runners who, “wheeze, exhale, and die in the last 100 meter segment of the 400 meter sprint.”
if you run 20.91 and 10.6 what u think ur 400m should be?
it depends if you have trained for the 100/200 or 200/400. If the latter, then 20.91 x 2 + 3.5 = 45.32. You need to get down to 20.75 regularly if you want to break 45. Jared Deacon shares the same sentiments.
or what type of spinter r u
I would thnk the 10.6 would be a bigger issue than the 20.91.
Also with the right running model, running 100 percent for 100m is not impossible and still keep running without dieing in the last 100m.
my 400 in the 10th grade was 50.32 i was mad because i thought i should have ran 49. but now my 11th grade season is coming soon how can i run 47 or 48 seconds what are some tips or strategies for me to do that?
Aaron,
I applaud your performance, and your intense desire to improve. I think you should begin by talking with your coach, and establishing your goals for the new season. If your desire is to run 48 by seasons end then you have to write a programme that will prepare to do that. Please, please, do not rush yourself or become impatient with your coach. Rushing your preparation in order to run fast times can result in you having a sporadic season or result in you being injured. Become a student of the 400m; learn the event by watching videos of Mike Johnson, Merritt, Wariner, Felix, Richards, Gonzales, Butch Reynolds, etc…Knowledge is power.
alright thanks do you think its possible to run 46 in my senior year