How to Race the 400 meters – Run Your Own Race

Last Updated on November 17, 2012 by Jimson Lee

The elite men’s 400 meters over the past 6 years saw the rise and fall (and rise again) of Jeremy Wariner, the rise and fall of LaShawn Merritt, and the emergence of new up and comers like Jermaine Gonzales.  There were some great European faces like David Gillick and the Belgium Borlee twins, but at the end of 2010, we saw Jeremy Wariner on top of his game again.

Those who run the 400 meters knows how hard it is execute the perfect race as there are so many variables involved (or zones as Michael Johnson calls it).  Fitness, or more precisely, SPP, plays a crucial part in peaking for the right event.

But at the end, it’s all about execution.

How to Run the 400 meters – Run Your Own Race

The best example I can give is the Men’s 400 meters from this year’s Zurich’s Diamond League.

Jermaine Gonzales was looking better and better after every race (obstructed video camera pole in Rome not included), and Zurich is know for fast times and electric atmosphere.  Don’t believe me?  Just ask Suzy.

Gonzales runs the race a la Quincy Watts… out hard for 300 meters and hold on with whatever is left.

In this YouTube video, watch the pair run the 400 meters.  Kudos to Gonzales for making it a great race and it probably resulted in Wariner’s WL (world leading) time.

The moral of the story: know your abilities based on your training, and run your own race.

UPDATE: Sorry, the video is no longer on YouTube.