Fine Tuning your 400 meter Workouts, Part 2

Last Updated on December 2, 2013 by Jimson Lee

The series started with Training for 400m: Balancing Speed and Special Endurance followed by the article Fine Tuning your 400 meter Workouts, Part 1.  So this is really Part 3 of the series.  Sorry for the confusion.

Coaching is really an art and sometimes you have to make adjustments in the spring or early summer depending on your results from time trials, competitions, or certain magic workouts.

With the Championship weekend over for most countries, some athletes still have another periodization training block before the big meet (Worlds, Students Games, Youths, etc.)

The biggest factor to look at is your training.  Is your annual plan Long-to-Short or Short-to-Long?

I’ll go over 5 critical items in your training inventory.  While the focus in this article is on 400 meters, it does apply to 100m and 200m sprinters as well (and to some extent, the 800 meters)

Speed Assessment and Prediction

There was the Bundle/Weyand study where they predicted your 400 meter time from two measurements: the maximum respective speeds supported by the anaerobic and aerobic powers of the runner (see What is Speed Reserve Part 2)

The folks at ASRspeed took this concept based on the “patented algorithm” and created their own unique workout.  Based on the two time trials, a 10 meter fly-in run, and a 300 meter fly-in run, they can predict your 400 meter time.  Afterwards. it supplied the optimal maximal speed for a N x 45 meter workout with 3-4 minutes recovery (where N equals the number of reps until the desired time is NOT met, i.e. fatigue).  For this test and workout, the Freelap Timing System does a great job in timing splits on the fly with their transmitters.  Just click and run!

I’ve been doing a similar 4x4x60m workout for Anaerobic Speed Reserve and special endurance, which I’ll cover in a future post.

Another test I love to do is 150 meters.  About 15 or 16 seconds, and psychologically not too taxing as compared to a 400 meters.

I personally use 150’s and a 2 x 150m test with full recovery to determine a 200m time with a great deal of accuracy.  Click here for the full article.  (normally, we do 3x150m earlier in the year, and sometimes 6x150m in late fall training)  From the 200m time, you can predict the 400m time as well, considering other important factors like weather, race execution, number of rounds, and special endurance fitness.  If you can’t break 23 for 200m, chances are you won’t break 50 for 400m (though there are exceptions to this rule, like 400/800 combo runners who have more strength than speed)

PACE training

For example, if your 200m season best (SB) time with blocks is 23, you should be able to run 22 in practice with a 10m flying start.  You could do 2 x 200m with a full 20-30 minute recovery, but I don’t recommend that, because I rather see a SE session with some 100, 120, 150s.  You can do ladder progressions increasing in distance, or declining distances like Tom Tellez. 

If you can run a 200m time in 23 seconds, that means your pace should be about 24 and 26.  So a sample workout would be 3 sets of 200m with blocks in 24 with full recovery, or in 23 seconds with a 10m flying start.

Another test is split 400s, simulated, 1st 200m with blocks, 1 minute rest, then the 2nd 200m with no blocks (fly-in).  Full recovery (i.e. 20 minutes), then do 2 sets total.

300’s are also a good test of fitness for 400 meters.  Normally, we do 3x300m (or 2 x 300m), but on the easy week or testing week, we do either 6x30m followed by a single 300 meter time trial (running solo).  Another workout we do as we start tapering in the final periodization block is 300-100-200 or 300-100-150 with full recovery.  No holding back on the 300!  Fresh legs are important!

Acceleration Development and Maximum Velocity

I don’t think I need to emphasize Acceleration Development and Maximum Velocity work for a sprinter.  If your training block is 48 weeks long, then you do Acceleration Development and Maximum Velocity work 48 weeks a year.

A good primer on this topic is Marc Magiacotti’s 100 meter training videos where he discusses the 7 steps, 10 meter test.  In fact Vince Anderson thinks step patterns are more accurate than a stopwatch with his acceleration ladder chart (his chart is private, but for sale.  Contact me for more info)

For a good article on Fly 30’s, see the guest post by Ed Barber titled Flying 30 for Sprinters: Achieving Max Velocity and Maintaining it Over the Critical Area of Race

You can also read the article on Michael Johnson’s Speedwork Training.

Speed Endurance

For a detailed look, refer to my magic workout article.  Here is a brief summary:

I use the East German workout of 4x30m, followed by 60m, 80m, 100m, 120m, 150m.  This is the target workout towards the end of the season.  Until you can hit the checkmarks at the shorter distance, do not attempt to move them up to the next one.   (i.e. do 4×30, 60, 80, 100.  Once they can sustain top speed  (relatively), then attempt to add a 120 at next week’s session)

Special Endurance

For a detailed look, refer to my magic workout article.  Here is a brief summary:

This is my favorite workout, at least one of them!  2 x 250m, top speed , and when you achieve the target time time, add more distance.

I like using distances of 250, 280, 300, 310, 325 (MJ does 350m) using hurdle and relay hashmarks

The ultimate goal is 2 x 325m (or 40 sec) which was covered in several Blog articles:

1. Clyde Hart 300 meter Workouts (with beeper)
2. Clyde Hart’s Split 400 meter Workout
3. Mike Holloway’s 2 x 320 meter Workout
4. Why the 352 Yard Workout?
5. Which is Better- 3×300 or 2×350 Speed Endurance Workouts
6. Anaerobic Speed Reserve and the 2 x 325m Indoor Workout
7. 400 Meter Training- 2 x 300m or 2×40 second Workout
8. Jeremy Wariner’s 2 x 350 meter workouts

I repeat, do not advance to the higher distance until you have the speed.  I stop at 40 sec, whether it’s 320 or 350 meters.

Some prefer to do 3 sets with slightly slower speeds or shorter recoveries (a Classic Clyde Hart method), which is recommended when the weather is crappy and you don’t want to run at near full speed..  But the effort will still be there.  Your butt will know, trust me on that!

Conclusion

So there you have it.  August is still several weeks away, and there’s plenty of time to fine tune your workouts before the big meet. 

Just make sure you ask the question “Why am I dong this workout?” and proceed.