I am firm believer you need to work on different speeds for 800m and 1500m runners.
In a nutshell,
- You need to work on speeds faster than race pace
- You need to work on speeds at race pace
- You need to work on speeds slower than race pace (i.e. over-distance work)
- You need some mileage, both recovery miles and aerobic miles.
If you run the 800m, you basically need 200/400m speed, 800m speed (duh!) and 1500/300m speed. Those workouts can be Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with Tuesday and Thursdays as recovery runs (or Tempo runs*) and the Saturday long run. Sunday is rest or active recovery or Yoga. (Read my interview with Gary Reed)
*NOTE: read Tempo Training Differences for Sprinters and Distance Runners
Let’s take a look at Genzebe Dibaba training leading up to her world record of 3:50.07
That WR pace is equivalent to 61.3 per 400m.
So her “magic workout” leading up to her 1500m world record was 6 x 800m at 1500m race pace with 2 minutes recovery. When she did that, she knew she was ready. She knew how it was going to feel in that last lap… because she has “been there” before.
I have a lot more workouts, but I won’t print them because everyone is going to copy them without understanding the hows-and-whys you do a particular workout. You have to understand the exercise physiology of the workouts, and where you are in the season.
Related Articles:
- How to Break 2:00 for 800m
- 400/800 Meter Training Workouts – The Beakdown
- Comparing 400m vs 800 meter Training
- 800 meter Training – How Much Mileage should a Half-Miler Run?
Jimson Lee
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