• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Iwan Thomas’ 500-400-300-200 Workout

You are here: Home / 400 meters / Iwan Thomas’ 500-400-300-200 Workout
68
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

August 18, 2015 by Jimson Lee Leave a Comment

We called them “breakdowns” for obvious reasons: 600-500-400-300-200.  This type of workout can be classified as a true “lactic acid” or acidosis tolerance – butt locking – extensive tempo workout. If you aren’t hurting by the 300m, you are going too slow.

Go too fast in the first interval, and you’ll be in a world of hurt towards the end.

For this workout, recovery is “walk what you run” to a maximum of 400m:

– 600, walk 400
– 500, walk 400
– 400, walk 400
– 300, walk 300
– 200, walk 200

400-training-workout.jpg
Each 200 meter “split” or “pace” is one second faster than the previous distance.

I started these workouts in 1:42, 1:22, 64, 46.4 and 30.  This was in the Fall season, and we wore training flats (not spikes) and most likely hurried our “walk what you run” recovery.  Some guys even like to jog the recoveries, but those were 400/800m guys.

Once we were able to reach those times, we would drop the times and run each 200m segment faster (i.e. 1:39, 1:20, 62, 45, 29).  In a way, it’s similar to Roger Bannister’s 10x400m workout starting at 64 seconds per 400m.  Once he got down to 59, he knew he was ready.

By the spring of 1992, I was able to complete the workout in 1:27, 1:10, 54, 39, 25 which lead to my 400m 48.36 PR.  Note the 6 second differential in training and racing toe 400m.  Yes, we wore spikes at this point.  And we took our sweet time in the recoveries.

See also  Usain Bolt's 19.86 Bislett Oslo 200m Video

In the late-spring or Competition Phase, we would drop the 600m entirely, and just do 500-400-300-200-100 (the 100m was untimed).  Quality was more important that quantity (i.e. 1500m total volume vs 2000m)

Iwan Thomas Breakdown

iwan-thomas-400m

Photo Credits: Getty Images

Iwan Thomas is one of few rare men who beat Michael Johnson, back in 1998 at Oslo.  Yes, THE Michael Johnson over 400m.

Iwan Thomas did a similar workout, with a 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m and by reducing recovery of 12, 10 and 8 minutes (or 10, 8 and 6 minutes in the summer). There is no rest after the 200m, as his group went straight into the 100m “stride”.

Thomas began with a 68-second 500m, then ran 48 for 400m, 34 for 300m and a low 22 for 200m.

Those speeds are run with 200m splits or pace (average speed) of 27.2, 24.0, 22.6 and 22 low.  Impressive, compared to my 28, 27, 26, 25.  That explains why he went to the Olympics, and I stayed home and watch it on TV.  He definitely had a better speed and speed reserve.

>> Click here for more articles, podcasts, and videos with Iwan Thomas.

Discuss.

Category icon400 meters,  Coaching,  Track & Field,  Training Tag iconIwan Thomas

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbs-aWxyLk

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (6)
  • Jimson Lee (4)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • Jim Hiserman - Developing 800m Runners: Identifying, Categorizing and Developing 400m-800m Type Athletes $42.99 $39.99
  • Private Coaching - Monthly Plan $600.00 $525.00
  • Jim Hiserman-Developing-Distance-Runnersv2 Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99

RECENT POSTS

  • Oregon22 Coaches Club now Online
  • IFAC 2022: The Return of In-Person Conferences (with Virtual option)
  • Here is our 400m Discussion Recording… over 2 Hours Long
  • The Best Free Coaching Book – post Beijing 2022 Olympics
  • The Ultimate 400m Track Webinar for Coaches & Athletes
  • NACAC Athletics Coaching Science Series 2022
  • Top Six 400m Predictor Workouts (Number 4 is my Favourite)
  • Best 6 Podcasts for 2021 (and Beyond)
  • Why Karsten Warholm’s 45.94 400mH WR is my Highlight of 2021
  • Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 23]

Copyright © 2023. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}