The 800 meter run is defined as an endurance event in track and field because the aerobic energy demand is slightly higher than the anaerobic energy demand at race pace. It is an event that draws participants both from the long sprint group as well as distance runners that possess good speed. It is not…
Archives for 800 meter training
The 800 Meter Runner: Endurance (Type 2)
The 800 meter run is considered the shortest of the distance races in track and field. While it is half the length of the 1600 meter run, it retains some of the physiological and psychological characteristics of that event along with some properties of the 400 meter dash which is half as far. In profiling…
The 800 Meter Runner: Speed (Type 1)
The 800 meter run is considered the shortest endurance race in track and field. While it is twice the length of the 400 meter dash it retains some of the physiological and psychological characteristics of that event. Here we will consider the 800 meter runner. In profiling the 800 meters the importance of speed, speed…
Blizzard of 2015: Video Playlist
Where I live, there’s a blizzard happening. I can’t tell you how excited I am to shovel the 24+ inches of snow that has fallen. By excited, I mean I will cry myself to sleep tonight. Regardless, I thought I’d share a video playlist from my YouTube Channel. And by ‘I thought’, I mean I…
Two Long Sprints Programs I Steal From Every Day
We had our Divisional State Relay Championship this past Saturday and all four of my ‘primary’ relay teams (girls and boys 4×200 and 4×400) ran faster than they did all of last year. Girls 4×2 came into the meet with a 1:48.07 season best and school record of 1:46.77, set in 2013. They went bananas,…
Setting up an Anaerobic Profile
In middle-distance training it is important that workouts are determined by certain individual anaerobic index performance values that are unique to each athlete. In distance training it is common to use the athlete’s field-tested, date sensitive,VO2 max value to determine workout pace intensity for aerobic work. As an example, a four mile tempo run should…
Recovery, Regeneration, and Rest for Middle Distance Runners
It has been said that the most important reason a runner needs a coach is to help them with the time intervals between work, and not for the work itself. It is somewhat surprising that the concept of training at goal-paced effort or faster, punctuated by periods of rest in order to endure the effort,…
Get Your 800m Runners onto the 4x400m Relay
I always enjoy picking the brains of my colleagues and other aspiring coaches. Luckily I work with some fantastic coaches in the sport, like our middle distance coach Tim Bayley. He was an All American in the 800m at Iona College with a personal best of 1:46. Tim’s middle distance crew had an amazing indoor…
Running in the Modern World- Runner Safety
Responsible coaches are many things to their athletes. Most of the focus of responsibility concerns teaching the athletes the skills that allow them to be successful. All coaches recognize the dangers in their sport, with some scenarios more obvious than others. A track coach may briefly explain a few rules about runner safety, running on…
Goal-Setting for Athletes
Before the track season begins to stir with physical activity is an important time for the middle distance coach to establish oneself as a psychological leader. It is a time for long-term planning of coach directed individual motivation issues. It is a time to establish a list of performance and training goals for each athlete. …
Fall 800 Meter Training
For 800 meter specialists, fall is the time of the year for extended general preparation activities in 800 meter training, that lead into a shorter period of specific preparation work. In some instances the 800 meter runner is a member of the cross country team. This scenario is more likely to occur in a high…
Structuring a Middle Distance Workout Session
The useful thing about modern training theory is that it was put together by scientists using empirical and replicable evidence rather than a hodge-podge of ideas and intellectual artifacts advanced by coaches. Because it is rooted in science, training theory is an ever-changing set of principles and concepts that evolve as better scientific testing is…