Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

I have two separate problems with my open 400. The first is that I have literally no kick at the end. I don't slow down, but I can't speed up for the last 100 m. Any suggestions?
Secondly, my open 400 is—no joke—four seconds slower than my mile relay split. Is this a psychological thing or a physical thing? How can it be fixed? Thanks.

Speed endurance work should fix your finishing problem. As for your time differential I don't think that can be explained by anything physical. Perhaps you're just more aggressive (or maybe more relaxed) on the relay.

Originally posted by mike
Speed endurance work should fix your finishing problem. As for your time differential I don't think that can be explained by anything physical. Perhaps you're just more aggressive (or maybe more relaxed) on the relay.

mike,

When you say Speed Endurance, do you literally mean Speed Endurance (workouts of 80-150m/rep with shorter than 10 min. rest), or Special Endurance?

Example I. . .  6 x 150 (maximun effort) w/5 min. rest

Example II. . .  4 x 300 (maximum effort) w/full recovery

Which one is more accurate to what you are saying?

Any.  Speed Endurance is a term used interchangably with all 3 types.  But, SE2 would be the best for his kick.

I figured you'd say that.

Here's the problem with that though. I have a sprinter that has not did ANY SE2 (she came out in March), and I did shorter speed endurance and that improved her "kick" (I put kick in quotations because I do not believe in kicks in the 400. If you are kicking then that probably means you went out to slow in the first place). So what gives?

If you gave her shorter rests then you were teaching her to strike when fatigued.  Ex: 5x150 w/5min rest at 90%.

I do know what you mean with those workouts. And that COULD have been the case. But I only started giving her those kinds of workouts 7 days before she PRed. Not enough time for her to benefit from that session. Thoughts?

I don't know about that.  The workout might have been a "plateau-buster" of sorts being why she pr'd.  Not saying she was plateauing, but it could've been just what she needed physically and mentally to get past the hump.  Is that making sense?

Perfect sense. Thanks.