Posted In: Sprints
I would like to hear what your strategies are the 400m dash. Whether you are a coach or an athlete, could you please tell me what you do or what your coach has you do.
This is what I have told my athletes.
1. Set a rhythem the first 200m, I would like you to come through 200m at +:1.0-:2.0 of your 200m pr.
2. Gradually accel from 200m – 300m.
3. Maintain form, relax, and focus the last 100m.
Thoughts on this as well as what you believe should be done for the 400m.
I tell my athletes you can never be as fast in the latter parts of a race than in the first part. I want a fast first 100, but I don’t tell my kids that. I tell them thru 200 staggers relaxed at a certain pace before they start. Their mind thinks about the pace and relates it to the training we have done. That pace is just a fraction faster than practice, but they know they have to go out harder at the start. Then I want them to focus on working the turn well ie maintaining speed and relaxation. When they hit the 110hurdle marks coming out is when they start to straighten up and I have them pour it (higher and more outfront arm swing and knee drive) on thru 100m start line then relax home. I always ask my kids where they got jelly legs in the race.
when I run the 400 I try to get up to race speed in about the first 50 meters or so (like you said, pace should be about 2 seconds slower than your 200 ability, depending on the type/level of runner you are). After I’m at race speed I settle into my form and try to run as relaxed as possible (while maintaining my pace) until I get to the 200 mark. I have some difficulties with the 2nd turn for some reason, so to beat that I have to push pretty hard through the 2nd turn, and then for the last 100 I focus on getting as much stride length as possible (you’re probably too tired to run fast, so try to run far) and keep the best running form I can manage.
From my experience…
Fast start, begin to relax coming out of turn 1.
‘Float’ back straight and feel the race.
Increase effort through 2nd turn, try to come out of turn as fast as possible.
Last 100 remember anything can happen.
400m indoors is a completely different race IMO.
Being in good position after the 150m break is vital because passing is even more difficult than it looks.
No
You are right 400 indoors is completely different. Passing should be done in straights or exiting turns, avoid passing in the turns if at all possible. I am a horrible indoor 400 runner, because of all this, I hammer thru 150 in about 18 cross the line in 24 and the third turn eats me alive. I run 200 meters of the race thinking about arm drive and knee lift to maintain stride length.
I’ve always been told exactly what Rice773 says: Hit the first 50-80 hard but relaxed, float into the straight and pick up the pace with 150-170 to go and then hold on. Much easier said than done. Another thing a coach told me that I liked, was to imagine un upturned bicycle. If you start turning the wheel really fast, it soon only needs a little effort, a few little pushes, to maintain that speed. That’s like the back straight running.
I’m with Rice and Dean. There are metabolic as well as mechanical reasons why this is the best way to run the 400m.
Dean-
I like the analogy.
ELITETRACK Founder
Question on this tho…
I’ve always been told that at the end of a 400 that you should concentrate on turning over for the last 100. Since you’re so fatigued at this point, trying to lengthen your stride would cause your contact times to sky rocket. I’d like opinions.
In the last 100 is not a question of contact time. It is Stride Rate vs Stride Length. Your speed is fading because your stride length is gone, because your knees are not high. Trying to increase your stride rate will only significantly reduce your stride length more.
Contact time will directly effect stride rate and stride length. In fact, contact time is a component of stride rate (which is the sum of swing time + contact time). In almost all cases the best sprinters and those that are running efficiently will have shorter ground contact times. Having said that, there seems to be a tendency to overstride at the end of 400m races as fatigue sets in. While this isn’t always reflected in stride length it is reflected in ground contact position. This in my opinion is the real thing to watch out for. That is, when you are getting tired, make sure your feet are still landing under your hips and your trying to push up rather than getting sloppy and letting your feet get way out in front and push way out in back (which would correspond to very large ground contact times).
ELITETRACK Founder
This is something that I usually keep to myself….but I have my athletes get out hard for as much as 80m….in an attempt to make up the majority of the stagger on the first turn. Settle in and maintain what they have built….but dont work hard to do it. The major difference for my athletes is that I have them throw in a surge of about 30m….leading into the 200m mark…and then again maintain that (under control) for the next 50-80m (depending on the fitness level) and then GO FOR IT the last 150 to 120m.
This surge is especially useful indoors since you have to get to the last 200 first…..to gain control of the race
This is something that I usually keep to myself….but I have my athletes get out hard for as much as 80m….in an attempt to make up the majority of the stagger on the first turn. Settle in and maintain what they have built….but dont work hard to do it. The major difference for my athletes is that I have them throw in a surge of about 30m….leading into the 200m mark…and then again maintain that (under control) for the next 50-80m (depending on the fitness level) and then GO FOR IT the last 150 to 120m.
This surge is especially useful indoors since you have to get to the last 200 first…..to gain control of the race
That's a very interesting distribution. Do the athletes ever have problem coming back from the second surge? Do you modify or adjust your training to account for this race strategy?
ELITETRACK Founder
This is something that I usually keep to myself….but I have my athletes get out hard for as much as 80m….in an attempt to make up the majority of the stagger on the first turn. Settle in and maintain what they have built….but dont work hard to do it. The major difference for my athletes is that I have them throw in a surge of about 30m….leading into the 200m mark…and then again maintain that (under control) for the next 50-80m (depending on the fitness level) and then GO FOR IT the last 150 to 120m.
This surge is especially useful indoors since you have to get to the last 200 first…..to gain control of the race
Amen, sub40:
I coach basically the same strategy. Mike, yes it has to be addressed in the training sessions. More from the mental side because the level of physical fitness is there, it has to be, to execute this strategy. Began doing it this past season with very favorable results….
yeah, I dont do this unless I KNOW they are capable of breaking 47.5 in the open. We address this through event runs, and various surge related practices as early as the SPP
Its a good transition for my freshman because most prefer to kick from 150 out, and they never really had to work that hard in HS….so they like it. Plus it gives them a good feeling of controlling the race…..cause MOST people aren't able to make the aggressive moves unless they are prepared for it….so it is hard to match
i prepare my athletes for the 200m in a similar fashion. …but i was once told by a great sprint coach "the 200m is the most overcoached event on the track…just let em run" so i wont go into all that
Really the best way to run a 400 i would say, is hit the first 50-60 meters hard. As you shoot out the curve i usually start striding out. I keep my first 200 2 seconds slower than my fastest 200. I usually try to get in the front on the backstretch but not the front. I use the last curve to pass people cyus thats the area where most people run their slowest in the race. In the last 100 i just run with what i have left.
First 50 – 90%-95% sprint
Next 150 – Shoot out the curve and stride out
Last Curve – Start passing people again and focus mainly on my form
Last 100 – Kill yourself with the fastest sprint you can pull out and focus on your form, ive had people pass me on the last 100 cus i lost my form.
