Posted In: Sprints
Training Intensity
I run a 55.5 in the 400 and I want to go down to a low 49.x/sub 50.0 by March/April and 53.x seconds by September. My question is when training and you're selecting intensities such as running repeat 100's on a easy day after a speed work day should you be running at 85% of your personal best or 85% of the time you want to reach (sub 50)?
I would recommend against running in the intermediate zone of 80-90% the day after you do 90% plus work for starters.
Secondly, most workouts are based on personal best time or race pace depending on the distance run. I know one workout program that is all off of race pace and there are others that are off of personal best depending on the distance run.
Running 85% of the time you want to reach is almost too much for one to handle if trying to make such a big jump (55 to 50).
50 divided by .85 = 58.82
55.5/58.82 = 94%
You would be doing consecutive speed days….
23.6 x 2 = 47.2…..55.5 – 47.2 = 8.3 secs
Getting down to a 53. or <53 should not be a problem. You are in the exact same boat I was in….speed enough to run a decent 400m, but lacking proper endurance. What kind of off-season work have you done in the past, or have you done any? Are you lifting weights? Is your diet balanced? Are you drinking enough water (8 cups is not nearly enough)? How is your form? All the little things can help you take off time.
As I was once told, "Drop seconds from fitness." In other words, with the endurance deficit like that, as I am in the same boat (23.91 / 54.24), your best bet would be to just up overall work capacity and general fitness and let your times drop off that rather than focus too much on speed and speed endurance, yet not have the body to handle it.
last year i only did circuit training because i spent most of the summer in another country with my relatives, but this summer i'm doing a speed work / distance routine, and alternating so i can get in shape for cross country (which i'm doing for the first time ).This is what I usually do , i dont follow it exactly, but its the basic pattern
Monday ( 2 a days)
morning is
speed work
30 meters with running start/ acceleration warm up
speed endurance
repeat 200s/150s
evening
weight room
speed work(with football team) 10×10 yards, 10×20, 10×40, 2×100
Tuesday
some type of recovery workout/ build stamina for cross country –
1/2 mile warm up
2 mile run in between
1/2 mile cool down
evening
back extensions/ THI arm work out
Wednesday
morning
rest if meet is next day
If not then I'll do speed work/speed endurance
ladder 100>150>200>200>150>100
evening
core/ trunk work out
Thursday
meet
or if there is no meet then
three mile thursday with
quarter mile warm up/ cool down
evening
back extensions/ THI arm work out
Friday
If the day after meet then
speed drills with a mile run in between sets
If not the day after a meet
speed work/ speed endurance
evening
circuit training
Saturday
some type of recovery workout/ build stamina for cross country –
1/2 mile warm up
2.5 mile run in between ( go up by a lap each week until im running 3 miles twice a week)
1/2 mile cool down
Sunday
stretch
for the other questions
i have bad form or so i've been told, but i usually run hurdles(110HH and 400IH) and 4X4 thats why i dont have an official 200 time. I do hurdles because theres only one other person on the team that does it and he's almost 8 seconds slower and our coach wants us to do as many events as we can to help us win meets, which has been working to our advantage but next year we'll be missing the field team unless someone steps up.
i try to lift weights regularly but i don't get to go on my own schedule, i can only go when the team does ( which is not often)
i'm a vegetarian but i think i have a balanced diet but i don't know how to tell. I eat alot of carbs, I eat proteins but I dont over do it because i'm not trying to be a body builder.
I try to drink alot of water but i dont drink a consistent amount each day
to work on my form i'm trying to learn to run more relaxed( that's what one of the post here recommended) and i'm watching videos and doing b walk drills as part of my dynamic warmups
If you're a sprinter/hurdler, why would you suggest yourself to the wear and tear of long, boring runs during XC season as opposed to training yourself on something more specific to your events?
If you want to run slow, I would highly recommend doing higher volume of repeat 200-500m runs at about 70-75% race pace or max speed depending on distance. It will better develop your aerobic system in a more SPRINT-SPECIFIC way (you can work on relaxation among other things) and it will better develop work-capacity for longer, harder sprint workouts. I have yet to see a 400m runner (with a short sprint background) go to XC and come back more successful. Not saying it couldn't happen, I just wouldn't recommend it.
You NEED to drink a lot of water everyday. I recommend a bottle (16oz) every our to ensure proper hydration…add more if needed. Hydration is probably the biggest, yet most underlooked aspect of training for ANY athlete.
If you're a vegetarian, getting protein in your system is definitely hard to come by, but you don't have to turn into a bodybuilder just because you eat protein. 1 – 1.2g per pound of bodyweight a day is adequate enough to ensure you aren't losing muscle mass while running and still keep you moving strong.
As far as weightlifting, why not get a membership to a gym if feasible and go on your own time? I can't stress how important weightlifting is to sprinting. Sprinting is a POWER-SPEED event (even up to 400m) and the more power you have the faster you can move….why? Because sprinting is a pushing movement, not a pulling movement and the harder you push on the ground (or with the more force I should say) the more force the ground is going to push back with, the more you shall be propelled through the air, thus increasing stride length. It's one of Newton's Laws…you get what you give basically.
Looking at your program, I would definitely stay away from so many long runs. If anything, do higher volumes of longer repeat runs like 500-1000m reps maintaining relaxation (though sprint form won't be most optimal) and focusing on trying to keep your shoulders down. Use warm-ups and speed workouts to focus on form as the faster you move, the closer to top-speed mechanics you will be.
My recommendation…no XC. Again, my recommendation.
Long-to-short training progression???? No. Long to short is moving progressively along a long period of time (weeks and months) from one phase/system to another.
Sprinting and distance in the same day is worthless and a waste of energy.