800 meter RACING
By Lee LaBadie
University of Akron XC & Distance Coach
( MENTOR, Teacher, Inspiration, CATALYST )
Young Lady – Old Lady -- Bunch of Lines
1
Table of Contents:
Mantras
Racing 800 meters
a.
Race Model
b.
Specfic energy systems to enhance/work on &
how much time to spend on each system
c.
What time of the year to work on each energy system
Training for 800 meters
a.
Workouts for each energy system
b.
How to integrate these energy systems into a whole race
c.
What racing skillsets need to be improved (mental & physical)
Developing the Character of an Athlete
a.
Learn to relax under stress, ie. Not push too hard
b.
Feeling the DISCOMFORT ZONE
c.
Focus on your position in the race not your time
Continued Development of the Athlete
a.
per Race
b.
per Season, ie. How to refresh after a training phase
c.
per Year, ie. Making yearly advances in your race
2
Extra Coaching Resources
MANTRA’S:
Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an Act, but a Habit.”
Yoda: “ Do or Do Not. There is no Try.”
“All skills are transferable”
“Character is learned & developed”
LaBadie: “There are always 3 possibilities, + / 0 / - ”
Racing 800 meters:
The 800 meters is one tough race: https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/800mgreats-juantorena-coe-kipketer-and-rudis-1
I use a RACE MODEL that helps BOTH the Coach & Athlete to have
common ground and converse with each other about races & racing.
It allows for a BIG picture -- little picture & snapshot view of any race.
I use this for a race analysis that reveals the strenghts & weaknesses of
the athlete, both mental & physical as well as MY coaching approach.
The Best article on this subject to date
= http://www.britishmilersclub.com/bmcnews/2002autumn.pdf
3
800m Race MODEL =
1:44 =
1:48
1:52
2:00
2:08
=
=
=
=
Controlled Fade 2 – 4 seconds ( 400m splits )
200
25
26
27
29
31
400
(26
600
26) = 52
800
27
51
1:17
53
(27
27) = 54
28
53
1:20
55
(28
28) = 56
29
55
1:23
57
(30
30) = 60
31
59
1:29
61
(32
32) = 64
33
63
1:35
65
4
Racing 800 meters: Energy Systems =
Creatine Phosphate
Lactic System
Aerobic System
Past reasearch has shown 800m racing requires that each system
contribute 1/3 of the energy needed to race all out.
Modern reasearch shows it as 2/3 aerobic, 1/3 anaerobic.
The WHOLE season: How to spend your training time?
Work backwards from your ultimate GOAL of the year.
What time of year to work on these systems:
American:
XC (peak aerobic, little lactic, no CP)
Indoor Track (keep aerobic, start/accelerate lactic, CP)
Outdoor Track (Refresh aerobic, finish lactic, high CP)
European:
Aerobic--Lactic Development—CP—Rest/Peak/Race
5 PACE Theory:
Within a training block train 5 different racing paces
(200/400/800/mile/3-5k)
(400/800/mile/3-5k/10k)
1st phase: 67%
2nd phase: 50%
3rd phase: 33%
Aerobic
Aerobic
Aerobic
33%
50%
67%
Lactic/CP
Lactic/CP
Lactic/CP
5
Training for 800m: Workouts for Athletes: Train to Race…not to Train.
Best articles on this subject = http://bieganie.pl/uploads/Lananna.pdf
http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/09-symposiums/endurance-training-forthe-400-mike-holloway-florida.pdf
800m types:
400/800
800/mile/ XC
Workouts
Energy system
CP:
800/mile
flying 60m accelerations
100’s sprint/jog
100-150m sprints
200 repeats
-------------100-150m-200 In and outs-----------LACTIC:
AEROBIC:
fast 300’s
fast 400’s
5 x 300 progress to 4 x 400
2 x 4 x 400 to 6-10 x 400
Then 3 x 500 to 2-3 x 600
2 x 3 x 500 to 3-5 x 600
4 x 800 at 70% of mile
3 x mile at 70% of mile
3 x 1200 at 70%-80%
3 x 3000 at 70%-80%
------Cut downs---Steady state pickups---Tempos----6
How to integrate this work into a whole race:
a. old fashion/ tried and true: work each system on seperate days
Example: Mon: 8 x 400 Tues: 4-6 x 200
Wed: 3-6 x 1200 @70%
b. modular/tier system:
3 x 1000
3 x 400
3 x 200
Example: 1000’s @ 72/400 = 3:00
400’s @ 60
200’s @ 26
c. broken system:
1000 = 500-jog-300-jog-200
Use the broken system to establish high intensity work:
jog
300
jog
200
Example: 3 x 1000: 500
pace = 100m
15
14
13
400m
60
56
52
acutal
75
42
26 = aprox. 2:23
jogging
100-200m
100-200m
800 Racing Skillsets:
Start—Break—200
200---500
500---600---700
700---Finish
Physical: Train each skillset according to YOUR race model pace
Mental:
Train each phase of the race with a group, 2-3 others,
around you at the appropriate place on the track.
Use a rolling start of 10 meters except for the start.
7
Developing the Character of your athlete:
Psychology: Aristotle = Excellence is a HABIT.
All Skills are transferable
Physiology:
Mylin Sheath = reinforce motor skills &
neuromuscular pathways:
Thinking/Choices/Anticipating
Article = http://ezinearticles.com/?Neuromuscular-Pathways-in-theBody&id=4150888
Learn to relax under duress: Push to Finish… but not too HARD !!!!
1. Give them a workout they can’t finish but are so close …..How?
Lactic system: week #1--2 x 4 x 400 at 60-61 pace 120 sec int./ 5 min break
week #2--same workout but ….
90 sec int./5 min break
week #3--same workout same rest 90 sec int./5 min break
week #4--same workout but ….
60 sec int./5 min break
Athlete has to keep great form and composure, only time can slow down.
So… 60-61-60-62 … 60-61-63-63 for a (4:00-04 miler)
2. This is mental focus not effort. If one can’t handle #4, repeat cycle.
3. Athlete must be fully rested and willing/mentally ready to try this.
4. Paradox: Coach= Sam finish! Mom= Sam Kick! Dad= Sam Relax!
8
Feeling the Discomfort Zone:
Comfort = Uncomfortable = Discomfort
Mental Side: Will not execute race plan! [200-500] or [500-600-700]
What to do?... Have “A” Conversation = I Didn’t feel right !!!!
Solution:
1. Keep working on it. Patience. Next year.
2. Max VO2 1000m workouts
4 x 400 @ middle 400m race model
Increase jogging distance for High Intensity work
Eating right carb/protien mix after hard days?
Sleep? / Stress? / Personal problem?
Physical Side: Tightness in any muscle group = STOP
Grabbing - Pulling of muscles = STOP
Light Headed – Breathing Off
= STOP
Race Positioning:
Don’t run directly behind another runner
Avoid lane #1 if possible, if not be patient
Stay away from the crowd, bumping wastes energy
Run on another’s shoulder, smooth transitions
Study your opponets Racing HABITS
Use the break to your advantage, don’t cut in
9
Continued Development of the Athlete:
Per Race: Review execution of the race model and video of the race.
Make a ( +, 0, - ) accessment of all aspects of the race
Including Mental & Physical componets
Per Season:
After the completion of each phase run longer first.
If miles came down for the end of the phase, up they go.
As the miles go up pace comes down, refresh yourself !
In the next phase race a longer distance first.
Don’t go “kill it” right away. Win as easy as possible
Vary your race distances till your championship meet.
Per Year:
To make a yearly advance you need to have a complete
log of your workouts/times/rest periods and splits for
the races.
Armed with this information you can set the next years
plan easily. Evaluate strenghts 1st, weaknesses 2nd.
Set new goals both Mentally & Physically.
Add supplemental exercises to give you a new load.
Stretching, flexibility and mobility exercises;
Before during and after workouts.
10
Extra Coaching Resources:
Kung Fu Panda 1 & 2
DVD
The Talent Code
Daniel Coyle
The Power of Habit
Charles Duhigg
Good to Great
Jim Collins
How They Train: Vol. 1
Fred Wilt
Middle Distances
A Logical Basis for the Training of Runners
SPECIFIC TRAINING
Alberto Juantorena
FOR THE 400-800M RUNNER
https://beaconhillstriders.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/Alberto-Juantorena-Training-for-400m-800m.pdf
Winning Running: Successful 800m & 1500m Racing and Training
Peter Coe
11