Got a question on the 800m from someone. We are talking about someone wanting to be elite. I would have liked to have included 800m-1500m in Run faster but not sure they saw a market for it. I have coached and am interested in the 800m.(Colorado state champ 800m) I do think it is a one of the toughest events to coach along with the Marathon. If you have looked at many elite programs there are a wide variety of ways to train for the 800m. I beleive Coach Chapman from Indiana Elite and ex. phys.professor refers to it as pure VOO DOO. What he is saying it is very difficult to use general terms from a science stand point. I beleive that of almost all training of elites. We are all individual experiments of one. With that said the 800m is one of the most extreme events where being off a tiny bit can make a huge difference in fading up the stretch or powering home. It will take much tinkering to find the right formula for the individual. Always the balance of speed and strength.
When Peter Snell won gold in 1960 and again in 1964 the event had really changed as many more programs began incorporating longer endurance work in all periods and saw Endurance work from the Marathon connected to all running events above the 400m. So when training an 800m runner(or any runner?) one must look at what type of runner they are? Are they a resistant type of 800m runner? 1500m/800m? Meaning not the best speed but very strong like Steve Cram, Steve Ovett, Peter Snell, Alan Webb, Suzy Hamilton or a Fast 400m/800m runner that lacks endurance Billy Konchellah, Yuri Borzakoy, Alberto Juanterina, Earl Jones, Local athlete Matt Scherer, Maggie Vessey. (Also many fall in between Cruz, Symmonds) the first group normally do higher volume and train like 1500m/5km runners most of the year and the fast group normally lower volume and get sluggish from just general running. So here it is you need a balance of Speed and endurance and you need to always be aware where your athletes are aerobicly when they run low mileage or taper especially the speed guys who tend to lose that quickly and with the endurance guys keeping enough intensity in to keep in the game as they need to run much closer to their 400m p.r. for the avg. So we use the philosophy of all running events realizing the 800m is an event of intensity just like the marathon is an event of volume. Meaning you need to have intensity to be great in the 800m and you need volume to be great in the marathon. This is based on how everyone in the world has trained to perform world class in these events. How much is the art of coaching? So to train like a long sprinter or fast distance runner? Regardless both athletes will need to have the ability from the 400m> - <1500m. It will vary on how good but the connection so important. So this is the key during racing season. If your a 400m moving up to have the ability to race the 1500m and keep endurance/volume in the mix while not destroying your natural speed and Anerobic power that keeps you close in the 400m. If your a 1500m guy not losing your ability of economy and have the velocity amd latic tolerance to keep you close.
So i can write examples if need be. You must first decide if your a sprinter 400m runner coming from a bigger % plyo's , weights, tecnique, intermittent aerobic work(short rest faster velocities) cross-training or a strength runner coming from volume, hills, long intervals and longer tempos. These runners usually very different
from a physcological stand point. All need alot of the same things. Specific endurance for 800m can be the same but it will be in the volume and percentage of their training support that will vary. I know some higher volume 90-100miles per week 800m athletes and lower 10-12 miles per week more later.
