Run-Down Forums

[Guest]

Hello. I want to win in both the AAU and USA Nationals in the 800 and 1500 meter runs. I have done some research and see that to have a chance at winning both I need to have time of 2:15 in the 800 and 4:40 in the 1500 for my age division. I have listed below my goal times, times that I have now and a sample of my workouts.

Goal Times: I would like to make these by June of this year if possible.
800 Meters... 2:15
1500 Meters.. 4:40
My best times to date are 2:43 in the 800 and 5:35 in the 1500. Both were in July of last year. I trained 10 weeks for those times and was 11 when I ran them. After summer track I ran with the high school cross country team for their season. I now can run 3 miles in the high 20 minute range.

Since January of this year I have been following the training program listed below.

Monday: 4 X 1,000 meter repeats with 5 minute rest periods
Tuesday: Easy 3 mile run
Wednesday: 8 X 400 meters with 2 minute rest periods (I did my best today running the first 7 in 1.21 and my last was 1.25...I had gassed out)
Thursday: easy 4 mile run
Friday: 3 mile tempo run
Saturday: 5 mile medium/easy run
Sunday: NOTHING

I was thinking of adding a speed day once every 8th day such as 200 meters at 95% of my max...full recovery and then repeat....maybe 4-8 of them????

Based upon how am now doing in my 400's what do you think my 1500 meter time would be now?

Please help me with my training program. Maybe complete training program from all of you coaches and athlets out there? After the summer program is over I am taking 5 months off. ( my dad is making me...he says that he does not want me burning myself out)

[Dan]

Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by. Let's see, I guess I'll give you the bad news first. I honestly do not think those goals are realistic this year, even for a young and still improving runner. You're talking about nearly half a lap of improvement in each race, which is huge! It's admirable that you've researched what it takes to win (hopefully you've also researched how much people tend to improve from year to year), but I think you need to set smaller incremental goals. Otherwise, injury and burnout are very likely.

Your 8x400 workout predicts no better than 5:20 for 1500m. If you want to target 4:40, you need to be doing more 400's at a faster pace and with less recovery. A workout I used to do that would put you in that range is 12x400 in 3 sets of 4, with a 200m jog between each and a 600m jog between sets. Those would need to be run at about 73 seconds per.

Now, I'm not suggesting you go out and try that workout, but it should give you an idea of what you need to be capable of to realistically have a shot at 4:40.

Dan

[Guest]

This was my plan. To slowly increase the speed of my 400's till I can do 8 of them in 1.17 each. Then slowly start dropping the rest periods until I am only resting 1 miute between sets.

How about speed work. Would it be a good idea to do a "speed endurance" day once every 10 days? Such as 6 X 200 done at 95% of my max with a full recovery?

[Dan]

That's a good plan, it's just that you are talking about: a) increasing the quantity, b) increasing the speed, and c) decreasing the rest. That's the sort of thing that takes several years to develop, not several months.

I would work on speed endurance at least once a week. The suggested workout could work, although 6 reps is a bit high for something as high as 95% effort.

Dan