The “400 meter runner”

Before Writing This Plan• What are the athletes natural strengths? -speed, endurance, durability, etc.• What type of 400 meter runner are they?

-100, 200, 400-200, 400, 800

• How many months do you have this athlete to train?• What meet/meets are you training for?• How many heats do the athletes have to run?• How many events will the athlete be asked to run at meets?

Preferably at the biggest meet?

Keys to Beneficial Training

• Athletes must recover between workouts• Proper nutrition• 7-9 hours of sleep per night• Get iron levels checked before and after season• Good communication with coach• Consistency in all that you do• Check your morning heart rate. My post college

coach Irv Ray made me a believer in this.

Basic Terminology

• Threshold Intervals- Focus on quantity over quality. Usually run at 80-90%. Short rest of 2-3 minutes. Help increase oxygen uptake and lactate threshold. Improves athletes ability to run multiple events/heats.

• Speed Endurance- Good mix of quality and quantity (good bang for your buck). Usually run at 90-93%. Lots of rest between reps (8-10 minutes). Increase lactic acid tolerance and train fast twitch muscles.

The 12 Month Athlete:Fall Training

• Focus on strength training and increasing oxygen uptake.

• Increase athletes aerobic foundation• Major emphasis on threshold reps, mileage

runs, hills, and lifting.• Lesser emphasis on speed, speed endurance,

and race simulations.

The 12 Month Athlete:Fall Training example

200/400/800• Monday: 6x600 meter

(threshold)• Tuesday: 25-30 minute run• Wednesday: 4x120 meter hills• Thursday: 25-30 minute run• Friday: 8x100 meter (speed

endurance)• Saturday: rest day or mileage

run• Sunday: rest day

100/200/400• Monday: 6x600 meter

(threshold)• Tuesday: strides/technical work• Wednesday: 4x120 meter hills• Thursday: strides/technical work• Friday: 8x100 meter (speed

endurance)• Saturday: rest day or mileage run• Sunday: rest day

12 Month Athlete:Mid-Season Training

• Indoor season• Still a major focus on threshold, mileage runs,

hills, and lifting.• Starting to increase the focus on speed

endurance, speed, and simulation workouts.

12 Month Athlete:Mid-Season training Example

200/400/800• Monday: 8x300-350 meters

(threshold)• Tuesday: 6x100 meter hills• Wednesday: 25-30 minute run• Thursday: 6-8x180 meter

(speed endurance)• Friday: 8x50-75 meter sprints

(speed)• Saturday: Race or 20 minutes of

sprint straights and jog turns.

100/200/400• Monday: 8x200 or 2 sets of

300, 200, 100• Tuesday: Blocks, 6x60 meter• Wednesday: 8-10x100 meter

strides• Thursday: 5x180 meter

(speed endurance)• Friday: 8x50-75 meter sprints

(speed) plus block work• Saturday: Race or strides

12 Month Athlete:Early Outdoor Season

• Major focus now shifts to speed endurance, speed, simulations, and lifting.

• Lesser focus on threshold, mileage runs, and hills.

12 Month Athlete:Early Outdoor Training Example

200/400/800• Monday: 4x300 (speed

endurance).• Tuesday: 2x200 all out with

100 jog rest (simulation) .• Wednesday: 15 minutes of

jog curves/sprint straights.• Thursday: 8x50 meter over

speed and relay practice• 4x150’s relaxed• Saturday: race

100/200/400• Monday: 4x300 (speed

endurance)• Tuesday: Blocks, max speed

development….4x60 fly’s• Wednesday: 15 minutes of

jog curves/sprint straights.• Thursday: Block work, and 4-

6x50 meter overspeed.• Friday: 3-4x100’s relaxed• Saturday: race

12 Month Athlete:Peak Season

• Major emphasis on racing fast• Dramatic decrease in volume and increase of

intensity.• Major emphasis on speed endurance, Speed,

simulation, and lifting.• Very small amount of threshold, hills, mileage

runs.

12 Month Athlete:Peak Season Training Example

200/400/800• Monday: 4x250 (speed

endurance)• Tuesday: All out 350

(simulation)• Wednesday: light threshold,

mileage or hills• Thursday: 5x50 over speed• Friday: handoffs or strides• Saturday: Race

100/200/400• Monday: 4x200 (speed

endurance)• Tuesday: 2-4x80-120 meters• Wednesday: light tempo,

mileage or hills• Thursday: 5x50 over speed• Friday: handoffs or strides• Saturday: Race

6 Month Athlete:Training Ideas

• Probably coming off of a fall sport.• Do not have time to fully develop

aerobic/threshold component.• Jump into workouts at the mid-season point of

12 month plan.

3 Month Athlete:Training ideas

• Probably coming off of a winter sport (basketball).• Do not have time to focus on tempo or aerobic

conditioning.• Focus on training energy systems that will get you fit

quick (speed endurance, race simulations, over speed). • Use races as a tool for athlete to get fit quick (race

your way into shape). • If athlete runs 800 meters try and squeeze in 3-4

weeks of strength intervals (6x600).