Coe's mileage and todays (tomorrow's?) 800 runners

[Helen S]

I always remembered Coe having done extensive strength training in his pre season buildup, with a 3k TT/race to judge fitness. How many coaches on this list have their 800 guys run XC seriously? How many have spoken with their better 400 runners about a long term plan of moving up? I realize it might be difficult to get a 46-47 guy or a 55-56 woman to consider becomeing an 800/ 1500 runner, but have we tried?
The final point of the previous discussion on this was that he was doing 55 mile weeks during his peak time of the year!

[26mi235]

Re: Coe's mileage and todays (tomorrow's?) 800 runners

I always remembered Coe having done extensive strength training in his pre season buildup, with a 3k TT/race to judge fitness. How many coaches on this list have their 800 guys run XC seriously? How many have spoken with their better 400 runners about a long term plan of moving up? I realize it might be difficult to get a 46-47 guy or a 55-56 woman to consider becomeing an 800/ 1500 runner, but have we tried?
The final point of the previous discussion on this was that he was doing 55 mile weeks during his peak time of the year!

I think that the inference is the it is 55/week, plus 6 warm-up/warm-down cycles. Assuming 2 miles each (2 up, 2 down) x six = 24. 24 more miles added to the 55 yields 80. I think this just adds to Helen's point.

[trackhead]

as I posted on another thread, a friend of mine asked Seb Coe point blank last June -- he said as high as 100 and many 70+ weeks

[daydreamer]

Look at Canada's Gary Reed who was encouraged to move up from the 400. He was a high 45 runner with the best hope of relay duty. In Finland this summer he caried a PB/NR 1:44.33 into the final and is now making a living on the Golden League circuit.

[bad hammy]

As deep as the US is at 400 you would think a few of the bubble guys would move to the 800 (a much weaker event). Maybe that stuff sorts itself out at the HS level, but you don't here much of that happening at the college or open levels.

[Halfmiler2]

I also am surprised that more 400 meter runners do not try to move up to the 800, especially since they sometimes run the 500 or 600 indoors.

[mal]

They don't move up because they hate the sound of the bell.

[Helen S]

They don't move up because they hate the sound of the bell.

Simple solution-run a race on a horse track! Or at least an 800m oval?

I really am disappointed that there are no serious responses to this. Any current or former sprinter/ 400m/ 400hurdler types care to comment on why they continued to pursue their distances instead of moving up?
I personally had no wheels to speak of, but primarily ran the 400/ 800 in HS and college along with XC, but since have continued racing competitively, with some local
success inthe 5k to 10 range, with an occasional 1500/ mile in there. I have run 2 marathons, but there are ways I would rather spend my time.

[kevinsdad]

I'm sorry, but I'm just not persuaded that world class or near world class 400 speed necessarily translates into 800 potential. The main subject of this thread, possibly the greatest 800 runner of all, is a guy who ran a sub 3:30 1500. The world champ this year is a 3:30 guy. The 800 is middle distance, and the 400 is a sprint. There's a world of difference that some might bridge, but which most cannot.

[Daisy]

The 800 is middle distance, and the 400 is a sprint. There's a world of difference that some might bridge, but which most cannot.

A major problem here is that almost all the world class 400m runners have no interest in moving up so we don't really know for sure. If they don't train for the event there is no doubt they will do poorly in it.

[SQUACKEE]

these sissy 400 babys dont have the stomach for real work. " i can maybe make it through one lap coach but two is just oohhhhhhh...coach!

what you have just read is not real. it is only meant to get the 45 secound nobodys to MOVE UP :!: :!: :!:

[bad hammy]

The 800 is middle distance, and the 400 is a sprint.

Four words: The Horse - Alberto Juantorena.

It can and has been done, at least once, and was inspiring.

[mojo]

Hi Helen.

I think it is mostly a mental thing. Most 400m runners and hurdlers were sprinters to begin with.
I was just a so so athlete (But wth loads of potential! :wink: ) and I was a sprinter who moved up to the 400mH. I had a coach who wanted me to run the 800m and he trained me to do just that. Mentally though I was still a sprinter-the training did pay off though.

Gary Reed was a decathlete who moved to running ...first the 400m and then the 800m.
Not many athletes can adjust mentally to the change in training.



That's my ramble on the topic. :roll:

[slowcoach]

The 800 is middle distance, and the 400 is a sprint.

Four words: The Horse - Alberto Juantorena.

It can and has been done, at least once, and was inspiring.

Art Wint, Mal Whitfield, Rudy Harbig...

I'm sure people can come up with other examples of why these events are related. (Gary Reed, even)

[Powell]

400 and 800 are farther apart than any other pair of consecutive distances. Just look at the difference in pace: WR at 400 is 43.18, WR at 800 is 50.56 per lap, i.e. almost 15% slower. In contrast, the WR at 1500 is only 8% slower than at 800, and 10000 is only 4% slower than 5000. This comparison shows how dissimilar 400 and 800 really are. Sure, some people can be successful at both, but then, some people have also been successful at both 800 and 10000 (Aouita) or 1500 and marathon (Gebrselassie). They are rare exceptions, though.