Workout of the Day: 3 x (3 x 300m)
3 x (3 x 300m)
Intensity — 1500m cutdown to 400m effort within a set
Recovery — 100m walk/jog after each rep, 6 minutes between sets
Exertion — 8/10
Context & Details
The 800m by definition is a speed-endurance event. This has been known and agreed upon for a long time. The most effective method of training for it has not.
Here’s the thing about training: All training works, to some degree. However, some methods are more or less effective. The evolution of coaching, training, and performance in running is a steady march of better understanding the specific performance puzzle of each event and then shifting the direction of training towards that updated understanding.
The dominant thought in the 1960s through the early 2000s was that the 800m was a “negative split” endurance event. Then Rudisha showed up, positive split to a world record, and changed a lot of people’s minds overnight. The 800m is now thought of as a long sprint. But many high performance coaches and athletes understood that before it became popular.
I’ve coached a lot of 800m runners in my career. Early on I had an endurance/aerobic bias towards training and my 800m runners suffered because of it. Then I understood the limiting factor in the 800m is speed, changed my methods, and the 800m runners I trained saw big improvements and were more consistently competitive. But I did not abandon endurance/aerobic training entirely, just restructured how that stimulus was achieved in training. Gone were repeated heavy dose “easy” aerobic miles, like long runs, to “build up endurance,” and in place were progressive speed-endurance sessions like this. These are more specific and effective to elevate a runner’s ability to meet the demands of regular fast 800m racing.
This workout upgrades running economy, vVO2 Max, resistance to fatigue, neuromuscular/ explosive/aerobic power, and lactate-threshold velocity.
The first 300m in a set is at 1500m effort, then a 300m at 800m effort, and the final 300m at 400m or A.U.G. (All You Got) effort. The time taken for the100m between each rep can vary, longer when the runner is less accustomed to this type of work, and then shorter on revisits of this workout as they get more fit. The recovery between the sets should always be complete.
I think it’s a good session once every two weeks or so in the early to midseason periods. Once racing becomes regular and heavy, the 800m runner will get the stimulus this session offers in competition.
For younger runners, you can tweak this session by shortening the distance of the rep and lengthening the recovery intervals as you deem fit.