800 meter track repeats!

isn't that basically what yasso's are

the 800 repeats for your marathon time?? 

bryancd - 2007-09-28 4:07 PM Before I discuss, I need to first have the official, legal disclaimer: *The following is a thread regarding track interval workout and is soley the observations of the author. In no way is this meant to be an endorsement of said workout and any speed work should only be done by experienced, well trained athletes, or those under the supervision of professional coaching, in order to avoid potential injury.* So, I had my introduction to 800M or half mile repeats today at the track. I have to be honest, I didn't know what to expect and was a little apprehensive. Doing 200's and 400's seemed easy but 2 laps at a maximum pace seemed, well, nasty. I did 8x800M w/ 400M walk/jog recovery (walk 200, jog 200). After a 800 M warmup, I launched into them. My coach and suggested a 2:30 average time, but based on my 400's in 1:16, I knew that was a non-starter. I did manage to average 2:37/800M and saw my HR reach 176 vs. my max of 181. That made be feel a little quesy. I can remember reading an article on high intensity training where one of the benefits was that it helped your nervous system acclimate to a high workload. As I began each 800, I began by just pushing to get up to speed, about 100M. Then it was into a cruise mode at a high effort to go along the first back stretch. As I would round the last corner of the first lap, I would start to really feel the work. I would provide a little relief by increasing my stride for the straight and 3rd turn. The last back straight was when things started to really feel hard, and that last curve, that last 50M, was an all out effort. During that last turn, towards the end, I would feel this incredible tingling sensation all through my body, as endorphins and my nervous system would go absolutely haywire! It was actaully fun, except for the part on the 5th set where I felt like I was going to hurl.

Hi. I'm Darren, busygirl's "other". I'm a long time runner and coach of runners. I hope you won't mind my 2 cents.?? 

8x800 with 400 walk/jog recovery is a great one, and can usually be done at 3000m to 5000m race pace. Anything faster than 3000m race pace for this monster invites exhaustion, straining, devastation, and the like. Really, it's a "VO2 max" session, perhaps with longish recoveries, but that's fine. The idea should be steady pacing, maybe even getting a touch faster on the last couple of 800s.....All sessions should be exhilerating. The pace should be a challenge, but never a "really hard hurlfest". Because we WANT to keep coming back to these sessions. Now, if your 400s have been 1:16, then I would expect your 800s to be around 2:40. (NOT 2:30, which is FASTER than your 400 pace.) 4sec rule....double the distance, add 4sec per lap pace. In general.

800m warmup? WHAT??    3k warmup jog and strides is what I would consider normal for a mature, well trained athlete.

Well done. Hope this intrusion isn't unwelcome. 

Darren Skuja 

I think the Yasso thing is based on short recoveries. 1min?? Anyway, that's a very general rule, like 220 minus age for HR. I wouldn't get carried away with that. So many people do these sessions just because of that rule - tail wagging dog, I say.

Darren Skuja

Nice post indeed.  I'm a former HS cross country and track/field coach, and your workout is something I would put my kids through... but they weren't doing the volume of an endurance athlete... they were training for 5ks.

The damage/recovery time needed for a hurlfest of speedwork is not as advantageous for endurance training, where VO2max is not nearly as important as it is in "middle distance" running liek 5-10k's.

That said, I always include repeats in my marathon training plans @ 800 to 1600 meters... but I FORCE MYSELF not to run them all out like I want to (I used to be a very competitive 800m runner in HS).  As the post a few above mine indicated, 5k pace would be better as you would still benefit from the speedwork but will recover faster to focus on your long and tempo workouts (in that order of priority).