Coach ,

Training the 400/800 group can be challenging for some track and field programs and coaches. Oftentimes athletes at the high school level may be in such a variety of events that it becomes difficult to prepare for the differences in these race distances. 

Houston Franks of LSU recently discussed this group training philosophy and how to simplify everything from identification of athletes to setting up individual training approaches.

The identification of athletes for the 400/800 group is crucial and how we train them can be different for each individual. Physiologically speaking, these athletes can survive in highly acidic environments at the cellular level. In workouts, these athletes excel in speed endurance workouts and don’t fall off at the end of workouts. 

Link: Identification 

Athlete’s in the 400/800 group likely come from two separate places. Either these athletes are coming from an endurance background or they’re coming from an alactic background. The management and organization of these two different athletes and finding a way to merge these two skills at the right time is the art of coaching. 

Link: Training Paces to Consider

After identifying the athlete for the event and identifying the training modalities needed to achieve optimal performance there are still questions that seem to always come up. Coach Franks addressed the three most common questions below.

1. How Much Mileage Should 400/800 Runners Do? 
2. Should 400/800 Runners Run Cross Country? 
3. How Long Should the Long Run Be? 

Link: Common Concerns 

Proper Training comes down to meeting the energy system demands of the event with the proper physiological adaptations. Coaches are challenged with finding the different methods while building the culture and environment that works within each team. Treat every athlete you come across as unique and find the specific means necessary to help them achieve their best.

Always be growing,

The T&F Community of Coaches helping Coaches