Serious 800m runners.

So, I was thinking about mostly focusing on the 1600m, but I might want to focus on the 800m. So, is there any advice racing wise you could give me? I know it's one of the hardest races because you can't really pace yourself. Oh, and I could also use advice for the 3200, cause I might focus mainly on that if I find I'm better at running that, lol. Thanks!

I'm not a serious 800m runner: but I'll put this question to you: Do you have the basic speed for the 800m?
While at the HS level it is still technically a distance event, the 800m runners at my school train with the "extended sprint" group. Personally, I don't have the basic speed (400m pr = 1:04) to run a fast 800m. If you want to sucseed, you'll need good 400m speed.

I think there are a few -2min 800 guys here, they are the ones u want input from

Oh, and you can pace yourself, it just takes discipline.

runner_dude wrote:I'm not a serious 800m runner: but I'll put this question to you: Do you have the basic speed for the 800m?
While at the HS level it is still technically a distance event, the 800m runners at my school train with the "extended sprint" group. Personally, I don't have the basic speed (400m pr = 1:04) to run a fast 800m. If you want to sucseed, you'll need good 400m speed.

+1. Most 800m runners do the 400 and sometimes the mile. If you have good sprint speed then you should try it but if you don't you'll eventually reach a point where you can't get any faster because you don't have the proper sprint speed.

I think the best way is to run the 800 on pure hate. This is taken from a running message board I visit frequently on.

"The night before the race
lying in bed visualize your race. Imagine the first 200m going out
fast, but controlled. The next 200m is effortless, just flowing. The
3rd 200m is where it starts to hurt, but it is also where your larger
cojones show through and you start to move through the pack. At 600m
you should be in 2nd or 3rd. Going into the turn you explode onto your
toes and pump your arms hard. While you are doing this you should focus
all of your energy into HATING your opponents. You don't want to just
ease past them and coast to the finish, you want to crush them on that
turn and then give them absolutely no hope in the straightaway.
Visualize a man raping your wife and then burning your house to the
ground while forcing you to look on. Visualize every coworker who got
that promotion when you didn't. Visualize you catching a competitor who
spat in your face on the starting line. Imagine chasing after a guy who
stole something from you and wanting to beat his face into a bloody,
pulpy mess.

When you are on the starting lime tense the muscles
in your neck and hold your breath till it hurts. Follow this by
pounding you chest and slapping your thighs till your eyes water, or
until the first sign of blood, whichever comes first. Remember, real
men always bleed before they cry, so that's what we're going for here.
Flex the muscles in your chest and back. Then start screaming. Not
yelling, not shouting, screaming is what we're going for. Sort of like
the Alan Webb scream after his Olympic Trials victory in '04, but much
more. Clearly it worked for him. Maybe if he had done that before the
race 4 years later he would have done better."

Some of it is unnecessary of course(slapping your thighs and bleeding parts) but I think its a good way to run an 800. If you had boyfriends that were jerks to you or if you had teachers who failed you, that hate and anger should be taken on your opponents. Hope that helps.

i'm 99% sure pounding your chest before a race is the way to go.

In the 800 there isn't really time to make up, the 3rd 200 is where you want to start going if you don't really have any speed. And supposedly if you pass someone here they give up..? thats what my coach tells me.

Pinthin wrote:i'm 99% sure pounding your chest before a race is the way to go.

In the 800 there isn't really time to make up, the 3rd 200 is where you want to start going if you don't really have any speed. And supposedly if you pass someone here they give up..? thats what my coach tells me.

I hope your not trying to be sarcastic. I understand she's a girl which is why I said there are some parts she should ignore.

Lindgren Runner wrote:

Pinthin wrote:i'm 99% sure pounding your chest before a race is the way to go.

In the 800 there isn't really time to make up, the 3rd 200 is where you want to start going if you don't really have any speed. And supposedly if you pass someone here they give up..? thats what my coach tells me.

I hope your not trying to be sarcastic. I understand she's a girl which is why I said there are some parts she should ignore.

Personally I go out hard and try to hang one because I have a hard time pacing the 800.

Lindgren Runner = Push Towards State if you guys didn't know.

you need to start out fast because in an 800m cuZ there is almost no time to gain later on in the race

TnF_T wrote:you need to start out fast because in an 800m cuZ there is almost no time to gain later on in the race

how about Dave Wottle and Nick Symmonds?

That's kicking better than everyone else at the end of a race. TnF_T means you need to go out fast if you want to do good time wise.

TnF_T wrote:you need to start out fast because in an 800m cuZ there is almost no time to gain later on in the race

You have to go out fast, but not so fast that you lose time on the second lap. It's a fine line that you have to learn, but it's doable with discipline.

Thanks guys. I know my time isnt that great now, but I'm hoping to get down to close to 2:35 which I believe will qualify me for states. I know that it is a lot of time to take off, but I really think I can do it.

I'm not a "serious" 800m guy, but when I did it in high school my plan was to go out fast but smooth on the first lap and on the second lap run as hard as I could. Sort of like 90% on the first lap and then 120% on the second.

90 and 120 sound like fairly logical percentages.

CT Track wrote:90 and 120 sound like fairly logical percentages.

i lol'd

alex-likes-running wrote:

CT Track wrote:90 and 120 sound like fairly logical percentages.

i lol'd

+1

CT Track wrote:90 and 120 sound like fairly logical percentages.

I agree with yosh on this one. You basically have to work alot the first lap (if we are talking about a 400 meter track), and work your but off the second one.

If you're at 90% speed at any point in an 800 you're working your ass off and you will indeed pay for it later.

Work hard the first lap and work your butt off the second lap doesn't tell anyone anything.

If you want the honest truth, there is no set way to run the 800. It depends on the runner and the race itself. The best way to figure out your way is to simply run it. In high school you will have plenty of opportunities to run the 800 and use each race to build off of and place accordingly for the next one. Experience will come,

I find doing 3X600 at 90% with full rest can help figure out your groove. It certainly made me more aggressive in races. I usually stick with the leader and give him a little shove. I'd do it with some teammates because its more easier to figure this out.