Videos

Shantia’s state meet -

http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events
/ghsa/78975c6b59
Devin MOC -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=qxHfLHGsZro
Bounding for distance -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
rRSDH-bQPys
Bounding for height -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=AVWyVIUyLF4
Speed Development and 800m
- Training and Racing

Claud Spinks
Claud.spinks@henry.k12.ga.us
@coachspinks
Track & Field and Cross Country
Eagle’s Landing High School
McDonough, Ga
Speed for Distance Runners
Every championship race eventually
becomes a sprint
If you can run a faster 400 you can
run a faster 1600, 3200 and 5k.
You must still always do your
running! There is no substitute for
your mileage
 Claud Spinks
13 Years as a Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach at
Eagle’s Landing High School
85 track and xc athletes signed to run in college
State champ in the 800m for 6 straight years and eight 800m
champions total.
At the time she won state she was the 7th fastest 800m girl in
Georgia history
Fastest 800m boy in Georgia history.
Eagle’s Landing swept girls and boys 800m championships in
2016
2017 had 800m runner in the top 25 nationally
 Why the 800?
Donavan Brazier set several records
this year as an NCAA freshman.
Turned pro after winning the NCAA
championship. This year he won pro
nationals
Several 800m US women are among
the best in the world.
The 800m has become a glamour
event
 800m Philosophy
800 athletes are some of the most
versatile on the track team
– Race anywhere from 400 – 3200, 4 x 400,
SMR and even the 4 x 100
The 800m is essentially a long sprint
45% to 55% - Anaerobic ?
45% – 55% - Aerobic ?
All successful ELHS 800m runners ran xc
All train year round
Although a long sprint, aerobic
development continues year round
Must be mentally tough. Pain is your
friend
 800m Philosophy cont.

Types of 800m runners:

– Distance oriented: 3200m/1600m/800m Group
Runs the mile usually, the 3200m and runs the 4x800,
or 800 out of necessity, or just best at it on the team
– Mid-Distance:800m Group
Will run the 800, some 1600m, and some 400m
I believe that runners in this group have to pick the
800 or the 1600 to train for, blending doesn’t work well
for either race.
– Sprint oriented: 400m/800m training Group
Will run the 400, 800m, and some 4x400m/4x800m
 800m Philosophy cont.
 Create separate training groups for 800m
runners
 Separate from the distance runners and the
sprinters
 Some runners float in and out of different
groups
 Blending 800 and 1600m training is difficult
 There are multiple ways to train for the 800
but what I am showing you has worked for us
 800m Philosophy cont.
800m runners must think speed every
day
Although there are multiple ways to race it, the
800m race is a long sprint and 800m runners
must either be naturally fast or develop good
400m speed.
 Two 800m profiles
Shantia
– As a 10th started as a 27 minute xc girl,
couldn’t break 65 in the 400
– Was not fast but developed very good
speed and speed endurance.
– Current PRs – 53/400, 2:09/800,
4:48/1600 and 17:55 for xc
– Was all-conference 40+ times in college
– Runs professionally for the Atlanta Track
Club now
– Consistency of training is one of her
keys
 Two 800m profiles
Devonna
– Started as a 100/200 girl
– Ran xc as a junior and moved to
200/400
– Moved to 400/800 as a senior. She ran
2:13 and won state in her 6th 800m race
– She “won” state the previous summer
and fall
 800m Training
Four Periods of training
#1 Off-Season = summer track or base
xc
#2 Cross Country Season
#3 November, December and January
(from XC to Track)
#4 Track season
Early season
mid-season
Late season/peaking

It is important to train year round

 800m Training
 Summer track or xc training?
Which one is right for you?
– Always continue working on your aerobic base
– To race you need to do workouts. Do you want to do that after
a hard track season?
– Summer is a good time for building strength that helps speed
– Do you want a good XC season?
– You can develop speed without running summer track.
– Can you peak for XC, spring track and summer track?
– Last, but not least, do you want a rigid workout/meet schedule
or have the flexibility to enjoy your summer.
 Summer 800m training
It isn’t much different from XC
training.
We add some strength training
– Lunges, bench step ups, dead lifts,
squats and bench squats as well as core
work.
– Strides after each run. Falling starts are
great for getting up on your mid – foot.
Falling starts

 We do falling starts year round - after runs.

 Good form is essential to running fast.
 We normally do 6 x 50-100m
Bench Step-ups
Bench Squats
 Lunges
Maybe the single best strength
exercise for speed development
– We start with 50m and progress to
200m and sometimes as much as 300m.
– You can do them with dumbells as well
 Weights
Squats
Deadlifts

Both of these can help speed

development but you MUST discuss
these with your coach and have your
coach supervise you.
 800m Summer Training
Normal week (this is very similar to our xc training)
– Weekend long run
– Tuesday/Thursday: normal run followed by
strides/falling starts and strength training
6 X 80m falling starts
3 x 12 bench step ups
3 x 12 bench squats
100m lunges
Stretch well.

The rest of the week is normal summer running

 Cross Country Season
Very traditional for the XC runner
Tempo running is important for the
800m runner
Continued aerobic development
One of the keys to running the 800 is
mental toughness....you can develp
this in XC. However, lack of best
effort is a habit as well.
 800m –Post XC /Winter Program
 Take a short break after xc
 Very similar to the summer program
 Maintain or increase mileage while improving
strength and foot speed
 Aerobic development and strength are the
foundation needed to run a good 800 in the
spring
 Dynamic Warm-Ups
LONG WARM UP (Dynamic)
800m runners must do speed drills and do them well

SPEED DRILLS FOR 30M (2X)

2X30M BUTT KICKS
2X30M STRAIGHT LEG SHUFFLE
2X30M A SKIP
2X30M KARIOKA
2X30M B SKIP
2X30M SKIPPING WITH ARM SWINGS
2X30M LUNGES (FRONT AND SIDE)
2X30M A RUN/HIGH KNEES

HIP MOBILITY CIRCUIT

10X LEG SWINGS (FRONT TO BACK)
10X LEG SWINGS (SIDE TO SIDE)
10X SQUATS
PEDASTALS AND EXTENSORS (10X EACH LEG)
 
4X50M ACCELERATIONS/STRIDES (prior to actual workout)
 Racing the 800
In order to race the 800 well your body
has to adapt to what it will feel like in the
race.
You have to spend time at that pace
in practice. You need to understand
the race to understand your workouts
Early season is “current pace”
Transition to “goal pace” mid and late
season
 800m race plan
Best 400 plus 5 seconds = first lap
First lap pus 5 seconds = second lap
Example – 50/400m boy would be:
55 + 60 = 1:55
He has to spend time running at 55
per 400 pace in practice.
Early season a 50 isn’t possible so
workouts are based off current 400
pace
This is called a positive split race
The perfect 800m race plan
 Early Season 800m training
Sunday – long run (45 to 75 minutes)
Monday – 8 – 15 minute tempo run followed by 4 x 200m at
current 400m pace (30 per for a 60/400) followed by
lunges/bench step ups/bench squats, stretch
Tuesday – easy 20-40 minute run followed by falling starts and
bounding for height/distance, stretch
Wed – easy day, 20 minute jog, stretch (active rest day)
Thursday – 500, 400, 300 and 200 based on current pace followed
by Monday’s strength routine, stretch
Friday – easy 20-30 minute run followed by falling starts
Saturday – race or off
Once you start racing the weeknight meet becomes the Monday or
Thursday and work the other days around your race days. Go
easy the day after races
What events to race in smaller
meets?
400m – great training for the 800
runner. Creates aggressiveness and
helps the body adapt to the stresses
of the 800.
4 x 400m relay – same as the 400m
400/800/4x400 is a tough night but
is a good workout.
 Racing the 800
You should always have a race plan
If you aren’t clearly the favorite, run
your plan until 200m to go and then
catch whomever you can (or don’t let
them catch you)
It is important to plan the 100m,
200m, 400m and 600m splits in the
800.
 Racing the 800 continued
Example of girl trying to run 2:10.
The goal is a 63/67
– First 100m – 15 seconds
– The second 100/first 200 – 16/31
– The second 200 – 32 seconds
– The third 200 – 33 seconds
I tell my 800m runners to “pull” the third
200 of the race. We call it “running harder to
run the same”

The 4th 200 – often depends on the competition

 Mid to late season 800m
training
Transition to goal pace
– Predict what your realistic 800m best
race can be. Also, your best 400m. Base
workouts on that pace
– The volume is less but the speeds are
faster
– Maintain the weekend long run but
shorten it.
– If you are running the 400/800 a lot in
the same races it is time to drop the 400
and run quality 800s. These 800s are
scripted with a good race plan.
 Mid to late season 800m
training
Sunday – long run but shorten the duration
Monday – 4 x 300m at goal pace. For a 55 first lap 38
seconds per 300. Allow 4-6 minutes rest between. Finish
with lunges and stretch
Tuesday – easy 20-30 minutes followed by bounding for
h/d
Wed – 400, 300, 200, 4 x 100m falling starts (focus on
very good form) Finish with lunges and stretch
Thursday – 20-30 minute easy run followed by bounding
for h/d and stretch.
Friday – easy run, race prep, pacing
– I like to “practice the first 200m of the race
– 4 x 400 handoffs
 Peaking
We do A LOT of 200’s late in the
season
10 to 16 200m repeats at goal pace.
Jog 200m as the rest.
We also do 4-6 200m repeats at the
end of training runs. They come in
from the training runs and straight
onto the track without stopping. The
rest is 200m jog.