Question about 400m-Intervals.

chrise · 09-15-2007, 12:10 PM

Hi everybody,
i´ve got a question about 400m-intervals:
When i`m doing sprints between 30 and 200 meters, what i do regulary, i of course go balls out 100% from start to finish. Now i wanted to implement 400m-intervals. Am i supposed to start a 400m run at 100% just like i would start lets say a 100m sprint?
Or am i supposed to start at 90-95% to "save some" for the last half or quarter of the interval?
I can go 6-7 200m-intervals, but i can`t go much longer than 200 when i start at 100%.
So when people talk about 400m-intervals, do they mean 100% from start to finish or is it normal to start such a long interval a little bit slower but still at a speed that leaves you feeling completely stuffed after 400m?

Thank you and please excuse my english, its not my language.

The Colonel · 09-15-2007, 12:25 PM

Whenever I do 400m I don't start out at 100%, but maybe somewhere around 85-90%. After about 100m or so into it, then I start kicking it up to 95-100% all out. I then do a recovery jog for 200m, then repeat the 400m sprint.

Brendon Katz · 09-15-2007, 12:48 PM

one of ross' clients (of rosstraining.com) questioned how hard he needed to run 800m. so ross set his pitbull on him, and the dude ran like he was getting chased by a vicious pitbull. ross said, thats how hard ur sposed 2 run. go 100% man. its entirely possible to sprint an entire 400m.

chrise · 09-15-2007, 02:26 PM

Thanks to both of you!!

Anyone else? I´m really interested in some more opinions.

**Sonny** · 09-15-2007, 02:37 PM

Yeah, I go 100% but obviously I slow down as I fatigue.

It's important to keep your technique clean though, don't sacrifice proper running form in order to go faster.

JPC · 09-15-2007, 02:40 PM

Hell no you don't sprint all out for 400m. Look at any top level 400m race. Nobody is sprinting the first 100, or even 200. You pace yourself at 90-95%(or whatever you need to) until that last straight. If you go all out from the start, you fatigue too much and slow down too much by the end.

**Sonny** · 09-15-2007, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPC

Hell no you don't sprint all out for 400m. Look at any top level 400m race. Nobody is sprinting the first 100, or even 200. You pace yourself at 90-95%(or whatever you need to) until that last straight. If anybody can sprint 400m all out, then they have a poor sprint and need to work on increasing intensity of effort. If you are giving all you got, it should be spent before 400m.

I think I usually hit 100% at the middle of the interval, but then again, I've never trained for a 400m race. Training for a race is different IMO, having to run against other people is going to change the way you run the 400m right?

JPC · 09-15-2007, 02:43 PM

Sorry, had to edit, you can give 100% effort for the 400m, but my point was the performance will not be optimal.

**Sonny** · 09-15-2007, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPC

Sorry, had to edit, you can give 100% effort for the 400m, but my point was the performance will not be optimal.

Agreed. I find I instinctively pace myself more and go faster at the end when I'm actually racing someone.

IrishAssassin · 09-15-2007, 03:42 PM

a 400 meter sprint at 100% should leave you severly drained for a period of time, it's why in competition you almost never ever have to run 400 m prelims on the same day that you have to run the finals. Intervals above 100 meters in my opinion (i did compete in the 200 and 400 m) should not be run at 100% if you are doing more than a couple of runs - you would be better off running 75-90% - for instance I could run the 400 meters in about 50 seconds i would maybe try to do 12 400
s at around 80% - two sets of 6 about 2-3 minutes rest per interval and 10-15 minutes inbetween sets

If you are doing a single 400m for time at 100% your all out sprint will not last the entire race, you will tire out before the 200 meter mark and your legs will be concrete i'd start off 95% the first 200 and then really work the last corner and and on the last straight away you have to leave everything on there...you litterally should not even be standing when you finish if you gave it your all. And for example even the best can't run 100% all out the entire race...

100 M world record - 9.74 Powell
200 M world record - 19.32 Johnson
400 M world record - 43.18 Johnson