800m – 5 Race Indication Workouts
These workouts just give you an idea as to where you’re at. They aren’t exact and shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
600m Time Trial. Multiply result by 1.4
Whatever your 600m time trial time is, multiply it by 1.4 to get your 800m predicted result. If you can run 1:24.0 for 600m, you’re ready to run right around 1:57.6 for 800m. If you run 1:20.0 for 600m, you’re ready to run right around 1:52.0 for 800m. If you can run 1:17.0 for 600m, you’re ready to run right around 1:47.8.
This indicator session tends to predict well for endurance based 800m guys (800m/1500m guys). Speed based 800m runners (400m/800m) often won’t convert well; you may need to multiply by 1.42.
2 sets of 2 x 400m (1min rest) and long recovery between sets. Add up your 2 broken 800ms and take the average.
This is a challenging workout. 2 broken 800m runs with 1min rest in the middle of each. So it’s 400m, rest 1min, 400m, then take a long break (10min+) and do it again.
Let’s say you run 54.0, 56.0… 54.5, 55.5…. That’s an average of 55.0sec. This is 1:50.0 pace and this is the approximately the time you’re ready to run in a good race.
4 x 400m (3mins rest). Average 400m time multiplied by 2.
Same idea as the workout above, but with 3min rest between each as opposed to a short rest then a long rest.
If you average 54.0 seconds, you’re ready to run 1:48.0
2 sets of (4x200m) with 30sec rest between reps and long recovery between sets.
This is a very commonly used workout amongst elite athletes. Kelly Holmes used to use this workout before most races and Seb Coe would do something similar.
2 broken 800m’s again, but broken down into 200m’s. Between the 2 sets take a long break (10mins+). Again, whatever you can average (pace) is the pace you’re ready to run in a good 800m race.
5x300m (90sec rest). Average speed is right around your 800m race pace.
This is a tougher workout that is sounds. 5 x 300m with 90sec rest. If you can manage these 300m’s in 45sec, that is 2:00 800m pace. If you can manage these 300m’s in 40sec, that is 1:46.6 800m pace.
