800m

800m Pace Workouts

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This post outlines progressions for two different styles of 800m pace workouts: Single Reps and Sets of Reps. The single reps approach focuses on building speed with adequate recoveries longer and longer durations. The sets of reps method develop your ability to buffer increasing acid levels.

The workout list below is NOT a training program. Check out the post on Five-Pace Training to learn how to integrate these 800m pace workouts into a complete program. The Five-Pace Training model includes workouts at paces anchored to standard race distances spread over two- or three-week training cycles. The post on Choosing Workouts will also be helpful when selecting your training sessions.

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Peter Snell: Athlete

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As a teenager I had no idea that I had the potential to win an Olympic gold medal and my athletic career developed only by lucky circumstances

Peter Snell

Peter Snell was a natural athlete. He excelled at rugby, tennis, cricket and golf among other sports. It just so happens that one day, coach Arthur Lydiard spotted the 19-year-old Snell run an 880-yard handicap race in 1957. Lydiard was impressed by Snell‘s natural speed and convinced Snell to drop his other sports and pursue track. The rest we shall say is history.

Snell’s impressive resume includes all of the following:

  • 800m gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympic games
  • 880y and Mile gold medals at the 1962 Perth Commonwealth games
  • 800m and 1500m gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics games – a feat that has not been replicated since.
  • World Records in the 800m, 880y, 1000m, Mile and 4 x 1 Mile relay
  • Voted New Zealand’s Sports Champion of the (20th) Century

There is a lot to say about Peter Snell. But here are just two tidbits about the 1960 Olympics and his 800m world record.

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A Tale of Two 800m Races

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The last few posts on Base Running. Fast but Not Hard drills, Rule #1 and Running Cues have been very dense. Revisit those posts often. There is a lot of “meat on the bones” and it’ll take time to implement the suggestions. So for today, something a little lighter, but still on point. We are going to watch two of the greatest 800m races in history: the 1972 Olympic final, and the 2012 Olympic final.

The 1972 Olympic final is one of the most thrilling races you’ll ever see by a true champion who is often considered the most “underrated” 800m runner.

The 2012 Olympic final is without-a-doubt the greatest 800m race ever based on the calibre of the field and the performance of every runner in the race.

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