400 m and 4 x 400 m Training

400 m and 4 x 400 m Training How to create an atmosphere that promotes 400 m success and how to sharpen athletes for success at end of the season.

Why we’re here… “I HAD TO DIG FOR IT…GO TO THAT DARK, DARK PLACE THAT ALL QUARTERMILERS KNOW” -Jack Wellenstein

Setting the Tone for Your Program Why the 400 m?

Why the 400 m or 4 x 400 m? • Why should the 400 m be important? • The 400 m is the great uniter of your team • It brings together hurdlers, distance and sprinters • It creates mental and physical toughness • Why is the 4 x 400 important to your program? • It is the most exciting race of the meet (not because it’s the last) • The rule of proximity rules when you have a good one, drives performance when you don’t

How do you promote the event? • The 400 m is scary for young kids • I make the 4 x 400 relay the primetime event of the meet • Do you make the event about pain or pride? • I always focus on positivity when it comes to the event • With new athletes I don’t talk about how much the race will hurt, but rather how tough they are • Our program takes a distinct pride in excelling at the 4 x 400 m • Through that we have been very consistent in the 400 m and the other sprints

Treat your 400 m sprinters like SPRINTERS • Training your 400 m sprinter should have a focus on speed, not endurance • This helps to recruit sprinters to try out the event • I make every one of my sprinters run a 400 m each year • I NEVER tell a 400 m guy to go out “relaxed” • Mental cues have to match the expectations of the race • Relaxed = slow • Aggressive = fast

Finding your possible 400 m guys • Is there an ideal body type for the 400 m? • Ideal is great, but we deal in reality • Stride length, frequency and mechanics are more important • Attitude can make up for physical “short falls” • Desire is essential • Look for an athlete with something to prove • Mental toughness and patience • Plan for the future • I tab 2 – 3 freshmen each season that will be in the 400 m project

Training for the Dark Places

Warning!!! • KEEP IT SIMPLE! • You may have all of the education and background as anyone, but an average 15 year old kid doesn’t care. • Be careful of making things more difficult than need to be • Don’t be married to the plan! BE FLEXIBLE!

Pre-season Speed development must be set up before you begin any type of endurance training. Speed is 25 times more difficult that endurance to develop -Tony Veney

Preparing for healthy and efficient sprinting • 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, hurdlers, jumpers…all train the same way • We start in the beginning of December with learning the basics • Teach • Use this time to teach your leaders so they can assist during the season with the young ones • Drill into them your dynamics and sprint drills for warm-ups • Use this time to focus on technique and skill acquisition

Warm-up • Daily Parts • Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) (Chris Korfist, Cal Deitz, Tony Holler) • Sprint Drills • Focus on range of motion and quality • Does it mimic qualities of good sprinting (high knee, good pelvic position, good posture) • Build-ups 6 -8 x 60 m (focus on strong arms and strong, powerful strides) • 3 -4 with standing start • 3 -4 with fall-in start

Warm-up • Special add-ins (1 -2 times per week) • • Wickets (start with wood slats, progress to mini hurdles) Hurdle walkovers Booms (use different arm placements and movements) Toe pops (use different surfaces and focus on body control and reaction bounce) • During season I add in warm-up quarters a few days a week

Is the ability there? • Coordination/Rhythm • Important for any sprinter, especially a 400 m runner • Smooth speed is crucial for a 400 m (If your athlete can’t run a fast 200, then its hard to expect a fast 400) • Is your athlete fast enough to hit the goals you have for them? • We use wickets for this • During winter we use 8 wood slats • During the season we start with the mini hurdles and extend out to 16 – 20 • Use to work on rhythmic speed and core stability

Where is the energy going? • Ankle Stiffness • A stiff ankle is critical for applying force from the hip through the foot into the ground • If your ankle joint deforms when it hits the ground you lose energy • Key to acceleration, start and speed! • Toe pops • Done over varied surfaces • Done for height, distance, back and forth, side to side

Soul of the runner • Hip Flexors • Importance of the psoas • Asafa Powell • Booms (quick, bringing knee above parallel, focus on good finishing position. The hammer down also fires the glute) • Hanging leg raises/incline leg raises/flat leg raises • Partner assisted leg raises

Sample Workout for December/January • Monday: RPR, speed drills, 6 build-ups • 4 x 10 m, 4 x 20 m, 4 x 30 m (pure acceleration work) • Hanging leg raises, Booms • Wednesday: RPR, speed drills, 6 build-ups • Wickets (straight through, pistols 2 x, hugs 2 x, arms up 2 x, straight through) • Depth jumps, Cat jumps, Split squat jumps, RDL – Step-ups • Friday: RPR, speed drills, 6 x build-ups • Hand-timed 40 yd with timed flying-10 m (with Freelap) • Toe Pops (4 x 20 m and 2 x partner assisted) • Goals: Learn and work on mechanics and prep the body for sprinting

Sample Workout week for February • Monday: RPR, speed drills, 8 x build-ups • 4 x 10 m, 4 x 20 m, 4 x 30 m (all from dead start, focus on acceleration) • Hanging leg raises, Toe pops (4 x 20 m, 2 x partner assisted) • Wednesday: RPR, speed drills, 8 x build-ups • Booms • 6 x 150 m hills (done fast) • Cat jumps, Depth jumps • Friday: RPR, speed drills, Wickets • Hand-timed 40 yds with timed flying 10 m (will Freelap) • Split squat jumps, RDL-step ups, Box jumps • Goal: Start small preparation for anaerobic work.

Early Season Training/Goals Test, Record, Predict

Energy Systems • The off-season I focus on the Short Term Energy System, which is the explosive, powerful part of the sprint race. This is was lasts 5 – 8 seconds. (includes acceleration and top speed) • Takes the longest to develop as you are training the central nervous system • During the season we continue to train the STES while starting to slowly work on the Intermediate Energy System, which is the anaerobic zone. • Is the painful part of training a 400 m sprinter. The body is producing a supplemental energy system to get you the energy, but the body is unable to clear the byproducts, which makes the system more acidic. This creates the “burn. ” Heart rate is a trigger, focus on belly breathing during recovery.

Week One • First day: Teach warm-up to everyone (both old and new) • Testing: Hand-timed 40 yd with flying 10 m (with Freelap) Standing long jump and standing triple jump • Wednesday: 6 – 8 x 200 m @ 75% every 3 minutes • 400 m Predictor Workout: (every 2 weeks for the first 5 weeks) • 3 x 48 second max effort sprints with 15 – 20 min recovery, goal is to be within 2 -3% of previous one. • Great first check on lactate threshold and tolerance • Looking for 360 or more for top guys • 340 or more for potentials • 320 or more for freshmen

Indoor Season • During indoor I continue to focus on the STES (in spikes) (M/W or M/R) • • Transition from 10 s, 20 s, 30 s to 20 s, 30 s, 40 s Continue to test 40 s and flying 10 s 90 m pop-floats (15 m on, 15 m smooth, 15 m on, …) 48 s or 23 s • I begin to bring in workouts to increase lactate threshold (W or R) • 200 s: 3 x 3 @ 75 -80% run as 5 man continuous relays with 8 min between • 400 s: 4 @ 75 – 80% run as 5 man continuous relays • Broken 450 s: 3 x 300 at 400 PR + 7, 1 min rest, 150 m hard, 10 -12 min rest

Focus on Goals!!! • My goals for every kid are to get faster, gain confidence, and grow. • I put the bar high. We start thinking about conference, sectionals and the state meet. Who will be on the relay? Who has a chance to qualify? • Why are these kids busting their butts • I believe that when the goals are put forth, kids will start to believe them and start to work towards them. • Creating tradition, high expectations, and excitement is essential to long-term success.

Are your goals realistic? Be honest with yourself about each athlete’s strengths and weaknesses.

Race Plan • Push out of the blocks as if a 200 m. The longer the race, the more momentum that needs to be built up. • We focus on a strong drive from the start (60 – 70 m) • The back stretch needs to be smooth but fast • • I don’t tell them to relax, but use cues like smooth and quick We have a big focus on efficient arms to help with momentum and drive We aim for the first 200 to be hit within 1. 5 seconds of open PR Fast times do not come from slow first halves

Race Plan (cont’d) • Second curve (200 -300) • Athletes need to know where they are in a race and put themselves into a good spot • Use the curve to start to build up momentum coming off of it • Homestretch (300 -400) • Huge focus on technique, arms, and efficiency • Eyes forward • Need to try to teach patience and awareness of body and pace • Be consistent. I would not ask a frosh/soph to change their race plan or key off of another athlete.

Use the relay as a boost • I like to run as close to my top guys in the 4 x 400 all the time • Tinker here and there, but have continuity among the relay • Order (When an even distribution): • Lead-off: My second fastest open 400 m guy. Someone consistent and dependable • 2 nd leg: My 200 m guy. Some who can get the cut in while still relaxed • 3 rd leg: Need someone who finishes well and races well. More pressure than most think. • Anchor leg: My top guy. Isn’t afraid to go and get someone. Will not give up to anyone • Always have a purpose for your relay

Outdoor Season • Remember that your greatest speed sessions are your track meets. • You have to adjust to your schedule, a Tuesday/Wednesday meet can be used as a great workout. • Run a kid in the 200 m/4 x 400, 400 m/4 x 100 or the 4 x 200/400 m double • Have each meet contain a specific focus. Could have the following: • Saturday meet: 100 m, 4 x 200, 200 • Tuesday meet: 400 m, 4 x 400 • Friday meet: 4 x 100, 200 m

Outdoor Season (cont’d) • Begin to increase intensity of workouts by the middle of April: • 200 s: 2 x 3 @ 85% in continuous relays, 10 min rest in between • 300 s: 4 @ 85 - 90%, 8 min rest between • Make it team goals (ex. Have goals times for each group and reward if they meet the goals) • Pick a meet to really focus on running a fast 4 x 400, I usually pick one around the beginning of May

Lactate Threshold Workouts • Hills • 8 x 150, hard, walk back recovery • 6 x 250 -300 m, steady, good effort • Track • • 3 x 500 m (Hit the 400 m at 60) 10 – 12 minutes recovery Broken 450 s progression (200 -250, 250 -200, 300 -150, 350 -100) 8 x 200 m @ 80% start every 2: 30 120 m Pop-Float-Pop with parachute

Late Season Workouts • The Wednesday after our conference meet we do our last top speed workout (gives 5 days to recover before the Regional) • 2 x 150 m from blocks around the first turn @ Max Effort • 2 x 300 m @ 95 – 100% (around 36/37 seconds for a 50. 0 guy) • 4 x 100 m in a 5 -man relay, fast. • Assuming that all athletes are healthy, the importance here is the mental approach. • Are your athletes ready to battle? • Are they ready for the unknown to happen? • Do they believe?

Thank You! • • John Troy Franklin High School franklintrackandfield@yahoo. com Twitter @saberstrack 2018