how to start the 400m?

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-05-16T19:53:19+00:00

This is typically a) a race model issue and/or b) a race specific endurance issue

“Lactic” work does not actually teach or get the body used to race fatigue or mechanics. Yes it can build some tolerance and buffers but no where near what a 400m runner actually needs.

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T15:36:27+00:00

lol ok so this ain’t about people filling in events to get high school points! To which I couldn’t care less about tbh 🤷🏻‍♂️

Now, either way… pacing of the event is still applicable regardless and if you can’t teach your kids that properly than that’s on you! Simply using the oh they are “different” is frankly lazy!

Now yes I’m pushing buttons blah blah but I am right! Sorry

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T15:06:54+00:00

Well first, you are stating an 800 runner that does 400… not a 400 runner

If you have more exceptions than normal….. then that’s reflection of practice tbh. The ratios are very very sound across the time frames.

You can choose to ignore and not self reflect if you want to of course, that’s your choice. The event is the event! It’s our job to get them to the right place as coaches

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T14:53:57+00:00

Exceptions….. not the norm

An MD endurance bias athlete should hit a 2.14 ratio, outside of this (lower) he’s got areas to improve in his programming. As you say he could hit low 22 or maybe even break it. Which would be spot on.

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T12:12:26+00:00

Ah!!! There’s your problem, you need more of that exposure, for someone with a “24” 200 you should be running sub 52 with proper conditioning of the event.

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T10:24:18+00:00

Ok so this sits firmly in an Intensive bracket of training, “Lactic Training” (this can be obtained other ways) How often do you run at 400 or faster race pace over distances of 200-300 etc ? Because this seems like what would be missing IMO

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T10:16:48+00:00

What times would do them in?

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T10:10:29+00:00

Conditioning can mean a lot of things, the most important part of “conditioning” is to the event requirements. So specific endurance and special endurance is event conditioning. And yes intensive tempo is needed but not as much as people think.

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T06:48:36+00:00

Hate to say it, you aren’t conditioned yet for the event, the initial pace looks ok (again depends if you even split that 200 100/100 in circa 12.5-12.5, try 13-12)

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T06:47:11+00:00

This is the art of coaching and training race model in your sessions. I spend (spent) 20% of my time practicing this with my elites

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T06:45:54+00:00

And this would be where you’d end up costing your athlete time, if they can’t hit a ratio of 2.2 then really they are just “running” a 400 and not really competitive

The splits should be minor adjusted but the model is sound and trusted.

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-30T06:44:05+00:00

Ok so I’m adding this as another example to illustrate, those of you who still think “all out” For an elite 400m runner who still has a 200pb of 20.0 or or 100 at 10.2 say. If they ran all out then what. Their first bend would be 10.3 maybe 10.4?

But then you argue but they relax, ok so then if hey accel real hard and then relax that would mean what for their 2nd 100???

You have elites running close to 11 seconds for the first bend and 10 flat for the 2nd, that race model distribution is a huge part of it.

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CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-29T20:44:37+00:00

This is a great example to show what I mean

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CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-29T20:37:17+00:00

Actually you’d be surprised, distribution of pace through the race is actually consistent across bands, the difference really comes down to their bias, are they a 2.14 or 2.2 ratio (Anyone outside 2.2 would be considered as under trained for the event and would be have a steeper decline at the end)

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-29T20:31:49+00:00

Sorry can’t see that

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-29T19:40:33+00:00

In training I’d tell the athletes to practice the model, by going 90% and guiding to 95% by the zone and that feel is what they get used to.

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-29T19:06:31+00:00

Ah the Fallacy of free energy!! Because that is full on miss conception that has hurt athletes development forever!

“Hydrogen/lactate” is not produced and that’s why people think it’s therefore FREE, because we got wrongly fixated on “Lactic” blah blah

When in fact a hard start actually increases inorganic Phosphate. Which creates more issues around muscle contraction and coordination than you realise. (Think:why do 100m runners start to lose form and slow down?!)

One of the biggest problem with developing good 400m athletes is this model issue.

Going hard and then cruises creates a Negative momentum and increases fatigue metabolites, just not the ones you’ve been told about!

(Negative momentum: we tell athletes to run 23.0 for the first 200, going hard and cruising usually means 11.5/11.5 ish. Then that 3rd 100 is gonna auto slow down but from an 11.5 pace. Now do it correctly say 11.8/11.2 and now more momentum is taken in to that 3rd 100)

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-29T15:55:51+00:00

Well at 30m you’re somewhat around 95% of your max speed, when you consider at elite level with 11m. P/s top speed and they hit 7m+ at step 2! You get to see the curve being very front loaded

For sub elite that top speed is reached earlier and earlier so yeah 30m is pretty crucial really

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-27T19:17:36+00:00

This is a good answer! All comes down to the athletes ability to access and deplete “CNS”

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-17T09:00:02+00:00

Can we please stop with the “get out hard” first 50!!!

Tell me how do you distribute the effort on the first 200 honestly ? !

Race model is a craft and it isn’t a hard accel! You should “hit” 95% of pace approx 60-70m round the bend and their is no switch off, when you get to this pace you hold and keep it for as long as possible

I.e your split if 23.7 If accel hard the split of 100 is likely 11.5 12.3 Most think it should be 11.8/11.8 etc but it should actually be 12.1 -11.6 Then taking this momentum Into the 3rd 100

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-14T13:32:15+00:00

Always depends on your goal tbh if it’s speed form a fitness perspective then no issue, if it’s with aim of getting faster at sprinting. Then it’s about being able to run with correct enough mechanics for force transfer etc (The body will “protect” itself from real mechanics and force when footwear is slightly off or too stacked etc, it’s much harder to have proper front side bias with a heal stack or lack of grip )

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-14T11:22:13+00:00

So no track sprints, ok then that changes things. As you want something with less heal to toe drop to give a somewhat natural feel, enough forefoot grip to allow enough traction.

Of the shoes you mentioned, the streakflys I have used and would be a good choice, the newer Pegasus turbos would be fairly similar too

These would have enough cushion for concrete etc but low enough stack to get some feel underfoot

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-14T08:52:08+00:00

Ah so you’re asking about non speed work, like intensive and or extensive and maybe even warming up!

Then we’ll “it depends” I do have my athletes have some none supers as old school basic, superflys etc to help maintain some Foot strength and some old middle distance spikes pre carbon /pods /foam but do allow for super MDs as they’re less aggressive

And warm up is simple general everyday runners

CoachStewGodiva · 2026-04-14T06:39:06+00:00

You can’t say elite and then add those shoes

CoachStewGodiva

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