Anybody run track?

I sorta quit track when I got into high school, but I did it in the 7th grade and I ran the 1600. My best time was 6min 43 sec.

What I can basically say, is since you're running the 400, you should practice on your sprints whenever you can and your endurance too. I don't remember what they call those drills, but did you ever do those drills where everyone would jog at a leisurely pace but when the coach whistles, you all sprint as fast as you can until the coach whitsles again and that's when you jog again, and repeat? Well, I found that helped a lot. As long as you practice running a couple of miles a day (and try to build up one it), you'll do fine.

Well I did track for 4years and I was best in the 400m. I was top 10 in my high school so it looks like what im doing is right lol. Well 400 is completely different in high school than in middle school. So are you in middle or in high school? Middle school, what I did was progress. For example I would get a good pace in the first 100m then at the curve, thats where i would try and pass everyone. So learn how to run the curve. after this i would go 100% until the end which hurts ..alot but you just have to push yourself. High school's so different. Basically you go 100% the whole way yea...haha even more pain! but yea good luck in track

Oh yea for sure you got to practice your starts. Most people in middle school through freshmen year don't use blocks. You HAVE to get used to it and practice with your coach with your starts. If you don't have a good start you it will be hard to pass up anyone. Blocks is for when you have the endurance to go 100% all 400meters, but even if you can't go 100% all 400, still use the blocks. Ask your coach if you can borrow it on the weekend and just practice starts at home. thats what i did

Okay, does your school have a distance team? If they do, I recommend training for two or three days a week to build your endurance. If not, try this: try running about a mile or two for "endurance days". You should have this twice a week. The best days are usually Wed. and Saturdays. They should be run at an easy to moderate pace. The other days, for example, Mondays, you should run intervals: try doing four 200's at 32-40 seconds. Have a 2 min recovery between each. Have an easy 10 min. warm up and cool down, followed by stretching. Tuesdays (keeping with the example week), should be moderate; try doing three or four 400's at about 65-70 seconds. Again, 10 warm up and cool down with stretching. After the work out, do drills. On the 100 m stretch, do about five 50 m accelerations. What you do, is start out slow, then slowly accelerate to a sprint for the last 15 m or so. Jog back to where you started the 50 m acceleration. Do these before the cool down. Weds. should be long days, just working on endurance. Thursdays, should be med-hard. Try a ladder: one 100 m hard, followed by one 200 hard, then 400, then 500, then 400, then 200, then 100. Have about a 1- 1 and 1/2 min recovery between. Again, 10 min warm up and cool down. Fridays should be easy: just do like an 800 easy pace and stretching.

Obviously, you can't follow this every week, nor should you. Days before meets should be easy. Also, this may or may not work for you, depending on how fit you are. If you wondering, I took my work out (distance) and modified it to what I think may be right for a 400 sprinter. This is modeled after a high school workout. But, listen to your body. Don't kill yourself or over do it. Like I said, a distance coach would be able to better help you out. The workouts above are guesses on my part, but what may seem easy/right to me may be too much for a sprinter, I'm not sure. I'm a distance runner and cross country person, so I'm not sure on the world of sprinters. Lol. But I hope this helps you out somewhat. Feel free to PM or IM me if you want. But seriously, don't hurt yourself. If it's too much, back it off.

Oh, and Krista, what you were talking about is a fartlek, which are good too! I forgot about those. :) I hated 'em during cross country. Who knew two miles could be that long?!?!

yea it takes a lot of time to perfect running form

der laufer: ahh. ok, now i don't need to go crazy trying to remember what it's called. thanks! :]

Haha no problem.

Yes, form is a big thing when running. Just keep your arms from crossing over the chest when you run, and run on your toes, and your form will improve. :)

You finished APUSH last semester, nice, than you can give me some tips for the ap exam coming up in a week.