1. 400m and 4x400m Training
How to create an atmosphere that promotes 400m success and how to sharpen athletes for success at end of the season.

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

3. Setting the Tone for Your Program
Why the 400m?

4. Why the 400m or 4x400m? Why should the 400m be important?
The 400m is the great uniter of your team
It brings together hurdlers, distance and sprinters
It creates mental and physical toughness
Why is the 4x400 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

5. How do you promote the event?
The 400m is scary for young kids
I make the 4x400 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 4x400m
Through that we have been very consistent in the 400m and the other sprints

6. Treat your 400m sprinters like SPRINTERS
Training your 400m 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 400m each year
I NEVER tell a 400m guy to go out “relaxed”
Mental cues have to match the expectations of the race
Relaxed = slow
Aggressive = fast

7. Finding your possible 400m guys
Is there an ideal body type for the 400m?
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 400m project

8. Training for the Dark Places

9. 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!

10. 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

11. Preparing for healthy and efficient sprinting
100m, 200m, 400m, hurdlers, jumpers…all train the same way
We start in the beginning of December with learning the basics
Teach Teach 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

12. 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 60m (focus on strong arms and strong, powerful strides)
3-4 with standing start
3-4 with fall-in start

13. 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

14. Is the ability there? Coordination/Rhythm
Important for any sprinter, especially a 400m runner
Smooth speed is crucial for a 400m (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

15. 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

16. 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

17. Sample Workout for December/January
Monday: RPR, speed drills, 6 build-ups
4 x 10m, 4 x 20m, 4 x 30m (pure acceleration work)
Hanging leg raises, Booms
Wednesday: RPR, speed drills, 6 build-ups
Wickets (straight through, pistols 2x, hugs 2x, arms up 2x, 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-10m (with Freelap)
Toe Pops (4 x 20m and 2x partner assisted)
Goals: Learn and work on mechanics and prep the body for sprinting

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

19. Early Season Training/Goals
Test, Record, Predict

20. 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 400m 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.

22. Week One First day: Teach warm-up to everyone (both old and new)
Testing: Hand-timed 40 yd with flying 10m (with Freelap)
Standing long jump and standing triple jump
Wednesday: 6 – 8 x 75% every 3 minutes
400m Predictor Workout: (every 2 weeks for the first 5 weeks)
3 x 48 second max effort sprints with 15 – 20min 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

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

24. 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.

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

26. Race Plan
Push out of the blocks as if a 200m. The longer the race, the more momentum that needs to be built up.
We focus on a strong drive from the start (60 – 70m)
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

28. Race Plan (cont’d) Second curve (200-300) Homestretch (300-400)
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 ( )
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.

29. Use the relay as a boost
I like to run as close to my top guys in the 4x400 all the time
Tinker here and there, but have continuity among the relay
Order (When an even distribution):
Lead-off: My second fastest open 400m guy. Someone consistent and dependable
2nd leg: My 200m guy. Some who can get the cut in while still relaxed
3rd 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

30. 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 200m/4x400, 400m/4x100 or the 4x200/400m double
Have each meet contain a specific focus. Could have the following:
Saturday meet: 100m, 4x200, 200
Tuesday meet: 400m, 4x400
Friday meet: 4x100, 200m

31. Outdoor Season (cont’d)
Begin to increase intensity of workouts by the middle of April:
200s: 2 x 85% in continuous relays, 10 min rest in between
300s: %, 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 4x400, I usually pick one around the beginning of May

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

33. 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 150m from blocks around the first Max Effort
2 x 95 – 100% (around 36/37 seconds for a 50.0 guy)
4 x 100m 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?

34. Thank You! John Troy Franklin High School