Decathlon 1500m training

600-800 repeats and a 35 min easy run 5 times a week

A ten second improvement in the 1500 from 4:45 to 4:35 is only 65 points. Investing training and what it will take away from the ability to train the other events isn’t worth it. Teach the mental side of being tough and trusting a race plan and he will run a 1500 faster. Two more bar bars in the vault - 8 inches/59 points - is about the same amount you would gain with 10 seconds. 2 more bars in the high jump is 4 inches/52 points and 8 inches in the long jump/47 points can all be gained with concurrent training. Its easy to look at the last event and think it cost your kid the score but the reality is that points are more easily secured in events that have similar training bio motor abilities.

As was mentioned, every second in the Dec 1500m is only worth 7 points a sec. To attempt to make a large point swing investment in the 1500m, a lot of the other primary scoring events will suffer.

However, the event does need to have some training attention. We do 1500m work probably 2 x a month on average. Race modeling is more appropriate than cranking a lot of long tempo intervals in the spring. Remember: Multi's should be trained as 400m runners - if you are training your Decs and Heps as 400m or even better 400mH for their running workouts, your endurance events will be just fine.

Stole this from Harry Mara: 400m - 400m - 400m (short rest 45sec - 1min) at or slightly ahead of1500m race pace. 300m = GO. My Decs really like this one. We also do things like 600m - 400m - 200m at race pace with 1min rest. Again, race modeling.

*Fall into January we do a lot of aerobic tempo intervals 2-3 x a month. 10 x 200m, 2 x 10 x 100m, etc. All short rest in flats.

Don’t train for the 1500 it hurts 9 events. Train for the 400 and down like stated above.

Maybe you don't understand the DECA...

I have personally witnessed deca guys improve their 1500 noticeably by doing a 40-50 min spin bike or bike on rollers session once per week.

There's a reason they like them. It's because they can stop after a 600, 400, 300 and 200. These reps are too short. It's important to have the athletes believe they can run a good 1500 and running longer in practice reinforces this. The short reps are not as beneficial mentally because, in the athletes mind, they know they'll be able to stop after a short effort. I recommend at least 800 intervals but mile repeats are better. It's a mental thing.

You are correct and that is why current multi-event competition that decathlon is comprised of stinks as a fan.

There is only one way to win it and no jeopardy involved.