I ran 400m in 62s in 8th grade...why can't I now?

Training Advice/Discussion Marathon

15 years ago 08/08/2008 2:06pm EDT

I ran 400m in 62s in 8th grade. I was one of the best at that distance on my middle school team. But then I got into other things, and didn't run in high school or college.

In grad school, I started running again, doing marathons. I have a marathon PR of 3:08, but when I get on the track, I can't run less than 80s for 400m.

Have I completely lost my ability to sprint, because of my marathon training? Have my fast-twitch fibers converted to slow-twitch? Do you think I could ever run 63s again? If I could lower my 400m time, do you think that would help me in the marathon?

15 years ago 08/08/2008 2:12pm EDT

re: cookie monster

maybe too many cookies.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 2:12pm EDT

re: cookie monster

cookie monster wrote:
I ran 400m in 62s in 8th grade. Do you think I could ever run 63s again?

Hmm...

and to answer your other question being a faster 400 runner won't translate to a faster marathon.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 2:14pm EDT

re: cookie monster

strides, hill work, 200s, form drills will gradually restore you to sub-65s, i.e. world-beating, status. it did so for me (62 flat 'anchor' split this year after not being able to beat 70 until last year). I would think that improving your speed would help your marathon, even if you are a troll, because sub-3 hr marathoners would want to do sub-80s in their 400m workouts and probably even in their 800m workouts. get more speed and the 2:40s will be there, and accordingly the longer distance, tempos, etc.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 3:56pm EDT

re: cookie monster

It was a 300 meter track.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 4:01pm EDT

re: cookie monster

And you don't think your body composition would have anything to do with your changed athletic ability?

Alan

15 years ago 08/08/2008 5:29pm EDT

re: cookie monster

quit.

10 years from now it won't matter.

20 years from now it'll matter even less.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 8:39pm EDT

re: a realist

Part of it might aso be the change in lifesyle. In 7h and 8th grade, did you play sports? The sprinting in sports would help w/ 400 meter speed.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 8:44pm EDT

re: Why Beijing?

Why Beijing? wrote:
Part of it might aso be the change in lifesyle. In 7h and 8th grade, did you play sports? The sprinting in sports would help w/ 400 meter speed.

Yeah, I did play sports then. And for my recent 3:08 marathon at age 28, I did no speedwork at all. I'd just go out and jog 10-25 miles as often as possible.

But there seems to be a tradeoff. In 8th grade, I couldn't run long at all. 5 miles in a day seemed like a lot. That's nothing for me now, but I can't go fast like I used to.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 8:59pm EDT

re: cookie monster

You started to touch yourself, and offended God.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 9:13pm EDT

re: Peter Angelos

Than smoke on sheet dude. Deal with it.

15 years ago 08/08/2008 11:43pm EDT

re: cookie monster

Someone once said that too much long, slow distance makes a long, slow runner -- or something to that effect.

Think he might have been right?

15 years ago 08/08/2008 11:53pm EDT

re: cookie monster

104 x 400m at 63 seconds will greatly improve your marathon time. You could even walk the extra .2 added by the Queen.

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