Average 400 meter time for adult (Read 506 times)

joescott


    Teddy Lo's response brings up a discussion point in my mind.  For a basketball player, obviously being a good sprinter is advantageous, but wouldn't some distance training also be helpful, in terms of endurance through a game?  What kind of distance?  Perhaps with a fair amount of intervals/fartlek?

     

    My high school freshman decided not to go out for basketball this year so he could focus on distance training through the winter for track, but last year he was the fastest kid on his basketball team (he could run people down on breakaways and at least foul them  ) even though he played a lot in the post (skinny tall kid), and he was the 8th grade city champion (= 9 middle schools) in the 75-meter hurdles and was top 3 or 4 in both the 800 and the 1600.  The point of all of this bragging is that I think there can be great affinity between raw speed, and plyometric-type sports like basketball and distance running.  These are not mutually exclusive sets at all.  You're not going to "ruin" your speed by distance running.  Certainly your distance running can benefit from lots of speed.

    - Joe

    We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

       

       Certainly your distance running can benefit from lots of speed.

       

      what's that saying? "Speed kills... it kills those that don't have it."

      It's my son's achilles heel.

        I imagine soccer players may be the best example of the need for both top end speed and endurance running.  I think at higher levels they essentially jog/run a 5k and run one hundred 40 meter sprints within a 2 hour period.  I think there is also kicking involved.  And maybe some spinning, pushing and jumping.

         

         

         

         

          And maybe some spinning, pushing and jumping.

           

          don't forget diving.

          My leg won't stop mooing.

           

          i think i've got a calf injury.

          joescott


             

            don't forget diving.

             

            and flopping.

            - Joe

            We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

              My leg won't stop mooing.

               

              i think i've got a calf injury.

              TripleBock


                Only if you want to grow mold

                 

                 

                Oh, excuse my ignorance!  Would a Camelback filled with Gatorade be a good idea?

                I am fuller bodied than Dopplebock

                TripleBock


                  Form drills, hill sprints ...

                   

                  Jeff,

                   

                  I am really interested in shorter sprints, so that I can approve on speed. Maybe I would consider longer distances, but in all honesty I do not want to run more than a mile.

                   

                  I want to increase speed, so that I can perfom well in other sports, such as basketball and football.

                   

                  I also do not want to over do it, so to avoid injuries I also use a suana and swim frequently. Some weight training is important too.

                  I am fuller bodied than Dopplebock

                    Interesting topic.  I used to run the 400 hurdles in around 59 seconds.  Also played soccer, and was generally fast in my county, and would usually play the entire game.

                     

                    But I'm not 18 anymore.  And I got fat, along with getting old.

                     

                    Could I today run a flat 400 under 60 seconds?  Doubt it.  But I'd like to.  I'm 48, male, and recently down from 225 lbs to 175 lbs.  I just ran a 5k in around 27:45.  My goal weight is 165 lbs.  At some point over the next 10 pounds of weightloss I will be visiting a track to see how fast I can run a 400.  My wildassguess is 70 seconds.  Might be 90 seconds.  Doubt it is slower than that.  And 70 might be too wishful.  Will be darn interesting for me to find out.

                     

                    If I lose more weight, and keep working on my 5k running, and stay injury free, I don't see why I can't run a flat 400 in a hair under 60 seconds.  I'm talking dreams here.  Everything going well.  Getting down to maybe 145 pounds (which is way lighter than my goal weight, but also hypothetically possible).  Need a 0 wind day, and 75 degrees out, no humidity.  I might need racing spikes, too.  And starting blocks.  Dreams.

                     

                    But at this moment, I wonder if I could do 70 seconds Smile

                    LedLincoln


                    not bad for mile 25

                      Only if you want to grow mold

                       

                      How much mold can grow in 400 meters? Wink

                        How would a middle aged fat man get fast at the 400?

                         

                        #1 Lose all the excess weight.  Remember what you used to weigh in HS as a skinny kid?  You need to weigh that again.  Any extra fat pounds will tire you out long before the final straight away.

                         

                        #2 Practise running fast.  You've got to work on the form and the quick movements.  Without getting injured.  Start small, in the middle of an easy mile run, speed up the pace for 40 meters, then go back to the easy pace.  Do it again every few days, and a couple times within the mile.  Not a sprint, but just a faster pace.    Do excercises inside, stretching and moving the arms and the legs in all directions, and do it in reps of 10 or 20.  Work the range of motion, as well as the strength.  Eventually (couple weeks into it) add 5lb ankle weights and hand weights to those motions, to build strength.  Also continue with the longer runs, adding the fast pace in the middle of a longer run.

                         

                        #3 Can you sprint?  Don't start at this step, because you might get injured.  But after step #2 has been done for a month or so, see if you can sprint.  0 to 20 meters.  Did you hurt yourself?  If not, good.  Try it again every few days.

                         

                        #4 Can you sprint 40 meters?  Holding your form, and not slowing down?

                         

                        #5, Keep doing all the stuff in #2.  Do those mile runs.  Do those variations in pace.  Do the inside stretching and excercising.  Do the weight lifting (small weights).

                         

                        #6  Can you sprint 100 meters?  Can you run a fast pace 400 meters within your mile?

                         

                        #7  Can you sprint 200 meters?  Can you run a fast pace 800 meters within your mile?

                         

                        #8  Try a 400 meter, by connecting the dots of what you've learned from sprinting a 200 and from running a fast pace 800 meters.

                         

                        Hopefully, the point of all this, you'll have learned how fast you can sprint, and how much endurance you have.  It will help you to find the right balance of sprinting power and longer distance endurance, to put together into the tough distance that is the 400 meter.  You'll have to find the right combination of those 2 attributes to suit your capabilities.  Me, I'm still working on losing the weight Smile


                        Just a dude.

                          I think drills and hills are pretty important. You have to teach your body to recruit as many muscle fibers as possible (more power). You have to teach faster turn over. Running/sprinting uphill and plyometrics (bounding, skipping, jumping, etc) can help recruit more fibers. Sprinting on slight downhills or with the wind at your back can help learn quicker turnover.

                           

                          Form drills and exercises/weights can really help too.

                           

                          Obviously build up slowly, listen to your body, and address issues quickly so they don't become injuries.

                           

                          Most of this can be applied to distance runners as well. Even a 10k or longer runner can benefit from being able to recruit more muscle and being more quick/powerful.

                           

                          At least, that's the opinion of a random guy on the internet... which is worth about as much as you paid for it... Wink

                           

                          -Kelly

                          Getting back in shape... Just need it to be a skinnier shape... 


                          Walk-Jogger

                            How would a middle aged fat man get fast at the 400?

                             

                            #1 . . .

                             

                             

                            I've done most of the stuff you listed, except for concentrating on the stretches, and my weight is back to where it was when I was in my late 20's, if not quite high school when I was skinny little 99 lb runt. The best I've been able to get down to in the 400 (OK, I've only raced it three times in the past 4 years) was 63 seconds when I was 56.

                             

                            My lifetime 400M best was 57 seconds when I was 33 and only doing road running for training. So I guess my point is, if you want to break a minute, do it while you're still young (under 50), unless you have way more natural speed than I do. I'm 5'7" and that seems to be a lot shorter than all the college 400m track runners I see around here, so I don't know if that's a limitation or not . . .

                            Retired &  Loving It


                            Why is it sideways?

                               

                              I've done most of the stuff you listed, except for concentrating on the stretches, and my weight is back to where it was when I was in my late 20's, if not quite high school when I was skinny little 99 lb runt. The best I've been able to get down to in the 400 (OK, I've only raced it three times in the past 4 years) was 63 seconds when I was 56.

                               

                              My lifetime 400M best was 57 seconds when I was 33 and only doing road running for training. So I guess my point is, if you want to break a minute, do it while you're still young (under 50), unless you have way more natural speed than I do. I'm 5'7" and that seems to be a lot shorter than all the college 400m track runners I see around here, so I don't know if that's a limitation or not . . .

                               

                              A 63s 400m at age 56 age grades to a 52s 400m... that's a good result, especially if your lifetime PR was 56.

                                 

                                I've done most of the stuff you listed, except for concentrating on the stretches, and my weight is back to where it was when I was in my late 20's, if not quite high school when I was skinny little 99 lb runt. The best I've been able to get down to in the 400 (OK, I've only raced it three times in the past 4 years) was 63 seconds when I was 56.

                                 

                                My lifetime 400M best was 57 seconds when I was 33 and only doing road running for training. So I guess my point is, if you want to break a minute, do it while you're still young (under 50), unless you have way more natural speed than I do. I'm 5'7" and that seems to be a lot shorter than all the college 400m track runners I see around here, so I don't know if that's a limitation or not . . .

                                 

                                A 63 sec 400 meter at age 56 is darn good stuff!  Gives me hope Smile