Even the best have that one session that they just don’t like – and GB superstar Keely Hodgkinson is no different.
In her latest vlog, the reigning Olympic champion is back building her base on the track and that can only mean one thing: 10 x 400m.
Prescribed by her coach, Trevor Painter, Hodgkinson says: ‘I don’t particularly enjoy this session.’ We’d have to agree with her, although the benefits always outweigh the suffering.
Hodgkinson is seen running her repeats in 64-66 seconds – mighty fast, but nothing compared to her race day pace of around 57 seconds a lap.
She’ll have to run even faster, however, if she’s to break the long-standing outdoor 800m world record of 1:53.28, which was set by Jarmila Kratochvílová of the former Czechoslovakia in 1983.
Why are 400m repeats so tough?
There is a double-whammy of training benefit with 400m repeats, because they not only work on a runner’s anaerobic speed, but also aerobic endurance. Working aerobically (without sufficient oxygen) means that he workout sits very close to lactate threshold and pushes the body to clear lactic acid before another rep starts.
This means that runners face rapid muscle fatigue coupled with cardiovascular exertion, all while having to remain relaxed and focused on the pace. It’s no easy ride, but in terms of improving running fitness, it’s up there as one of the best workouts.
How to run 400m repeats
If you think that you need to add some 400m repeats into your training, there’s a pretty basic approach that you can take – most runners should aim to sustain a pace that’s around 80-90% of their maximal effort per interval and then, between intervals, walk or rest for about a minute. It’s that simple.
For a more detailed approach to 400m repeats, you can read our guide here.