If you find it difficult to cut your 800-meter run time, you can adjust your workout to run faster. With proper exercise and diet, you can break personal records and improve your running skills.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Preparing Your Body to Run Faster
Step 1. Adjust your diet
By improving your eating habits, you can reduce body fat and fatigue, as well as build muscle and increase endurance. The wrong diet may be the reason you're having a hard time breaking your personal 800 meter record.
-
Eat foods that are good for health such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Consumption of good food will improve body composition. Increase protein intake and adequate carbohydrate consumption. Protein and carbohydrates will provide the right nutrients to develop muscles and provide energy to the body.
- If you train for 30-45 minutes, consume 3 grams of carbohydrates on the day of the workout.
- If you train for 46-60 minutes, consume 5 grams of carbohydrates on the day of the workout.
- Avoid consuming foods rich in sugar or salt. Sugar and salt can make it difficult for the body to run efficiently.
- Eat a carbohydrate-rich snack one hour before and 30 minutes after your workout. For example, you can eat bananas, protein drinks, and decaffeinated energy bars.
Step 2. Make sure you drink enough water
Generally, your body needs 2 liters of water. When running, you should drink more to compensate for water output and prevent you from slowing down. Do not drink extra water carelessly. Listen to your body, and drink when you are thirsty.
- Drinking enough water before and after exercise is very important. One hour before running and immediately after running, try drinking 450 grams of water.
- Watch for signs of dehydration. Thirst, dizziness, dry lips, difficulty urinating, or constipation are signs of dehydration experienced by the body. If you experience these symptoms, you should increase your water consumption.
Step 3. Stretch properly
By stretching, you can increase the speed and length of your run. Stretching before and after exercise can also help prevent injury.
- Stretch the leg muscles (hamstring, quadricept and adductor) and lower body (hip flexors and glutes). Try adding 2-3 stretching exercises each week.
- Do yoga to increase body flexibility.
Step 4. Set a workout schedule
You can't break a running record in a day. Like training for a marathon, the best way to reach your goals is to create a training schedule. By following a workout schedule, you'll be able to run in top shape even if you don't have too much distance.
- Set a workout end date, and practice backwards. When you want to run 800 meters, choose a date to break the record.
- Do 1-2 intensive, quality exercises each week, such as tempo running or climbing.
- Choose a break date. Use rest days to try moderate exercise (such as yoga) to maintain flexibility. Make sure you get enough sleep before the D day of the race.
Method 2 of 3: Train Your Body
Step 1. Know your running mechanics
The 800 meter run is a middle distance run. This branch of running requires runners to maintain speed while running and sprint in the last meters. To run, you must develop the following three abilities:
- Develop middle-distance running skills, or what is known as speed-stamina. You need to maintain speed at the start of the run while controlling your body. Your goal is to maintain a comfortable but fast pace while running, and recognize that you need to expend energy to run at a high speed at the end of the race.
- Practice running in a crowd of runners. The 800 meter runner must face runner traffic in the middle of the court. Practice running in groups so you don't get caught in runner traffic. That way, you'll still be aware of your running position without disturbing the person in front of you.
- Run anaerobically. In the final part of the race (last 350-400 meters), your body will feel tired because you have run at almost the equivalent of a sprint. Build anaerobic running ability by practicing 400 meter sprints at a faster pace than usual, then walking for 2 minutes before repeating the exercise. This interval training can improve your anaerobic ability.
Step 2. Run most days between 400 and 1600 meters
- Focus on the attributes that are most suitable for the 800 meter run. Use the 400 meter sprint to improve your sprinting ability, and the 1600 meter run to increase your endurance while running.
- Pay attention to the training schedule. Remember to rest and stretch, and eat a healthy diet to energize your body. Try running exercises that work on other strengths of the body, such as running in the valley to strengthen leg muscles and cardiovascular organs.
Step 3. Rest
After training hard, train lightly the next day. After a hard workout, give your body some time to recover by resting or exercising lightly.
- While you want to stay active on rest days, you also need to allow your body to really rest. This means that you should get enough sleep and maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
- Don't run when you're injured. After sustaining an injury, stop running and call your doctor to prevent your injury from getting worse.
Method 3 of 3: Running in the Race
Step 1. Drink and energize your body
One hour before running, eat a light meal rich in carbohydrates and 450 g of water.
- Make sure your body gets good nutrition to increase energy, but don't overeat. Before running, eat light meals instead of heavy meals so your body doesn't process too many calories.
- Consider eating fruit, yogurt, or cereal bars for an energy boost without feeling too full.
Step 2. Stretch to get your body ready to run
- With proper stretching, you can stretch your muscles and increase your running speed, while also reducing the risk of injury or cramping while running.
- Stretch the hip flexors, thighs, hamstrings, calves, and lower back.
Step 3. Start running
Basically, the 800 meter running competition requires the runner to maintain speed and store enough energy for two accelerations.
- Start running properly. Run at a high speed, and make sure you can maintain that speed. Consistency is key at this stage.
- Run smart in the middle of the race. Watch other runners and your change in pace. You'll need energy to sprint at the start and end of the race. Use the first acceleration to get into the deep lane, and run forward as much as possible.
- Be careful not to push yourself to keep yourself energized for the second acceleration at the end of the race. Make sure you have a steady speed until it's time to accelerate. Don't let other runners affect your running speed.
- In the last 200-300 meters, start running at full speed. Here, your anaerobic abilities will be tested. Push your body with final acceleration to get past the group leader, and win the race.
Step 4. Cool down
Proper cooling down after a run is also important as it will prevent injury and help the body return to its normal state.
- Walk for a few minutes. Start at a fast tempo, then start walking slowly to rest your heart into a normal rhythm.
- Stretch for 5-10 minutes to make sure that your muscles don't tighten too hard after your workout.
Tips
- Always stretch before and after running so you don't damage the muscles.
- Maintain a healthy diet so that the body can work optimally.
- Make sure you are wearing the right running shoes.
- Find someone a little faster to "stick to" during the race.
- Make sure you're ready to outrun the second lap so you know when it's time to outrun. This step will help you to maintain a winning position.
- Don't forget to practice.
- Don't push yourself, or you might get into an accident. Start practicing gradually, and you will master the terrain.
- Inhale through the nose, and exhale through the mouth.
- Run longer distances to ensure that you can run 800 meters.
- Sprint the first 200 meters, then keep your pace at a big pace throughout the lap until you reach the last 200 meters. In the last 200 meters, run a sprint.
