Completing an 800-meter race requires a special combination of speed and endurance, since the event calls upon runners to sprint for two all-out laps. If you've trained hard, a few tactical considerations can help you succeed in an 800-meter race, instead of getting left behind by the pack.
Instructions
1. Start out fast--but not too fast. Because the 800 meter race is so short and fast, runners tend to stay tightly grouped together. You need to get out fast enough to establish a good position. You don't want to be running way on the outside of the track, but you also don't want to be trapped on the inside where you can't make a move. Aim for a comfortably hard first lap where you can move up easily and you should be in a good position for the second lap--where the race really begins.
2. Speed up moving into the second lap. Try not to pass on a turn, but make your first move right around the 400-meter mark in the race. Most runners will go out too hard in the first 400 and inevitably slow down for the third 200 meters of the race. This is a great time to move up and put yourself in position to kick on the homestretch. Keep in mind that runners usually only get to make two major moves in a race, so move up wisely and stay in control.
3. Know your strengths. If you're more of an endurance runner, start your kick before you get to the final 200 meters, especially if you're in a field of runners with great kicks. Try to get a little distance on the pack before everyone else moves, and hold on as long as you can until the finish line. If you're a fast sprinter, put yourself near the front with about 200 meters to go so that after the final turn you're in position to sprint for the win.
4. Sprint all the way through the finish line. Many runners pull up just short of the finish line; an especially bad habit in short, fast races like the 800-meter. If you're in a tight pack edging it out for the finish line, keep pushing yourself beyond the line, throw back your arms and stick out your chest to give yourself an advantage in finishing first.
5. Run your own race. Maybe you're in an unbalanced field of runners where you're significantly better or worse than most of the competition. If that's the case, use these principles of racing the 800-meter to guide your race strategy. Start with a solid, comfortably hard 400 meters, pick up the pace a little bit at the 400 meter mark, and sprint as hard as you can with 200 meters to go. That strategy should set you up for completing a great 800-meter race, regardless of your competition.
Tags: finish line, 800-meter race, comfortably hard, field runners, good position, hard first