Spectrum vs. Parallel Lines

Whenever I hear high school coaches talk about training 400-meter athletes, the conversation feels polarized and contentious. Some coaches adopt a speed-based approach while others implement an endurance-based approach. The way that coaches refer to speed and endurance makes it seem like you must pick one or the other, as if speed and endurance are opposite ends of a spectrum.

A more accurate image is that speed and endurance are two parallel lines that you can and should be developing simultaneously throughout the season. The 400-meter dash demands a complex combination of aerobic and anaerobic energy. The truth is you need both!

It is my observation that coaches tend to emphasize what they know best. Coaches who come from a sprint background tend to overemphasize speed and coaches who come from a distance background tend to overemphasize endurance. It makes perfect sense -- coaches rely on what we know best.

We advocate for what we call a “balanced approach” to coaching 400-meter athletes. You can develop race-specific endurance throughout the season AND you can develop raw speed within your athletes.