Who Wins…. The Sprinter Or The Middle Distance Runner?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A few days ago I received an e-mail from a coach in Florida  asking me my personal opinion regarding who I thought was more likely to win a 400m race given equal qualifying marks the 100m 200m runner or the  800m 1500m runner. Both are at the top of their game. I asked a few people and here are some of the responses.

 These responses I received are in part from a few Parents, Youth coaches, High performance Olympic coaches and Masters athletes as well .

 

 

 

 

Jimson Lee of Speedendurance wrote “At the end of the day, I will choose speed over distance.

I can look at 5K and 10K examples of K Bekele or even Mirutus “Yifter the Shifter” who can crank out 52+ second last laps. This is AFTER running for 12 or 24 laps!

The other point to remember in a 400m is MJ used to say the race contained 8 “zones” or 8 different parts of the race that could go wrong. There are just too many variables that will affect your performance.

The other part of speed is it translates into other sports (baseball, football, soccer, etc) so in youth athletes, I try to focus on speed and agility… and having FUN!”

KM writes:  ”It’s  has been my experience that the 400 hundred is a sprint and normally the sprinters have the advantage.  Occasionally if you have a middle distance athlete that’s a great one they have more turn over than the average sprinter so they’ll come out ahead.  For instance David Mack and Johnny Gray while although 800m runners they had more turn over than the average sprinter and could run good races.  If you put them up against a quality sprinter, say Obi Moore, they’d get destroyed”.

 

D. writes: “Conventional wisdom says the middle distance runner predicated on their innate strength advantage.  However, there is no answer to this question.  Their respective talents have them running the same time, they are arriving at the same point in different ways, maybe.  Also, history says the sprinter has the advantage seeing as  we have far more 400 elite that are sprint based over middle distance based”.

 

JW writes: “Without a doubt the sprinter has the advantage if there is such a thing, as advantage when you have two top athletes. I look to the current landscape of T&F and see Allyson Felix developing into a great 400m runner. I believe she will be America’s next greatest 400m of all time. With that said in age group we have seen some out of the usual performances like Robin Reynolds 100-1500 over her youth career now dropped down to the 100-400m and doing quite well. She probably would have done well at the 400-1500m too. She is a sprinter. A tough competitor and she would beat the 800m-1500m girl I am sure of it”.

 

 LJ writes: I believe when it’s all said and done if they are equal it is who every that day is the most mentally tough. Overall, I believe the sprinter may have a mental disadvantage due to his or her emotional make-up toward the race that is over what he enjoys the best.. Generally speaking

 

K writes: ”Sprinter has advantage since opening speed and closing speed are dependent on speed potential”.

 

 CG writes: The answer to the question that you pose varies based on the age level of the participant.  If you pose this same question for an elite adult athlete, it will be answered differently than for youth athletes.  The qualities that I describe above give the elite youth athlete the advantage no matter what event they run. 

Once a kid hits their college years, the question you pose becomes an interesting one.  I can’t think of a great 100 Meter runner who was a great 400M runner, but I can think of great 200M and 800M runners who were great 400 Meter Runners.  I have had the privilege of going to three Olympic games in person: 1972,1976,1984.  Saw some great track performances in person during those games.  Remember El Caballo, Alberto Juantorena, the Great Cuban runner who won gold at Montreal in 1976 in the 400 Meter and 800 Meter dash.  The record book is littered with Great 200 sprinters who were also great 400Meter sprinters.  History tells us that the great short sprinter has the advantage over the middle distance runner, but there will always be exceptions (Alberto Juantorena).  Usain Bolt could break the mold as a great 100 meter runner who can also be a great 400 meter man.  He is a freak of nature and it would be fun to see how he would do in the 400M .

Question CG, Do you think that it is more that  sprinter feels he doesn’t want to do the 400m or can’t and that is why we haven’t seen more 100m-400m combinations? Perhaps at the college and elite level it isn’t as doable as with the youth athletes? Usain Bolt says he will not contest the 100m in 2010 to go for the 400m  most every one seems to believe he will do well which supports most of the responses here.

CG adds a couple of links from my friend over at SpeedEndurance, Jimson Lee

What is Speed Reserve? Part 1 - 400 meter sprinter types:
http://speedendurance.com/2009/01/05/what-is-speed-reserve-part-1-400-meter-sprinter-types/

What is Speed Reserve? Part 2 - Training Methods:
http://speedendurance.com/2009/01/06/what-is-speed-reserve-part-2-training-methods/

Everyone feel free to continue the conversation below.

Until Next Time

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4. Ask The Coach
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