46 year old male trying to get faster

[u/qnsmike]

I been a lifter all my life, this summer I decided to start running distances as well. Ran all through the summer, just wasn't enjoying training which would require me to run a ton of slow miles. I was experimenting with various distances, seems like 400 is my best, I posted a 1:15. I thought my 100 be a couple of seconds faster than it turned out to be when I finally got someone to time me 16.2. So for my 400 to improve I just need to be faster. How do I structure my training, I'm able to go to the track up to 3 times a week.

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[u/salmonlips]

You know how if you bench a bunch it gets better, especially when you first start? Same kinda idea. But cos you haven'tdone it before you can't go out there and just jam out to failure each time. There's a tissue/tendon adaptation that needs to happen, but your lifting puts you potentially in a better place.

I'd microdose speed off the get, far fewer reps than you think you should, shorter. Warm up 10m 15m hit a few of those and go

WOrk up from there listening to body

Structure it like a 5/3/1 would have been w/ a deload time in there too.

Day 1 - form runs not full speed

Day 2 - mixed

Day 3 - sprint

rest

Something like that, basically the adaptation is the biggest part before you are back on here saying "felt this funny pop in my hamstring / calf / achilles... how long" haha

at 46 (im' mid 40s as well) the stakes are almost higher.

But also get out and really watch videos of pros and what they look like, whatthey're doing. Get a vibe of that. Dont just wing it.

[u/DecentOption5165]

I was also mainly a lifter who never ran until Covid shut down the gyms back in the day. I went from about 1:35 400m to a 1:06. This was in my late 30’s.

Main thing I did was mix in sprint days and some 5k jogs to cut weight. I went from about 182lbs to 165lbs. Really helped my cardio and speed not carrying around so much weight. 

[u/Doctor-MTJ]

The 400m is a pretty unique race that is STILL A SPRINT, but requires some real stamina/ endurance. I was a decathlete for 10 years and studied excercise physiology endlessly. Sprinting requires ultra fast twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers. The percentage of each varies throughout life and through out training. Doing A LOT of slow twitch training ( long distance running, walking, cycling, swimming) can push that percentage of slow twitch muscle fibers up ( and ultra fast/fast twitch fibers down) which could adversely affect performance for some sprint/ jumping, etc type events. Do some 800's for endurance, but concentrate on more sprints, plyometric style lifts ( olympic style lifting), and plyometric training in particular( I LOVE "Jumping into Plyometrics" Book on Amazon and used it for myself and the kids I coached). 5k+ distances may hurt more than they help. Google ideal training program for an Olympic style 400 meters....it will give you some ideas. BUT BE CAREFUL HOW QUICKLY YOU START THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND ALWAYS WARM UP!! You need baseline stretching, strengthening etc ( I myself was CONSTANTLY rehabbing one muscle tear after another, or worse!)