Yasso 800’s are a track workout that can help predict your marathon time. The theory is that whatever pace you can run 10 x 800-metre intervals (in minutes) is a predictor for your marathon time (in hours). So, for example, if you run your 800-metre repeats in 3:30 this predicts a marathon time of 3:30.
The Yasso 800’s are a great speed workout for runners of all abilities not just marathoners. Besides the physical benefits of speed work, they offer something that is hard to find in training—simplicity. Once you learn how to do Yasso 800’s, you can do them anytime and use them as a tool to improve your running speed and endurance.
History of Yasso 800’s
The Yasso 800’s workout is named after its creator, Bart Yasso, a former chief running officer at Runner’s World. He had been doing the 800’s workout for years helping him predict his marathon times. At the height of his running career Yasso was regularly running sub-three-hour marathons. At the time he said: “If I can get my 800’s down to 2 minutes 50 seconds, I’m in 2:50 marathon shape. If I can get down to 2:40 (minutes), I can run a 2:40 marathon.”
Benefits of Yasso 800’s
Yasso 800’s will improve your endurance, running efficiency, speed and race pace. Running 800-metre intervals for 10 repeats is no easy task, but they will help improve your marathon pace and may help you hit your marathon goal time. They also train your body to perform well even when you are fatigued, boosting your stamina for long-distance races.Yasso 800’s workouts also offer the benefit of simplicity. This is an easy speed workout to remember, which makes all the difference when you’re training. You can also program the workout into your Garmin watch for easy access on the run.
How to Do Yasso 800’s
The original Yasso 800’s workout included 10 repeats of 800 metres (two laps around a standard track), with running recovery laps for an equal amount of time as your fast intervals. For example, if you run your 800-metre intervals in 4:00, then you do a recovery run for four minutes between each interval. As with all interval training, you want to aim for consistency in your times. The first few repeats may not feel very difficult, but it will be challenging to maintain the same pace for 10 intervals.
You can also run a Yasso 800’s workout on the treadmill or outside on roads using a GPS watch or running app to measure 800 metres.
Setting Your Distance
If you are training for a shorter race than a marathon, or if you are just beginning your Yasso 800’s workouts, run four intervals to start. For marathon runners, add an interval each week until you reach 10 x 800’s. Do not add an interval until you meet your time goals in a workout. So, e.g. if your goal is 3:30 and you run four repeats of 800 metres, do not add an 800 for the next week until you can do all four repeats in 3:30 or less.
As with all speed training, you should do a 5- to 10-minute warm-up and cool down run at a relaxed pace before and after
your workout. Do not forget also to stretch. I recommend doing the Yasso 800’s workout once a week when you are in training mode.
Sample Yasso 800’s Workout
Here is a sample workout you can use to start your own speed training. Do this speed workout once a week until your race and add in some time to taper if you are marathon training.
Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at a relaxed, easy pace. Do dynamic stretches.
Intervals: Run 800 metres (half of a mile or two laps on a standard running track) at your goal pace. For marathon runners, this will be your goal race time in minutes. (For a 4-hour marathon, run your 800’s in four minutes). Do 10 intervals.
Recovery: Jog for the same amount of time as your interval but at a relaxed, recovery pace.
Do a recovery jog between each 800-metre interval.
Cool down: Run for 10 minutes at a relaxed, easy pace. Stretch.
Yasso 800’s Workout Modifications
If you are training for a shorter race than a marathon, you can adapt the Yasso 800’s workout to your distance goals. For a half-marathon, I recommend doing at least five 800’s, and for a 5-kilometre or 10-kilometre race, run at least four 800’s.
For half-marathon time goals, aim for your 10-kilometre race pace for the 800’s. So, e.g. if you run 10 kilometres at an 8-minute mile pace, run your 800’s at the same pace, in 4 minutes. If you are training for a 5-kilometre or 10-kilometre race, run your 800’s 30 seconds slower than your goal 5-kilometre pace.
The simplest way to run your Yasso 800’s workout is at a track. Then you will know that running two laps equals 800 meters, which is easy to measure.
This article is edited for length and reprinted with permission from Marnie Kunz – www.runstreet.com.
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