Experts often state that the race we will deal with today is the hardest one of the Olympic races and that it deserves the most respect. Athletes have to run a whole lap around the track which is 400 meters long, which makes this race the longest sprint event. At the first look, the race may look like the other distances we’ve covered before while the only difference is the longevity of it. The reason the 400 meters are so painful is the fact that Athletes have to use three Energy systems to their maximum capacity in order to fulfill their maximum potential. Further details will be explained to you in the upcoming article.

https://pixabay.com/vectors/running-track-running-track-run-1018587

What you have to know about the 400
The Rules are again very similar to the other Sprints mentioned. Athletes use starting blocks in order to get an explosive start and when the starting pistol is fired and no false start is detected, the sprinters push off and have to generate lots of speed in the velocity zone (first 50-70m) as quick as possible. The second section is the “cruise zone” which is about 130 meters long where the athletes try to maintain their speed and form while at the same time trying to conserve energy for the rest of the race. Then the athlete reaccelerates and prepares for the final sprint at the last 150 metres. At that point, the athlete has to put in even more effort and swing their arms upward to create momentum in order to finish first. At the beginning, the body uses the energy that allows him to get a quick and powerful start across the first 50 metres in order to reach top speed. After that, the athlete’s body builds up lactic acid as he tries to keep up his speed which results in the muscles fatiguing for the next 150 metres. From now on, the body will try to produce anaerobic energy which will be done much more slowly as the other energy sources mentioned before. As a result the body can’t produce the energy demanded at the end, causing muscles to be negatively affected. This can also be the reason for athletes falling at the end of the race as so much pressure is put on the body meanwhile the race. As the athlete feels the pain in all his muscle fibers but still has to continue, the race is also a great mental challenge.

History and WR’s
The 400 Meter Sprint has been a part of the Summer Olympic program since 1896 for men and 1964 for women. The first official men’s world record was set in 1912 by the US athlete Charles Reidpath with a time of 48.2 seconds. In contrast to that, the current world record is more than 5 seconds faster. Wayde van Niekerk from South Africa is the current world record holder with an astonishing time of 43.03 seconds at the 2016 Olympics. The women’s world record got achieved by Marita Koch from East Germany in 1985 with a time of 47.60 seconds.
How you can improve for longer sprints
If you want to jump into the training directly, your structure could look like this:

• 2 speed runs per week in order to improve your maximum speed and that you become “comfortable” with the pace you have at your race. For example: 6x30m with short rest times in between them
• Increasing your lactic acid tolerance is striking too for the 400 meters. Here you could do 6x300M for 2 sets with jogs in between and full recovery between the sets
• You should also include small easy runs (30 minutes) where you train your oxygen system and your base endurance
• Incorporate 2 rest days per week in order to fully recover
  If you are a beginner and not very trained for running you should start slowly and carefully in order to prevent injuries. This structure is just for showing you how a training routine could look like. You can also change the distances and times so that you have the perfect training routine for yourself that fits your needs and goals.

Why the 400m is the Ultimate Race – stack
Science explains why 400m is the hardest race in the Olympics that ‘no-one can run all-out’ (sportbible.com)
400 Meter Training – A Scientific Approach (speedendurance.com)
400 Metres (worldathletics.org)
Why 400m Final at Olympics is Considered ‘Hardest’ Race in Athletics (givemesport.com)