How to Run Your FASTEST 800 Meters

Whether it's a time trial or a race, using this technique will help you run your fastest 800m.

Thank you for watching this video. My favorite days are those that stimulate me physically and mentally. Athletics keeps my body fit, entrepreneurial business keeps my mind fit. Welcome to the life of the ATHLETEPRENEUR!
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Nick Symmonds is a two-time Olympian and a serial entrepreneur. He is the founder and president of Nick Symmonds, LLC and the co-founder and CEO of Run Gum, a caffeinated chewing gum company that gives people a quick boost in energy and focus with their revolutionary energy gum.

Nick holds a degree in biochemistry from Willamette University. He is also an Eagle Scout, a published author, and an accomplished fly fisherman and mountaineer.

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Follow Nick Online Here:

Run Gum can be found here:

[bragswag]

“The 800 meter is not that hard”

Me: laughs in lactic acid

[cb]

“How to run your fastest 800 meter dash”, run as fast as you can for two laps

[Jellonova]

Nick Symmonds casually running a sub 2 min 800 by himself...

[jen-kgdo]

pov: the night before you run the 800 in a meet

[nicksymmonds]

Final time was 1:59.93. Very happy, very sore!! What do you think of my #1 tip for running your fastest 800?

[Ak-igos]

5000 like for nick then he will train for Tokyo

[psycheagle]

You've got to kidding me how tf he been able to get all splits right I'm astonished

[nilscarlbengt]

You have an impressive PB, Nick. It is inspiring even for me who has reached the age of 60 and a pb 1.59 from 1976 to watch your videos. I still run a few times a week and will continue to do so for several more decades.

[europaeuropa]

If you can still run that kind of time when you turn 50 years old, you might be able to beat the world age group record, 1:58.65, held by Nolan Shaheed which was set in 2011. I actually ran against him in an age group track meet and got left in the dust.

[catherinerichter]

He casually hits all his splits


Me: goes 5 seconds too fast or too slow😂

[ralphperez]

That +2 differential is a sweet spot. I ran my PR of 2:04 with 61, 63. I came out in last place moved into the top 10 on the 2nd lap

[CharCharOfficial]

These are my tips as somebody who went 1:51 in 4th grade. (Obviously im kidding -- in 12th grade and go 1:56.) Ok -- think about the race as a 4x200m.


So, first 200 meters: Get out strong. At the 200m mark, you should be feeling good. If you are already tired after 200m, slow it down a little. Like you should be pushing it, but you shouldn't feel yourself getting drained.


200-400: Maintain. Keep the pace going. At the 400 mark you are gonna start feeling tired -- thats fine. That's good. You are getting ready for the step for


400-600 -- push it. Push. That. Shit. You need to feel like you are speeding up, BUT STAY CONTROLLED. DO NOT SPRINT. DO. NOT. SPRINT. DON'T DO IT. Start to use your arms a little bit more and start to get into a rhythm. This is by far the most important part of the race. No doubt about it. No hate, but anybody who says something else is wrong. This is the part of the race where, if you got out too slow, you pick it up. If you got out too fast, you try your god-damned best to keep that pace going. Remember, you will naturally slow down at this part of the race, so you have to feel like you are speeding up just to stay anywhere near your previous pace. (There is a reason why this is the most painful race in T&F.) Ok, now, time for the hardest part. 600-800. I have to split this into two more parts. Sorry, I know I'm breaking my own rules. Ok,


600-700: Pick it up even more. Don't sprint yet, but you should be feeling like you are like 80% of a full sprint. Your arms should be pumping, high cadence (meaning fast legs), pretty much getting ready for


700-800, where you: Send it. Just send it. This is it. There is nothing to wait for now. Just go for it. If you die, you die. Just fucking go for it. Balls to the wall. This. Is. Fucking. It. You should either be sprinting or on the fucking ground by now. No matter how tired you are, no matter what happened 700 meters ago, this is it. Go for it. Ok, that's all I got for how to run the 800. Now just a few things to not worry about:


1) Don't overthink it. These are just some guidelines that are helpful for me, but if something else works for you, do that.
2) Don't worry about heel/toe striking. I heel strike and I got to state finals, so really, just do what is comfortable.
3) Don't think negative. Don't think "aaah i feel so tired, " think "I only have one more minute to go." Think about the clout you will get when you're done with your race and you broke two.

[Ak-igos]

I break 2 minutes in 3 year and nick break 2 after 3 year rest, 115 dislike are those who have not broken 2 minutes 800m yet feeling jealous 😂😂😂

[Linkmon]

Haha this was the motivation I need, I’m running an 800 in a random summer meet on Monday and I’m also shooting for the magical 1:59.9 so we will see how that goes 👀

[bagel]

I'm disappointed, I was expecting a ritual to give me superspeed.

[BoomBoom]

The accuracy of those splits is just insane. He literally hit each split to the tenth of a second

[nicktheavatar_]

I only ran in ONE track meet in high school ever. It was the Varsity 800m. I was surprised coach actually put me in for an event LOL and then I proceeded to run a 2:27 in that meet and I finished in last place lmao

[ImOnlyRandom]

The dislikes are the people who can’t run 800 meters

[paytonkohlberg]

Y’all be hoping to break 2 when I’m hoping to break 3😂😭

[GPM]

I ran track in my senior year. I had never run track b4. I ran CC then track 400 and 800meters in 1980... 9 months of training I hit 1:59.98. Imagine if I would have skipped baseball and basketball all those years, which is what made me fast, and gave me endurance; 50 line drills a day in basketball and a state berth. Then I changed schools, broke my collar bone; a new buddy talked me into CC and track. Best time of my life. Nearly qualified for state with bronchitis killing me the day I ran 1:59. Good memories..Thanks Nick.