12x200m average 28.5 with 45 sec rest and 60 rest

Today I did the 12x200m workout  35 degree weather. There was even a small snow flurry while I was doing this workout and it was a little windy during the first half.  I averaged 29s and 30s for the first six.  I did 1 lap jog and ran the next 6 with a few 27s and 28s and finished my last 200m in 26. I added 15 seconds more rest on the last six and to be able to comfortable run at 1:48 800m pace. 

My plan to PR in the 800m my current PR is 1:51

After doing 2 years of 1 speed workout per week at a pace faster than race pace. It is much easier to do slower race pace intervals with short rest. In fact it felt like I was very controlled at 29 seconds per 200m. Why not do speed work year round? For me it is one of the keys to me being ranked number one at www.mastersrankings.com  in the 800, 1500, and mile for sub masters.  

My philosophy for gaining speed for the 800m run.  

For the first 4 months of a macrocyle starting in August, I continue to 

do 1 speed session per week. An example for me is 6x200m cut downs

29,27,27,26,25,24. My rest is usually a slow 200m jog 

close to 1:30 or 2:00 min rest. I continue doing this during

a three or four month base training phase.  In October, I  lowered

my mileage and introduced a 2 mile tempo runs  or vo2 max boosting workouts. 

An example for me is 2 mile @ 10:@20 or 6x800m @ 2:20. 

In January, I begin to shorten the rest intervals of my speed sessions while

decreasing the speed and increasing the volume of my speed sessions.  An example might be 

12x200m @ 28 with 1 minute rest. An example workout for 3 days

later may be 8 x 300m @ 43 seconds with 90 seconds rest. Several months

ago I was doing this workout as a cutdown 45,44,43,42,41,40,39,38 with 2 or 3 minutes rest. 

I plan to do some longer intervals like 2x400m @ 52 with 4-5 minute recovery.

It is important to introduce long intervals at race pace as we get closer to doing some

racing. 

For the next few months I will gradually increase the speed of my intervals while

keeping the short rest. In addition, I will also decrease the volume proportionally.

An example for a 200m interval workout in 3 months will be 4-5 x 200m @ 24-25 seconds with

1 minute rest or 3x400m @ 54 seconds with 90 seconds rest. With this training 

method I will have had to have completed a few 2x400m @ 52-53 seconds with 3 -4 minute rest. This last part of the Macrocyle will be the peaking phase. With this gradual adaptation, I believe I can maintain this peak fitness for 2 to 3 weeks. I also believe it is important to continue 1 long run and 1 tempo run per week late into the macrocycle. For the 3 week peaking phase, it is important to eliminate the long run and the tempo run.