Workout Description
For Time
800 meter Run
Why This Workout Is Easy
A single 800m run is simple, low skill, and short in duration. Most athletes finish between 2–6 minutes with no external loading or complex movements. The challenge comes from sustaining near-max aerobic/anaerobic output, not from technical skill or heavy resistance. Appropriate for all levels with simple distance or machine scaling.
Benchmark Times for 800m Run
- Elite: <2:20
- Advanced: 2:30-2:45
- Intermediate: 3:00-3:15
- Beginner: >5:30
Training Focus
This workout develops the following fitness attributes:
- Speed (9/10): This is a near-sprint for most athletes. Cadence, quick transitions around the track, and the ability to hold a fast pace with a strong finish heavily influence performance.
- Endurance (7/10): Sustained hard effort for 2–6 minutes taxes the aerobic system with significant anaerobic contribution. Breathing, pacing, and oxygen delivery decide the outcome more than muscular fatigue or technical skill.
- Power (6/10): A fast 800m needs strong push-off, quick turnover, and a decisive kick. Short, forceful ground contacts and acceleration out of turns emphasize moderate explosive capability alongside aerobic conditioning.
- Stamina (3/10): Limited muscular repetition demand; legs and lungs carry steady output without high local fatigue. The main stamina element is maintaining stride mechanics under rising fatigue in the final 200–300 meters.
- Flexibility (1/10): Only basic running ranges of motion are needed. Adequate ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility help posture and stride length, but there are no extreme positions or mobility barriers to completion.
- Strength (1/10): No external load and minimal maximal force requirements. Leg drive matters, but the workout does not test raw strength; it relies far more on cardiovascular capacity and efficient running mechanics.
Scaling Options
Scale to: 600m run • 400m run • 3:00 hard effort on row/bike/ski
Scaling Explanation
Reducing distance or using a 3-minute monostructural effort preserves the intended fast, near-threshold stimulus while matching each athlete’s current capacity and available equipment.
Intended Stimulus
Fast and intense. You should feel a strong burn in the legs and lungs, settle into a hard pace by 200–300m, then close faster in the second lap. Aim for a negative split with a decisive final 200m kick. Finish breathless but not blown up in the first half.
Coach Insight
Open hard-but-sustainable for 300–400m, then push to negative split lap two. If you can talk in sentences at 400m, you’re too conservative.
The one tip: lock cadence and posture early—tall torso, quick feet, relax the shoulders.
Avoid starting as a full sprint, overstriding, or skipping a warm-up; all three kill your finish.
Benchmark Notes
Times range from beginners jogging it in 5:30+ to elite efforts near 2:20. Middle-of-the-pack athletes should target around 3:15–3:45. Use these tiers to choose pacing and to gauge progress over time toward faster, more consistent splits.
Modality Profile
The workout is purely monostructural: a single run covering 800 meters. There are no gymnastics or loaded movements. All demand is directed at sustained high-speed locomotion, making pacing, rhythm, and cardiovascular output the central performance drivers.
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