Which events

[grahamcarter]

If one were running in an event such as the 800, would it be more beneficial to also run the 400 or to also run the 1600? Why?

[cmartin2k5]

If you mean for training purposes, it wouldn't hurt to do both of them. Racing the 400 will improve your speed, and the 1600 is going to help your endurace out. If you mean which double is easier to succeed at, in general, you see more people who are successful doubling at the 800/1600, but that's mostly because 800 training is a lot closer to mile training than it is to 400 training. What kind of times do you run in the three events...or are you just starting track?

[Sum_Bum]

Quadrupple. Do the 800, 400, 1600 (I prefer 1500) and 4x400 OR 3200

[watchout]

If one were running in an event such as the 800, would it be more beneficial to also run the 400 or to also run the 1600? Why?

More beneficial to run the 400 if you are training for the 800. You always train with less distance and more speed.

[AzN at LARGE]

More beneficial to run the 400 if you are training for the 800. You always train with less distance and more speed.
i thought it was the other way around, aren't distance type 800 runners generally more succesful? by the way i could be totally off on this.

[wsgeneral]

A race up for speed endurance, one race down for speed. Simple as that.
For meets as workouts, here are some ideas.

Distance combo (not all that common anymore)
4 x 8
1600
800
3200

Middle distance combo
4 x 8
1600
800
4 x 4

Long Sprint combo
4 x 8
400
800
4 x 4

Speed development combo
4 x 2
4 x 1
400
200 (or 4 x 4)

[grahamcarter]

i'm not just starting, but i was just seeing which would improve my 800 more. I run about a 54 (400m), 2:05 (800m), and a 4:50 (I know my 1600 is way slower than my other two).

[cmartin2k5]

Sounds like you could benefit from some more endurance just based on the mile time compared to the other two. You have pretty good speed for a 2:05 guy, so I think you could probably stand to benefit a lot from racing more in the 1600. That's just my 2 cents though...others will probably say that you show more promise in the shorter end, but if it's really the 800 you want to focus on, I say step up to the 1600 a little more often.