Can you predict your marathon time based on how long it takes you to run 800 meters? Try Yasso 800s. First popularized by Bart Yasso at Runner's World, this marathon workout is based on 800 meter intervals, is simple to perform, and provides a good training benefit. But what really makes Yasoo 800s popular is their power to predict your eventual marathon finish time. Skeptical? Check it out.
Beginning a couple of weeks before your goal marathon, start doing Yasso 800s once a week. The first week, do 4 intervals of 800 meters each, jogging between intervals for as many minutes as it took to run the interval. Go to 5 intervals the following week, then add one more each week until you reach 10. The last Yasso 800 workout should be about two weeks before your goal marathon.
So how fast should you run the intervals? That's the beauty of Yasso 800s. Your target time for each interval in minutes and seconds should be the same as your target time for the marathon in hours and minutes. So if you hope to run a 3:20 marathon, then run each 800m repeat in 3 minutes, 20 seconds. If you can do 10 x 800 at that pace, then you're in good shape to reach your marathon goal on race day.
