Yasso 800s

I live onboard a ship a week at a time and am thus relegated to a treadmill every other week. I've seen a training routine called YASSO 800s mentioned elsewhere on this site which could break up the "lab rat" effect of running distance on a treadmill. Just wondering if anyone has actually used them for marathon training and how realistic are they?

They do help you, but they're just interval sessions really. As to the time for the marathon - well you need to be proficient at the distance to achieve that. (My downfall)


If you could do a long one as soon as you get off the ship, and just before you go back again, and then use the treadmill for shorter runs or intervals, then you should do all right. But it is the long run that is the key for Marathons. I presume that's what you are going for ?

I did Yasso's as part of my marathon plan a couple of years ago. You're supposed to start by doing 5 lots and build to 10 lots a few weeks before the marathon. I was on 10 after a couple of weeks and carried on doing them every week for about 10 weeks. I was doing them at the time in 3:15 and took the same rest as suggested. I completed the marathon in 3:38 after a bad run/virus. My friend who trained with me and was doing them in 3:09 did the marathon in 3:25.

As Cougie says they're just intervals, but they did give a structure to my training at the time.

I agree with Hilly and Cougie. If you are at a decent weekly mileage level (eg Hilly) then you can get to 10x800s pretty quickly. Similarly I have found that 10x800 in 3:15 each with 2m rest doesn't guarantee a 3:15 marathon. It may help, but there's no magic formulaic link. In fact you probably need to be doing them a bit quicker to be of significant use. (3:05 800m for 3:15 mara).

However, I would suggest that the formula can be used in reverse. If you can't do 10x800 at 3:15 for 800, then you're probably not fit enough for a 3:15 marathon. Of course the flaw is that an interval session is not a marathon. You could in theory be marathon trained but not interval trained. Hilly and others have proven that you can be interval trained, but not marathon trained to the same indicator level.

Does this make sense?

Anyway.....do use the programme. Treadmill hamsters need something to live for!

My experience is a shared one with above runners. Training for a marathon a couple of years ago I was able to manage say 8 times 800m @ 3 mins with 200m rec ok (supposedly equating to a 3 hour marathon), but come the big day went round in 3hr 21m.

In hindsight, regardless of the Yasso's i didn't have the endurance, and secondly running on the treadmill at speed is that bit easier than the track.


So as ever it's not straightforward, that said i enjuoy a Yasso session as it goes!!