You should be able to run 400m in under a minute. Athletes of the highest caliber run the 400m in 45–46 seconds. You can qualify for the Olympics if you run a 45-second time.
The best way to improve your time is to work on your form. Do not rush the start or stop moving forward smoothly after taking off from a walk.
A coach will help you find your optimal running style. They can also advise you on how to prepare for different types of races, such as short distance events or the marathon.
Coaches charge anywhere from $15 per hour up to $100 or more per session. The higher rate is for people who want to improve very quickly through repetitive drills. The lower rate is for those who want to learn more about their bodies and how they respond to training.
Finding the right coach is important because they can help you achieve your running goals. If you are looking for a coach, ask fellow runners or trainers at sports centers for recommendations. Make sure to check each coach's background before hiring them. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that athletes look for coaches who have at least a master's degree in exercise science or sport psychology.
Running clubs offer another option for finding a coach.
A typical guy can jog at 8.3mph, which means he can run 100 meters in 27 seconds. A lady can run 100 meters in 34 seconds while jogging at 6.5 mph. A non-elite athlete may run 100 meters in 13–14 seconds, or 15.9 miles per hour. Olympic qualifying times, on the other hand, are significantly lower. An elite male runner's 100 meter time should be under 10 minutes, while a female runner's should be under 11 minutes.
The fastest human beings have run 100 meters in under 9 minutes. But most people will never reach that level of performance. So for average people who want to get better at running, there are several options available. The first thing they need to do is figure out what kind of runner they want to be. If they want to be like the fast people by running fast themselves, then they need to train with speed work and track events. If they just want to be able to walk up the hill back home from school, then they can train primarily by running longer distances and adding intensity (e.g., speed work, cross-training) to their programs.
Even if they don't want to become professional runners, everyone can benefit from running faster 100 meters. The reason is simple: distance runs improve your overall fitness and help you lose weight. So even if you're not looking to compete, running faster 100 meters will help you live a longer life and enjoy it more too!
At the age of 13, a typical track athlete would run the 400m in roughly 1:05. All of our 13-14-year-old lads run in under 60 seconds. A good 400m runner will cover the distance significantly faster. Mekhi Gammons of Miami Gardens Xpress, for example, raced a 48-second 400m in 2019. This means that at the age of 13, he was able to run this distance almost half-way around the track without even trying!
The best 400m times ever recorded by athletes under 15 years old are as follows:
48 seconds, Mekhi Gammons (Miami Gardens, Florida)
47 seconds, David Oliver (Stony Brook, New York)
46 seconds, Christian Malcolm (Spring Valley, New York)
45 seconds, Alan Webb (Fort Worth, Texas)
44 seconds, Ray Brown (Pinola, Mississippi)
43 seconds, Curtis Johnson (Tampa, Florida)
42 seconds, Darvin Kidwell (Columbia, South Carolina)
41 seconds, Walter Dix (Chicago, Illinois)
40 seconds, Leroy Butler (Hamburg, Pennsylvania)
39 seconds, Earl Jones (Brooklyn, New York)
As a sprinter in the 400m, a decent range to be in is 49 to 53 seconds. In the most competitive high school track meets, this will place you in the middle of the pack. But I wouldn't advocate stopping there. If you can run a 400-meter dash in under 50 seconds, you will be among the best in your school, if not the entire community. The times will only get faster as you gain experience and training.
The ideal time to run the 400m is between 4:50 and 5:00 minutes. This should put you in the top 10% of all runners your age across the country.
It's very common for young athletes to want to rush into the world of running too soon. This can lead to many injuries as they try to run like their older peers. It's important to understand that you need to build up to high intensity activities such as sprinting. Start with some easy runs where it's okay if you feel tired at the end of the workout. As you become more comfortable with running, add speed work and short intervals into your routine. That being said, don't worry about how old everyone else is on the field or during practice. Focus on what you can control which is how you perform today. Tomorrow is another day!