400m time guidelines

[Stephen Georgiou]

Originally Posted by Brandon Oto

There are at least three competing standards here.

1. Those of a specialist (track athlete)
2. Those of a generalist (CrossFitter)
3. Those of a non-athlete (average Joe)

The confusion is arising because you guys are all thinking at different points on this spectrum.

Everyone's comments have been very helpful for me personally, but perhaps I started this thread off badly by categorizing elite, good, poor etc...these kinds of subjective categories depend entirely upon one's own bias.

How about we broaden it to the following (vague summary of what everyone has aleady stated):

specialist (track athlete): <60
generalist (crossfitter): 61-120 sec
non-athelete (average joe): >121sec

obviously these are now very broad categories, each of which can be further categorized.

Is this better?

[Carl Pawluk]

Amazing!!

I love the open-mindedness of Crossfitters. Awesome. Stephen, now we're getting somewhere!

[Aileen Reid]

I can be quite sensitive about this issue. When I was at school, school sports were set things, most of which I was hopeless at. Getting an "E" for phys Ed at school sort of makes you think you're hopeless. I've done more sport since leaving school and particularly weights and running. If I had to say anything it would be that I'm gifted at weights but not at running. But it doesn't mean I stop running. Because its hard for me I suppose its training effect for me might be greater than for a gifted person????? Who knows. But it keeps me fit, makes me feel good and that's really what counts in my book. For things like running the good thing is you only have to compete with yourself. Keep comparing yourself with others and you can end up pretty demoralised. I don't think that's what its about.

[Veronica Davis]

Originally Posted by Stephen Georgiou

How about we broaden it to the following (vague summary of what everyone has aleady stated):

specialist (track athlete): <60
generalist (crossfitter): 61-120 sec
non-athelete (average joe): >121sec

obviously these are now very broad categories, each of which can be further categorized.

Is this better?

That sounds about right to me. For the workouts like Nancy I'm at about 100 sec for a 400m. I'm sure that if I only had to do one 400m and nothing else I could shave at least 10 seconds off.

[Stephen Georgiou]

Originally Posted by Aileen Reid

I can be quite sensitive about this issue. When I was at school, school sports were set things, most of which I was hopeless at. Getting an "E" for phys Ed at school sort of makes you think you're hopeless. I've done more sport since leaving school and particularly weights and running. If I had to say anything it would be that I'm gifted at weights but not at running. But it doesn't mean I stop running. Because its hard for me I suppose its training effect for me might be greater than for a gifted person????? Who knows. But it keeps me fit, makes me feel good and that's really what counts in my book. For things like running the good thing is you only have to compete with yourself. Keep comparing yourself with others and you can end up pretty demoralised. I don't think that's what its about.

you are absolutely correct, and i didnt intend for it to turn into the equivalent of a school grading report.

what i was after was a context within which i could place my own current abilities.

eg if i were currently running 400 in 2min30secs. Im only in competition with myself, and my immediate short(er) term aim is to shave off 10secs. But I know that ultimately, i should be aiming towards knocking off a minute in the long term, because thats what my peers (peers being an important factor) are able to achieve.

[miguel flores]

Elite: 1:04
Advanced: 1:19
Intermediate: 1:34
Beginner: 2:04
I guess untrained is >=2:05


When it comes to Crossfitters these times are very suitable for measuring performances.

Of course when comparing to track times they pale in comparison. But its a good thing this isnt a track website huh =)

So lets stay away from confusing anyone by comparing standout track times-( in comparison to crossfit) The Crossfit North times are very, how do you say, accurate I guess. When trying to find a good benchmark for 400m times.

[Robert D Taylor Jr]

All in for those CF North running standards, I am a running enthusiast, and faster than anyone at my unit (not an impressive acheivement) and when I'm healthy, my runs never got better than mid level intermediate, which puts me mid pack at races etc.

[Wes Palmer]

Originally Posted by miguel flores

Elite: 1:04
Advanced: 1:19
Intermediate: 1:34
Beginner: 2:04
I guess untrained is >=2:05


When it comes to Crossfitters these times are very suitable for measuring performances.

Of course when comparing to track times they pale in comparison. But its a good thing this isnt a track website huh =)

So lets stay away from confusing anyone by comparing standout track times-( in comparison to crossfit) The Crossfit North times are very, how do you say, accurate I guess. When trying to find a good benchmark for 400m times.

Is this men and women?

[S.S.]

Originally Posted by Wes Palmer

Is this men and women?

The rubric makes no distinction between men and women for this event, although it does for the rows. I'm not entirely sure why. But even a mediocre NCAA female athlete should be able to achieve 64 seconds on the 400m, which translates into an advanced time.

[Lincoln Brigham]

I ran track in high school, but when it came time for sprints Coach would put away his stop watch and get out the calendar. If I said I was slow my high school teammates would tell you I was bragging; I could not break 12 seconds for the 100 yard dash. I ran the 440 yard dash in just under 60 seconds (barely) and the half-mile in 2:11. Last year at age 47 at mile-high elevation I was running 400m intervals at the track at a sub 90-second pace - not sure what I could do in a single all out sprint.

I think some folks are underestimating how much of a hateful suck-fest the 400m sprint is supposed to be when done right. Or they are running them in parking lots, with tight corners. The bottom line is that I think the Crossfit North standards are pretty conservative.