The importance of speed endurance training

There is definitely truth that in order to go where you haven't been you have to get out of your comfort zone.  This is definitely true for track sprinters who run the 100m, 200m and 400m races.  Over distance work will get them out of their comfort zone (even if don't want to).

Speed endurance training is widely used at the the elite level and is very effective.  The most important part to these workouts is to allow for complete recovery between.  This is due to the large amount of stress and demands that are placed on the body and the central nervous system.

For complete recovery 15-20 minutes should be allowed.  By allowing this much rest in between sets the athlete can perform at their best with all out effort.  These types of workouts will last last over 2 hours and require light recovery workouts in the days afterwards.

The coach of Marita Koch (woman's 400m wr record holder of 47.60 set at the 1985 Canberra World Cup) was asked what her toughest workout was.  It wasn't the 2x500m workout or the 4 sets of 6x60m workout.  Instead it was the speed endurance workout of 4x30m, 60m, 100m, 120m, 150m.  She said she felt "bagged" for the next few days.

Speed is obviously essential for any track sprinter but the ability to both reproduce it and maintain it are paramount.  These workouts are guaranteed to give the athlete the opportunity to do both.