Sprints should be a large part of your program. The 800 isn't really an endurance event. You should squat, lunge, etc for 13-20 repititins, with abot 30seconds rest between sets. This keeps you in the strenght endurace zone.

Hill sprints, running stairs, and Rebounding should do it for you! No need for weight training for what you do. Just run hill sprints and stairs hard! Rebounding cleans out your system, and so much more! I'll bet you never even heard of rebounding except in basketball. Well check it out. Click on the link below.
http://www.needakrebounders.com/rebounding_for_health.html

I disagree that strength training is not needed for an 800metre runner. Having a solid strength base is essential. The abiltiy to produce greater forces with each step is essential to improve speed as is metabolic conditioning. If you can produce a greater force with the same input or the same force with less effort - i.e. improve rate of force development and peak force development, then you will improve perofrmance. I am not saying strength training alone will increase performance but it will help. Most research into strength training clearly highlights this relationshiop between increased strength and increased rate and peak force development.

As for programming for the 800 metres, look at www.brainmac.demon.co.uk

For strength training, you need to planthe year. There is no single method of training which will also change as your prep plan progresses throughotu the year. I disagree too that you need to be working in strength endurance zone. Your track training will utilise what every strength you have from the gym into what strength needs of the sport. Dont limit max strength by working on high reps, look at lower reps with heavier weights. I am not a believer of high reps. The force development will start to be less than what you produce in a race. Also having 30 seconds rest wil make te activity more aerobic - defeating the object of strength training. Keep the training to lower reps and higher sets on the fundamental lifts - squats and lunges. Give yourself 3-5minutes rest. Supersetting is very good tidea too. I tend to used super sets with most of my athletes.

Look at the difference between any true sprinter and long distance runner (who have been doing it for years), The sprinter will always have much more muscle in both his upper and lower body. Sprinting is very hard work, and very demanding on the body. Remember, I'm not talking about regular sprinting... I'm talking about Hill Sprints which adds to the demanding load. Hill sprinting increasing muscle strength where it is needed for running without the bulking effect. I do not believe that weight lifting (especially lifting heavy) will improve one's performance in running of any type.

Remember, the point here anyway is not really about lifting weights to improve performance. It's about making the actual run more demanding so the muscles that are being used for that exercise will need to recover afterwards. This is where gains are made.

If one wants to add to their performance, they should hill sprint, but with a weighted vest! This is by far better than lifting weights both heavy or light! The same goes for stair running with a weighted vest. This is superior to any weight lifting program for runners!

Just one more point here... Any TRUE sprinter can run long distance runs without any trouble, but MOST long distance runners can not run well in sprints.

Keep your training simple... It's not rocket science. Work the muscles that you use for running hard in the actual run itself! Don't waste your time with the weights in the gym. Looking pretty doesn't improve performance!

Running sprints with a weighted vest does improve performance because sprinting uses every muscle in both the lower and upper body. Even the arms and shoulders. A weighted vest adds to the development of strength and breathing. If you want to develope rock hard fiber in your muscle, this is the way to go. Besides, you'll become truely ripped, and that looks pretty!

Some of the best long distance runners in the world would be believe it or not professional soccer players. Find one, and run with him. You'll never keep up!

When you mention a weighted vest, how much weight are you refering to? I haven't see a weighted vest before, but could we just add weights to a jacket?