text: 400 over 800 any day for gut wrenching.\n\nOf the flat races, I would say its the hardest to run well, but I would put it behind the steeplechase and the 400 hurdles for being the toughest race in a meet.\n\nYou really can't run 800 at "I'm going to die" speed, of course if you go out the 200 like a fool, it may feel like you're doing it.