Sprint Workout For Track: Unleash Your Speed

The goal of a true sprint workout for track is to make a sprinter faster in a specific race. But many “speed workouts” for sprinters are just unproductive.

Most of these workouts focus too much on high-volume sprints. These workouts tire sprinters out because of the short recovery times. This may look good to an untrained athlete or a stubborn coach. But you don’t get faster by running at sub-maximal speeds with short recoveries. You get faster by actually sprinting.

Running 10, 200-meter sprints at 65-70% of your max speed, with 2-minute breaks, does not increase maximum speed. Tempo runs are great for fat loss and conditioning but, they don’t make you faster.

You get faster by sprinting at over 90% of your max speed. You should also take full recoveries between sprints.  Quality, not quantity is the name of the speed game.

Sprint Workout For Track

200m and 400m sprinters will benefit the most from this type of workout due to the intensity and the distances of the reps. This workout is great for big gains in race-specific speed and fitness.  My rating system for speed is below.

Rating System For Speed/Special Endurance Training:
100 percent = maximum or peak speed
95 percent = very fast
90 percent = fast
85 percent = reasonably fast
80 percent = no longer fast

Note: Speed/special endurance workouts take place in the 85-95 percent range.

The Workout

Rep 1) 1 x 100m
* sprint the first 40 meters at 90-95 percent speed
* sprint the next 60 meters at about 85-90 percent speed
– rest 8-10 minutes

Rep 2) 1 x 120m
* sprint the first 40 meters at 90-95 percent speed
* sprint the next 80 meters at about 85-90 percent speed
– rest 8-10 minutes

Rep 3) 1 x 150m
* sprint the first 40 meters at 90-95 percent speed
* continue to sprint the next 60 meters at about 85-90 percent speed
* finish the final 50 meters at about 85 percent speed
 – rest 8-10 minutes

Rep 4) 1 x 200m
* sprint the first 40 meters at 90-95 percent speed
* continue to sprint the next 80 meters at about 85 percent speed
* finish the final 80 meters at about 85 percent speed
– workout over

How To Calculate Your Speed

Your current or most recent fastest time (in seconds) divided by the time you ran in the workout (in seconds).  I’ll use myself as an example below:

100m PR 11.57 / 12.60 = 91.8 percent of my maximum speed
150m PR 17.67 / 19.33 = 91.4 percent of my maximum speed
200m PR 23.78 / 26.60 = 89.3 percent of my maximum speed

When choosing times to base your workout on, make sure they are relative to your current level of fitness.  All the times I used were from my 2017 summer track season.  I chose to not use the times from 2018 or 2019 because I was injured, and those times were lousy.  I did not want to cheat myself.

Fatigue and rust played a factor in my 200-meter time dropping under the 90 percent threshold. I needed to sprint a 26.42 to hit my goal.  You must keep in mind that all of your speeds are relative based on where you are in the workout. Your 95 percent speed on your 1st rep and your 4th rep could be slower by a few tenths or hundredths.

Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IzxLVgvZi8&t=2s&ab_channel=FitmanPerformance

• Perform a sprinter warm-up before you begin this workout.  Skimping on or skipping your warm-up increases the chances that you will blow out a hamstring.  And I’m not coming to see you in the ER if you go this route.

• Rest 8-10 minutes between reps.  Full recoveries will maximize your sprinting performance.

If you are a sprinter or a coach, I suggest you invest in the Freelap Timing System. It records accurate, unbiased times. If you are unable to invest in Freelap, you can use a stopwatch. But be aware that the times will not be as accurate due to human error.

• Finally, if you are out of shape, this workout will hurt you real bad. But you must stick with it over time in order to dominate your competition on the track.

Conclusion

You do not get fast by running slow.

I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman