Coach Education Resources
Sprint Training Distances and Drill Types: Evidence Based Guide for Coaches
Learn what the evidence says about setting the right distances and intensities for your desired sprinting training adaptations.
Relay Changeovers: Setting the Go Mark (4x100m)
Most relay time is won or lost in the exchange zone, and the go mark decides it. Enter your four runners’ 100 m times to get a starting go mark for every exchange, in metres and heel-to-toe steps, plus the rules and passing technique.
100m: National Level Standards
How fast is “national level” in the 100m? This interactive guide explores championship performances from 2019 to 2026 across every age group, from U14 to Open. Compare winning times, finals cutoffs, top-eight averages and entry standards and discover what the results really say about progression, performance and the pathway to the national stage.
Heat Doesn't Wait For The Unfit
Chicago 2007 hit 25°C and 30.7% of the field didn't finish. Heat acclimation fixes most of that in one to two weeks, and you don't need a chamber - a normal run and a hot bath will do it.
Not All Fatigue Is The Same
Eccentric fatigue is the assumed villain, except in the legs, where it often isn't. A sprinter, a marathoner and a trail runner break down in three different tissues on three different timelines, and coaching all three the same way fixes none of them.
Same Speed. Different Shapes.
A sprinter and a footballer can hit the same top speed and look nothing alike. New research pulls the two apart, front-side against ground-based, and finds the shape isn't what decides the speed. Here's what actually does, and how to coach it.
MAS and ASR Calculator
A pace and zone calculator for endurance coaches. One maximal run gives MAS, anaerobic speed reserve, six zones and example sessions with every rep target worked out for the athlete in front of you.
Borrowed From Footballers
A sprint is three efforts, not one, and most of the research was run on footballers. How to train acceleration, top speed and speed endurance across the 100, 200 and 400, with calculators for splits, sled loads and fly targets.
Talking 400m with Peter Fortune and Nik Hagicostas
In this coaching conversation, Peter Fortune and Nik Hagicostas share their insights on one of athletics’ most demanding events: the 400m. Drawing on decades of experience with elite and developing athletes, they explore speed reserve, race modelling, youth development, recovery, and the patience required to build robust 400m runners.
The Stretch Shortening Cycle in Practice: A Five Stage Guide for Track and Field Coaches
This article explains the stretch shortening cycle and why it matters for sprinting, jumping, and throwing, then we outline a simple five stage progression from capacity and isometrics through to event specific speed and high intensity reactive work, with practical exercise examples for athletics coaches.
Long-Term Development of Sprinters: Part 2
Sprint technique depends not only on correct movement patterns, but also on whether the athlete has the strength and coordination to execute them effectively.
Physical preparation gives athletes the foundation to express speed. It underpins technique, protects against injury, and unlocks sprinting potential. For teenage sprinters, a long-term, well-structured strength and conditioning plan is essential, beginning with general athleticism and becoming more specific as the athlete matures.
Long-Term Development of Sprinters: Part 1
Developing young sprinters starts with sound technique, but that doesn’t mean over-coaching or chasing a mythical “perfect” model.
This first of 8 installments of our Coaching Development Sprinters series breaks down what matters most at each stage of development, from upright mechanics to acceleration posture, and provides practical cues and exercises.
Best Practices for Resisted Sprint Training for Acceleration and Maximum Velocity
What You Need to Know About Resisted Sprint Training.
Discover how resisted sprint training can transform your athletes’ acceleration, sprint mechanics, and explosive power. This evidence-based guide covers optimal resistance loads, distances, sets, reps, periodisation strategies, and the best tools for sprinters.
What ALL Coaches Need to Understand About Hamstrings
Why do hamstrings always seem to blow up just when things are going well? This quick, coach-friendly deep dive unpacks the real role of the hamstrings in sprinting, why they get overloaded, and—most importantly—how to train them smarter for both injury prevention and peak performance.
🎥 Includes a must-watch video breakdown, practical takeaways, and real-world coaching strategies to keep your athletes firing on all cylinders.
Rethinking The Role of A- and B-Skips in Improving Sprinting Performance
Go to any track on any given day and the chances are you’re going to see athletes doing A-skips and B-skips at some point. But how well do these drills actually replicate the movements of maximal sprinting? This article will look into the results of an article examining the kinematic and spatiotemporal differences between sprinting and these popular drills, providing valuable insights for coaches aiming to maximise sprint performance.
Pool Running : Maximising Adaptations Beyond Rehabilitation
This article explores key benefits, effective techniques, and tailored session plans for both sprinters and distance runners of pool running. Whether you're looking to maintain fitness, build resilience, or introduce low-impact conditioning, this comprehensive overview will show you how to integrate pool running seamlessly into your training programs.
Muscular Strategy Shifts in Sprint Training: Implications for Training Cues and Exercises
The muscular strategy shifts identified by Dorn, Schache, and Pandy (2012) provide essential insights for sprint training, particularly for 100m and 200m sprinters. Coaches should focus on developing hip muscle strength and power to improve stride frequency and optimise sprint performance.
Purposeful Sprint Drills: Boosting Technique and Performance with Informed Choices for Track Coaches
This article summarises key findings from a study investigating the selection and rationale behind sprinting drills used by track and field coaches. It focuses particularly on coaches' understanding of how these drills impact sprint performance and technique.
Energy System Chart - How to Train Maximum Speed, Speed Endurance, and Tempo
This chart provides a general overview of the optimal distances, intensity, rest, progression, and daily training loads for developing the different components of speed, speed endurance, special endurance and tempo running.
Hamstring Muscle Strains in Sprinters
This research paper focuses on hamstring strains in sprinters. The study systematically investigated the first six weeks following a hamstring strain in sprinters, including clinical examinations, MRI investigations and assessments of strength and flexibility. Key findings included a strong correlation between the location of the injury, distance from the ischial tuberosity and the time to return to pre-injury level, as well as the impact of proximal tendon involvement on recovery.