The Sprint Calculator was written by Christopher Glaeser. For documentation on how to use the this calculator see Sprint Calculator User Guide.
What you measure, you improve!
Athlete Data
Speed Workout
Timed Sprint
Improvement Predictor
Preferences
Please share this application so others may benefit.
I used what I learned from the previous version and wrote a completely new sprint calculator. You can now specify that blocks were used for any or all sprints. The calculate buttons now use a more efficient protocol so that the page no longer reloads on each button click. Time permitting, I’ll add more error checking for out-of-range values and also a user manual. If you have questions, comments, or feedback, please post them in the comments section below. – Christopher
This is great! We just had our team time trial now I will be using this site to help guide my workouts over the next few weeks.
1. How does ARS target “musculoskeletal force output”?
2. how does the intervention % work? how do higher and lower percentage affect it? I read the user guide and still don’t understand
Trey,
The ASR Sprint Calculator can be used in various ways to design workouts and predict future performances, but to answer your question about intervention, consider this example. Suppose you have recently tested your 30m and 300m fly times, and you want run the 60m fly. Given your times for the 30m and 300m, the calculator can determine your 60m time, assuming you are rested and not fatigued. The intervention is calculated by adding a percentage to that time. For example, if you expect to run the 60m in 6.50 sec, and the intervention is 5%, then the intervention time is 1.05 x 6.50 = 6.83 sec. The idea is that rather than running a fixed number of 60m flys, instead you run 60m flys until your time exceeds 6.83 sec. This ensures your workout is focused on quality rather than quantity. Used appropriately, it may also reduce the potential for injury, particularly at the masters level, allowing the athlete to avoid unnecessary work, especially when fatigued.
Hey Christopher,
What should the run up distances be for a fly in 30m and 300m?
1) Is the run up zone longer for a fly in 30m then it would be for a 300m?
2) Do girls need a longer run up zone then do boys?
In the Spirit of Sport
Platinum Sports Academy
Jonathan Sherbourne
Excellent question, Jonathan. The run up distance should be selected to maximize the performance of each fly. In addition, I recommend sub-maximal accelerations with the objective to maximize the fly performance. So, the run up for a 30 m fly would be longer than a 300 m fly, a female run up distance would typically be shorter than a male distance, and a novice distance would typically be shorter than an elite distance. Note that when performing sub-maximal accelerations, the run up distance can vary considerably for each athlete, particularly for the short fly distances. (The run up distances for the 300 m is not as critical; 12 to 15 m is generally about right). When I am working with a group of athletes, I place flat soccer cones to mark their starting locations. Some prefer to start with an easy plyo hop for the first three steps, so that will extend them back a bit. Others prefer a bit more aggressive start, so that moves them closer.
Note that it is quite common for younger sprinters to delay their effort for the shorter flys, in which case they are still accelerating at the end of the 30 m, and their fastest eight steps do not fall in the center of the 30 m fly as desired. To solve this problem, I set up the timing equipment to divide the 30 m fly into two 15 m segments. Then I show them the two splits. If the second split is faster than the first split, that means they were still accelerating. Athletes of all ages understand time and this is an opportunity for them to solve this for themselves. After a couple sessions, they begin to develop the feel of placing the fastest eight steps in the center of the 30 m fly. – Christopher
Hi Chris
This is an amazing source!
I work with a large number of athletes and would like to set up a chart that predicts the times my athletes should run at certain distances.
Would you mind sharing the equations used?
Thanks
Hi:
I’m having a little difficulty with 800m calculation. I’ll get at 65 second time for the 400 and then a 180 time for the 800m which seems off. Am I doing something wrong.
Goyo,
Which calculation are you using? (e.g. Speed Workout). What are all the input parameters? (e.g. short distance, short time, long distance, long time, blocks or no blocks).
Best,
Christopher
This is fantastic! Have you guys put out any articles on frequency of training (i.e. number of times per week) using the sprint calculator and ASR method generally?
I’m curious about some results I’m getting and was wondering if anyone else has had something similar come up. I have two guys with the following stats:
Athlete A – 40m Fly – 3.94, 300m – 34.7
Athlete B – 40m Fly – 4.11, 300m – 35.42
When I use the calculator to predict the 800m times, Athlete A has a time of 121.79 and athlete B has a time of 117.23. How is Athlete B predicted to run a faster 800m than athlete A, when Athlete A has both a faster 40 and 300m time?
Good question, Jon. It depends on how much faster they are in the 40 fly compared to the 300 fly. Sprinters are typically much faster in the 40 fly and somewhat faster in the 300 fly than mid-distance runners, but there is a distance where they cross over (e.g. 600). If the cross-over distance is 600 m, the the sprinter will be faster at all distances less than 600, and the mid-distance athlete will be faster at all distances longer than 600 m. Sprinters have a steeper ASR curve compared to distance runners. Sprinters are faster in the short distances, but as you extend the distance, their average m/s is actually slower than distance runners for the longer distances.
This is great!! I was wondering if there is a way to take running in trainers into consideration? Because of the track surface I have and my shins playing up, i’m still running in trainers.
Thanks.
Kim, I am not aware of timing comparisons of trainers versus spikes. – Christopher
Is the calculator sold separately or part of the free lap system?
Do you know the conversion for a 300m to 400m?
Thanks,