@Nick Cole-Butler I have never done formal track sprinting but I do know that the University of Houston, an elite track and field program only does the warmup for the first week of the season. So I have to imagine that the ramp period is VERY long As far as quarterfinals, this is a complex topic. I have some initial thoughts but I would formalize it but here are some known tactics I would use with class 1. Strict gymnastics strength development from May until December - this is one of the biggest separators at the open and QF level. I would want my kipping technique work as extra credit but have clinics available throughout the year 2. Absolute strength development year round with olympic lifting technical emphasis from May until November. Then increase loading in strength work through the end of December before bringing it into metcons 3. Engine development. I like to take a bit more of a shotgun approach with class. I think that if you can let go of "strength + metcon" you will see that a lot of class members are very open to a 40 minute emom. The short sprint power work work I would try to limit to no more than 2x per week with one of those being VERY short. Then mix intervals and true metcons. I tend to gravitate towards simplistic movements in metcons throughout most of the year (rowing, burpees, double unders, lunges, wall balls, thrusters, power based oly lifts) but as quarters approaches you have to take people through more complexity if you truly want them prepared. My preference is to have a QF track that takes the same workout and layers in that complexity while still participating 4. Skills practice as a buy out so that your top athletes can do ring muscle ups, HS walks, GHD sit ups after class without negatively impacting the next class 5. Emphasize fun in the class... people who are excited to train get more out of it and show up with higher frequency. The simple reality is that in order to perform in quarters, you have to have some base level of volume

@Kyle Ruth what is the intention behind the zone 2 piece? Are we looking for minimum effective dose of zone 2, something to finish or precede a session? Something else?

@Kyle Ruth so I would structure it something along these lines for zone 2 replacement 15 minute warmup: 1k EB, 200m jog at true zone 2 pace (2 min/mile slower than 5k pace) --- 6 x 200m run at LT2 effort (45 minute-60 minute), walk 1:1 4-6 minute EB at R1 effort x 4 sets Then if they needed more tissue tolerance than that, I would have them loaded walk after. All in this session accumulates about 6k worth of running. Heart rate will likely never go above zone 2 but we keep the quality of contraction much higher and more readily applicable to the sport

@Charles Chung I think that peak power time orientation is going to be related to the nature of the human. People who are "twitchy" will trend towards earlier and people who are a bit more enduring will trend late. That said, on a fly wheel bike, hardly anyone can go sooner than 5 or 6 seconds because of how the machine reads. Something I would be curious is if peak wattage changes with a spinning start... so something like 10 seconds at 50-60 rpm then attack @Kyle Ruth

One of my favorite rules is if the congestion/pressure is above the neck, you can train with modified intensity. If its in the chest, you rest. Personally, I have a few things that I find help with prevention 1. Get in the sauna more frequently 2. Focus on making sure that I am nasal breathing as much as possible when away from exercise 3. Increase sleep by 15-20 minutes per night on average