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Coaches Assistant

The Coaches Assistant allows the coach to quickly set up workouts using drop-down lists to select workout times, pace, distance and intensity percentages.  

​*Dropdown selection: *Customizable Time Table: *Customizable Distances!

  • Quickly and Easily put together workouts for all groups and running events.   

  • Have a nice clean printout for coaches and athletes to work from.   

  • Easily update performance times as season progresses. 

  • No need to pull out a calculator every time a workout is designed. 

There are multiple tables and worksheets allowing coaches versatility and ease of putting together workouts with the use of drop-down lists.  This saves time typing and using a calculator to determine workout times.  The Pace/Speed and Interval Distances are selected from drop-down lists and the list data is customized by the user.  The different formats can fit the many different coaching styles for designing workouts.

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There are three (3) basic formats for Sprints, Middle-Distance and Distance to set up the workouts:

  1.  The coach can use a simple method of goal pace and set up workouts based on a goal time for a specific race distance.

  2. The coach can use Percent (%) of current race times using the Division method

  3. The coach can use Percent (%) of current race times using the Multiplication method.

 

A fourth format for Distance and Middle-Distance races uses Projected Times for various race distances.  The formula is based on Peter Riegel’s formula published in Runner’s World magazine (web article).  If you have a race time for the 800m to the 10K (even up to the marathon) the formula allows you to Predict race times for other distances using the formula.

  1.  The coach can use, for example, a 1600m race time, to set up workout intervals at 3000m pace, 3200m pace, 5K pace, etc.

 

The workouts can be set up with Sets and Reps for the coaching style.  The Rest Time is calculated using a Work to Rest Ratio.  The coach simply needs to input the ratio desired for the Set Rest and Rep Rest (1:1, 1:2, 3:5, etc.) and it will calculate the Rest Interval based on the Interval Time set and the Ratio.

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The Application runs using Microsoft EXCEL

  • The Times Data Table can be customized to fit your team's performance level. Simply enter the top performance time for a race distance, then enter the time increment you want to increase race times (1.0 sec, 0.1 sec, 0.05 sec, etc), and the table re-calculates all times to fit your team.

  • Group names can be edited by the user as well as the information at the top of each group heading.

  • Rows for each group can be easily blanked out if all rows are not needed.

  • The Interval Distances can be customized for all of the tables used and selected from a simple drop-down list.

  • The groups can also be used as segments of a ladder or pyramid style workout.

  • The Intensity Percentages can be customized to fit your coaching methods.

  • There is a section for each grouping to add notes specific to the workout.

*NOTE:  The App can also be adapted for use with Swimming.

Samples

Sprints workouts based on time/speed selected or goal time selected.

Sprint Calc Time.JPG

Sprint workouts based on Intensity Percentage of Season Best (SB)

Sprint Calc Perc.JPG

Distance workouts based on Intensity Percentage of Season Best (SB) at a selected Distance (1500 to 3200 meters).

dist Calc Perc.JPG

SAMPLE SPRINT TABLES

Sprint Distance Table:  this table is built around the Performance Times and the Interval Distances for designing workouts.  Performance Times are set by using the cells at the bottom for Start  and Interval.  The Interval Distances along the left can be edited to fit the coach's needs.

Sprint Dist Table.JPG

Sprint Percent Table:  this table is built around the Performance Times and the Intensity Percentage for designing workouts.  Performance Times are set by using the cells at the bottom for Start and Interval.  The Percentages along the left can be edited to fit the coach's needs.  Interval distance is list along bottom row.

Sprint Perc Table.JPG

SAMPLE DISTANCE TABLES

Distance Interval Table:  this table is built around the Performance Times and the Interval Distances for designing workouts.  Performance Times are set by using the cells at the bottom for Start and Interval.  The Interval Distances along the left can be edited to fit the coach's needs.  The Base Race Distance can be changed using a drop-down at the bottom left.

Distance Percent Table:  this table is built around the Performance Times and the Intensity Percentage for designing workouts.  Performance Times are set by using the cells at the bottom for Start and Interval.  The Percentages along the left can be edited to fit the coach's needs.  The Base Race Distance can be changed using a drop-down at the bottom left.  The Interval Distances are set along the bottom row.

Distance Calculator Pace.JPG
Distance Calculator Perc Div.JPG

SAMPLE PROJECTED TIMES TABLES

Projected Tables.JPG

Projected Race Time Table:  this table uses a Race Time for a specific distance and using a formula by Peter Riegel it Predicts a Race Time for other race distances. Workouts can then be designed using different target distance paces.  Enter the Performance Time for specified race distance in the cells at the bottom left for 1 Mile Time and Time Increment.  This builds the table headers for calculations.

  • ​​Detailed instructions are included on a separate worksheet tab with each version explaining each column and cell function. 

  • Selection is simplified using drop-down lists.

  • The Times Data Table can be updated as the season progresses and times improve.

These are just samples of the different workout calculators built with the application.  Custom designs can also be made if these don't quite fit your coaching style.

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