IAAF Standard for writing out a track program.

For those who are not aware or may not have been to an ATFCA coaching course, there is a universal short hand standard for writing out a track program. Below is brief discussion to write a program according to the standard.

The IAAF Standard Representation of Running Training

Examples of a standard form:

10 x 400 (72”) [2’]
This means: 10 repetitions of 400m , with each repetition run at 72 seconds and two minutes recovery between the repetitions.


3 x 4 x 300 (3000) [100m r/o & 5’]
This means: 3 sets of 4 repetitions of 300m, with each repetition run at 3,000m pace, 100m active, roll-on recovery between the repetitions and 5 minutes between the sets.


For more complex sets it may be written, for example:

2 x 500 (300/48”, 200/max) [8’] [15’] 8 x 200 (35”) [1’]
This means: 2 repetitions of 500m, with the first 300m being run at a target pace of 48 seconds and the final 200m being run at maximal effort. The recovery between the repetitions is 8 minutes. Then there is recovery of 15 minutes, probably easy running, before 8 repetitions of 200m in 35 seconds with one minute recovery.


2 x {1 x 500(1500) [1’] 1 x 700 (1500) [30”] 1 x 300 (max)} [12’]
This means: that the athlete will run two sets. Each set will consist of: 1 repetition of 500m at perceived 1500m pace, a recovery of 1 minute; 1 repetition of 700m at perceived 1500m pace; 30 seconds recovery and then 1 repetition of 300m at maximum effort. There is 12 minutes recovery between the sets.