How I Improved from 11.30 to 11.07 in One Season | Sprint Case Study

In May 2023, I ran 11.30 with a strong +2.7 wind behind me.

2024? I ran 11.07—with just +0.8 wind.

No miracle, just a well-thought-out plan that I stuck to from start to finish.

As someone who’s coached myself to national medals, I’ve learned that improvement isn’t just about grinding harder—it’s about getting smarter with how you train, recover, and manage your season.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how I made this jump in one year, what worked, what didn’t, and how I’m refining things to get even faster next season.

Let’s get into it!

Breaking Down the Numbers

I’ll be honest—raw sprint times don’t tell the full story unless you look at the context.

In May 2023, I peaked my season with 11.30 (+2.7 wind). A decent mark, but heavily wind-assisted. Fast-forward to May 2024: I clocked 11.07 (+0.8 wind). That’s a real improvement, with less external help.

To put it simply:

• 11.30 with +2.7 m/s wind = likely a mid-to-high 11.4s performance in still conditions.

• 11.07 with +0.8 m/s = much closer to a clean 11.0-low, flirting with sub-11 potential under the right conditions.

But numbers are just the outcome. What mattered was how I got there:

• A solid season plan I executed nearly 100% (more on that soon).

• A recovery strategy that matched my training loads.

• And the discipline to stick to the plan, even when others around me pushed for “more” training.

Sure, it wasn’t a perfect season. I actually peaked a bit early and hit 11.39 (-0.6 wind) at nationals—not the result I wanted there.

But that race taught me a key lesson about timing peak performance, and this year, I’ve adjusted to make sure I stay sharp when it counts most.

The Season Plan That Delivered

One of the biggest reasons behind the jump from 11.30 to 11.07 was simple: I had a full-season plan—and I stuck to it.

At the start of the year, I mapped out the entire macrocycle:

• Phase 1: Build the base—general preparation and work capacity.

• Phase 2: Strength & power—get stronger without losing speed.

• Phase 3: Sprint mechanics & speed work—refine technique and increase sharpness heading into competition season.

• Phase 4: Peak & compete.

I adjusted less than 2% of my plan, mainly when I was sick for a short stretch. Other than that, I stayed locked in.

The key wasn’t just writing a plan; it was trusting it:

• No extra “bonus” workouts when friends egged me on.

• No skipping sessions when I felt lazy or tired.

• I balanced load and recovery to make sure I could actually absorb the work.

It wasn’t about doing more—it was about doing the right things, at the right time, and letting consistency win.

Did I make a mistake? Yeah, I peaked too early.

I was not doing general stuff in between the meetings and I felt it when my legs were weak by July.

But that’s part of the process. It showed me exactly where I need to tweak things next time—especially how I balance intensity with rest and work capacity late in the season.

Recovery – The Hidden Gear

Training is only half the equation. The other half? Recovery. And this year, I took it seriously (maybe too seriously 😅)

I made a conscious effort to give my body enough space between high-intensity sessions. It wasn’t just about training hard—it was about training fresh.

Here’s what I focused on:

• Sleep: I let myself sleep as much as I needed, even if it meant 9+ hours some nights. Quality sleep became non-negotiable.

• Nutrition: Here’s the funny part—while some athletes have to stop themselves from overeating, I’m the opposite. Left to my own devices, I like to feel "half full" all the time. But this season, I pushed myself to eat more, even when I didn’t feel like it. Consistent fueling helped me recover quicker and train harder.

• Deloads & rest days: I respected them. No sneaking in extra workouts, no trying to “tough it out” on tired legs.

This focus on recovery allowed me to hit my sessions at a higher level—and string together weeks of quality work without crashing or getting injured.

Looking back, it’s clear: my best performances didn’t come from just training harder, they came from recovering better.

The Power of Support

No one levels up completely on their own, and this season proved that for me.

A huge shoutout goes to Matej and his Adoptuj si športovca, who helped me secure financial support through Slovakia’s 2% tax scheme. It might seem like a small thing, but it made a real difference. That money allowed me to:

• Invest in new spikes—gear that I desperately needed.

• Access the indoor track at Laca Novomestského twice a week, giving me quality winter sessions when others were cutting corners.

Having the resources removed a lot of mental real estate. I wasn’t stressing about where to train or how to afford equipment—I could just focus on executing my plan.

Support isn’t always flashy. Sometimes it’s having a teammate, a mentor, or someone who believes in your vision enough to help keep the wheels turning behind the scenes.

And for me, that made sticking to the process a whole lot easier.

Lessons I’m Taking Into Next Season

The jump from 11.30 to 11.07 wasn’t magic—it was methodical.

• A clear plan that I stuck to.

• Prioritizing recovery even when it wasn’t comfortable.

• Leveraging support to remove distractions and stay locked in.

And while I didn’t nail the peak perfectly, the overall progress speaks for itself.

Next season? I’ll fine-tune my taper, push for a better work capacity in the late season, and continue stacking smart decisions.

Want me to help you hit your next PB too?

If you’re ready to level up your sprinting with a tailored plan (minus the guesswork), check out my coaching options here or send me an email—let’s build your next breakthrough together.