Whether or not you are a sprinter, it isn’t very pleasant to notice that your sprint speed has decreased. Sometimes it seems to happen out of nowhere. However, your sprint speed cannot drop sharply in a short period for no reason. That is why in this article we will discuss the most likely reason that your sprint speed has decreased.
#1: You are past your peak age
After a while, you reach an age at which your sprinting speed will gradually decrease over the years. This is entirely normal. At what age this happens varies from person to person. It is possible to get an idea of a ‘normal’ age at which this happens.
To do this I looked at 20 sprinters with the fastest time on the 100m sprint as I write this. Then I looked at the age they were when they ran their fastest 100m. These results can provide a good insight into this ‘peak age’. The results are below:
| Runner | Time on 100m | Date | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usain Bolt | 9.58s | August 16, 2009 | 22 |
| Tyson Gay | 9.69s | September 20, 2009 | 27 |
| Yohan Blake | 9.69s | August 23, 2012 | 22 |
| Asafa Powell | 9.72s | September 2, 2008 | 25 |
| Justin Gatlin | 9.74s | May 15, 2015 | 33 |
| Christian Coleman | 9.76s | September 28, 2019 | 23 |
| Trayvon Bromell | 9.76s | September 18, 2021 | 26 |
| Fred Kerley | 9.76s | June 24, 2022 | 27 |
| Ferdinand Omanyala | 9.77s | September 18, 2021 | 25 |
| Nesta Carter | 9.78s | August 29, 2010 | 24 |
| Maurice Greene | 9.79s | June 16, 1999 | 24 |
| Steve Mullings | 9.80s | June 4, 2011 | 28 |
| Marcell Jacobs | 9.80s | August 1, 2021 | 26 |
| Richard Thompson | 9.82s | June 21, 2014 | 29 |
| Su Bingtian | 9.83s | August 1, 2021 | 31 |
| Ronnie Baker | 9.83s | August 1, 2021 | 27 |
| Donovan Bailey | 9.84s | July 27, 1996 | 28 |
| Bruny Surin | 9.84s | August 22, 1999 | 32 |
| Akani Simbine | 9.84s | July 6, 2021 | 27 |
| Leroy Burrell | 9.85s | July 6, 1994 | 27 |
The average age of the list above is 26.7 years. The median (corrected for outliers) is 27 years. So it seems that the peak age for sprinting is usually around 26-27 years old.
If you have passed this age, your sprint speed may therefore decrease despite good training. Do know that passing the ‘peak age’ will only lead to a gradual decrease in sprint speed, if there is a sudden rapid decrease there will be another cause.
#2: You have already lost energy
If you have made another physical effort shortly before your sprint, you cannot expect your performance to be optimal. So make sure you make a fair comparison.
During a physical effort such as a sprint, your body uses stored ATP and the ATP-CP system to provide the necessary energy for the muscles. After the sprint, your body needs time to replenish the ATP stores and restore the ATP-CP system. Therefore, if you do another sprint shortly after a sprint, you will almost certainly be slower.
#3: You did the sprint at a different time
Some people are very sensitive to the time of day for physical exertion and this has a great influence on their performance. That is why it is not fair to compare a sprint you did in the morning with a sprint in the evening.
The comparison can also be unfair in terms of nutrition. You cannot compare a sprint you did shortly before lunch with a sprint you did shortly after lunch.
#4: You had to deal with other environmental factors
The environment can have a lot of influence on your sprint performance. Think of:
- The weather
- The surface
- Encouragement from other people
Make sure that these factors are equal as much as possible in both attempts.
#5: You trained too much or too little
Both too much and too little training can negatively affect your sprint performance. Too much training can lead to overload so that you can no longer deliver the power you are used to from yourself. Continued training in this case is very dangerous.
Too little training can of course also negatively affect your sprint performance. If you disturb your rhythm of training you can expect a slower sprint. After a while, your sprint speed will return to normal when you pick up your training schedule again.
#6: You have adjusted your diet
A change in your diet can affect your sprint performance. It is especially important to pay attention to the number of carbohydrates you consume.
During a sprint, you almost completely use carbohydrates as an energy source to provide your muscles with sufficient power. It is therefore advisable to eat a carbohydrate-rich meal not too long before you start sprinting.
#7: You haven’t had enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for sports performance in general. A lack of sleep can therefore certainly cause a slower sprint speed. So make sure you get enough sleep and go to bed around the same time as much as possible.
#8: You have gained weight or lost muscle mass
Gaining weight and losing muscle mass are also factors that can negatively affect your sprint speed. You can imagine that with more weight it becomes more difficult to accelerate quickly, even if this is accompanied by an increase in muscle mass. Really good sprinters are generally very muscular, but not heavy.
In addition, it is important not to lose muscle mass. Your muscles can then deliver less power which will result in a decrease in sprint speed.
#9: You have an injury
It goes without saying that your sprint speed will decrease if you are dealing with an injury. Sometimes, on the other hand, it is not entirely clear whether you have an injury or not. In this case, I would recommend that you seek help from a professional.
Lifestyle coach [5+ years of fitness experience]