Write the session brief before the rep list
Start with a short statement of what you want to observe. “Practice even execution across the assigned repetitions” gives an assistant something specific to watch. “Hard workout” leaves the purpose open to interpretation. Keep that purpose separate from the amount of work you assign.
Then record the practical constraints: available time, track or route access, coaches present, equipment, and the point where everyone checks in again. A session that works with two coaches may need a different layout when one is absent. Settle coverage before publishing assignments.
Write down the plan's owner and date. That person resolves conflicting edits and makes the final release. Assistants can contribute without leaving athletes to choose between several versions.
Group athletes by today's assignment
A season-long training group is a useful starting point, but it may not describe today's practice. Runners with similar race times can have different assignments. Runners with different times may share a start, route, or coach while working to individual targets.
Use neutral, recognizable group names and list the athletes explicitly. “Track group with Coach Lee” is easier to act on than a label such as “fast group,” especially when membership changes. Keep a separate note of who is absent or has a coach-approved alternate assignment so an assistant does not spend the warm-up looking for them.
For the calculation behind individual targets, use the individual interval pace guide. This planning sheet addresses the organization around those targets.
Map coach coverage and the handoff points
Fill in a row for each distinct assignment. The example below describes organization only; it is not a prescribed session or a recommendation about training volume.
Scroll the table horizontally to see every column.
| Assignment | Coach and location | What to record | Regroup point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track repetitions | Coach Lee at the finish line | Rep times, completed work, any changed instruction | Finish-line check-in after assigned work |
| Timed run | Coach Morgan at the agreed route check-in | Actual duration and distance if known | Team meeting point at the stated time |
| Alternate assignment | Named coach in the designated area | What was actually completed | Direct check-in with that coach |
Check the transitions as carefully as the main work. Who sends the next group? Who knows when a runner has finished? If a coach changes locations, name the person taking over observation or recording. Avoid a plan that requires the same coach to capture two finishes in different places.
Specify every difference that changes the job
For each athlete or subgroup, state the work, target, recovery, start procedure, and finish condition. A target-time change does not explain a different rep count. “Do the modified session” is incomplete unless the modification itself is visible to the responsible coach and athlete.
Keep instructions short enough to read at practice. Put the main assignment first and exceptions immediately beneath it. When several athletes need a different structure, give that subgroup its own clearly named workout. This makes completion records easier to interpret later.
Use a brief read-back before starting: ask an athlete to explain their assignment and ask the assistant to identify which changes they will record. If the answer requires searching through yesterday's messages, move the needed instruction into the current plan.
Keep one current plan through changes
Choose one place that contains the current assignment. Messages can direct people to it, but several screenshots and edited copies are difficult to reconcile. Include the practice date in the title and check it again when reusing an older session.
Before practice begins, update the plan and tell the affected people what changed. Once results are being captured, preserve the original record of what was assigned and add the actual outcome or coaching note. Do not quietly rewrite history to make a completion percentage look tidier.
If a change only appears in a coach-only note, communicate the athlete-facing instruction directly as well. An athlete cannot follow a note they cannot see.
Check the session before releasing it
- Each assigned runner appears once in the intended workout or subgroup.
- The date, location, start instructions, and regroup point are current.
- Targets use the intended reference marks; deliberate custom targets remain deliberate.
- Different rep counts and structures are recorded as actual assignments.
- Every group has a named coach and a clear way to record its work.
- The assistant has opened the plan and can see the athletes they cover.
After practice, compare the plan with what happened. Keep one operational improvement for next time, such as moving a finish point or clarifying a start instruction. The progress review worksheet helps separate those recording issues from performance observations.
Where PaceCommand fits
PaceCommand supports training groups, individual target times, a workout builder, and a coach handoff with session setup and athlete notes. When athletes need different workout structures, create separate workouts for the appropriate selections. Handoff modifications guide the coaches; they do not change the prescribed reps automatically.
Use Save to planner while reviewing. Save & notify athletes releases the assignment. Check assistant group coverage and permissions before handing over practice. For the exact release and briefing workflow, continue with sharing workouts and assistant handoffs.