I'm 44 so I'm not a young guy looking to get so much quicker nor do I have visions of grandeur, but what I want is to feel better, get a little quicker, and get my heart beating good.  I started working out a couple of months ago and do a boot camp about 4-5 days a week and usually a day on an elliptical style machine as well.  I feel a lot stronger and in a lot better shape.  I don't want to spend countless hours jogging as I've always hated jogging.  Even as a former wrestler who could have run for nearly as long as I wanted I still hated it.  I always will.

That being said I'd like to have some type of program to run some sprints to supplement my current workouts.  My heart gets beating pretty fast during our boot camp, but I'd like to do a little more.  I guess I could just go out and do 50 yard dashes, but I figure in today's age there always seems to be a decent program out there to do so you do not do the same old thing day in and day out.  Any suggestions or links or constructive insights would be greatly appreciated.  It's been awhile since I've sprinted so I'll be on the Jr. High practice field at night where no one can see.  Hahaha!  

Thanks

Your goal seems pretty general, so my response might be as well.

I would do something like this:
Sprint 2x days a week, one short day and one long day.

Week 1:
Short: sprint 30 sec/walk 30 sec. Go 6 rounds, rest 3-5 min, and do 6 more.
Long: 2x 1 mile sprint

Week 2:
Short: 8x 400m sprint
Long: 6x 800m sprint

Week 3:
Short: 14 total 30/30s
Long: 2x 1 mile sprint

Week 4:
Short: 6x 400m
Long: 8x 800m

Slowly increase volume.

If they have a soccer field painted out, you can do ladder (suicide) runs.

Start on the end line, sprint out and jog back for each line. You could also do this on a football field, just round the number to the nearest 10

Sprint to the 6, jog back
Sprint to the 18
60
Opposite 18
Opposite 6
Opposite endline

We always had to do them as punishment for something, at the end of it you'll have sprinted 420 yards.

I can hardly make a slow mile jog and I have to stop and walk during some of that so a 400 to 800 meter sprint is way out of the realms of possibilities.  I'm more looking at something you can do on a football field.  5-100 yard sprints at the max.  I can adjust your numbers.  I'm assuming the 6 x 400 are running the 400 a total of 6 times.   A 2x 1 mile sprint?  You must be in some awesome shape. I bet 98% of the guys on here couldn't even think of realistically doing that.  I do realize I was pretty general so it's my fault for that.  Thanks for the outline as I can use it and just reduce it as needed.  Thanks

When I say 1 mile sprint I mean a 1 mile for the fastest time possible. I can NOT run a mile at the same balls-out pace that I can run a 400 or 800. I wish. That said, I can hammer out a time 1 mile at a pace that I can't maintain during a 2-5 mile run.

Even if those numbers sound unrealistic for you, the concept remains the same. Start with something that you consider attainable and then add approximately 10% more work each week.

The suicide drills mentioned above would be a good starting place for a short day.

That's what I plan.  I will adjust it and keep the concept the same, just adjusting the lengths and then increasing them as I get better lung capacity and the old legs start cooperating.  It's amazing how as the years go by something that was so natural-like running, feels so foreign to your body.  It feels like I've never run before in my life.  It's weird.  Thanks for your help!

In track and field, sprints are distances up to 400M.  Since most of us are slower than track and field competitors, we should probably be using shorter distances than that.  

I like to think of things in terms of energy production systems.  

Stored ATP and the creatine-phosphate cycle will give you 15-20 seconds of max effort (think zone 5 afterburner)

After 15 seconds, anaerobic glycolysis is the majority producer out to ~1m15s of maximal effort (military power)

Beyond that duration, aerobic processes provide the majority of ATP, with the percentage increasing as duration increases (cruise power)  

I'd argue that sprinting should be short, probably <100 yards for most of us with relatively long recovery to allow you to make a maximal effort on subsequent sprints.  Beyond that, you're just doing interval training, which isn't bad if that's what your goal is, but it isn't sprinting.

I generally sprint once a week during the warmer months.  Usually May to September/early October.  I do it on Saturdays after 1-2 martial arts classes (krav maga).

I do it that way to train for maximal efforts after fatigue.  Started as a way to train for krav testing, which can last several hours and consists of many, many short bursts requiring a lot of power over the course of the test.

I usually start with 10 x 50 yard sprints.  First couple of weeks is more running fast vice sprinting, as there's a lot of added stress on your leg muscles you don't get in steady state running. Call this an adaption phase.

After a few more weeks of 10 x 50, I'll up it to 10 x 100yds.  I'll do that for a few weeks then start doing half gassers (2 x 50yds shuttle runs).  I like that these because they require you to decelerate and accelerate during the sprint, very similar to a lot of athletic events.

I'll add an additional half gasser each week.  After a few weeks I'll up it to full gassers (4 x 50yds).  I usually stay there until its too cold to run outside, or sometimes go up to 300m shuttle runs.

I don't rest too much between efforts.  But I'm focusing on conditioning here.  If you're training for speed you need a program that focuses on mechanics and allows for sufficient recuperation between efforts to develop max speed.

There are good suggestions for sprints, but don't underestimate easy runs. Try running a mile or so at a pace that is easy enough for you to still speak in complete sentences at least 3x a week, and try slowly building up to 3 miles.

This will help build aerobic cardiovascular fitness, which is great on its own, but will also help with the sprints. Yes, running slow can help you run fast.