A method and apparatus are described for performing sprinting in a processor. An analyzer in the processor may monitor thermal capacity remaining in the processor while not sprinting. When the remaining thermal capacity is sufficient to support sprinting, the analyzer may perform sprinting of a new workload when a benefit derived by sprinting the new workload exceeds a threshold and does not cause the remaining thermal capacity in the processor to be exhausted. The analyzer may perform sprinting of the new workload in accordance with sprinting parameters determined for the new workload. The analyzer may continue to monitor the remaining thermal capacity while not sprinting when the benefit derived by sprinting the new workload does not exceed the threshold.