Tempo Run

OWN MY TEMPO

Tempo running is another key element to any marathon build up. A tempo run can be described as running at a pace that is challenging, yet sustainable for the entire duration of the run. It is not unusual to feel good at the start of the run but after a while feeling exhausted and unable to continue running at your planned pace, so be patient with yourself and don’t give up if your first few tempos get a little ugly. If tempo runs are somewhat new to you, then it would be best to start with a 10 to 15minute tempo run, then gradually increase the distance as you get stronger and fitter.

It might take time to work out what a sustainable pace is for you, but a good place to start, is to run at your planned marathon pace. It is important to remember that there are many elements that may affect your pace during a tempo run. The type of terrain (hillier routes = naturally at slower pace), weather conditions and altitude are only a few so be honest with yourself and focus on your effort, rather than a set pace. With time, you will gain experience and develop a better understanding of your own body. You will become more accustomed to the effort and only then can you start to set fixed pace goals for yourself. If in doubt, start at a conservative effort and build into the run. The ideal way to finish your workout is to have enough left in the tank to pick up your pace in the last few minutes, or at the very least, maintaining the same pace right until the end.

Here are some examples of tempo workouts:

Week 1:

Warm up 3km, including some strides to get the heart rate up and legs ready for a faster pace.
Run at a comfortably hard effort for 15minutes.
Cool down for 3km

Week 2:

Warm up 3km, including some strides
Run at a comfortably hard effort for 20-25minutes.
Cool down for 3km

Week 3:

Warm up 3km, including some strides
Run at a comfortably hard effort for 15minutes. Take a short break of 1-2minutes.
Repeat by running another 15minutes at the same tempo pace or slightly faster.
Cool down for 3km

Week 4:

Warm up 3km, including some strides
Run at a comfortably hard effort for 35minutes.
Cool down for 3km

More advanced / experienced runners can start with 40minute tempo runs at marathon pace, and build up to 60minutes continuous runs in a similar way. Continue to build week-on-week and keep track of how you felt during your runs.

Tips:

Make sure that you start and finish your tempo run in the same spot (to ensure honest workout stats).
The biggest difference between tempo runs and speed workouts is that tempo runs are meant to be continuous (unlike stop-start nature of speed sessions).
Many people refer to tempo runs as threshold training, but in fact they are not necessarily the same.

Lactate threshold is a term in running that refers to the body’s ability to clear out lactic acid build up when we run. Improving your lactate threshold means that your body will be able to clear out lactate while running at a faster pace than before. Workouts such as tempo runs and interval training will help to improve your lactic threshold so that you can crush your PB on race day. So, yes, Tempo Runs are a type of threshold training, but to keep things simple, we can stick to the term Tempo Run.