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Secrets
of the Tempo Run Revealed
One of the most ambiguous terms in distance running
jargon is the phrase “tempo run.” Although widely used, the term
means different things to different runners.
For the purpose of this article, a tempo run will
be defined as a continuous run of 15 minutes or longer at a pace faster
than your normal, everyday pace. More specifically, two classic tempo
run workouts include the:
-
Shorter tempo run – 15 to 25 minutes of running
(usually 20 minutes) at your current 10 km race pace effort. For
those using heart rate monitors, this is about 90 percent of your maximum
heart rate
-
Longer tempo run – 30 to 50 minutes of continuous
running at your current ½ marathon race pace effort. For those using
heart rate monitors, this is about 80 to 85 percent of your maximum heart
rate.
Note the term “race pace effort”, not “race pace.”
What’s the difference? Race pace effort takes into account that some
days you may be a bit tired, the weather may be hot or windy, or the course
you are running on may be wet or icy. Given these conditions, it
may feel like you’re running at your 10 km pace, but your actual time may
be 5, 10, or even 15 seconds a kilometre slower. That’s ok. As long
as you are putting in the effort, don’t worry about a few seconds either
way – precise time really only matters on race day.
The main benefits of tempo running include
-
Increasing stamina or the ability to hold a quick
pace for an extended period of time. Running at a steady pace for
an extended period of time has both physical and mental benefits for increasing
consistency.
-
Practicing race pace for 10 km or the half marathon
races. The tempo run is a very specific workout – you are rehearsing
exactly what you need to do in a road race.
The tempo run workout can be done year round.
In a base building phase, tempo workouts could be done twice or even three
times a week. In a racing phase, a tempo run might be scheduled as
infrequently as every two or three weeks just to keep “in touch” with this
type of training stimulus.
While a tempo run is considered a “hard” workout,
it shouldn’t be a “gut-busting hard” workout. That’s why the total distance
of the workout is limited to ½ to 2/3 of the corresponding racing
distance. (e.g. most runners doing a 20 minute tempo run at 10 km race
pace effort will cover between 4 to 6 kms.) You should feel “comfortably
tired” at the end of a tempo run, not totally “trashed.” A good guideline
is that the next day, you should feel like you could do another hard workout
if you had to. If you’re feeling overly tired the next day, you’ve
run your tempo workout too hard.
Where’s the best place to run a tempo workout?
A country road or bike path that provides you with an uninterrupted stretch
of real estate is ideal – you don’t want to be stopping for traffic lights
on a tempo run. A rolling course is ok, but it’s best to avoid very
hilly terrain – the trick is to run at a consistent pace. If you
have access to a track, there’s nothing wrong with running tempo there
although multiple circuits of 400m may be unnecessarily mentally draining.
Also, if you plan to be road racing, doing your fast running on the roads
is more race specific.
The Classic Tempo Workouts
-
20 minutes fast – Warm up with 10 minutes
of easy running, then run for 20 minutes at 10 km race pace effort.
Cool down with 10 minutes of jogging. Note: More advanced runners may choose
to add a few strides (e.g. 8 x 100m) or a set of four fast 200m repetitions
at the end of this workout to help to help develop speed.
-
40 minutes steady – Follow the same protocol
listed for 20 minutes fast workout. While the intensity of the tempo
portion is slower (i.e. ½ marathon race pace effort vs 10 km race
pace effort) the duration of the tempo is significantly longer (i.e. 40
minutes vs 20 minutes.)
Variations on the Classic Workouts
-
Cruise intervals – Warm up with ten minutes
of easy running. Now run for 8 minutes at 10 km race pace effort
followed by 2 minutes of easy jogging. Repeat the 8 minutes fast/
2 minutes jogging pattern three times. Cool down with 10 minutes of easy
running. Cruise intervals are good for novice runners who may have difficulty
maintaining 15 or 20 minutes of sustained hard running.
-
Marathon Tempos – As the name suggests, marathon
tempos are steady runs at marathon pace effort. These runs are typically
longer than the classic tempo run workouts; marathon tempos can extend
up to 90 minutes or even 2 hours of sustained running. A typical
marathon tempo workout could involve 90 minutes of running including 15
minutes of jogging, followed by 60 minutes at marathon pace effort, followed
by 15 minutes of easy jogging.
-
Long run including tempo – For the really
fit runner, tempo paced running can be included at the end of a long run.
For example, you could increase the pace to half marathon race pace effort
for the last 15 or 20 minutes of a 90 minute long run. This serves
a number of purposes – you get the benefits of both the long run and the
tempo run, plus you practice finishing strong. Finishing strong
is the hallmark of a good road racer.
Now that you’ve got the basics, it’s time to started.
A weekly tempo run, along with a good long run, a few strides, and the
odd race, gives you most of the tools you’ll need to become a reasonably
competitive road racer.
For
your own customized training program, check out a Run
Quick training
program. |
