A tempo run workout is an excellent way to improve your speed endurance. You’re training your body to clear lactate faster and raise your lactate threshold. By running at a comfortably hard pace for at least 20 minutes, you’re training your body to maintain a sustained effort.
Most people can run reasonably fast over a short distance. But for half marathon and marathon training, it isn’t a lack of top speed that makes your legs feel heavy in the latter stages of a race – it’s the accumulation of lactate. Run faster than your lactate threshold in a long race and your legs will soon feel like lead.
Running miles at tempo pace gets you race-ready. You’re improving your threshold so you can run faster and you’re training to run at race pace. On race day you’ll be hard-wired to maintain a consistent running pace that will get you to the finish line in record time.
When To Use Tempo Runs
If you’re training for a 5K, a tempo run is the wrong workout. A 5K race is at faster than threshold pace so it’s better to improve your speed with interval training.
A regular tempo run workout has some benefit for 10K training but it comes into its own for half marathon and longer distances. Try and run a tempo workout once or twice a week.
Who Should Run A Tempo Workout?
Unlike interval training, tempo runs are more accessible for beginner runners. There’s less strain on your body – you’re running at a comfortably hard pace not trying to run close to your maximum – so there’s less risk of injury.
Tempo workouts are simple to execute. You’re basing your workout on running time and you can start by running to feel instead of aiming for a set pace.
A tempo pace is challenging running that’s hard to maintain for 30 to 60 minutes. Rating of Perceived Exertion RPE of 6 out of 10.
Tempo Run Pace
A tempo pace is around 15-20 seconds per kilometer or 25 to 30 seconds per mile slower than your 5K race pace.
It can take trial and error to find the right pace and bear in mind that during training your pace can vary based on time of day, what you had for breakfast, and how hard you trained the day before.
If you’re using a heart rate monitor, your tempo pace is at 80 to 85% of your maximum heart rate. It’s a pace you can sustain for an hour, a little slower than your half-marathon race pace.
Tempo Workouts
These tempo workouts cater to all abilities from beginners to experienced runners improving their half marathon pace. Start each session with some dynamic stretching and don’t forget to stretch it out after your runs.
Five By Five Tempo Run
Not strictly a tempo run because we’re breaking down the running into 5-minute efforts, this workout is an introduction for beginners who struggle to run at a tempo effort.
Aimed at: Beginners with at least 3 months experience who can run 5K without stopping.
Total time: 40 minutes
- Warm up with 10 minutes of easy-paced running.
- Repeat 4 Times: 5 minutes at tempo pace with 1-minute jog recovery.
- Cool down: 6 minutes running at an easy recovery pace.
Magic Mile Tempo Run
Use this session as a stepping stone to the classic tempo run. Run the mile repeats at half marathon pace or 25 to 30 seconds slower than your 5K race time.
Aimed at: Improvers training for a 10K who can run 5K without stopping.
Total time: Approximately 50 minutes
- Warm up with 10 minutes of easy-paced running.
- Repeat 3 Times: Run one mile at tempo pace with 2-minute jog recovery.
- Cool down: 10 minutes easy-paced running.
Classic Tempo Run
This is the classic tempo run hitting 20 minutes of comfortably hard running.
Aimed at: Improvers training for long distance – 10K or further.
Total time: 40 minutes
- Warm up with 10 minutes of easy-paced running.
- Tempo Run: 20 minutes continuous running.
- Cool down: 10 minutes easy-paced running.
Treadmill Tempo Run
This treadmill workout adds some variety to your classic tempo run. The aim is to keep increasing your speed.
Aimed at: Improvers training for long distance – 10K or further.
Total time: 40 minutes
- Warm up with 10 minutes of easy-paced running.
- 5 minute tempo run: at 5K pace minus 40 seconds per mile.
- 5 minute tempo run: at 5K pace minus 30 seconds per mile.
- 5 minute tempo run: at 5K pace minus 25 seconds per mile.
- 5 minute tempo run: at 5K pace minus 20 seconds per mile.
- Cool down: 10 minutes easy-paced running.
Note: for kilometers use spits of minus 25, minus 20, minus 15, minus 10.
Long Tempo Run
For distance – half marathon or further, aim for long tempo runs. Increase tempo training to 30 to 60 minutes of comfortably hard running.
Aimed at: Improvers training for long distance – half marathon or further.
Total time: 50 to 80 minutes
- Warm up with 10 minutes of easy-paced running.
- Tempo Run: 30 to 60 minutes continuous running.
- Cool down: 10 minutes easy-paced running.
