[hlnx1]

The tempo run is one of the most useful sessions for distance runners, but the term means different things to different people. A useful working definition is a sustained effort around lactate threshold: “comfortably hard”.

• For trained runners, threshold pace is roughly the pace you could hold for about an hour in a race; for many amateurs that is somewhere between 10K and half marathon pace
• A continuous tempo of 20-30 minutes is a typical target; beginners can start with 10-15 minutes
• You should be able to speak a few words, but not hold a conversation
• Running it too fast turns it into a VO2max session and leaves you more tired than intended

More detail: lactate threshold training and tempo runs and what is the lactate threshold.

How do you set your tempo pace: race times, heart rate or feel?

[hlnx1]

Example: a runner with a 50-minute 10K (5:00 per km) might start tempo work at around 5:05-5:15 per km for 15-20 minutes, then extend to 25-30 minutes over the following weeks before speeding up.

Extending the duration first and only later nudging the pace is usually safer than doing the opposite.

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