Tempo Runs

THE BASICS

STARTING OUT: 4 miles approx depending on your fitness level. The TEMPO section of the run is the most important to maintain for at least 20 min and must have warmup.

  1. 1 miles warm-up at light jog – IMPORTANT
  2. 2 or 3 miles at TEMPO
  3. 1 mile at cool-down jog – IMPORTANT
  4. work up to 6 miles.

Finding Your Pace

The idea of the tempo run is simple: you run comfortably hard for 20-60 minutes. However, tempo runs can be hard to master. You need to run fast enough to get the benefit of increasing your lactic acid threshold (the point when your body can no longer clear the lactic acid from your muscles as fast as you’re producing it), but not so fast that you are unable to finish the run. During a tempo run, your breathing should be hard but controlled. You should breath at a rate of about one breath in for every two steps and one breath out for every two steps. You should be able to say a short phrase, but you should not be able to carry on a conversation. If you can barely speak, you are pushing too hard. When in doubt, run slower than you think you should. Tempo runs are counterproductive when they’re done too fast. If you have to stop and catch your breath, you’re running too fast. Your heart rate should be approximately 80 to 90 percent of its maximum. Difficult but still manageable. Any faster and you’ll need more recovery, which is not the point of a good tempo run.

  1. Maintain good stability in spine and pelvis as you run.
  2. Practice proper arm action.
  3. keep your upper body relaxed and try not to be tense.
  4. Focus on pushing off the ball of your foot. Think about jumping rope and use that same foot strike.
  5. If you start to get sloppy, rest longer or shorten the tempo run.

Because tempo runs are not based on a specific pace, the pace you should strive for is affected by several factors like:

  • Heat and humidity
  • Wind
  • Stress
  • Terrain and elevation
  • Hydration
  • Fatigue and soreness from previous workouts

Run by feel and perceived effort. Once you learn to run by feel and focus on effort, you’ll have more successful tempo workouts. And you’ll become much faster.