How fast tempo runs

What are they? We've got the scoop. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. How to Get in That Tempo Run. Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.

Benefits of tempo running. Tempo run pace. Find your maximum heart rate. Tempo run workout. Tempo running on a treadmill. How does threshold training compare to tempo running? The takeaway. Read this next. What Is the Average 10K Time? The 10 Best Running Shorts for Women for The 7 Best Manual Treadmills for Home.

Mentally it can be easier for a runner to undertake 5 x 5 minutes 90 sec rests than 25 min tempo running. The benefits will be slightly greater for the 25 minutes continuous run, but if you have a propensity to trash yourself in the pursuit of improvement, then adding the rest in can be a good control.

These can progress from as little as 4 x 5 minutes 2 minute rests up to something as meaty as 3 x 15 minutes seconds rest. There should always be room for that extra gear.

You never know when a sneaky coach might up the speed in the final rep for some race simulation. Starting with something with 4 x 5 minutes or 3 x 8 minutes and off for two minutes can give you a good feel for it.

Then next time you might try minutes straight up, adding in a rest if you need it. Reducing recovery can be a good impetus too.

The body reacts well to variability, as does the mind. These are hard workouts so time for recovery is essential. Mixed up with other quality sessions like VO2 Max workouts, hill sprints or fartlek runs, they can be a great foundation for improvements.

Think about the races you are preparing for when planning the sessions as well. Ultimately it is a zone in which you need to be training. Going a little too easy and in a controlled manner is better than blowing a gasket every time.

Tempo running is a type of speed workout. This type of workout falls in the same category as fartlek and interval workouts , though those two serve different purposes. Typically you would find a pace that you can maintain for at least 20 minutes, but ideally for a minute period of time.

So, you want to be fast, but not all-out sprinting. So why would a runner want to integrate tempo runs also known as threshold runs into their training plan? The more you practice running at faster paces, the longer you can go before you feel that burn.

First, are you training for a time goal in a race or are you simply trying to become a faster runner? In general terms you should be running at a pace that makes you look forward to having your tempo workout end as it should be hard but absolutely manageable to sustain for the required time. For example, if your marathon time goal is minutes per mile finishing the marathon at - check out our pace chart. See this page for more details on how to determine a good marathon goal pace for you to train for.

This is usually a good tempo pace. Otherwise try and go about seconds per mile faster than your time goal. The best part about running tempos is that they can be varied and mixed up depending on how you are feeling on that day. As with all speed workouts you must make sure you are warmed up before you start to challenge yourself at running a faster than normal pace. With tempo running however, your warm-up should just consist of about minutes of easy running about miles. Never do any static stretches while warming up.

This page will walk you through how to warm up properly before a run or speed workout.