You might have heard serious runners using the phrase “tempo run” at some point. If you’re more of a casual runner, then you probably don’t know what a tempo run is. Tempo runs are very important parts of serious training, but there are actually many misconceptions floating around about tempo runs. Knowing what a tempo run is might be able to benefit you if you’re trying to get into competitive racing in the near future.
Understanding the Tempo Run
A tempo run is a run where you’re going at a pace that is about 30 seconds per mile slower than the pace you would normally run a 5K race at. Some people refer to this type of running as an anaerobic threshold run or a lactate-threshold run. The tempo run pace is supposed to be the right effort level for your body to clear the same amount of lactate that it produces. If you do this right, then your legs won’t start to feel dead while you’re running.
You can probably tell that the big difference between a tempo run and a competitive race is that you’ll be pushing yourself beyond this threshold in the race environment. The tempo pace is supposed to be something that you can hold steadily for at least 20 minutes. Tempo runs aren’t necessarily comfortable, but they aren’t as taxing as what your competitive pace will be.
Using Tempo Runs to Get Faster
Using tempo runs to get faster is possible if you do things right. You can do regular tempo runs to increase your lactate threshold. This means that you will be able to run for longer before your legs are going to start to go out on you. This is very useful in competitive racing and you should use it to your advantage.
Tempo running can also make you more physically fit overall. It’ll boost your confidence and prepare you for big marathons. Just remember that the benefits of tempo running will be easier to notice in marathons and it won’t make much of a difference in shorter races. Now that you understand tempo running to a finer degree, you should be able to decide whether to start implementing it into your own training sessions.