Want to get faster over 10km? A half marathon under two hours? Then the tempo run is probably the training that makes the difference. Not the most spectacular, not the most painful, but one of the most effective.
What is a tempo run?
A tempo run is a sustained run at "comfortably fast" pace, just below your lactate threshold. It's too hard for a regular endurance run, but not as intense as an interval training. You breathe heavily, you feel the effort, but you don't fall over.
The appropriate pace for a tempo run is roughly 20-30 seconds per kilometer above your 5K race pace, or at your half marathon race pace. On a heart rate basis: zone 4, about 75-85% of your maximum heart rate.
By feeling: you can say a single word during a tempo run. A complete sentence is no longer possible.
What is the lactate threshold and why is it so important?
Your lactate threshold is the point at which your body produces lactic acid faster than it can be removed. If you go just above it, the fatigue substances accumulate and you are forced to walk slower. If you stay just below that, you can maintain your pace for a surprisingly long time.
For most runners, this point is somewhere around the pace of a 10k race. Well-trained runners can maintain this pace for 40 to 60 minutes. Top athletes even longer.
By regularly training at or just below that threshold, that limit shifts upwards. Your body learns to deal with lactic acid more efficiently: it produces less and removes more. The result: you can run faster without acidifying.
"Running at a pace close to your lactate threshold forces your body to improve its metabolic processes to sustain that effort. This way you can ultimately run faster at or below your lactate threshold."
Ray, certified running coach at Nike
Tempo run vs. interval training: what's the difference?
Both workouts work on speed and endurance, but in a different way.
| Tempo run | Interval training | |
|---|---|---|
| Intensity | Zone 4, sustained | Zone 4-5, alternating |
| Duration of effort | 20-60 minutes at a time | Blocks of 1-5 minutes |
| Recover between | None | Yes, active recovery |
| Primary effect | Increase lactate threshold | VO2max, speed |
| Difficulty | Mentally challenging | Physically challenging |
Both have their place. A tempo run trains your body to run at a high pace for longer. Interval training trains your maximum speed. For a 10 km or half marathon you want both.
How do you perform a tempo run?
Standard tempo run
Always start with 10-15 minutes of gentle walking in zone 1-2. Then you switch to your tempo pace and maintain it for 20-40 minutes. Finish with a leisurely 10-minute walk.
Beginners: start with 15-20 minutes at tempo pace. Build up to 30-40 minutes over several weeks.
Cruise intervals (easier to start)
Not 30 minutes straight? Split it into 2 or 3 blocks with short rests in between. For example: 2 x 15 minutes at a fast pace with 3 minutes of easy dribbling in between. The same training effect, slightly more manageable.
Progressive tempo run
Start at a slightly slower pace than your threshold pace and gradually increase the speed. You end the training at or just above your threshold. Good for learning to feel the pace.
How fast is your tempo pace?
A useful rule of thumb: your pace pace is 25-30 seconds per kilometer above your 5K pace.
| 5 km pace | Tempotempo (global) |
|---|---|
| 4:00/km | ±4:25-4:30/km |
| 4:30/km | ±4:55-5:00/km |
| 5:00/km | ±5:25-5:30/km |
| 5:30/km | ±5:55-6:00/km |
| 6:00/km | ±6:25-6:30/km |
Don't have a reference competition yet? Then use heart rate as a guideline: zone 4, 75-85% of your HRmax. Read more about training at heart rate.
Common mistakes
Start too fast
The most classic mistake. The first five minutes of a tempo run always feel easy. Brake yourself. A pace that you can maintain for 30 minutes almost feels too easy for the first few minutes.
Too long at once
More is not always better. A 45-minute tempo run where you "survive" the last 15 minutes is less valuable than a 30-minute tempo run where you have maintained the pace well.
Not taking enough rest after a tempo run
A brisk tempo run requires recovery. Plan an easy workout or rest day the next day. Two tempo runs in a row in the same week is rarely smart.
A longer tempo run every week
You don't have to make progress in duration every week. Sometimes it's good to repeat the same duration for a few weeks and work on pacing consistency before building up further.
When do you plan a tempo run?
Tempo runs are most effective in the "build phase" of your training: the period four to ten weeks before a competition. At the beginning of a training block you lay the foundation with zone 2 running. Then you add tempo running. In the last two weeks before a race you reduce the intensity (tapering).
A typical week with one tempo run looks like this:
- Monday: rest or recovery run
- Wednesday: tempo run (with warm-up and cool down total 50-60 minutes)
- Friday: easy endurance run (zone 2)
- Sunday: long run (zone 2)
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a tempo run without a heart rate monitor?
How long will it take before I notice the benefits of tempo running?
Should I do a tempo run on the track?
Related workouts: Interval training · Zone 2 training · Training zones · Training at heart rate
Bart Vandenbussche is passionate about sport and never shies away from a sporting challenge. He has run several marathons (including sub-3h), is an Iron+Ultra Viking, and currently has the Hyrox bug.
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