Want to know a secret? There’s a workout that can make you faster, stronger, and feel like a running hero, all without having to taste blood in the back of your throat. It’s called the tempo run, and I absolutely love it because it’s an effort that’s actually sustainable and fun.
But I’ve got a bone to pick. As a coach, I see so many runners absolutely butchering their tempo runs. Let’s fix that.
The Big Tempo Mistake You’re Probably Making
Here it is: you’re running them way too hard.
Runners, bless their determined hearts, tend to smash out their tempo runs at their 5k or 10k race pace. It feels productive, right? You’re gasping for air, legs are burning… must be working!
Wrong. That’s not a tempo run; that’s just a one-way ticket to burnout (and a Vo2 style effort). The magic of a true tempo run happens at a slightly more relaxed effort, just below your lactate threshold. This is the point where your body can clear lactate from your blood at the same rate it’s being produced. Pushing beyond it is unsustainable and defeats the entire purpose of the workout.
So, What Should a Tempo Run Feel Like?
Forget raw pace for a second and let’s talk about feel. For me, a tempo run is a solid 7 out of 10 effort.
It’s an effort, for sure, but it feels sustainable. It’s the kind of pace where you know you’re working, but you’re not on the absolute limit. You should be able to hold this for a good chunk of time. In fact, I can comfortably knock out a couple of 20-minute efforts at this intensity in a single session.
A great test is the talk test: you should be able to get out a few words or a choppy sentence, but you definitely couldn’t hold a full conversation.
For those who like data, I personally use a heart rate monitor. My tempo sweet spot is between 93-97% of my threshold heart rate. It’s a precise way to ensure I’m getting the intended benefit of the workout without overdoing it. There is a great guide on TrainingPeaks to calculate your heart rate zones accurately.
My Coaching Playbook: How to Add Tempos to Your Training
Tempo runs are a game-changer for any distance runner, from 800m all the way up to the marathon. They are especially golden for those of us targeting a 5k or 10k, as they directly improve our lactate threshold—the key to holding a faster pace for longer.
Here’s how I get my athletes started:
- Build Your Base First: Don’t just jump into intense workouts. Make sure you have a solid foundation of easy running miles under your belt.
- Start with Intervals: Instead of a long, continuous tempo run, I get athletes to start with shorter tempo intervals. This is a fantastic way to introduce intensity without being overwhelming.
- Frequency is Key: Early on in a training block, I’ll schedule a tempo session once every other week. As the athlete gets stronger and closer to their goal race, we’ll build that to one dedicated tempo session every week.
These are key planning applications that I put into our Beginner and Intermediate 10K Training Plans.
Sample Tempo Workouts for 5k & 10k Runners
Ready to give it a go? Here are a couple of my go-to tempo workouts. Remember to include a good 10-15 minute warm-up of easy jogging before you start, and a similar cool-down afterward.
- The Beginner’s Tempo:
- 4 x 5 minutes at your 7/10 tempo effort
- Take 90 seconds of easy jogging or walking for recovery between the intervals.
- The Intermediate Tempo:
- 20-30 minutes of continuous running at your 7/10 tempo effort.
- (Advanced option: Try 2 x 15 minutes at tempo effort with only 90 seconds of easy jogging in between.)
The next time you head out for a tempo run, remember the goal: “comfortably hard.” Find that sustainable, strong rhythm, and you’ll unlock a new level of running fitness. Happy running!
