tempo run - don't understand the paces

Hi,

I know there are several threads on tempo runs, so apologies for adding another.

I recently ran a 10k in 77 mins, and have a target of running the next 10k (Sept) in under 70 mins. I'm also running a half a month later.

I've looked at the McMillan calculator and it says my tempo pace should be 7:48-8:08 min/km. What I don't understand is why I should run tempo runs at this pace, a pace I know I can already complete a 10k in, rather than practicing my target pace, which I guess is 7min/km.

thanks

Because this is the pace at which presently your body hits a certain level of fatigue to which it needs to respond by adaptation.  As it adapts over the weeks at this pace, it will begin to feel easier to do sessions based on this pace.  This means you're improving.

Running sessions at target paces means your body reaches a different level of fatigue, often much sooner, and the aim of the session is upset and the session overall becomes useless.  Perhaps not useless if you turn it into a session aimed at shorter, faster races, but you would need to know what this kind of training session looks like in order to do that on the fly.  The other output if you should attempt to complete your set session at the higher target pace is that you place a much greater, less tolerable amount of stress on your body leading to breakdown if you sustain it.

Ah, that makes a lot of sense now.

Thanks

The key reason for the Tempo Run is to run at a pace where lactic acid is just starting to accumulate in your muscles and blood stream. Its all about trying to raise this threshold. If you run too hard then lactate builds quickly which is what you don"t want. You want to train yourself to run efficiently without building up lactate.

Typically this is around the time of half marathon pace, or for a quick runner, around 15k pace. Its often described as a comfortably hard pace (a pace that is comfortably maintained for up go an hour).

So the question would be, how hard did you run your 10k that your suggested paces are based on. If you didn't push hard, then the suggested pace will be a little slow.

For new runners such as myself (started January), where we are not entirely sure how fast we are, it may be a better approach to base it on heart rate intensity.

One of the texts I use suggests 82 to 91 percent of max heart rate.

Thanks for the information.

I did push as hard as I could on both 10k races, but would like to think that I'm running better now as I've increased distance.

I might get a heart rate monitor and see if it helps.

Also Ran, you only started in Jan,  that surprises me, you look like you've been around 20years or so, with that epic photo!

Jane, a good week of training usually consists of 3 standard big sessions, a long slow run, a speedwork session and a "tempo" run.

Now, that word tempo is loosely described by many as anything faster than easy all the way through to the faster paces. Strictly speaking, I think of it as your 10mile race pace....which is a pace I find very hard to keep going for more than 2miles in training.

My weekly "tempo" run though, is one I'll often do at Marathon Pace (MP). 6miles at that pace is a medium hard work out and works a different zone to the speedwork and slow runs.

As a breakdown, my MP comes out 25secs slower per mile than the tempo. I simply wouldn't be able to do 6miles at 10mile race pace in training, whereas the 6miles @ MP is a good workout.

Thanks Stevie - amazing what a bit of black and white does for me, particularly with the chicken legs cropped. That was from my 1st Marathon (Wales Marathon) came in at 3.02 and was so pleased (850m elevation and target was GFA 3:15)

I've just started using Pfitzinger and Douglas 'Advanced Marathoning' and heart rates are from there. I ran my first 10 k race yesterday (not in the plan) and heart rate was way above their suggested tempo runs -so thats a good sign I ran hard.

Stevie, for a 'tempo' run, would you stick to somewhere relatively flat to get consistent pace and heart rate for that kind of session. Initially I was focused on pace, and recently focused on heart rate which meant easing off up hills. At the moment in their training plan, this is the fastest session. Intervals come in a few weeks

A-R, I'm impressed, a marathon within your first 6months, and sounds like not that easy a course. Yet you smashed it, with a great time. I can sense you have some great potential, and will have a good few years ahead. If you're talking GFA, presuming you're in the V40 category then? A few years building up, and you'll probably be pushing for podium positions if you pick the right races...

To be honest for speedwork and Tempo stuff, I always pick as flat a course as possible. You're looking to keep the speed to a certain pace, so the easiest way to do that is on the flat.

I've never messed around with heart rates and all of that to be honest, but a lot of people swear by it. For me though, that sucks a bit of joy out of things, and surely is affected by other aspects like how you're feeling on any given day.