Q+A: I only have one pace. How can I speed up?
Our experts answer real-life questions
Posted: 9 September 2002
by Steve Smythe
Q I’ve completed a couple of 10Ks and half-marathons, but worry that I only seem to have one pace. I want to run faster so I’ve tried adding tempo runs to my schedule. But when I make a conscious effort to speed up during a run, I soon find I have to slow down again. How can I successfully add tempo runs to my training?
A The first thing to do is to work out your pace over your two race distances. Divide your time in minutes by the distance you ran, and you’ll have your minute-per-mile pace. You’re likely to find that your mile splits are anything from 15 to 45 seconds slower for the half marathon than for the 10K. But as you ran almost twice the distance, it will have felt just as hard.
If you’re still not convinced that you have more than one pace, invest in a heart-rate monitor. Wear it during races, and use it to compare your average rate over different distances. Most people hit around 85 per cent of their working rate during half-marathons. You should notice that you have a higher heart rate over shorter distances – which means you’re running faster.
But that doesn’t really answer your question. You say you’ve tried adding tempo (or threshold runs) runs to your schedule, but found them hard. That might simply be because you increased your pace too much.
During a tempo run you increase your speed in the middle of the session. For example, if you’re running for 40 minutes, begin at jogging pace, then about 10 minutes into the session, start to switch tempos and gradually accelerate to a quicker pace for 15-20 minutes before relaxing and finishing the run at a slower pace. And remember, the ‘tempo’ part of the run doesn’t need to be done flat out. Aim for your half-marathon pace, around 80 to 85 per cent of your working heart rate.
If you don’t have a heart-rate monitor, just run your session on a familiar measured loop. During the tempo section, try to hit your half-marathon mile splits.
Once you’ve mastered the tempo run, you’ll see that it’s a great way of improving your sustained speed over the distances you like to race. You will also increase your anaerobic, or lactate, threshold, which will allow you to hold your new found faster pace for longer.
—Steve Smythe, RW Race Services Editor, coach and a runner for 30 years
Discuss this article
louisa -
hill reps are hard for everyone, and probably the best way of making you turn your back on speed training if that's all you do.
there are lots of alternatives, including fartlek (the best introduction to speedwork), intervals, repetitions (intervals with full recoveries), tempo runs, strides, etc.
you can find articles on the RW website about all of these, so try them all and find out what works best for you, and above all don't stick to the same kind of speed training week in week out. variety is the key.
you can get a lot faster - and much quicker than you think.
BTW if you can do 8:30m/m for the 1/2M, you should currently be able to do 24:20 for 5K, 50:40 for 10K and 3:55 for the marathon.
Posted: 07/12/2002 at 22:36
right, slower, but shorter steps, and cycling is great,
but you have to cycle for real, no static bikes!!! and in a stiff gear goin uphill. i find i make massive gains in strength just by cycling to school, because i muct carry 5-6 kilos of books, like weighted cycling,
really, i think it helps loads,
and don't think that tha will put on loads of unshiftable, and unuseful muscle weight, it doesn't, rather if you only train with a little more weight(but don't increase it incrementally) you develop muscle density rather than muscle bulk. ie, more fibers made recruitable for normal exerted effort, not simply more fibres made, full stop.
B_Phil
Posted: 14/12/2002 at 02:04
I must be strange but I love hills. Living at the bottom of one which is long and culminates fairly steeply every run I do starts and runs around the same hill, the other side is a mile from top to bottom and is a dis heartener because it levels off part way up before rising steeply again. This is a staple part of my run diet and I am now able to pass many a fit looking bloke on hills in the few competitions I have raced in recently (accordingly I AM VERY disheartening to watch from behind!). This I am sure is the key frequency and confidence - my legs literally take over. My problem is not the ups, its the downs after ploughing past many runners on the up it pains me when they thunder past me on the downs. Being tiny I know gravity is on the 13 stone blokes side and having suffered from injured calfs in the past I am aware of trying not to injury myself but what can I do? I am sure you guys have loads of tips so throw them at me I am determined to beat the bald guy who pipped me on the downhill last sunday next time we meet!
Posted: 02/10/2007 at 12:28
Meditate Running down hill let go and let your legs tell decide how fast they can go. was going to be a long post but ............meditate to locate adn remove tensions you didnt know you have and dont let your brain tell your legs to stop. MEDITATE
Posted: 05/10/2007 at 06:07
Hi guys, this is an interesting thread. I too live in a very hilly area and don't have the option of doing flat runs. I'm training for FLM next year and was wondering if training on undulating courses will make me faster on a flat course or will I miss the downhill parts? At the moment all my runs consist of increased effort going up, followed by easy downhill bits where I recover. Obviously flat running will be the same effort all the way, it seems like it should be easier but will it actually be harder?
Posted: 05/10/2007 at 09:56
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