I’ve fallen in love with the tempo run, which Runners World says most Kenyans use to develop their speed (just on an entirely different level).

Tempo runs are often confused with intervals. I distinguish a tempo and interval by the length of the high intensity portion of the run. Tempo runs are longer (1 mile or greater in my mind) while intervals are less than 1 mile. Tempo runs allow your body to run at or near your lactate threshold so you get used to this pace when you encounter it in longer distances or races.

Tempo runs build speed and anaerobic fitness.  These are important for improving times in races. If your goal is to finish, then a tempo run is not for you. But if you want to get faster, then I would suggest adding tempo runs into your workout.

I’ll talk more about tempo runs later, but my workout today was a 5 mile run with the following laps:

1. 1/2 mile warmup
2. 1 mile at 630 pace (goal pace for sub 3 hour marathon)
3. .1 miles at 9 minute pace
4. 1 mile at 630 pace
5. .15 miles at 9 minute pace
6. 1 mile at 63o pace
7. .15 miles at 9 minute pace
8. 1 mile at 630 pace
9. .25 miles cooldown at 830 pace

So lots of hitting the garmin watch for laps, but i found my heart rate in the 3rd and 4th miles was less than the first two, which I think is a good sign. Also, the short recovery periods forced me to stay close to my lactate threshold for most of the run. I hope in future runs, my heart rate is less for the exact same workout, but we’ll see.

FYI, these are also called mile splits. So much lingo out there that I’ll try to declare what these things are in my head (and from what I read). If I’m wrong, please correct me.

Stay tuned for future tempo runs on longer distances and how they work…