Is there a specific pace/heart rate that will give the most out of the workout?
I always thought tempo was around HM/10K pace but came across articles that say closer to 5k pace, but that just seems too fast to hold for 5 ish miles. I've been doing most of my tempo workouts "uptempo" and gradually getting faster. Is this the best type of workout?
Hm pace is about 6:00 ish per mile and 5k I'm not sure cuz it's been a while lol. Thoughts?
There is the threshold pace, which is for most people the pace you can hold for around 60 minutes. And there is the tempo pace which is slower than that, typically Marathon/HM pace. So there is a difference between 10k and HM pace.
All these workouts train the aerobic system and make the fast twitch fibers more aerobically to shift the LT2 level to a higher pace. If tempo or threshold pace is more effective is highly debated, but you can do more volume at tempo pace, however threshold pace is more effective but you can't do so much volume there.
If you get gradually faster, keep what you are doing.
This is how I understand it as well.
A tempo run is a pretty vague term, tempo just means "pace"...there are a lot of different paces.
To me its just a high end aerobic run, faster than base miles, but slower than threshold (1 hour race pace).
The goal of running them is to teach yourself to run faster for longer distances. The benefits are the same as a general aerobic run, but you get more benefit for the time spent. Done correctly, you should running as fast as possible while remaining completely aerobic. Any faster becomes a threshold run, which has a different purpose (increasing the point where your muscles produce lactic acid).
You end up splitting hairs though. Its not a hard cutoff between aerobic/tempo or tempo/threshold. Its a continuum. This is why its better to just do them (most training, if we are honest) by feel. Not too easy, not too hard.
Based on this a 4:00 miler should only be able to run 15:00-15:37 for 5k which is so so bad
look at it as an equation, not a sentence. 4:00 mile, plus 50-60 seconds = 4:55 pace. Then subtract 20-30 seconds = 4:30 pace, or a 14:00 5K
Most of the confusion in this thread though is that people use tempo and threshold differently. I'm with Daniels on this and call "Tempo" the pace that you could hold for about an hour in a race (half marathon pace for elites and 10k pace for hobbyjoggers). Other people call that "Threshold Pace" and they call "Tempo" pace what Daniels calls "Marathon Pace"
If you feel like you could run it again the next day, but don't really want to, then it was fast enough. If you feel like you need to recover from it, that was too fast.
As a general guide I have used 5k+40 or 1 mile + 60. This will change depending on the terrain with trails being slower. I have also heard tempo used as a synonym for threshold where threshold is the rate at which your body produces and consumes lactic acid in equilibrium at a pace that can be sustained up to an hour.
The term 'tempo run' used to refer to a continuous run at one's "Lactate Threshold".
Your lactate threshold is the point at which your body can no longer clear lactate from your bloodstream at the rate it's being produced. It is roughly the pace you could hold, all-out, for 1 hour.
Don't listen to other people's made up conversions. Lactate threshold is specific to the individual; some people may have relativity poor lactate thresholds, but still be faster than others at 5k.
Running at lactate threshold should be a recognisable feeling, as though you've settled into a groove. But if you're still uncertain, I'd err more towards the Half Marathon pace than the 10k pace.
It might also feel too fast because you're in the middle of a training week, untapered, with no race atmosphere - and so LT pace might actually be slower than HM pace on the day of the workout.
My rule of thumb for anyone of any ability is to add 30 seconds/mile to your race pace. If you're a 17:00 5k runner (5:27 pace) then a 3 mile tempo would be around 5:57 pace. If you're a 35:00 10k runner (5:36 pace) then a 6 mile tempo would be about 6:06 pace.
Whether it is 10K pace or half marathon pace or some other pace will depend on the individual, but I've always found a good rule of thumb to be 20-30 minutes at an effort level that the athlete could maintain for about an hour. In my case that works out to about 10-mile race pace; for a slower runner it might be 10K pace; for a faster runner it might be half marathon pace.
If someone only has time to run 25 miles a week, there's an argument to be made that all non-workout runs could be "tempoish".
I can see your point and it might get results but from experience improvement stops then you stat getting injured. I was doing 40-50 miles per week when younger and pushed runs too much. Partly Id get bored and speed up but its not a good idea. With Strava loads of runners are doing that now.
Whether it is 10K pace or half marathon pace or some other pace will depend on the individual, but I've always found a good rule of thumb to be 20-30 minutes at an effort level that the athlete could maintain for about an hour. In my case that works out to about 10-mile race pace; for a slower runner it might be 10K pace; for a faster runner it might be half marathon pace.
Tempo runs happen at all sorts of paces. You might even consider alternating paces or progressing during a single effort. Here's a guide that should give you a general idea. ymmv.
10-20 minutes: 10kish - "threshold" pace
20 minutes: half marathon pace/Threshold/5k pace + 20-30 seconds (all close enough but will vary enough by athletes capabilities that you shouldn't be strict)
30 minutes: slower than Threshold, faster than marathon.
I did this workout yesterday and made it a day of 11 miles total. 2 miles warm up, 6 miles workout, then 3 cool down.
Ended up easing into the workout with the first mile at 6:22 then sped up to 5:58 for mile 2. Miles 3/4 I tried to control my effort to a sustainable yet comfortable "hard" feeling. My Garmin at this point had my HR in the mid 160's, which I think had a lot to do with a cold and BRUTAL head wind the whole time. Mile 5 at 6:07 and final rep 5:59 but damn was it hard.
The 3 mile cool down was, well, a cool down lol.
Today I took an easy 9 miles at 136 average HR and my legs actually felt fine.
All of the advice about being able to sustain this effort for nearly 60 minutes helped, even though the workout was more around 40 minutes and felt pretty hard.
Take your mile PR or current fitness. Add 1 minute. That's the pace you should be comfortable at for 4 miles straight or 6 x mile with a min rest. Good luck.
Is there a specific pace/heart rate that will give the most out of the workout?
I always thought tempo was around HM/10K pace but came across articles that say closer to 5k pace, but that just seems too fast to hold for 5 ish miles. I've been doing most of my tempo workouts "uptempo" and gradually getting faster. Is this the best type of workout?
Hm pace is about 6:00 ish per mile and 5k I'm not sure cuz it's been a while lol. Thoughts?
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