Thinking of dropping the tempo run

Training Advice/Discussion 5k/10k

2 years ago 12/01/2021 4:15am EST

I've been running consistently for around 15 months. I'm 33.

Earlier this year I entered for a marathon and ramped up the mileage to 70 miles per week. I did one tempo run per week and everything else was usually 8 minute miles. I usually did a 5 mile tempo in 32:30-33 minutes and the longest one was a 10 mile tempo in 1hr 6 minutes. In the build up to the marathon I ran a 10k race in the low 38 minutes.

Recently I have been running a lot less - 40-45 miles. I have, however, introduced intervals for the first time. I did 4 sessions of 8-12 x 400m. Anyway, I just ran a 10k in the mid 37 minutes. I was shocked. My pace wasn't different from the 38 minute 10k, but I held my pace all the way - every mile was 6:00-6:05, so my endurance has improved.

I've never had this kind of improvement from tempo runs, even though I have been very consistent with my tempos every week. I'm tempted to drop them in favour of intervals and more miles. For example, instead of doing a 5 mile tempo I could do an 8-10 mile run.

Any thoughts on this? Thanks

2 years ago 12/01/2021 5:19am EST

re: 01/12/2021

As a relatively new runner it doesn't seem out of the ordinary to me for you to run 38 on tired legs in a marathon build up and then 37 on lower mileage. It could be that you have had time to recover from and benefit fully from your marathon block.

That said I am sure the intervals helped too. If you can handle 70 miles a week with a tempo you can probably handle 45 miles a week with intervals and a tempo. Swapping the tempo for a longer run might be good too but I would still do the tempo some weeks as well you could even do your tempo as part of the longer run. This is how I usually do my tempos if I find I am more tired or am having a down week or tapering I will just do a steady longer run.

2 years ago 12/01/2021 7:50am EST

re: 01/12/2021

You need a little bit of everything in your training--it sounds like you could just use more variation in your plan. Tempos to improve your lactate threshold, intervals for VO2 max development, sprints for muscle recruitment, and some sort of shorter intervals for rhythm work. You adjust the emphasis of each of these based on your goal race.

A simple but effective plan for anything under a half marathon has you picking 2 of the following workouts each week and the cycling through them.

6-8 x 1000 @ 10k (1-3 minutes break)

8-12 x 400 @ 3k/5k (1-3 minutes break)

8-12 x 200 @ mile (2-4 minutes break)

10 x 10 seconds gradual hill sprint (3-5 minute break)

4-6 mile lactate threshold run (0-1 minute break)

6-8 mile progression run (No break)

2 years ago 12/01/2021 8:23am EST

re: 01/12/2021

You had fresh legs after cutting the mileage, but still had some of the strength from your marathon buildup and long tempos. If you keep up this low mileage you will lose more of the strength and not only run worse in the 10k but your marathon would be terrible. But I get it, longer efforts are tough, 8x1200 is more fun and not hard for very long.

2 years ago 12/01/2021 8:40am EST

re: 01/12/2021

As some have said before. You have just capitalized on the prior work performed during the marathon block. Had to that the work done at around race pace with intervals and you have a plausible explanation. Intervals adaptation is short lived and the compensation from running lower miles will fade off too. You can use a a mix of Training means at the same time or perhaps cycle again between more mileage/tempo-lower mileage/intervals blocks. Just a matter of preference and time/life requirements. What you shouldn't do is think you only need one ingredient to bake the cake.

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