What is the difference between threshold and tempo?

Nothing.

Threshold: usually represented by a % of HRmax (~85-95%) or % of VO2max (~80-90%)

Tempo: a pace calculated from a base race performance (ex. 5k pace + 30sec per mile)

I usually tell my athletes that Threshold is an effort and Tempo is a pace. But that’s not true all the time either.

Be prepared for 1,000 different schools of thought on this.

But more or less, if I give athletes an effort to aim for, it’s often labeled as a threshold workout. If I give them a pace, we call it a tempo.

Downvote if you must, but it works

One is a vehicle and the other a doorway step.

Tempo:

Threshold:

It is kind of the same. Norwegian runners tend to do their threshold sessions by running intervals. If you listen to people such as Marius bakken, they will say that runners in the u.s used to do tempo runs that wasnt really intervals. So u.s runners used to run their tempo runs for a lot longer than the classical threshold sessions of 25 x 400m/10-12 x 1k, 5-6 x 6 min. He goes into detail about how you should/shouldnt train in the podcast - i det lange lop.

In bike world, threshold is you max 1 hour pace. Same in run world. Tempo is something you can hold over 1 hour, usually marathon pace

Scientific version for threshold is when lactic acid builds up in the blood faster than the body can clear it. Most of us don't have access to lab testing but you can pinpoint what that pace would be. It can be right around 1hr pace. Can fall into the 88-92% HR range. Like others have said, it's been popularized by shorter reps. You can certainly do tempo runs @ T but T is decently hard so it's not like you're going to run forever at that pace. That's why the short reps make sense. You can maximize time spent @ (true) T because you broke it up. Tempos can be slower than threshold. Half marathon to marathon pace. Semantics if you want to call 20:00 @ T a tempo or threshold run. No need to overcomplicate things.

Threshold is done as a pack with your XC team, generally 8 miles, a pace one can maintain for an hour.

Tempo is usually done single file with your XC team 20-40 min, throw in surges from back to front, develop your XC gears, break the monotony.

Both should be followed by 4x200m @ 3k date effort.

Both are components of championship training. Base pace on current fitness, not goal fitness, don't race, it's not a time trial, not race effort.

My 5k pb is 5:35 pace. I do threshold around 6:05-6:10 which feels fine. Ain't no way in hell im doing a tempo of 6:05 for 20 straight minutes or more. More like 6:20s.

Great example. If you were my athlete, I’d likely prescribe the following types of sessions (assuming we are talking about a HS 5k XC race prep):

-Tempo miles: 4-5x1mi @ 6:10–>6:00 off 90sec rest

-Continuous tempo on the track: 15-20min @ 6:00-6:10 pace

-Threshold on rolling hills: 25-35min @ RPE 7-8 (aka, estimated HM pace or what I call “fairly uncomfortable but sustainable” for beginners); for you, you’d probably roll 6:15-6:40 pace for this depending on the terrain

-Threshold 400s: 12-15x400m @ 5k effort off 200m jog (less if you go out too hard to start, more if you have self control)

All of these sessions can go by multiple names, but most coaches that know a thing or two will serve them up. What they call them is just semantics.

They are synonymous for most. Ask your coach for clarity if that's why you are asking.

I think you are talking about some other thing. There are several meanings for Thresold and Tempo. Thus, you need to specify, which thresold and tempo you are talking about.

This made me laugh a lot hahahaha i'm still chuckling

you should be running soooo much faster on those tempos my guy

Tempo: pace for whatever interval workout effort required. Tempo = rhythm

Threshold = comfortably hard for a continuous run. On the edge, but not over the edge. Threshold = edge of redline for continuous run ex 3-5 miles for hs kids.

Lactate threshold, anaerobic threshold or aerobic threshold? Tempo for middle or long distance and which specific event? Are you a beginner who can't yet run 5k or always running even when you're not? Is it relative to a particular programme, original or current use of these terms? There are many answers and none. Now answer this koan: what is the speed of a tempo run at threshold pace? Whatever you say in terms of pace, you will go home devastated. So let's run, for this is the way of Zen

It depends who you ask.

Some people use "tempo" as a synonym for "threshold". However, that gets confusing because there are 2 thresholds (or lactate turning points that people often train at - LT1 and LT2).

Some others use "tempo" more specifically to mean LT1, which is often called "Sub-T". It's the intensity at which lactate accumulates above baseline. If you jog, your lactate will actually drop, but as you get faster eventually you'll reach a point at which lactate begins to rise (just slightly at first). This is LT1, and it's roughly the pace/intensity you could hold for 2 - 2.5 hours.

Advanced troll 8/10.

I’ll jump in and destroy the discussion even more:

“I’m going to Tempo this run for 20-30 minutes,” is a slang term adapted to the running world that basically means I’m going to run at my LT pace for 20-30 minutes.

Tempo refers to a cadence or pace of something, especially music.

Lactate Threshold refers to an inflection point where blood lactate begins to accumulate much more than what normal living activities can tolerate. For example, I can walk and sleep and eat for many years on end… but when I do something that raises my blood lactate to 2.5 (such as running at 6:20 mile pace for me), I can only do that activity for about 50 minutes.

Since it is a lax term used in running, it gets interpreted in different ways. It is usually meant as the pace one could race for 45-60 minutes (still a little vague), if one had the physical and mental abilities to actually race that long of a time.

Technically, LT pace is where the acid build up is 2.5 - 3.0 in the blood. This generally corresponds, in most trained distance runners, to 15K race pace (vague yet again). Hardly any runners draw blood during workouts so we just make up sh*t to describe it.

The definitions and discussion quickly unravels when you consider the top men and women can run 15K in 41 / 45 minutes respectively, while many others struggle to hit 15K in one hour.

Due to the complexities above, some will describe the pace as whatever pace you could race for 50 minutes (or 45, or 55, or 60).

Still confused… welcome to the club.

Tempo is a very arbitrary term. It can really vary. A threshold falls under the category of being a tempo, but not the other way around. Threshold is that specific pace you can hold for an hour. I still consider it to be a tempo pace. I also think you can do longer more relaxed tempos that are 15 sec/mi slower (marathon ish pace) or 15 sec/mi faster (Critical Velocity Pace: grass 8k/track 10k pace) for a shorter, more aggressive workout.

slower than that marathon pace I believe is just steady state, and faster than CV pace I believe you’re getting very close to VO2 Max Pace (3k pace)