Where do you usually do your tempo runs? I'm debating right now between the track and the roads (don't need to worry about cars, and the trails are too wet/muddy to run on, plus no trails that go on for a long time that are good for tempos). I guess for roads I could run out one way for 30-35 minutes and then try to run back faster/turn that into a tempo effort on the way back and measure it afterward?
You have no roads to run?
I would suggest running 10-20 minutes on a road if possible, and hopefully ending at a track if you need to.
Then run your tempo on the track.
Run the reverse home.
Most people do their tempos on the road - in the middle of a longer run.
oh i run my tempos on the road.... the track is kinda boring for me.... (might not be for you though) but when there is a lot of traffic like where i live i run trails
'and the trails are too wet/muddy to run on,'
Must be difficult to run in a big girls blouse as well
It's been raining non stop, so the trails would be dangerous plus there isn't a long enough stretch to run on.
I guess I will do it on the road then... if you do it in the middle of a long run, do you finish fast at tempo pace or just go straight into a short cooldown and finish on that note?
I have a great park w/ a 1.5 mile gravel path that I often use for tempo runs. I'll do them on the road, too, but I prefer the park.
Yes either here (probably a different park though) or on the track. Sometimes on the bike trail.
I love my tempos and I love the precision of the track. I'll do 12k tempo on the track and know exactly how fast I'm going before I'd do one on a road or (inaccurately) measured trail. That's personal preference, probably not for everyone.
I couldn't imagine doing a tempo on a track. I used to do mine on a paved rail trail in the summer and a treadmill in the winter. I don't do very many tempos though. I would rather just race. Lately, I have been doing more progression runs with the last part approaching tempo pace.
to make them more interesting we mix them up- some weeks on roads others on grass or trails. Alot depends on the weather conditions.
As long as we get the distance and pace right it doesn't matter to middle distance guys- all experience for muddy xc or road races with or without hills.
I have a fairly flat grass loop that is ~2.5 miles from my house. I call it the SAT, because I measured it at 1550 meters, and like the SAT, that's close enough to 1600 so as not to really matter. I do my tempo runs and some interval workouts there.
Almost all on the road, but will be doing some on the track as well. The precision is nice, and it's a softer surface than asphalt.
I have a track that is 1.5 miles from my front door. So I do easy jog to the track, tempo, easy jog back. All my track work is the same I like tempos on the track because it's easier to keep focused on splits, etc. Recovery/easy runs and long runs on the roads. If I was doing marathon pace or long tempos, there is a park/lake nearby that has a marked 10k course ( with mile markers) that is perfect.
I've very rarely done a tempo on the track, very boring! I hate the track! I do speed stuff there 400's up to mile. Everything else on roads, dirt, trails depending on the season and speed needed. I do like the idea someone said earlier about maybe finishing your last mile on the track, help with turnover. I'll have to try that.
do all mine on the track. Unfortunately so much traffic where I live that a tempo run would either end up as a fartlek (if I'm lucky) or hospital/mortuary (if I'm not).