Which is more important: a long run or a tempo run?

Tempo

You can do some low mileage stuff if when you do run, you run hard.

It depends on what your weakness is.

why cant you just do both

I say tempo, but if for whatever reason you can't do both, you can actually incorporate both into one run. Do a 12-miler, first four easy pace, middle four tempo, last four easy pace. There you go.

Charlie Freak wrote:

I say tempo, but if for whatever reason you can't do both, you can actually incorporate both into one run. Do a 12-miler, first four easy pace, middle four tempo, last four easy pace. There you go.

This kind of workout is a staple of Jack Daniels marathon plans in phase II

dumb wrote:

Charlie Freak wrote:

I say tempo, but if for whatever reason you can't do both, you can actually incorporate both into one run. Do a 12-miler, first four easy pace, middle four tempo, last four easy pace. There you go.

This kind of workout is a staple of Jack Daniels marathon plans in phase II

Yeah, so what? Are you calling me dumb? Are you saying this workout can't be incorporated into a 5k/10k training plan? If so, that's just....dumb.

No I'm just observing that good/respected coaches in fact make use of such a combination workout

Actually, I'd say a long tempo run.

My 1/2 marathon PB is 1h24m20s. I am hoping to break 1h20m this fall, or at the worst be under 1h22m.

Once a week I do a long tempo run, I built up to 15 miles last week at sub 6m59s per mile pace. I'm going to drop down to 14 miles this week and then build up for a few weeks.

Also, I do a shorter tempo run that I've built up to 6 miles at sub 6m29s per mile tempo pace.

Additionally I race frequently, more for training and b/c I just like to race. So it is common for me to do a sub 6m15s/mile 10k here and there. Also a sub 1h26m 1/2 marathon. (I've done three of these since my PB in the spring.) I'm not resting for these and just consider them part of my training.)

dumb wrote:

No I'm just observing that good/respected coaches in fact make use of such a combination workout

My apologies for the snap back. Thought your handle was a jab at me. I'll take it as a compliment then, as I use variations of this workout many times in my own training and in coaching HS kids. If I could do only one workout for any distance from 5k to marathon, this would be it.

Gerard123 wrote:

Actually, I'd say a long tempo run.

This.

Running slower than your race pace is not what most people would define as a tempo run

dumb wrote:

Running slower than your race pace is not what most people would define as a tempo run

Uh.......

The name dumb really suits you.

WTF???

gauge!

You're not ready to do tempo runs until you've put in many long runs. So to answer the question, they're both important, one prepares you for the other.

Why worry about it? Just do both and you'll have both bases covered.

Maybe I am using the word tempo in a more specific way than everyone else but as originally defined by Jack Daniels it's lactate threshold pace: i.e. approximately 1 hour max or 15k pace, i.e. significantly faster than a half marathon PR pace that quoted poster is discussing.

By these definitions it is impossible to run a 15 mile workout at tempo pace. If you mean tempo just loosely as "faster than easy" then by all means go ahead and do a 15 mile tempo run.

Long runs develop endurance.Tempo runs develop stamina.Which is more important? Which does more?That depends on the runner and the event.

Which one? wrote:

Which does more for you as a runner? Specifically a 5k/10k guy.