What is the "right" way to run a Progressive Run? (General principles relative to Race Pace, I assume)

I use these in place of a tempo/LT run. I start off at easy distance pace and hold that for a mile or two - essentially running them as a warm up. I then start cutting the page down.

My goal is to get about 20-25 minutes where I will average out at my tempo pace, with the first part of that being a little slower and the last part being a little faster.

I then finish up with a mile or two at easy distance pace, essentially cooling down. I often set these up as a 10 milers.

I might look something like:

1 - 7:00

2 - 7:00

3 - 6:40

4 - 6:20

5 - 6:00

6 - 5:45 (marathon pace range)

7 - 5:30-5:35 (:05 or so slower than tempo pace)

8 - 5:20-5:25 or so (tempo pace)

9 - 5:15 (closing in on 10k pace)

10 - 6:40-7:00

This is how I'd do it ideally, but often the drop happens a little sooner than I intend. But that mile 6 through mile 9 progression happens at some point (sometimes staring at the 3 or 4 mile mark).

The point for me is, like I said, to get an LT adaptation. But I also get to kind of cycle through the gears some and see where I am and how I feel at various paces, which helps me home in on what my tempo pace actually is. For that reason, I often do this kind of run (sometimes in the form of a 6 or 7 mile run instead of 10) as one of my early tempo efforts. I also do it at then end as a confidence builder since, when you do it right, you get this sense of "downhill running" and you feel incredibly fast closing out a 10 miler at a faster and faster pace, proceeding down to 10k pace or thereabouts.

At every point during the run I evaluate how easy it will be to keep the current pace until the end. If I at any point think, "oh damn, this gonna be super-hard and I even have to increase the pace", I know I'm going too fast.

In the beginning of a cycle I may not get the first 2-3 progression runs perfect. But a major reason for doing progression runs is to work on your ability to feel the right pace.

When doing it right the good pace will most often come naturally to you. Just start out slow enough. But sometimes, typically when you're mentally tired, you have to push a bit to get into the rhythm.

That's MY right way.

That doesn't look too fast for me. It seems like a good workout for a 10k.

You will be running mostly at manageable speeds. Only the last 1-2 miles might be a little challenge but still not hard. Progressive runs are fun

Thanks.

Yes, that was a thought that occurred to me after posting this. Since this is replacing my Tempo run, maybe another way to build this would be to have about the same AVERAGE pace as my planned Tempo.

If that is the purpose, then I think that is the right approach, with the obvious caveat that it will be the same average pace over some smaller portion f the overall run because there is a gradual ramp up from easy distance pace and, presumably, a bit of a cool down section (which could be very short - 1/4 to 1/2 mile would probably clear the lactic acid enough to allow you to recover for your next run).

Did my run this morning.

1. Yes, WAY more fun than a tempo. Tempo runs can be so boring and tedious.

2. There were two halves to it: The first 5 miles and the last 3. Maybe even 6 & 2. The above poster nailed it: I didn't really feel any discomfort until the last 2 miles, but those last 2 miles were harder than he/she made it sound!

3. I feel like, in the future, I will base my progressive runs off of tempo pace, and shoot for the same average pace. I imagine that for marathon training, I could incorporate these into my long runs instead (in addition?), dropping from an Easy pace down to Marathon pace. Does that sound like a 16-miler? Or longer? Or shorter?

4. Interested to see how I feel tomorrow and the next few days. No idea how differently a Progressive vs. a Tempo affects people physiologically.

Thanks for the input, Smoove et al :-)