[Shades]

My DD is using me for a study on increasing speed in women and told me I should do a tempo run today. I kind of know that it is varying speed during my run but can anyone elaborate for me?

 

[keith]

<a href="http://runningtimes.com/rt/articles/print.asp?id=5615" target="_blank">http://runningtimes.com/rt/articles/print.asp?id=5615</a>

 

[sistergoldenhair]

Shades, I think you'll get even more answers to your question in The Race forum, so I'm just gonna put your thread over there. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile"><br><br>
My short answer is Tempo is your "comfortably hard" pace but lately for me it's just <b>plain</b> <b>hard</b>. It's usually estimated at your Half Marathon race pace.

 

[Shades]

Thanks SGH that is the kind of answer I was hoping for. Sometimes when I am reading all of the running articles I forget what is what! I think it's my ADHD!

 

[tigger]

Here is a link to this topic when it was last discussed. You can find it on P3 or 4 if the link doesn't work.<br><br><a href="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7357" target="_blank">http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7357</a>

 

[OklaHomer]

Varying speed during your run is closer to the definition of fartlek.<br><br>
A tempo run is a run at or around your lactate threshold.

 

[mykemp1971]

Some people might say a Tempo run pace is your 5k pace plus 15 seconds per mile, others might say your Tempo run pace is your 10k pace plus 10 seconds per mile... Some might say it's your 15k pace plus 10 seconds per mile.<br><br>
I don't know if I'd say that it's "comfortably hard" - maybe it is... it should be hard, but controlled. Towards the end you might be straining to crank out that last mile at tempo pace, then you should follow it with a warm down and preceed it with a warmup of course.

 

[fox-runr]

I use 2 speeds. Both are around LT. But I use 15k pace and then back down to 1/2 marathon pace. repeat. (it's only about a 5-8 second variation, but it helps psychologically)