How Hard Is a Tempo Run?

A tempo run is characterized as a "comfortably hard" effort, balancing challenging intensity with manageability. It's a sustained, steady run designed to push your limits without leading to complete exhaustion.

Understanding the Effort Level

The difficulty of a tempo run is specific, falling into a zone where you're working hard but can maintain the pace for a significant duration. It's not a sprint, nor is it an easy jog.

Key indicators of a tempo run's difficulty include:

• "Comfortably Hard" Feeling: This is the hallmark of a tempo run. You should feel a distinct effort, breathing heavier than usual, but not gasping for air. It's a pace you can sustain for 20 minutes to an hour, depending on your fitness level and the workout's purpose.
• Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): On a 10-point scale where 1 is very easy and 10 is maximal effort, a tempo run typically falls between 6 to 8. This signifies a strong but controlled effort.
• The Talk Test: While performing a tempo run, conversation is difficult, but not impossible. You might be able to utter short phrases or single words, but holding a full conversation would be challenging and unsustainable. This is a practical way to gauge if you're in the correct intensity zone.

Why This Specific Difficulty?

The specific "comfortably hard" intensity of a tempo run is crucial because it targets your body's ability to clear lactate from your bloodstream more efficiently. This improves your lactate threshold, which is the point at which lactate begins to accumulate rapidly in your blood. By elevating this threshold, your body becomes more efficient at sustaining faster paces for longer periods, ultimately boosting your speed and endurance.

Here's a breakdown of the effort level:

Tempo runs are a vital component of training programs for runners aiming to improve their race performance across various distances.