Heavy breathing, sweat dripping, mind racing: Running makes you physically and mentally strong by improving your cardiovascular health and challenging you to overcome discomfort. But tempo runs, a specific type of run that you complete at a challenging pace, unlock another level of toughness and resilience that you might not get from long, steady runs or short, intense sprints. Whether you’re looking to improve your stamina or earn a personal record in your next race, tempo runs are an excellent way to build your tolerance for the uncomfortable parts of running fast.
Who Should Do Tempo Runs?
Everyone from beginners to seasoned runners can benefit from doing tempo runs. The key, however, is to ease into tempo runs. Someone who hasn't been running or has never done a tempo run isn't going to be able to lace up their shoes and do a three-mile tempo run right off the bat. Instead, start by doing intervals, alternating between tempo and easy pace.
You should also consider whether you’re training for a specific race, such as a 10K, half marathon or full marathon. People who are training for a race can benefit more from doing tempo runs versus those who are running as part of their workout routine.
"For a casual runner, you could probably make the argument that, 'Hey, does this person really need to vary the intensities of their workouts?'" says Stonehouse. "You could argue that they don't because they're not specifically training for anything. They're just running a few times a week, so it's maybe a little less urgent for them to get into those higher intensities. But I always had a coach tell me, 'Hey, if all you ever do is go on long, slow runs, then all you're ever going to be is a long, slow runner.'"
TL; DR: Whether or not tempo runs should be a part of your regular routine depends on your specific goals. Are you running for fun and not worried about setting PRs? Feel free to skip tempo runs unless you love a good challenge. If you're aiming for a specific race and finish time, however, add tempo runs to your training.
How to Incorporate Tempo Runs Into Your Routine
Doing one tempo run a week is enough to see results, says Mackey. Varying the distance and dosage of your tempo runs can also be helpful.
"I would change the types [of tempo runs]," says Mackey. "One week, you could do tempo mile repeats. Another week [you could do] a 20- to 30-minute tempo run. [Then] one week is no tempo, then maybe one week of a longer, slower tempo. You will see what your growth areas are and what you need to do more of in your workouts."
Another example is you can do a four-mile tempo run at a comfortably hard, steady pace for one week. The next week, you can do two-mile repeats at tempo pace for however many rounds you'd like. For some people, that might be two two-mile repeats and for others, it's three.
"So you would run two miles at a tempo pace and then rest for about five or six minutes, and then run two miles at a tempo pace again," says Stonehouse.
Another way you can add tempo runs to your half or full marathon training is to break up long runs with tempo intervals. If you're running eight miles, for instance, you can use your first mile as your warm-up and have miles two and three as your tempo run. Then you can recover a bit by reducing your pace to allow your heart rate to come back down. After five minutes or so, you can go back to doing a tempo run for another two miles. Repeat the same pattern until you hit eight miles, says Stonehouse.
If you're training for longer races, such as a marathon, you also want to ensure you have enough recovery days baked into your schedule. "As a general rule, you always want your higher-intensity days to be followed by a recovery run," says Stonehouse. "An easy workout after a higher-intensity run helps flush your legs. Then, the day after your recovery run is your rest day."
Because tempo runs are especially challenging, make sure you’re properly warmed up before pushing the pace. Start with a running-specific dynamic warm-up, then ease into your run after at least a mile at your warm-up pace.
Tempo runs are hard, yes, but their benefits are worth it, especially if you're training for a specific race and want to improve your time. Leaning into the discomfort of running at a high intensity might be just what you need to get past challenging mental blocks.
"It's like if you swing kettlebells for a while, you start getting callouses on your hands," says Stonehouse. "You're conditioning your hands to just get beat up through this workout. Well, tempo runs make you tough because you're training your body to run at a comfortably hard pace. Tempo runs allow you to train your body to tolerate that pain longer."
