Most people say that tempo runs should be run at a pace that you could maintain for about an hour. For most of us that's somewhere between 10K and 15K race pace.

5K pace is clearly too fast. This is what Intervals are typically run at (at most! and sometimes a little slower than that).

As for tempo distance, most like to run then for 3 to 4 miles with an appropriate warm up and cool down of course..

Bill

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A true tempo run will be 3-4 miles depending on your speed. This is fine for 5Ks.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by AndyHass:
A true tempo run will be 3-4 miles depending on your speed. This is fine for 5Ks. <HR>

I concur with this.
Arthur Lydiard once told me that a good way to get an 'effort' run in was get the athlete to run a course they enjoy for 20 minutes. The effort they make should be>> as they get to the 20 minute mark they should feel a little tired but feeling as though they could carry on or could have done it a little faster.
Each week they should aim at taking say 5 or so seconds off that time.
The run should be steady not varied pace.
Under no circumstances should it be 'raced'.

I have done this on many occasions with athletes who are 'cut' for time with their training. It has been most successful.

If you want more clarification, yell out !

Cheers


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Run easy, Run long

I'm no expert, Scott, but I'll share with you my thoughts. They might be helpful, since you and I might be similar runners.

I am 40 and have been running for about six years. For quite a few years now, my "basic" run is 4.5 miles. I usually run that at around 8:30-8:40/mile. Unless I am in a marathon buildup (I have run 3), I usually run about 25 miles in a week. In 2005, I added a once a week "tempo" run during which I ran 2.6 miles in approx. 18:40-19:00 (7:10-7:20). Up through 2006, my best 5K was 20:19.

In late 2006, I added a once per week day of intervals (mostly 800 meters in approx. 3:20 (6:42 pace)), and, in 2007, I changed my tempo route and I now go 3 miles in approx. 21:40 (7:13/mile); that route includes a gradual one-mile climb that takes about 7:30-7:40 (so, for the other 2 miles, I am running approx. 7 flat). Although I haven't done any marathons this year, I have been doing weekly 12-mile long runs at 8:50-9:00 pace.

This year, I have set several 5K PRs including my last 5K, run one month after my 40th birthday, in which I ran 18:44. I'm faster now than I've ever been in my life! I'm giving you a larger picture than you asked for, in part to explain the other things that are going on surrounding my tempo runs.

Tempo runs are basically designed, as I understand them, to increase your lactate threshhold. For a 5K, I don't think you need to run any more than 20 minutes at tempo to accomplish what you need to accomplish. What you did at lunch was great. Don't go slower, don't go faster. Keep doing that. If you want to run faster for the 5K, in my opinion you'd be better off adding some speed work/intervals to your training than in increasing the distance of your tempo run. When you train for a 10K, half marathon or marathon, then you can start increasing your tempo length/distance.

By the way, I couldn't run 7:00-7:15 for one hour during my training. But I do think I could run that pace if I tapered and raced it. I say that just for perspective because you said that you didn't think you could hold your pace today for a full hour. I couldn't have held my tempo run pace this morning for a full hour either. Just sayin....

Good luck!