Whether you’re training for your first race or just want to push your running that little bit further, you’ve probably come across the term ‘tempo run’ at one point or another.

A key component of many training plans, tempo runs are designed to help increase your fitness levels while preventing you from burning out completely, which is ideal if you’re looking to increase your pace in an effective but sustainable way.

The only problem? If you’ve never done a tempo run before, it can be hard to know where to start – especially when it comes to nailing the ideal pace. 

So, to help you get started, we asked Linda Meek, founder and co-owner of the running community Start Running Stay Running, to give us an introduction to all things tempo running. 

From how to identify the correct pace to the things you should keep in mind throughout a tempo training session, here’s what she had to say.  

First things first, let’s nail the basics. A tempo run is a run that’s slower than your fastest pace but faster than a comfortable, easy pace. In short, it should be comfortably hard.

“When we put together running plans, we add in a variety of runs to ensure that different energy systems are being worked,” Meek says. “One of these runs is a tempo run – this 30–40-minute run is used to push the body a little out of that comfortable pace, but not so much that you burn out.

“By increasing your pace for a sustained period, we are looking to improve aerobic capacity (how oxygen is delivered to your muscles) for improved cardiovascular fitness.”

Tempo runs of 30–40 minutes can be challenging if it’s your first try, so it’s worth starting with shorter periods of time and working your way up. For example, Strong Women editor and PT Miranda Larbi usually does a 10-minute warm-up followed by 15 minutes of tempo work and a 10-minute warm-down. As you get fitter, you can then start to increase the tempo duration.

So, you’re ready to set out on your first tempo run – but how do you go about making sure you’re running at the right pace throughout your run? According to Meek, this is the trickiest part of any tempo running.

“The trick with tempo runs is being able to maintain the pace,” Meek says. “You don’t want to slip back into an easy run or even push too hard, because then you’re working a different energy system.”

So, how can you do that? First, you’ll need to identify what that pace looks like for you – and there are several ways to do that.

“Probably the easiest way is to assess your pace is to do the talk test,” Meek explains. “No fancy kit is required, just your ability to hold a conversation. When running at a tempo pace, your chance of chatting will be limited. You should still be able to say a few words or short phrases, but holding a full conversation will be more challenging.

“If you’re able to hold a conversation or, at the other end of the scale, you can barely say a word, then you have slipped out of your tempo pace.”

Another way to assess your perfect tempo pace is to rely on your perceived exertion. “In the most basic terms, you are rating your effort from 0-10, with 10 being maximal effort. In terms of a tempo run, your perceived exertion would be at a 7-8 on the scale. You are breathing deeper than you would at an easy pace, and the ability to hold a conversation is limited.” 

Once you’ve identified your tempo run pace, you can use the same tools you used to identify that pace to ensure you’re sticking within it. For example, if you get halfway through your run and find yourself struggling to say a word, then you’re probably going too fast.

If you have a fitness watch or tracker, another tool you can use to ensure you’re maintaining the correct pace is your heart rate.

“Using your heart rate as a guide is another way to maintain your tempo pace, but this is where we start to get a little more technical,” Meek says. “You first need to establish your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220. 

“So, if you are 40, your MHR would be 180. For a tempo run, your heart rate should be around 80-90% of your MHR – so you would multiply 180 by 0.8 and 0.9 for your ideal heart rate range for a tempo run.”

In this way, if your heart rate goes above or beyond that 80-90% range, you’ll know you need to adjust your pace. 

You now know what pace you should be aiming for, as well as how to maintain it. But is there anything else you need to know before setting off on your first tempo run?

Firstly, you’ll want to warm up. Then, once you’re ready, you can start out running at what you feel is close to your tempo pace, and use your heart rate monitor or talk test to identify whether you’re in the right place. However, Meek suggests keeping a few things in mind if you are using your heart rate as a measurement.

“Your heart rate can be influenced by other factors such as temperature, dehydration, fatigue, terrain and humidity, so take these things into consideration and lower your range where necessary,” she says. This means that if it’s really hot outside, or you’re going up a hill, you’ll need to slow your pace to maintain that same level of demand on your body.

Once you’ve found your pace, you’ll want to try and keep it up for 30-40 minutes, and then follow it up with a cool down and some stretches.

At the end of the day, however, it’s important to listen to how your body feels. “Personally, I would go with a talk test (or maybe sing to yourself if you’re running solo) as a way to monitor your pace,” Meek says.

“If the pace feels too hard for you to maintain, then slow it down. Yes, it is meant to feel uncomfortable, but not at the expense of your health and wellbeing.”  

Images: Getty