Tempo Of Doom

Tempo running is a bit of an obscure concept to some runners. While there are dozens of resources that will provide you with a specific tempo pace based on your fitness level, so many factors play into how you feel on any given day that a tempo pace can seem too easy, or just short of impossible based on your feelings that day.

If you are underrecovered, the weather is poor, you are on a hilly course, you have the onset of illness, or any other plethera of conditions that may lead you to being unable to maintain your specific tempo pace. Or, it could be the opposite. Perhaps you are feeling great, you just came off a vacation and did nothing but easy running and resting, you just got over an injury, or you are extremely confident off of a recent race performance and the tempo pace just feels too slow. Either way, there is no need to be strict to the tempo pace that has been determined for you. Here is a good rule of thumb: tempo is the fastest pace you can maintain for 45-60 minutes, focusing on a quicker turnover. Threshold is the fastest pace you can maintain for 30-40 minutes.

The goal is to not slow down, if you have to slow down toward the end of your tempo, you went out too fast, you are better off having a little reserve left in the tank at the end of a tempo run than in leaving everything on the course and not being able to finish at a consistent pace.

Threshold and tempo running is a great way to improve VO2max and if done right, is an awesome way to overcome mental fatigue. When trying to maintain consistency over 2-8 miles right at the edge of your threshold is mentally trying, especially when you are not in a race situation and have the option to slow down. The great thing about threshold and tempo running is the mental toughness that comes out of it and the body awareness of knowing when to push and when to back off.

3k-5k: 4-7 miles recovery pace
5k-10k: 6-8 miles recovery pace
10k-21k: 7-10 miles recovery pace
21k+: 8-11 miles recovery pace

3+ hours before or after run:
A. 100 turkish get ups; slow and steady; no time limit
Turkish Get Ups
http://youtu.be/1AWdpfbhCPI part I
http://youtu.be/0BiYV01Odi8 part II
http://youtu.be/tojfaIBZ4bs part III