Coach Ron's Friday Fit Tip

Tempo Runs (T)

Description:  Tempo runs help improve running economy.  These runs will consist of hard, but controlled intervals with short recovery periods.  For example, one workout may look like this:  Warm up 1 mile, and then build into a run of up to one hour at 5k to 10 mile pace depending on the race you are training for.  Cool down 1 mile.  This pace should be “comfortably uncomfortable.”

Benefits:         -Enhance lactate threshold

                        -Increase your speed over longer distances.

                        -Train heart muscles near anaerobic threshold.

                        -Changing speed changes stride, which will help break their usual stride.

Tempo Pacing: Why running faster during a tempo run is detrimental

When you push too far beyond your lactate threshold pace, you prevent your body from learning how to effectively clear lactate. Instead of becoming more efficient by handling a moderate and consistent amount of lactate, your body is flooded. It isn’t able to benefit from a prolonged period of lactate clearance. By speeding up, you don’t achieve the benefits of the workout and actually walk away from your tempo run less fit than you would have by staying on the prescribed pace.

...See you on the roads