| What it is | Sustained 'comfortably hard' effort |
| Intensity | At/near lactate threshold |
| Duration | ~20–40 minutes |
| Benefit | Raises sustainable race pace |
A tempo run is a sustained effort at a ‘comfortably hard’ pace at or near your lactate threshold — typically held for around 20–40 minutes — that trains your body to clear lactate and run faster for longer. By raising the pace you can sustain before fatigue spikes, tempo runs are a key workout for improving race performance across distances.
Threshold work
Targets your lactate threshold; the sustained complement to intervals and fartlek.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tempo run?
A tempo run is a continuous run at a 'comfortably hard' pace — roughly your lactate threshold, the effort you could sustain for about an hour in a race. Held typically for 20–40 minutes (after a warm-up), it teaches your body to handle and clear lactate, raising the pace you can maintain before fatigue takes over.
How hard should a tempo run feel?
Comfortably hard: challenging and focused, but controlled — you could speak only a few words at a time, not hold a conversation. It shouldn't feel like an all-out sprint or an easy jog. On trails, run it by effort (heart rate or perceived exertion) rather than pace, since terrain changes your speed.
Tempo run vs intervals?
A tempo run is one sustained, continuous effort at threshold intensity, building the ability to hold a strong pace; intervals are repeated shorter, harder bouts (often above threshold, near VO2 max) with recovery between them, building speed and aerobic power. Both are valuable; tempos develop sustainable pace, intervals develop top-end fitness.
Sources
- Threshold training — American Council on Exercise
- Tempo workouts — American Trail Running Association