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Tempo run pace ? seems too easy ?
Hello.
A bit of a newbie question...!!
I have been running 3 times a week (6-8k each and sometimes 10k) for 4 months now (was also running regularly in my past..)
My best 10k time has been 49:24 which i did about 1.5 months ago. I have never done any races or never followed any proper training programs. But I would like to improve on that time and maybe do a proper race so thought i should start looking at proper program ! I also have a HR monitor (chest..).
I have read and learned that doing one "tempo" run per week is very beneficial. Using online calculators and if i use the 10k pace above as base for calculation, i should be running at pace 5:03min/km for this and should staying in aerobic zone when looking at HR ( i have been using HR for a while. The point of Tempo run is to stay below Anaerobic zone right ?).
I did a tempo run this morning ie about 6k with intervals at that tempo pace (about 31min total), alternating between the 5min/km and easy pace at 5:30-40min/km. and it seems a bit too "easy" overall?? would that make sense ?
thanks for advice ! just want to make sure that training at that pace is useful and i am building towards doing a better time !
A bit of a newbie question...!!
I have been running 3 times a week (6-8k each and sometimes 10k) for 4 months now (was also running regularly in my past..)
My best 10k time has been 49:24 which i did about 1.5 months ago. I have never done any races or never followed any proper training programs. But I would like to improve on that time and maybe do a proper race so thought i should start looking at proper program ! I also have a HR monitor (chest..).
I have read and learned that doing one "tempo" run per week is very beneficial. Using online calculators and if i use the 10k pace above as base for calculation, i should be running at pace 5:03min/km for this and should staying in aerobic zone when looking at HR ( i have been using HR for a while. The point of Tempo run is to stay below Anaerobic zone right ?).
I did a tempo run this morning ie about 6k with intervals at that tempo pace (about 31min total), alternating between the 5min/km and easy pace at 5:30-40min/km. and it seems a bit too "easy" overall?? would that make sense ?
thanks for advice ! just want to make sure that training at that pace is useful and i am building towards doing a better time !
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Comments
Have you done a maximum heart rate test? If not then HR training is meaningless as no device knows what your max HR is and it's from your max that the correct zones are calculated.
But you're making good progress and as soon as racing is allowed again get an entry in ASAP. You'll run faster in an actual race.
For me, tempo, like intervals is a versatile run and one form of tempo running is threshold pace. I refer to any training faster than the upper end of easy pace as a tempo. For instsnce much of my 'tempo' runs are done at between hmp and mp, or sometimes at mp or sometimes at hmp and I'll often do 10m at that effort. i wouldn't expect anyone to be able to do that at threshold pace.
So just have that slightly dufferent viewpoint of people in mind when trying to understand what people are advising you.
> If I'm calculating training paces for a runner I usually have the tempo pace as a range, so using your 10k time tempo pace would be 7:55 to 8:15 min/miles, sorry don't do km. Although you can do intervals at tempo pace the intervals would probably need to be at least a mile, but I usually advise one mile easy then x number of miles at tempo pace and one mile cool down.
>
> Have you done a maximum heart rate test? If not then HR training is meaningless as no device knows what your max HR is and it's from your max that the correct zones are calculated.
>
> But you're making good progress and as soon as racing is allowed again get an entry in ASAP. You'll run faster in an actual race.
thank you for your advice. if i translate in km, thats a range of 4:55 to 5:08 min/km. which is spot on the pace i am using (5:03) so i got that one right !
For what is called a a "tempo" run, you recommend a portion at easy pace, then a good long one at that tempo pace (then cool down). from what i've read around, if i do 3 runs a week, i should do one for speed, one tempo et one very long distance but at easy pace ?
yes, i did a "sort of" MHR test as my HR does not work with the regular formulas anyway to calculate zones (i am 44). i pushed my HR to 200-202 once and my resting HR is 60 and noticed a 50 once too. so i am using these measures. and i was told that tempo should push the HR at max of the aerobic zone only, if you go higher, it means you are going too fast ?
thanks again !
> i meant to come back and clarify a point you raised. The term tempo and threshold are used differently by different people. A threshold run is a very specific zone, slower than 10k but faster than hmp. Many also use this pace when they talk of tempo.
>
> For me, tempo, like intervals is a versatile run and one form of tempo running is threshold pace. I refer to any training faster than the upper end of easy pace as a tempo. For instsnce much of my 'tempo' runs are done at between hmp and mp, or sometimes at mp or sometimes at hmp and I'll often do 10m at that effort. i wouldn't expect anyone to be able to do that at threshold pace.
>
> So just have that slightly dufferent viewpoint of people in mind when trying to understand what people are advising you.
just to make sure. hmp is hlaf marathon pace and mp is marathon pace ?
But there are so many ways to train, with or without using HR. I train to HR but I use % of MHR, you are using WHR (working heart rate). Then you're also using calculated paces, such as your tempo pace. They are all different methods, nothing wrong with any of them but trying to stick to zones and pace is conflicting and possibly confusing.
I work out training paces for runners that don't use HR training.
So it might be easier for you to decide if you want to run to calculated pace or to run to HR and use zones. A training calculator will also give you paces for easy and long runs too.
I've probably just made it all sound more confusing than it is.
you are right I am trying to mix both training technique/strategy ! And I have confused you too as I am also using % of MHR. <div>
</div><div>Let’s try to be clearer !
I have calculated the typical tempo pace using my best 10k pace to date ie around 5:03/km.
if that tempo pace is right (ie if it is the right pace to train on to improve on my 10k pace ultimately), it should push my HR at the limit of the aerobic zone (which is 80% MHR I was told and theoretically 171 bpm max for me) but no higher and the point is ultimately getting faster pace without raising the HR and getting into the anaerobic zone (as i am guessing getting into anaerobic zone has to happen as late as possible or in a race ?) I thought the more I train at that level, the more my pace will naturally get quicker without raising my HR over the limit
Am I completely off my head ? Or over-complicating things ? </div><div>
</div><div>Thank you !
</div>
If you're using MHR then 80% would be 160bpm.
Your GPS watch might call it MHR but it's not.
The limit of anyone's aerobic zone depends on how aerobically fit they are, not the pace they run at. For instance the HR training I do is known as Hadd and that is designed to gradually push up the lactate threshold so eventually I can run for longer at a faster pace but without exceeding my lactate threshold.
But with most HR training such as Hadd and Maffetone, results come from a long period of base training first.
For instance over the last few months I've been base training 50 miles a week doing most of my running at 70-75% MHR and my pace at that HR is now the same pace as I ran my best marathon in 2019 which was at 85%. The only faster work I've done is a few runs at 77-80% and the improvements in pace happened before I did the slightly faster runs.
With HR training it's the improvements at the lower HRs that enables you to run faster at the higher HRs.
I think you should decide if you want to train at certain paces or at HR zones. For now you're doing well training to paces and improving well.
What I (admittedly very badly) tried to explain was that I try to train, improve my fitness, run so that i could run at that tempo pace AND also staying in the aerobic zone (that was the goal). And If i was noticing my HR was moving to the anaerobic zone then maybe i should slow down a bit to stay in aerobic.
Anyhow, I understand your point better now so thank you for taking the time to explain it in details! I should focus on training according to paces first. Then after a while look at HR once i have a more solid base.
Anaerobic means without oxygen, such as HIITs or sprinting.
Do all your runs at easy or long run pace and one tempo run a week. As you get stronger you can increase the distance of the tempo run, do an easy mile to warm up. Then you could introduce one hilly run a week or do hill reps.
I hope we're all back racing soon and you can get a chance to do some good PBs.
</div><div>Thanks again for all your time and advice </div>
</div><div>Yes, it was pretty hard. The last 2k especially.
went for a tempo run this morning (3min easy pace, 10min tempo pace, 3min easy pace, 10min tempo pace, 3 min cool down). </div><div>
</div><div>I ended up 52% of my time in the 171bpm-184bpm zone (zone 5 out of 6 that the app call Anaerobic). </div>