Tuesdays are tempo run days. Out of all the workouts I do I find this day the hardest. Here is a brief definition of what a ‘Tempo Run’ is:
Tempo runs are arguably the most important type of training for distance runners. Scientific studies have shown that tempo runs are an effective way to improve lactate threshold pace, which largely determines the pace you can maintain in a race.
A tempo run is a sustained effort of at least 20 minutes. The optimal intensity for tempo runs is your current lactate threshold pace or a few seconds per mile faster. These workouts make you run hard enough that lactate is just starting to accumulate in your muscles and blood, which provides a strong stimulus to improve your lactate threshold pace. For most experienced runners, lactate threshold pace represents approximately 80 to 92 percent of maximal heart rate, or 74 to 90 percent of heart rate reserve.
I find them difficult because they take quite a bit of concentration to maintain your target heart rate, also because these are often done alone, not like intervals which I run with VFAC so I have the peer pressure thing pushing me. On Tuesdays it’s just me and my Polar heart rate monitor. Generally my tempo pace is sustained from anywhere between 30 minutes and 50 minutes with an average heart rate of 170 which is 85% of my Max Heart Rate (201), with a 10 minute warm up and cool down.
