Running
Cardiovascular system
Intermediate
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Running
Tempo Run
A sustained block of comfortably hard running that teaches your body to hold a strong pace without tipping into the red. The classic workout for raising your lactate threshold.
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Suggested use
Distance
6.00 km
Running
Intermediate
Endurance
Cardio
Gait
Muscles worked
Primary
Cardiovascular system
Secondary
Quads
Hamstrings
Glutes
Calves
Hip flexors
Equipment
Track or road
How to do it
- Warm up with 10 minutes of easy jogging plus a few strides.
- Build into a comfortably hard pace — about 7 out of 10 effort, or a pace you could hold for roughly an hour in a race.
- As a pace guide, run about 25-40 seconds per kilometer slower than your 5K pace.
- Hold that pace for 15-20 minutes, staying tall with relaxed shoulders and quick, light steps.
- Use the talk test: one short sentence at a time is right — chatting freely means too easy, no words at all means too hard.
- Cool down with 5-10 minutes of easy jogging or walking.
Common mistakes
- Starting too fast and fading — a tempo should be even or slightly faster at the end.
- Turning it into a race effort instead of controlled discomfort.
- Skipping the warm-up and asking cold legs for threshold pace.
- Straining the face, neck and shoulders as the effort builds.
Safety first
- Earn tempo work with several weeks of consistent easy running first.
- Cut the tempo short if your form falls apart or pain appears — the pace only counts when it is controlled.
- Hydrate beforehand and shorten the block in hot conditions.
Who should avoid or modify
- Known heart condition, chest pain history or uncontrolled blood pressure — consult a licensed clinician before sustained hard efforts.
- Recent lower-limb injury — rebuild an easy-run base first and consult a licensed clinician if unsure.
- Pregnancy — sustained hard efforts often need modification; consult a licensed clinician.
- Stop immediately if you feel chest pain, dizziness or severe shortness of breath.
Breathing and tempo
Breathing: A steady 2:2 rhythm (inhale two steps, exhale two steps) usually matches tempo effort well.
Tempo: Comfortably hard and metronome-steady — the goal is control, not collapse.
Progressions
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