If you only add one hard workout to your week, many coaches would choose a tempo run. It is simple, needs no track, and improves the pace you can hold for 10K, a half marathon and a marathon. The hard part is pacing it right: tempo runs are meant to be controlled, not a race.
What a tempo run is
A tempo run is a sustained run of about 15 to 40 minutes at a "comfortably hard" pace, usually close to your threshold pace: the fastest pace you could hold for about an hour in a race.
The term was made popular by coaches like Jack Daniels, who calls this effort "threshold" or "T pace". Some coaches use "tempo" for a slightly easier effort, closer to half marathon or marathon pace. Both are useful; the key is that the effort is steady, strong and controlled.
Tempo pace: how fast?
| Measure | Tempo pace |
|---|---|
| Feel | Comfortably hard, effort 6 to 7 out of 10 |
| Talk test | Short phrases only, not full sentences |
| Race pace | About 15 to 25 seconds per km slower than 5K pace, close to 15K to half marathon pace |
| Heart rate | Zones 3 to 4, roughly 85 to 90% of max for many runners |
| Threshold pace | About 100 to 105% of threshold pace (per km) |
Example: a runner with a 25-minute 5K (5:00 per km) would run tempo at roughly 5:15 to 5:25 per km. If you have no recent race, start by feel and check the numbers afterwards.
What tempo runs do for you
Five tempo workouts
Always start with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running and finish with 10 minutes easy.
| Workout | Main set | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Starter tempo | 3 × 5 min at tempo, 2 min easy jog between | Beginner |
| Classic tempo | 20 min continuous at tempo | Intermediate |
| Cruise intervals | 4 × 8 min at threshold, 1 to 2 min jog | Intermediate |
| Long tempo | 30 to 40 min at half marathon pace | Advanced |
| Tempo in a long run | Last 20 min of a 75 to 90 min run at marathon pace | Advanced, marathon |
Cruise intervals, a Jack Daniels favourite, split the tempo into chunks with short breaks. You spend more total time at threshold with less fatigue, which makes them great for building up.
How to run your first tempo, step by step
- Pick a flat route or a loop with few stops.
- Warm up 15 minutes easy, with 3 or 4 short pick-ups of 15 seconds in the last few minutes.
- Ease into tempo pace over the first minute. Do not sprint the start.
- Hold it steady. The last minutes should feel hard but in control: you could keep going for another 10 to 15 minutes if you had to.
- Cool down 10 minutes easy.
- Check the data: pace even, heart rate in the expected zone, and no big fade at the end.
How to progress over 8 weeks
Build the time at tempo slowly, rather than the pace. A simple plan for a runner new to tempo work:
| Week | Main set |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | 3 × 5 min at tempo, 2 min jog |
| 3 to 4 | 3 × 7 min at tempo, 2 min jog |
| 5 to 6 | 2 × 12 min at tempo, 3 min jog |
| 7 to 8 | 20 min continuous at tempo |
Only make the pace faster when your threshold has clearly improved, for example after a new race result or when your watch or app shows a faster threshold pace. If a session feels much harder than last time, check your sleep, the weather and your recent training before blaming your fitness.
How often to run tempo
Once a week is plenty for most runners, alongside one other quality session such as intervals or a long run. Beginners should wait until they can run 30 to 40 minutes easily, several times a week, before adding tempo work. Keep the rest of your week easy, so you arrive at each tempo run fresh. Read How slow should an easy run be? to get that balance right.
Tempo vs threshold vs intervals
Heat, hills and treadmills
On hot days, run tempo by effort or heart rate and accept a slower pace, or move it to the cool early morning. On a hilly route, aim for even effort rather than even pace. A treadmill is an excellent place for tempo runs: the pace is fixed, so you learn exactly how tempo effort feels. Set a 1% incline to make it closer to running outside.
Tempo runs in Windlace
- Find your threshold pace on the Fitness tab, worked out from your fastest 3 to 20 minute stretches.
- Run the workout recorded on your phone or watch.
- Open the run: your time in each pace zone and heart rate zone shows whether the tempo block landed in the right zone.
- See the run type: sessions are tagged, for example Tempo or Threshold, so you can see the mix of your week at a glance.
Zones for one run (left) and the run summary (right).
Key takeaways
- A tempo run is 15 to 40 minutes at a comfortably hard pace, close to your one-hour race pace.
- For many runners that is about 15 to 25 seconds per km slower than 5K pace.
- Tempo runs raise your threshold, so race pace feels easier.
- Start with 3 × 5 minutes, then build to 20 minutes continuous or cruise intervals.
- Once a week is enough; finish feeling you could have done a little more.
Frequently asked questions
What pace is a tempo run?
Comfortably hard: about 15 to 25 seconds per km slower than 5K pace, close to your 15K to half marathon race pace.
How long should a tempo run be?
The tempo part is usually 15 to 40 minutes, plus a warm-up and cool-down.
What is the difference between a tempo run and a threshold run?
They overlap. Threshold runs sit right at your one-hour race pace; some coaches use tempo for a slightly easier, longer effort.
How often should I do tempo runs?
Once a week for most runners, with the rest of the week mostly easy.
Should a tempo run feel hard?
Yes, but controlled. You should be breathing hard and only able to say short phrases, yet able to hold the pace steadily to the end without slowing.
Can I do a tempo run on a treadmill?
Yes, and it is a great way to learn the effort because the pace stays fixed. Set the incline to about 1% to make it closer to running outside.
Can beginners do tempo runs?
Yes, once they can run 30 to 40 minutes comfortably. Start with short blocks like 3 × 5 minutes.
Keep reading
PaceWhat is threshold pace, and how do you find yours?The pace you can hold for about an hour: where it sits next to your race paces, four ways to find it, and how to train with it.10 min read
TrainingInterval training for runners: a simple guideWhat intervals are, the right pace and rest, six classic workouts and how often to do them safely.10 min read
TrainingHow slow should an easy run be?Four simple ways to find your easy run pace, and why running slowly most days makes you faster.9 min read