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Glossary · Training

Tempo run

A tempo run is a continuous run at a comfortably hard effort — around RPE 6 of 10, where you can speak only in short sentences. It typically lasts 20–40 minutes after a warm-up and trains you to hold a strong pace for longer.

Tempo pace

Definitions vary: some coaches use tempo for marathon-to-half-marathon pace, others for threshold pace. Either way, it should feel controlled. If you finish unable to have run another few minutes at the same pace, it was too fast.

Tempo runs versus threshold intervals

Threshold intervals split similar work into reps with short jog recoveries, so you can run a little faster or for longer in total. Tempo runs teach you to settle into one sustained rhythm. Most plans use both.

Related terms

Threshold paceInterval trainingLactate thresholdRate of perceived exertion (RPE)

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