#runfaster

Ever finished a marathon and felt you had more left in the tank? Or worse, hit the wall at mile 20 and limped home. Most runners spend too much time on slow, easy miles or gut-busting sprints. There is a middle ground. It is called the tempo run. Let me explain why tempo run marathon training is the missing piece for so many runners.

What Is a Tempo Run, Really?

A tempo run is a sustained effort at a "comfortably hard" pace. Think of it as your 10K race pace or about 80-85% of your maximum heart rate. You should be able to speak one or two words at a time, not full sentences. The magic happens because you are teaching your body to clear lactic acid while running faster than your easy pace.

Why Tempo Runs Build Marathon Speed

Marathon success depends on something called "lactate threshold." This is the point where lactic acid builds up faster than your body can clear it. When you cross that threshold, your legs feel heavy, your breathing becomes ragged, and you slow down dramatically.

Tempo run marathon training raises that threshold. You teach your body to handle faster paces for longer periods. A runner with a high lactate threshold can run at a 7:30 per mile pace while another runner hits the wall at an 8:30 pace. Both have the same raw endurance. The difference is tempo training.

How to Find Your Tempo Pace

This is where many runners go wrong. They run too fast, turning a tempo run into a race simulation. Or too slow, slipping back into easy run territory.

Methods to find your pace:

Use a recent 5K or 10K race time. Tempo pace is roughly 20-30 seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace, or 10-15 seconds slower than your 10K pace

Use heart rate: 80-85% of your maximum (roughly 160-170 bpm for a 40-year-old)

Use perceived effort: "Comfortably hard",  you could maintain the pace for 30-40 minutes but would not want to go much longer

A good tempo trainer device helps with the pacing errors. But you still need to listen to your body. If you feel sharp pain or extreme fatigue, slow down or stop.

How Tempo Training Transforms Race Day

After 6-8 weeks of consistent tempo run marathon training, you will notice changes. Your easy pace feels easier. Your marathon goal pace feels more sustainable. The dreaded mile 20 slowdown comes later or not at all.

Physiological changes include:

Increased capillary density (more oxygen to muscles)

Improved enzyme activity (better energy production)

Stronger heart stroke volume (more blood per beat)

Mental toughness (you learn to embrace discomfort)

These adaptations make tempo runs the single most effective workout for marathon improvement, aside from the long run itself. The best tempo trainer is consistent, not necessarily fancy. A simple stopwatch on a measured track works. Run one lap at tempo pace, check your time, and adjust on the next lap.

Embrace Controlled Discomfort