Tempo Running

Uptempo 7 miles @ steady state pace, so just under marathon tempo

Tempo Training or High-End Aerobic Training-

This is training at the very upper edge of aerobic running.

Includes (LT),Lactate Threshold running, or (OBLA), on-set of blood lactate accumulation, lactate turn point, others use various names for this.

So the faster you are able to run at your turnpoint, the faster you'll race.

What is usually called the lactate threshold / turnpoint, is at a pace approximately 10 - 30 seconds per mile slower than your current 10k race pace, dependant on how fast you are and current level of fitness.

And you should be able to hold that reasonably comfortably for up to an hour, ie roughly your 15k/ 10 mile race pace or ½ marathon pace for real fast guys.

This can be a straight run, progressing the time from 15 to 40mins, over the weeks.

It can be broken down into, long cruise repetitions, nearer to 10K pace, out and back tempo’s, acceleration runs or progression runs.

Or AT (Aerobic Threshold) which is essentially steady state aerobic running performed at your marathon pace for longer runs of 40 to 60mins, although marathon runners could periodically take this up to 75mins .

It’s faster and harder than your normal day to day steady maintenance running, but usually slower than your half marathon racing pace.

N.B. always warm up and cool down on these runs.

So once your mileage is to a good level and consistent, it's time for you to add some specifics to your training. One of the more important additions is threshold work.

Lactate threshold is defined as the point where your blood lactate levels begin to increase dramatically. It is not an absolute level, but just the average and should not be taken as the definite LT point. The scientifically measured point can vary significantly in most people

So this threshold isn't really a threshold at all.

It is not some magic point where you switch from using the aerobic system to using the anaerobic system. The lactate threshold (or Maximum Lactate Steady State) is in actuality the point where lactate production equals lactate elimination. This means that lactate produced by the muscles is being transported and taken up by other sources (muscles, heart, etc.) at the same rate. Thus there is very little accumulation of blood lactate or the resulting hydrogen ions that accompany it.

It is gradually moving accumulation and there are various indicators on the way, such as changes in your ability to talk comfortably or breath easily and finally a burning sensation in your legs.

LT training is the basis for your success as a distance runner and is one of the keys for running fast.

Doing LT work will allow you to to increase your LT (or your %VO2 max at LT) and it will increase your aerobic (with oxygen) capabilities.

By increasing your LT you are able to run at a higher % of your VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake), meaning that you can run at a faster pace without producing large amounts of lactic acid.

In addition to this you are still running aerobically, although high end aerobic, so you get similar benefits to just logging steady mileage (such as an increase in mitochondria (your body's energy production centre) and an increase in capillerization (the system of blood cells that aid in exchange of nutrients and gases throughout your body).

Running at LT pace has been shown to recruit not only slow twitch fibers, but also Fast Twitch oxidative fibres. Because of this, training at LT provides sufficient intensity for an increase in mitochondria to occur in both ST and FT fibres, something that doesn't occur at lower intensities.

There are several theories of how to increase the lactate threshold.

Personally I subscribe to the idea that MOST of the work should be done trying to push the threshold up, instead of pulling it up. The idea behind this is that you run slightly slower than LT pace and thus stress the body right before it's at the point where it is producing and taking up lactate at the same rate. If you feel this view is right, then it is very important not to cross the threshold during this type of training too often, but there will be a time to do work slightly above the LT to further increase it.

Work slightly above the LT is a later stimulus that can be added but for the base period and pre-competition period work right under is generally best. For advanced athletes too, occasional work right over LT may be beneficial as another stressor.

The problem is that over-training is more likely to occur when working right above, than right below the LT.

The LT somewhat coincides with the Ventilatory threshold (the point where your breathing begins to increase rapidly, or beyond the ability to talk briefly) so a good measure of if you are going too fast is if you can not say a sentence during the run. When running at LT pace you want to push the pace from your normal easy/steady training zone, until you get into "the zone", where it is fast but smooth, some describe it as getting "tunnel vision". If you push the pace any more, you start to labour and it becomes more forced, not as smooth as before.

Generally speaking for a 20 min threshold run, the pace should be about what you could run all out for approx 10 miles or for 55-60min, depending on your level.

Example training pace approx levels based on potential ability, all being well training wise. ie runner

17min 5k . 5k 5:28m/ml; 10K 5:40m/ml; LT/10ml 5:50m/ml; 1/2M 6:00m/ml; Mara 6:20m/ml

It is very important that you do not go over LT too often. Frequent running at LT or slightly above is much more taxing then running right below LT.

When you run faster than LT you switch from focusing on aerobic development of the Fast twitch fibers and increasing threshold to developing buffers for the build up of acid. Therefore, I recommend, especially during the base building period, that LT runs should be run 5-10 seconds per mile slower than exact LT pace. This allows you to get the benefits of LT running, without overly taxing your body, meaning you recover very fast and are able to do more LT runs or other sessions because they do not tax your body much.

LT runs can be done as tempo runs ranging anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes long.

You can also do LT fartleks or LT repetitions (such as 2x12 - 15mins, or 3x 8 -10mins with

one min rest, depending on your fitness.

It is good to vary the length of your threshold runs over the course of the season. Running 20 minutes at LT is good, but varying the intensities with 40 minute or 60 minutes at progressively sub max running speeds is better (such as marathon pace).

A good tempo session is to do between 40 and 60 minutes at what some call the aerobic threshold (or about marathon pace). Running at that pace for a long duration is also a semi high-end aerobic workout. Meaning you'll get the benefits of aerobic running and since the duration is long enough, some benefits of Lactate Threshold too.

It's important to mix these in every once in a while.

The reason that LT repetitions are valuable in place of the traditional 20 minute LT run is that LT reps allow you to spend more time at LT pace, meaning more time for your body to make adaptations. It's important on LT reps not to run above LT pace. Most people assume that since you are doing reps, they have to be hard, but this is a wrong assumption. LT reps should feel similar to an LT run, comfortably hard.

Also with LT reps as your season progresses you can increase the number, and introduce hills, so increasing the amount of time spent at LT, which can't be done with the traditional LT run.

Both have their benefits though and it's important to mix and match.

Marathon pace, or Aerobic threshold work, is of course best for marathon runners or similar long distance athletes. It is specific for them, but in our case it serves as a way to connect normal/ easy /steady runs to lactate threshold runs.

Marathon paced runs have many of the same benefits of LT runs but also seem to be the best speed for increasing your fat burning power.

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I WILL ADD MORE DETAIL SOON REGARDING ACTUAL APPLICATION OF THE VARIOUS RUNS OR TEMPO SESSIONS.