20 min Tempo Run
Twenty minutes of continuous tempo running between marathon and half marathon effort, a staple aerobic session for 10k to marathon training.
- Duration
- 45 min
- Distance
- 8.5 kmestimated
- Effort
- 54
- Level
- Intermediate
- Focus zone
- Tempo
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
100% is your threshold pace. Higher values are faster, lower values are slower.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy jog | 15 min | 78-88% threshold pace68-78% HRmax72-82% FTP |
| 2 | IntervalTempo Tempo, even rhythm | 20 min | 88-94% threshold pace78-86% HRmax82-89% FTP |
| 3 | Cool-downRecovery Easy jog | 10 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
About this workout
A 20 minute tempo run is one of the standard sessions in distance training. You run continuously at a moderately hard effort, between your marathon pace and your half marathon pace. It should feel controlled for the first ten minutes and require some focus at the end.
The block raises the pace you can hold aerobically and builds the patience to run evenly. Keep the first five minutes at the slower end of the range and let the pace settle rather than chasing a number. Heart rate rises slowly during the block, which is normal.
Use it once a week in base and build phases. To progress, extend the block to 25 or 30 minutes before you make it faster. Runners new to tempo work can split it into 2 x 10 minutes with a short jog.
Tips
- Run the first and last five minutes at the same pace.
- Choose a loop or an out and back course without big hills.
- A steady breathing rhythm over three or four steps helps many runners hold the effort.
Good for10kHalf marathonMarathon
Season phaseBaseBuild