I knew I wasn’t alone in my love/hate relationship with tempo runs when Mallory Creveling, A Part of Hearst Digital Media I knew I wasn’t alone in my love/hate relationship with tempo runs when RW+ Membership Benefits tempo miles You Can Still Crush Your Marathon Despite Setbacks.
VO2 Max vs Lactate Threshold: Which to Focus On Runner’s World’s How to Stay Fresh Halfway Through Marathon Training training plan, and struggled the most with long runs that included tempo miles. I had finally overcome persistent issues with side stitches every time I upped my pace—I credit a core stability routine, strength training, and Run a Marathon PR, Just Like Harry Styles for that—but tempo effort still felt intimidating. The idea of running at a fast pace for multiple miles in a row was daunting, and I’d sometimes fall short of hitting the prescribed paces consistently during a workout.
Amazing Runners World Show long runs, Why—and How—You Should Taper Before a Marathon high beats per minute (bpm) helped me settle into a smooth, even tempo pace. One song in particular always got me ready to dial up the pace: Sabrina Carpenter’s “Sharpest Tool.”
I don’t know if it’s the combination of cutting lyrics or the quick, consistent beat of the synth bass in the background, but the second the song comes on, my body kicks into a solid 8:00 pace—roughly my tempo speed.
As I train for my first marathon, I’m tuning into new songs to help me nail my paces—faster songs to run to during intervals, like Carpenter’s “Go Go Juice,” and slow, mellow songs like Phoebe Bridgers’ “Sidelines” when it’s time to run longer and easier. All these songs also help me beat boredom on my long runs because I’m listening to music I truly love.
The Simple Metric That Helps Me PR in Races Runner’s World’s to consistently running, RW+ Membership Benefits, What’s a Good Beginner Marathon Time tempo runs. Plus, join Runner’s World+ to unlock your biggest distance goals yet and access expert-backed plans so you can train with tempo pace for any race distance.
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Why My Best Workouts Happen on the Track Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.
