Tempo Runs: the Half-Marathoner’s Speed Training
Daily Tip #1
You’re just about finished with your hard training for the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE. If you haven’t done traditional “speed work”—usually a weekly session of interval training (several short runs at faster-than-race pace with jogging rest intervals between them)—don’t worry; the longer the race, the less important this kind of speed work is. A better choice for half-marathon speed training is a weekly or twice-weekly “tempo run”—a run of one-third to one-half your race distance, done at a pace that’s close to what you want to try for in the race. These runs familiarize you, both physically and psychologically, with how the race will feel. (If you’re not going for a fast time, a tempo run will help you figure out what pace you can comfortably handle.)
You’ve still got time to do a couple of diagnostic tempo runs before you taper your training down for the race. Find a five- to six-mile course that’s similar to the race course—and if you’re a New Yorker or live nearby, why not use the NYC Half-Marathon course itself? Warm up with a mile or two of easy jogging, and then start your tempo run like a dress rehearsal. (Literally: Wear what you plan to wear in the race. You’ll find out if you really do want to wear it.) Start comfortably, but with some effort. Plan on being able to maintain the same pace and effort throughout your run. If it gets tougher to maintain the pace as you go, you’re overestimating your race pace. If you can speed up gradually throughout, that’s better—as long as you’re not pushing hard to accelerate. The feeling should be of a good, controlled effort: You’re not jogging, but you’ve still got several gears left.
Don’t worry if thinking about continuing on to 13 miles is a bit daunting. You’re training seriously right now, and you don’t have the necessary freshness to make 13 miles at tempo pace seem easily doable. If you can keep the pace going at that steady effort level for five or six miles now, chances are very good that you’re going to be able to hold it through the whole race after you’ve gotten in a final week of easy running and rest. In fact, the greater challenge is going to be to keep your race-day adrenaline from pulling you out to a much faster early pace.
Try a tempo run on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week, and maybe a final, shorter one (say, four miles) next Monday or Tuesday. When the gun goes off on August 5, you’ll be right in your element.
Training with a partner can inspire you to meet your goals.
