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Tempo Run
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Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That ls: Your First Tempo Run
When you get right down to it, running is not about being comfortable; it's about pushing limits. Once you have been running for a while, to stay engaged in the repetitive act of putting one foot in front of the other, you have to challenge yourself. One such challenge is to run faster.
Back to Basics: Tempo Run
In the world of running, there are some basic terms for basic elements of training. One such term you might run into often is tempo run, and believe it or not, it doesn't mean running to the beat of your favorite JT song.
The tempo run is an essential part of any race training routine, and is simply an approximately 20 to 40 minute run at a hard, but controlled pace.
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Running 101: Recovery Run
When you start to go deep with running, you slowly begin to encounter the jargon of the sport. One such term you might skim over is recovery run. Though the terms might seem simple, the concept is important.
Your Brain on Running
I have read many an article explaining how to run smarter, not harder, but according to a few recent studies discussed on the blog Well, running hard could actually make you smarter. While the majority of the research has been done on rats, both human and animal studies have found that working hard aerobically sharpens the senses and primes the brain for problem solving. When I think about it, the connection between running and thinking seems related to human evolution: run hard from your predator and devise a way to outwit the beast of prey.
Free Workout Music From Podrunner
Music is the great fitness motivator, and the faster the beat, the faster you move. If you're looking for an entire playlist that offers non-stop, fixed tempo music for your running, walking, or cycling workouts, check out Podrunner.
The site offers free workout playlists to help keep your pace constant, with ranges between 152 to 181 beats per minute.
Fit Tip: Dedicate One Day a Week to an Easy Workout
Cardio is important for strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles, but you don't need to go full force every time you work out. Whether you enjoy running, biking, swimming, dancing, or some other type of cardio, dedicate one day a week to an easy day. I don't mean rest completely and do nothing physical, just do a lighter version of your regular cardio workout.
Increase the Intensity of Your Workouts to Burn More Fat
I am a fan of mixing up my cardio pace — long, slow runs for endurance, tempo runs for speed, and interval training for a mixture of the two. Lately, I have a hard time revving up for my higher intensity workouts, since they're hard. I have a new piece of motivation though: Vigorous exercise raises levels of fat-burning hormones, which means more bang for my cardio investment.
The Skinny on Lactic Acid
When I was a young runner, lactic acid was blamed for the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that interfered with my ability to climb onto the school bus with ease the day following a hard practice. Since then, we have learned that post-exercise pain is caused by micro tears created when we tax our muscles, and the former scapegoat, lactic acid, doesn't hang out in muscles after a workout. Lactic acid actually fuels our cells when we push ourselves during high intensity workouts.
Words That Move You . . .
"You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone."
— Percy Cerutty, Olympic track and field coach
When I am trying to psych myself up for a tempo run, I use this quote as my mantra. Need more motivation?
Breathing and Running
When it comes to breathing while running, you need to focus on the rhythm. Coach Jenny over at Runner's World says you can even think of it as a dance between the two elements if you'd like.
You should match your breathing to your steps.
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