If you’ve been following running trends lately, you might have noticed that continuous tempo runs—once a staple in many training programs five years ago—are slowly becoming extinct. Instead, broken-up intervals like one-kilometre or mile repeats dominate the programs of athletes at every level, from high school to the pros. This shift to threshold training has been heavily influenced by the famed Norwegian training method of the Ingebrigtsen brothers, who have found massive success with this approach. Is this shift to shorter threshold intervals the definitive future of training, or do continuous tempo runs still have a place and purpose?
What are continuous tempo runs?
In the past, continuous tempo runs were the go-to workout for runners aiming to improve their 10K or half-marathon times. The method was simple: run at a tempo pace (roughly 75-85 per cent of your max 5K effort) for a set distance or time, while gradually increasing volume each week as your fitness improves. These tempo sessions were designed to improve strength and stack mileage to push the body to adapt to running faster for longer.
Recently, more runners have been gravitating toward broken-up tempo sessions, often structured as 1km or mile repeats at a threshold pace with short rest periods. The thinking behind swapping tempo runs for thresholds is to break up the tempo, which will allow for less muscle tension, making the workout less stressful on the body while still getting the mental and physiological benefits from the workout.
For example, if one runner is doing a 5 km tempo session and the other runner is doing 5×1 km intervals at a tempo pace with a short, one-minute jog rest, the sessions are not so different. With the interval session, you’re still getting the necessary work in, but the rest periods make it easier to hit your goal paces without accumulating as much fatigue. In comparison, a continuous tempo run leaves little room for error in maintaining your goal pace. The shorter intervals (at the same or similar pace) allow your body to recover more quickly, making it easier to bounce back for your next session.
What’s missing from tempo runs?
Even though some have turned away from continuous tempo runs, they haven’t entirely lost their relevance—especially for athletes training for longer distances, such as the half-marathon and marathon. A workout of 10×1 mile will challenge your cardiovascular system, but it won’t fully mimic the demands of a race, where your body has to hold the pace without rest. For that reason, many long-distance athletes still consider continuous tempos essential.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s most recent half-marathon debut in Copenhagen is evidence of that. Many, including myself, expected the 24-year-old to threaten/challenge the world record, but instead, he went out too fast and struggled to maintain the pace. Ingebrigtsen revealed after the race that his 21.1 km race effort was the longest continuous run of his career.
The point is, when preparing for longer races, relying solely on broken-up intervals could leave athletes unprepared to handle the strain of running at race pace for a prolonged distance; therefore, it’s beneficial to add a few longer tempo sessions into your training build.
Jakob Ingebritsen commenting his race in #cphhalf pic.twitter.com/Kx8ynolcmF
— Alberto Stretti (@albertostretti) September 15, 2024
Another key element of continuous tempo runs is psychological. These longer efforts teach you how to cope with discomfort over time, building the mental toughness necessary for races. If you’re only used to broken intervals, you might struggle when faced with the pressure of continuous racing.
The ideal approach lies in finding a balance between interval-based threshold training and continuous efforts. While broken-up intervals may allow for faster recovery and better pacing, continuous runs teach your body—and mind—to handle sustained effort without a break. Continuous tempo runs may be less trendy than they used to be, but they’re far from dead.
