RELAXED PACE

Purpose

Recovery and aerobic development.

Feel

Easy and conversational.

Talk Test

You can carry on a full conversation without difficulty.

Heart Rate

Approximately 70-80% of max heart rate.

Pace

Typically 90 seconds to 2+ minutes slower than current 5K pace.

Athlete Cue

If someone asks you a question, you should be able to answer with complete sentences.

STEADY PACE

Purpose

Build aerobic strength and endurance.

Feel

Purposeful but comfortable.

Talk Test

You can speak in complete sentences, but conversation is becoming shorter.

Heart Rate

Approximately 80-85% of max heart rate.

Pace

Typically 45-90 seconds slower than current 5K pace.

Athlete Cue

You know you're running, but you're not working hard.

TEMPO PACE

Purpose

Build aerobic capacity and prepare for threshold training.

Feel

Controlled and sustained.

Talk Test

Short sentences only.

Heart Rate

Approximately 83-88% of max heart rate.

Pace

Typically 30-50 seconds slower than current 5K pace.

Athlete Cue

You could maintain this effort for a long time if you had to.

THRESHOLD PACE

Purpose

Improve lactate clearance and aerobic power.

Feel

Comfortably hard.

Talk Test

3-5 word phrases.

Heart Rate

Approximately 85-90% of max heart rate.

Pace

Typically 20-40 seconds slower than current 5K pace.

Athlete Cue

You should feel strong and in control. If Coach asked for one more repetition, you could do it.

Examples

Current 5K Pace Threshold Pace

6:00/mile 6:20-6:40/mile

6:30/mile 6:50-7:10/mile

7:00/mile 7:20-7:40/mile

10K PACE

Purpose

Develop aerobic power and bridge the gap between threshold and race pace.

Feel

Firm and demanding, but controlled.

Talk Test

Single words or very short answers.

Heart Rate

Approximately 88-92% of max heart rate.

Pace

Typically 10-20 seconds slower than current 5K pace.

Athlete Cue

This should feel like racing without actually racing.

Examples

Current 5K Pace 10K Pace

6:00/mile 6:10-6:20/mile

6:30/mile 6:40-6:50/mile

7:00/mile 7:10-7:20/mile

5K RACE PACE

Purpose

Race-specific development.

Feel

Hard.

Talk Test

No conversation.

Heart Rate

90-95%+ of max heart rate.

Pace

Current 5K race pace.

Athlete Cue

This should feel like the opening half of a race.

MAX SPEED

Purpose

Develop speed, power, mechanics, and running economy.

Feel

Fast and explosive.

Heart Rate

Ignore heart rate.

Pace

Ignore pace.

Athlete Cue

Run fast. Rest completely. Quality over quantity.

Examples

• 40m max velocity sprints

• 8 second hill sprints

• Flying sprints

• Acceleration work

Strides

85-90%

Smooth

Relaxed

Max Speed

95-100%

Explosive

Full recovery

Hill Sprints

95-100%

Power

Full recovery

Arizona Summer Rule

Heat, humidity, hills, and fatigue matter.

If heart rate, pace, and effort do not agree:

Trust effort first.

Trust heart rate second.

Trust pace third.

The goal is to hit the correct training stimulus, not chase a number on your watch.