Tempo / Threshold Training
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Sustained "comfortably hard" work right around the lactate/ventilatory threshold — the pace you could hold for roughly an hour — to push the threshold itself higher.
Detail
Tempo (or threshold) training is continuous or long-interval work performed at or just below the lactate threshold (LT2) / second ventilatory threshold, the intensity above which blood lactate rises sharply and effort becomes unsustainable (see lactate-threshold and ventilatory-thresholds). Practically, it is the "comfortably hard" pace you could maintain for about 40–60 minutes — close to functional threshold power/pace (FTP) in cycling and running (see critical-power-ftp).
By heart rate this typically falls around zone 3–4 of the 5-zone model (roughly 80–90% of HRmax / ~60–80% of HRR), at RPE 14–16 ("hard"). On the talk test, speech is broken into short phrases. Sessions are commonly run as a sustained 20–40 minute tempo block or as long "cruise intervals" (e.g., 3 × 10 min near threshold with short recoveries).
The training goal is to raise the threshold itself — to let the athlete sustain a higher absolute pace/power before lactate accumulation forces a slowdown. This is distinct from easy base work (which builds aerobic capacity, long-slow-distance) and from VO2max intervals (which target maximal aerobic power, hiit). In training- distribution terms, threshold work is the defining feature of the "threshold" and "pyramidal" models and the deliberately under-used middle zone in strict polarized training (see training-intensity-distribution).
Key facts
- Performed at/just below lactate threshold (LT2)/second ventilatory threshold.
- "Comfortably hard," ~40–60 min sustainable pace; ≈ FTP intensity.
- Roughly zone 3–4: ~80–90% HRmax, RPE 14–16; talk in short phrases only.
- Formats: 20–40 min sustained tempo, or cruise intervals (e.g., 3 × 10 min).
- Goal: raise the threshold so a higher pace/power becomes sustainable.
Connections
- lactate-threshold — the metabolic boundary this work targets.
- ventilatory-thresholds — the breathing-based equivalent markers.
- critical-power-ftp — the field anchor for threshold pace/power.
- hiit — higher-intensity VO2max work above threshold.
- training-intensity-distribution — where threshold work fits across models.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.