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The term Threshold comes from the world of exercise physiology. If you run at a pace above your Threshold Pace, your blood lactate levels and breathing rate increase at a much faster rate compared to a speed only slightly slower. And these increases correlate with a much more rapid onset of fatigue. The physiology terms are Lactate Threshold & Lactate Turnpoint and Ventilatory Threshold if you want to google it.

Running at your Threshold provides a significant training stimulus for your endurance development. While, at the same time, minimizing the mechanical stress on your body because you don’t need to run as fast as 5k-pace or Mile-pace to get the intended training effect.

Plus, you can hold threshold pace (or just below) for a long time to stretch your stamina. You practice becoming comfortable, even to crave, the discomforts of running for extended durations – a crucial characteristic of the success of any distance runner.

In this post, I present two types of Threshold workouts: Tempo Runs and Cruise Intervals.

The workout list below is NOT a training program. Check out the post on Five-Pace Training to learn how to integrate these Threshold pace workouts into a complete program. The Five-Pace Training model includes workouts at paces anchored to standard race distances spread over two- or three-week training cycles. The post on Choosing Workouts will also be helpful when selecting your training sessions.

Note that these workouts assume you have completed a Running Base Building Program. In most running plans, Threshold pace running starts during a Transition Program. In the transition programs of famous coaches like Jack Daniels and Joe Vigil that I posted, there is a strong focus on Threshold running to prepare to more demanding workouts to come later. However, once done your Transition, you won’t want to drop Threshold pace from your program. It continues to provide valuable training adaptions.

How Fast is Threshold Pace?

Paces based on race distance like 800m, MIle or 5k pace, are a bit easier to understand. Mile pace is the fastest speed you can hold a Mile. But what about Threshold Pace?

If we use the exercise physiology definition described above, then Threshold pace is roughly the fastest speed you can hold for 60min non-stop. So I often refer to it as 60min-Pace. For elite runners, 21.1k-pace is their threshold pace. Whereas for runners whose 10km time is 50-60min, their Threshold pace is their 10k pace. And many runners fall in between the two with 15-16km race pace as their threshold pace.

However, unlike the other paces, Threshold pace is more of a feeling rather than a precise feeling. Legendary coach Bob Larsen uses the term Running on the Edge. It takes practice and experience to learn the feel. So your 60min-Pace or slightly slower can provide a good starting point.

Threshold pace will also depend on your current level of fitness and how the duration of your Cruise Intervals or Tempo Runs. Given the run distance or number of reps, you experiment to find the fastest pace you can hold that match the following two criteria:

1. Your level of discomfort is “comfortably hard“, and it does NOT suddenly become harder at any point during the run. This applies to both physical discomfort in the body or legs and breathing discomfort.
2. You can run the second half of the run at the same pace or faster. Assuming the environmental conditions are similar between the first and second half of the run. And you must respect condition #1 when doing so.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down

You need to warm-up before these workouts. Base Running for 10-30min is an adequate warm-up. Then you can proceed immediately to the workout.

• 10-30min Base Run

Or, some runners enjoy adding a few Strides with some walking to prime the body for the workout.

• 10-15min Base Run
• 3-5 x (45s Walk, 15s Stride)
• 2-3min Walk

After the workout, Base Run anywhere from 10-30min at a slower-than-normal pace to promote recovery from the training.

The Threshold Pace Workouts

I have broken the workouts into two categories: Tempo Runs and Cruise Intervals. The workout styles challenge your body and mind in different ways. I suggest that you include both types in your program. Alternate between types each time a Threshold run comes up in your schedule.

If you have a specific weakness, you may benefit more from one workout type. I outline these scenarios under each workout type.

Tempo Run

A Tempo Run workout is simple. Warm-Up. Run at a “comfortably hard” effort for a set duration. Cool-Down. Done.

Start at about 20min at your 60min-Pace. Then, if the run goes well, progressing the duration by 5min. You can build to 60min. However, as you run longer, DO NOT fixate on any specific pace target.

If you use the feeling-based guidelines described earlier, your pace slows down as the run lengthen. Roughly, for every 10min jump in duration, your average pace will drop about 5s/km. So a 60min Tempo Run will be at a pace much slower than your 60min-Pace – the speed would likely be at your Marathon/2.5hr pace.

20min Tempo Run – 60min Pace

25min Tempo Run

30min Tempo Run

35min Tempo Run

40min Tempo Run

45min Tempo Run

50min Tempo Run

55min Tempo Run

60min Tempo Run – 2.5hr/Marathon Pace

Cruise Intervals

Cruise Intervals are a term introduced by Jack Daniels in the 1980s. But the concept dates back to before that. Rather than complete one continuous Tempo Run, you break up runs in reps with short recoveries. If the recoveries are short enough, they will not interfere with physiological adaptations while making the run less taxing mentally.

For many runners, the difficulty with Cruise Intervals is choosing to run them too fast. The intended training effect happens at Threshold pace. Running more quickly is not helpful. Plus, if you follow the Five-Pace model or another program, you will likely have plenty of workouts at faster-than-threshold paces. Do not use the interval recoveries as a reason to run faster. Imagine like you have no breaks. Insert the recoveries to decrease the psychological demands, not increase the physical ones.

To construct Cruise Intervals, start with the total time you want to spend at Threshold, and break it into

• 5min, 10min, 15min or 20min reps.
• Or, using distance, divide into 1km, 1mile, 2km, 2mile repeats.

Then for the rest periods take

• 0:30-1:00 for a rep that is 5min or less
• 1:30 for a 10min rep
• 2:00 for a 15min rep
• 2:30-3:00 for a rep that is 20min or more
  If you rep duration is in between these options, then choose a recovery duration that is also in between.

For example, let’s say your Threshold Pace is 3:45/km or 6:00/mile and you goal is 30min total time. You can do the following:

• 8 x 1km (3:45) with 0:30 Rec
• 5 x 1mile (6:00) with 1:00 Rec
• 4 x 2km (7:30) with 1:15 Rec
• 2mile (12:00). 1:45 Rec. 2mile (12:00). 1:45 Rec. 1mile (6:00)
• 4km (15:00). 2:00 Rec. 4km (15:00)

The list of options above becomes a workout progression on its own. And that’s the beauty of Cruise Intervals. You can construct workouts to build yourself up to a continuous Tempo Run if you are intimidated by the duration/distance of the run.