Tempo Run and Active Recovery

Today was my first Tempo Run.  Here is the description from my training plan:

Today you'll do a tempo run. After a two-mile warmup, run 3 miles at your tempo pace (8:30/mile), then cool down with three miles of easy running.

Your tempo pace should feel hard but controlled. You won't be able to talk comfortably at your tempo pace, but it shouldn't feel as if you're racing.

2-mile warmup
3 miles @ 8:30/mile
3-mile cooldown

8:30 pace feels like racing to me!  After warming up for 2 miles, I was able to run an 8:58 mile, but knew I couldn't sustain it.  I also knew I have a 9 miler on Thursday and 18 on Saturday and couldn't afford to be sore for several days by overdoing it.  So, I backed off my pace and kept it under 10 minutes a mile.

At about the six mile mark, I took a walk break for about 1/2 mile.  After a minute or two, I thought about running, but made myself walk until I turned on a certain street.  I kept moving at a quick pace, but did not run.  This is known as "active recovery."

Active recovery has been found to help athletes recover more quickly than complete rest.  One study found that "After hard intervals, one group rested completely while a second group exercised at 30 percent intensity between intervals. The active group reduced blood lactate levels faster and could achieve a higher power output throughout the workout."  So walking in the middle of a hard run is actually better than cutting the run short and trying to keep running the entire time.

I have never intentionally done active recovery before today, but was very pleased with how I felt after that short walk break.  I was able to bring my pace under 9:00 minutes a mile for a short while and kept it under 9:30 for more than a mile.  This is definitely something I will be incorporating in future workouts.