Core running terms: pace, RPE, cadence and training language
A shared glossary for pace, speed, RPE, easy running, tempo, intervals, long runs, taper, cadence, elevation gain, VO2max, lactate threshold, running economy, GPX and GeoJSON.
Terms
Scope first
A glossary is a reading tool, not an exam answer. The same word can have different measurement conventions across coaches, studies and devices: the intensity of a “tempo” run, a VO2max protocol and a GPS distance algorithm may all differ. Treat a definition as a starting point, and check the basis, units and test conditions before comparing numbers.
Pace and speed
- Pace: time per unit distance, usually min/km or min/mi. A smaller pace number means a faster speed.
- Speed: distance per unit time, usually km/h or m/s. Speed and pace are reciprocal relationships, but the units differ.
- Average pace: total time divided by total distance; stops, hills and changes are averaged out and do not describe every segment.
Effort and session types
- RPE (rating of perceived exertion): a number for how hard the effort feels, often on a 0–10 or 6–20 scale. It is personal and best cross-checked with the talk test and heart-rate trends.
- Easy run: a low-intensity run where full sentences are possible and you finish with something left; there is no single pace.
- Tempo run: a sustained “comfortably hard” session, often near but not beyond a threshold; exact intensity and duration vary by plan.
- Intervals: repeated higher-quality work bouts with recovery between them; work and recovery can be defined by time or distance.
- Long run: the longer easy or endurance run of the week, used for sustained movement, fuelling and route practice, not a weekly maximum test.
- Taper: a planned reduction in training before a race, often retaining some intensity or race feel; there is no universal number of days.
Technique terms
- Cadence: steps per minute. It is not a fixed 180; it changes with speed, gradient, height and fatigue.
- Stride length: distance covered per step, usually increasing with speed; longer is not automatically better.
- Elevation gain: the sum of all positive elevation changes, not the finish minus the start.
- Grade: elevation change divided by horizontal distance, often expressed as a percentage; uphill and downhill should be considered separately.
Physiology and training concepts
- VO2max: a marker of the upper limit of oxygen use during high-intensity exercise; laboratory and watch estimates use different methods and are not interchangeable.
- Lactate threshold: the intensity at which blood lactate begins to accumulate markedly; definitions and testing methods are not unique, so one number cannot capture all training.
- Running economy: the oxygen cost of running at a given speed; speed, surface, shoes, fatigue and individual variation matter, so comparisons need controlled conditions.
File formats
- GPX: an XML GPS data exchange format that can contain track points, route points, time and optional elevation; not every GPX contains the same fields.
- GeoJSON: a JSON geospatial format whose coordinates are usually longitude, latitude and an optional third elevation value; LineString and MultiLineString are common line geometries in track tools.
How to use the terms
When reading training content, check whether it means pace, speed or perceived effort. In a route profile, distinguish cumulative climb, net change and grade. In a tool result, confirm units, distance basis and whether elevation is present. If unsure, return to the source and its conditions rather than memorising a number.
What this page does not provide
This page does not provide an individual training prescription, medical diagnosis or guarantee of device accuracy. VO2max and lactate-threshold numbers require qualified testing and interpretation; pain or disease management should involve the relevant professional.
Sources and scope
Activity intensity and the talk test follow the CDC; cadence/stride relationships follow a Sports Health systematic review; uphill/downhill differences follow a Sports Medicine review; the multi-factor VO2max, lactate-threshold and running-economy framework follows a PubMed review; GPX and GeoJSON definitions follow their specifications. RunMap edited the Chinese explanations; specific research conclusions remain with the sources.
Sources and evidence
A person doing moderate-intensity aerobic activity can talk, but not sing, during the activity. A person doing vigorous-intensity aerobic activity cannot say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. The talk test is a rule-of-thumb method for estimating aerobic intensity.
Across the reviewed studies, higher stride rate at a fixed speed reduced vertical centre-of-mass excursion, ground reaction force and joint energy absorption. The review concluded that a higher stride rate may reduce several biomechanical factors associated with running injury. The included studies were small and methodologically varied, so they do not establish a universal target cadence.
Uphill running has a higher step frequency, shorter swing and aerial phase, and greater duty factor than level running. Downhill running has longer aerial time, lower step frequency and more rear-foot striking than level running. Downhill running emphasises eccentric work and energy dissipation; uphill running requires greater muscular work, particularly at the hip.
VO2max, lactate threshold and running economy are physiological determinants commonly studied in distance-running performance. Marathon performance is multi-factorial and includes physiological, technological and cognitive determinants. Measurements depend on testing protocol and context, so values from different methods should not be treated as interchangeable.
The marathon is a road running event over 42.195 kilometres. The distance is also expressed as 26 miles and 385 yards.
GPX is an XML schema for exchanging GPS data. GPX 1.1 defines track, route and waypoint structures with latitude, longitude and optional elevation.
GeoJSON defines JSON-based geospatial objects including LineString coordinates. GeoJSON coordinates use longitude, latitude order and positions may include elevation.
Version and review
Written by: RunMap editorial desk (AI-assisted draft and review)
Updated: 28 Oct 2026
Reviewed: 28 Oct 2026 · 1 review record(s)