constant (1:45 for a half-marathon and 45-50 minutes for 10K). Eighteen months ago I joined a club, trained properly (speedwork, hills and long runs) and trained outside my comfort zone. At 43 years old I ran a 1:40 half-marathon and WILL beat 40 minutes

- he's helped one runner to British international level over the marathon distance and another to a British age-group record. He also coaches around 30 runners in his running club, whose marathon times range from 2:30 to outside five hours. Bud

. You are the best judge of how you are feeling.Helen WagstaffAge: 34Children: Two (Emily, 2; Hannah, 1)PBs before children: N/APBs after children: 10K – 1:00; half-marathon – 2:11“I can’t believe I wasted so much time and money going to a gym before

, consider including some new details.Beyond reason "When you log your training, it's always worth having a motivational reminder on each page to tell you why you are putting in the effort," says Smythe. This might be anything from "marathon in September

first marathon, all I did was set aside a day and run each distance as fast as I could. This then gave me a ball-park time to aim to beat. Only after two marathons and 12 months later, did I join a running club and start thinking about speedwork, and my

and time management• Can I train for a 10K in summer then run a fast marathon?• Form/running style• How do you run over 100 miles a week?TRAINING COMPONENTS• Should I skip the "easy week" if I’m still feeling strong after a hard block of training? • I can

that the course truly benefits from its out-and-back design. Club runners are expected to turn out en masse, though those new to the distance can rest assured the route’s few contours present nothing too intimidating for half-marathon first-timers. --Newark Half-Marathon

5K (Lancashire, May 11)Ripley School Supper Run 4 (Lancashire, May 15)Walton Park Five (Merseyside, May 20)B of the Bang 10K (Manchester, May 25) Halstead & Essex Marathon, May 11 Halstead and Essex Marathon (Essex, May 11) A million miles (or

1. Brass Monkey Half-Marathon Where: Yorkshire When: January, 2010 date tbcBeat the crowds to get a place on this popular half-marathon and you might just get a PB into the bargain. Staged in January before the spring half-marathon season

Hastings 100th Anniversary Marathon, Sussex When? December 14 Why? A one-off celebration of the 1908 Hastings Marathon, sticking closely to the original course and encompassing the city centre, clifftop paths and beach shingle. 92 88 80 ratings20