lap in the recent indoor 800m World Championships and completely blew up," he explains. Get into the habit of 'feeling' pace – try running at threshold or race pace without looking at your watch. "It comes through experience, but being able to switch
to build from a six-mile MP run in the first weeks of your programme up to about a 12-mile maximum. MP runs of longer than 12 miles are like races, which is not the point of the session. The MP run is also something you should aim to do (in six
produced her best 800m, 5000m and 10,000m times in a summer of track racing that followed her marathon debut in London. She followed the track season with a second marathon best – this time a world record – later that year in Chicago. Most famously, Seb Coe
the opposition, you'll gain a psychological advantage," says Gratton. Smythe agrees, but issues a warning: "There is no harm starting quickly for a short period, say the first 800m in a 5K or first mile in a marathon," he says, "but you should settle into your
WEEK ONE WEEK TWO WEEK THREE WEEK FOUR Mon REST DAY REST DAY REST DAY REST DAY Tue RUN 1M easy, 3-4M hard, 1M easy; or speed session (eg 5-6 x 800m with 200m jog recoveries) RUN 1M easy, 3-4M
to replicate having tired legs at the end of a race. Recover for a couple of minutes then do three short sprints of 50-100m, pumping your arms and resting between. You'll soon be able to 'kick' when you spot the finish line." Jenny Meadows, 800m World bronze
