the most daunting, so take a minute to check out our BIG Beginners’ Index before you bound out the door – it’s packed with get-started tips, motivational advice and an essential kit checklist too.Don’t be tempted to run as far as you can, as fast as you can

with total flexibility in terms of how and when to clock up those miles. Online running community fetcheveryone.com has monthly mileage groups, which are great for motivation. You could even run the year – 2010 miles works out as 38.5 per week! Start a

), 1.5 miles (3-4 reps) and 2 miles (2-3 reps) are also important, as are tempo runs, both at target race pace and half-marathon pace. The latter improves your lactate threshold, which is of great importance.See full threadKeep speedwork simple #3

their perceived limits, and this is a natural reaction designed to conserve energy," says sports psychologist Dr Barbara Walker of the Center for Human Performance in Ohio, US.But you can conquer tough moments with fast-finish workouts: run three to 16 200-400m

in a specific event (such as winning your age category in a race).Performance goals relate to a certain level of achievement (for example, a sub-40:00 10K).Setting different targets means you're more likely to focus on the positive outcomes of your

have to do it at least three days a week.’ That kept me healthy and happy as a beginner, and now I like running so much that I’ve added speedwork. Not bad for a former couch potato,” says Kevin Flynn, who works and trains in Cardiff.17. Watch other

for Stuart Barr, 39, and Nicholas Davis, 32, who both live in Cumbria – a part of the world not exactly renown for its mild winters. They often run 10-13 miles together at about 4am, a particularly bleak time to run when the northern climate is blowing wind