-90 seconds then increase the next interval to two minutes. Repeat this pattern up to a five-minute interval, make the next interval four minutes and continue down the pyramid for a 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 pattern. Finish with 10-minutes of steady running at 40

-90 seconds then increase the next interval to two minutes. Repeat this pattern up to a five-minute interval, make the next interval four minutes and continue down the pyramid for a 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 pattern. Finish with 10-minutes of steady running at 40

Colgan. Elite Secret # 2: Get LooseElite runners take their warm-up seriously. "You need to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes warming up, jogging two to three miles interspersed with dynamic strides and drills," says Richard Holt, elite coach at momentumsports

Colgan. Elite Secret # 2: Get LooseElite runners take their warm-up seriously. "You need to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes warming up, jogging two to three miles interspersed with dynamic strides and drills," says Richard Holt, elite coach at momentumsports

at the Institute for Physiology and Anatomy in Germany. Leyk recently examined age-related changes in marathon performance among 300,757 runners, and found that among top-10 finishers, running times slowed by about 10.5 per cent per decade for men and 14.8 per cent

10.5 per cent per decade for men and 14.8 per cent among women. But that study yielded encouraging news for runners outside of the lead pack. For the non-elites, the decline was a little lower – and began later. "For these runners, significant age

triathlon 1500m, 40k, 10k), compete in an Ironman 2007 Read moreDave Aitchison: Age: 28PBs: Supersprint triathlon (400m, 20k, 5k): 54:33 Olympic triathlon: 1hr 59:10Target: Olympic tri: 1hr 57 Top 30 at World Age Group Championships Read moreNatalie Creswick

Chasing an autumn marathon PB? Make your next race a 13.1-miler. "Doing a shorter race three or four weeks beforehand is very sensible – most experienced runners would run at least one or two as part of their build-up," says endurance coach Nick

. "I'll see you at the start line, then! I haven't run a  marathon in 20 years. I wish you had been around in those days."The RW pace group is born Indeed, 20 years ago, the only runners with pacemakers were the elites. Today, however, pace groups have

. We tried and tested five ways of boosting runners' moods. Before following the strategies, most of the runners under-performed; afterwards, 70 per cent of them improved their performances. Here are the secrets of their success.Strategy 1: If