successor, Usain Bolt, is not, but that is because he's 200ft tall and runs on wheels. How elite athletes' BMIs comparePaula RadcliffeHeight 5'7" Weight (kg) 54BMI 18.0 (Underweight) Haile GebrselassieHeight 5'4" Weight (kg) 56BMI 20.5 (Normal Weight

sessions to improve their outright speed. And while quicker times are one of the benefits of intervals, they’re also vital for runners who simply want to improve their endurance. That’s why not every interval session needs to be a lung-burster. To improve

session (after warming up and stretching). It only takes an extra 10-15 minutes to do the following exercises, and you will certainly feel the benefits. First, run 40-50 metres with a slightly exaggerated stride. Jog back, and repeat three more times. Next

coach train for 5Ks in the summer. Why not have a go at this distance on the track, as well as the road. You’ll retain the endurance benefits of your marathon training, and working on your speed in the summer will help you to perform better over 10K, 10

Q After running a sub-3:00 marathon in my mid-30s, I spent the next 17 years running only occasionally. But last year, to celebrate my 50th, I returned to serious training for the Flora London Marathon. I finished in 3:28, and this has got me

running over 400-1000m stretches, but your long runs should be really slow. The crucial question is how long you can train hard without taking a rest. A lot of our top marathon runners cover 100 miles a week for most of the year, but the elite cannot

For nearly 20 years, I wrote for RUNNER’S WORLD and its predecessors, Running and Jogging. I have also given countless clinics and seminars, coached dozens of athletes and met tens of thousands of runners at races around the country. Throughout

and fit one of these in at least every 10 days.I’d also recommend training on the track. Try hard intervals over as little as 200-400m, up to 1K. Shorter repetitions will help improve your pure speed and help you kick at the end of races. Longer

for female runners to get their recommended daily intake of iron (18mg). Here are four strategies that should help:1. Eat lean red meat. Iron is absorbed better from animal sources than from vegetables, so try to eat two to four servings of lean red meat per

minutes at 20K and another five minutes to the finish – so your aim for the first one should be to break 1:45. And yes, it is a good idea to run an intermediate distance first – a 10-mile run if possible – so that you can get used to the slightly slower