their running to the next level."PRE-STARTIt's now that the pre-race nerves kick in. But it's not just your incessant back-and-forth pacing that's sapping vital energy stores – sizing up the competition and playing your mile-by-mile strategy on a mental loop can
.co.uk."You want optimal flexibility and power from the first step – come the end you'll actually have more energy reserves as you'll have run more efficiently." This longer routine gets you in the zone. "You can run through a mental checklist of your race strategy
published in The Lancet medical journal showed that a period of decreased sleep over only a few days can cause a disruption in glucose metabolism – the process responsible for storing energy from the food we eat, and why marathon runners carbo-load before a
at 3K to 5K race pace will work your cardiovascular system to its limit, which will help increase the stroke volume of your heart and improve your muscles' ability to use oxygen to produce energy aerobically," explains Karen Hancock, coach
Westminster University."Think of it like revving a car engine – you can physically react quicker as your body's primed." Intestines When you need all your energy to break out of the jaws of that escaped tiger, your stomach's the last thing you need. "All
't snack so much. I always have a bottle with me. It's actually become a bit of a talking point among my friends and colleagues. I clock between two and three litres a day. It also gives me added energy. The best part is that it's not part of some faddish
per kilo of body weight before a race can help you retain an extra 600ml of fluid, which helps you regulate temperature, increase energy and avoid heat stroke," says Hunking. Double your daily A.C.E.Runners' bodies react to strain by releasing damaging
– particularly make sure you get checked by your GP if you suddenly have low energy, which could be a condition that you can't help. Understand that there are some things that are simply out of your control, and don't try to catch up on missed sessions
