you feel worn out and grouchy (these are both signs of burnout). During this 'time off', run how and when you feel like it, cutting back on intensity.Old Routine: Go as fast as you canFresh Approach: Run like a snail"You get fit by recovering from

tempo to match exercise intensity and target heart rate. Sport and Exercise Psychologist Dr Costas Karageorghis found that fast-tempo songs over 120 beats per minute (bpm) yield optimum performance at exercise intensities of 75 per cent of maximum heart

,’” suggests Dr Robert Udewitz, a clinical psychologist. You may even consider walking briskly for a few minutes before easing into a jog.Play Around With StridesFinish every training run with ‘strides’ – four or five fast repetitions of, say, 100 metres each

- to four-minute warm-up first and a similar cool-down afterwards.3 Get an unexpected bonus! You don’t just get stronger, but leaner, too. Alternating fast and slow running not only builds running strength and speed, it also burns more fat. What’s more

’s World playlist – designed specifically for long runs and perfect for those training for a spring marathon.RUNNER'S WORLD Playlist no.4: Long Run MotivationThis mix is designed to keep you motivated and focused over a 90-minute run, using melodic tracks

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

get stronger, but leaner, too. Alternating fast and slow running not only builds running strength and speed, it also burns more fat. What's more, according to a 2001 study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, alternating fast and slow

songs? Through research pinpointing the relationship between heart rate and musical preference, Karageorghis has found that fast-tempo songs – exceeding 120 beats per minute (BPM) – yield peak performance at high exercise intensities of 75 per cent

When you need to conjure up power, pick songs that stir up your emotions. This means opting for combative tunes like Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name over meeker stuff like Moby's Run On.Play Amped-up rock or hip-hop that's fast and hard

heart was still beating too. Quite fast, considering I was standing still.We trotted to the park talking about the race that summer and what I might undertake as an encore. She would help me a bit with technique, and introduce me to the basics