and infection after the race. You may also be feeling disorientated – or even depressed – in the come-down after achieving such a significant running goal.Unfortunately, there’s no formula for calculating how long your body will take to recover – this will vary

and infection after the race. You may also be feeling disorientated – or even depressed – in the come-down after achieving such a significant running goal.Unfortunately, there’s no formula for calculating how long your body will take to recover – this will vary

and infection after the race. You may also be feeling disorientated – or even depressed – in the come-down after achieving such a significant running goal.Unfortunately, there’s no formula for calculating how long your body will take to recover – this will vary

and cooling down. Add an interval every other week until you're up to speed.Pace CalculatorYou need to know your 5K and 10K race paces to do many of the workouts on the following pages. To gauge them, run one mile fast at an even pace. Note the time. To get

that this reduces power output for around an hour. This is not all that relevant for a half-marathon, but critical for a mile.Make a good startIn a race (or time trial) as short as this, you can't afford to waste precious seconds. Stand with your lead foot up

Start racing faster"To improve your time, you're going to need to run faster throughout the race, not just at the finish. Many racers start too slowly and then end up running too quickly

in 3:30, for example, at a rate of 180 steps a minute, during the entire race you will take 37,800 steps. Stronger leg muscles allow you to spend less time on the ground with each foot-strike and increase your stride length.A reduction of just 0.02 of a

to your race paces, but heart rate is an equally good guide (especially if you're new and you don't know what your race paces are). The glossary suggests target heart rates, and so even the most basic heart rate monitor (from about £40) will be a valuable

The fastest races are run with even splits: world records reveal that, statistically, fast, steady speed yields the best performances. Yet some races demand a tactical rather than  time-trial approach, where occasional and well-timed bursts of speed

legend Liz McColgan, who has set up a new elite training facility in her home town of Carnoustie, Scotland. "When you're tired, the first thing to go is your form – when I was gearing up for big races I'd almost focus more on this than my running