is supposed to be the first week of my marathon training, so I started a couple of weeks in advance and am going to repeat the weeks while I'm away. I get up early and go before the other half wakes up. It doesn't spoil her holiday and if I feel tired I can

shame, as the benefits of having trained for the race will soon be lost. Part of the problem, of course, is that a half, let alone a full marathon, is a massive effort and takes a lot of discipline and endurance, both in the training and in the racing

distance run at an easy-does-it pace is your standard bearer. It gives you a foundation for racing and, if you like, can serve as a springboard to the marathon.Aim for three steady runs per week; 60 minutes (your long, clean-out-the-tubes run), 40 minutes