. Build up to three sets of 15, 12 and 10 repetitions, increasing the weight as you reduce the repetitions. (To prevent injury, and maintain balance at speed, complement these exercises with low-weight hamstring curls and oblique crunches.)

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

and finished in 2:08. She could see that her training was making a difference, and it led her on to a 4:55 at the following spring’s London Marathon. Her big breakthrough came in 2000, however.“I’ve never been able to run any faster than 10-minute miles

out of your back door tomorrow, or you’re more likely to end up limping to the physio’s couch.1. Quality sessionsBeing of a shorter duration and a higher intensity, miling requires a greater amount of anaerobic work than races of 10K and longer

-90 seconds then increase the next interval to two minutes. Repeat this pattern up to a five-minute interval, make the next interval four minutes and continue down the pyramid for a 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 pattern. Finish with 10-minutes of steady running at 40

groups improved their VO2 max significantly, and reduced their 5K run times by seven per cent (running only) and eight per cent (running and cycling).  These results show that augmenting a running programme with cycling showed no drop in performance over

or three intervals with five-minute recoveries) or do a continuous 25-minute tempo run at a pace that’s 12-15 seconds per mile slower than your usual 10K race pace.Getty ImagesRule 5: Increase your leg muscle strength and powerThis is one area that is often

for 15 to 20 minutes, around 15 minutes before the start of the race. That gives you time to put on your wetsuit and head for the swim."Tim Don advises walking the transition before the race begins. "When you come off the bike there may be no one else

increase this section of the session to 8 x 75m (15-20 seconds rest) and later to 15 x 50m (10-15 seconds' rest)"Learn how to swim with the most efficient stroke you can. That way you'll be able to hold the stroke for longer and you will become faster

cycle, followed by a 10-15-minute hilly run. If you ever feel weak once off the bike in races, aim to practise with a short run after every bike ride. You can vary the pace depending on how you feel, but if you're consistent it will gradually feel