's stroke volume or your ability to extract oxygen from blood that changes with age, says Sandra Hunter, an exercise scientist at Marquette University in the USA. "It's that your maximum heart rate declines, and no one can change that. It just plummets

of their maximum heart rate, a pace that quality-wise could be considered moderate.The key difference between the two groups was that the high-mileage group trained six days a week, while the low-mileage group only trained four days a week. On Mondays

Poole Running Festival – and a host of other social events.OTHER AWARDS WINNERSBEST OVERALL PRODUCT Garmin Forerunner 50Garmin’s compact sports watch is easy to use and simple to download to your computer. You can upgrade it to a wireless heart rate

. If you’re running more than 16 miles, use the same formula, but only run the final three to four miles at marathon goal pace.Hills + 800sImprove form and fitnessCombining a hilly route with half-mile repeats elevates your heart rate, which boosts your

1. Snowdonia Marathon, GwyneddDate in 2012: October 27The Snowdonia Marathon is close to the heart of many runners, and tops the chart again as it enters its third decade. The demanding course circles Wales’ highest peak, and the dramatic views

react to the gels, bars and electrolytes you use when you are racing at a higher heart rate (race pace) than is usual when you're training. "Practise eating during training. Try to eat what and when you would during a race," recommends Taylor. It is also

above 38C could increase the risk of birth defects). Obstetricians have long recommended pregnant women keep their heart rate under 140 beats per minutes; however, they now realise that a better measure is simply how hard a workout feels. You should

."Walking is underrated," he says. "It can be demanding: an 81kg person will burn around 100 calories per mile. If you find it hard to run below 65 per cent of your maximum heart rate, now is your chance to exercise at a lower heart rate, which will improve your fat

athletes. If you’ve made a pace chart of your mile splits, make sure that you follow it. A heart rate monitor can be a useful check, but only by trial and error over a number of races. (First observe your heart rate in a conservatively paced race, then try

times at shorter distances. Your long runs don’t need to be longer than 10-12 miles. Shorter runs should become more prominent in your weekly schedule, especially tempo runs at around 80-85 per cent of your maximum heart rate over two or three miles. Try