simple log of your distance won’t always reflect the effort you’ve put in. A simple HRM, a pencil, a diary and a calculator will give your training a great boost. A computer link-up just gives you added convenience, depth and flexibility, and if you share

to sit too low (the straps aren’t adjustable) so the signal can take a while to settle down. Contact www.polar-uk.com; 01926 816 177; www.triumph-international.co.uk, 01793 720 232 Timex Ironman Ladies 30 Lap HRM – £80This is not really a women’s heart

Heart-rate monitors vary hugely in price and functionality. For less than £20 you can pick up an HRM that simply measures your pulse, while parting with £150+ will give you a monitor that will set training zones for you, tell you how many calories

for different training intensities.Smaller sized watch. Great for women, but numbers and information still easy to read.Contact: 01278 723355; www.idass.com Cardiosport Xtreme £109.99Programmable HR recovery.Interval timer can be set up for 20 intervals

-time racers, or an equally difficult distance to master for an experienced athlete.Training Schedules | 10 Steps to 5K Success10K The UK’s most popular racing distance - a logical step-up from the shorter 5K, or a testing time trial for the more fleet-footed.Training

training log...and keep it up all year! Plot your improvement over 2010, and just think how proud you'll be when you look back in December.A training log is unbeatable for motivation – it'll help you focus on long-term goals, and you'll notice

should be focused on heart rate," says VO2 Max. "But honestly how many people do you hear lined up for an event saying 'I want to run this at 150 bpm'? None. Those of us who train for races/events train to run at certain speed (eg 'I want to do the 10K

Getty ImagesThe conundrum: push yourself too hard and run yourself into the ground. Don’t push yourself hard enough and never improve. The answer: start listening to your heart, not your head, by using a heart rate monitor (HRM). What does a HRM do?Training

this with some speed, you need to turn to interval training.In an ideal world, you'd be able to use your HRM for every kind of training, but it's less than perfect for short intervals. Imagine running 8 x 1-minute reps with three-minute recoveries. Unfortunately

Monitors RW TEST REPORT - Finger On The Pulse (12 HRM's) - May 03 HRMs - Nike vs othersHRM - Polar A3 - automatic training zonesHRM - Polar M52 vs M51HRM - which to choose?HRM - Polar S-Series - which to choose?HRM - which to choose?HRM use - transmitter