Your plan is not too dissimilar to that I used to successfully crack three hours for the marathon (three runs a week and cross-training). The key for me was making the cross-training sessions harsh in their intensity - building to around one

or a long run with something different – your running won’t improve if you omit key sessions. 4. Only when your body has adjusted to your new sport should you think about increasing the frequency or intensity of these sessions. Their purpose is to build

When it comes to preparing for a race, finding a training schedule is likely to be top of your to-do list. But what if your lifestyle just isn’t suited to following a pattern of prescribed sessions?That's the challenge facing this week's questioner

Eating the right combination of carbohydrates and protein can help you become a stronger and faster runner, and help your muscles recover quicker from each exercise session. What will suit you best depends very much on your level of training, your

? Make sure you have a clear understanding of all the key ingredients and start to build the jigsaw from there."AT: "Recognise what makes races work well. Go and help at other local events as a volunteer and try as many different aspects of this as you