minutes per mile slower than your usual pace on a long run, you will find that you can keep going longer and farther without feeling as tired. A long, slow run will yield almost the same endurance benefits as a long, fast one. And you’ll burn almost

, the marathon seems nothing. However, you have to respect your body and allow it to get used to the idea gradually. Best of luck!—Bruce Tulloh, who took just 65 days to run across the USA in 1969

is worth up to four miles of running, and if you make the cycling hard enough the more you’ll benefit from it.—Bruce Tulloh, RW Coaching Editor

running over 400-1000m stretches, but your long runs should be really slow. The crucial question is how long you can train hard without taking a rest. A lot of our top marathon runners cover 100 miles a week for most of the year, but the elite cannot

course; Friday – rest; Saturday – speed session as above.When you come to the marathon training, follow the RUNNER’S WORLD Get-You-Round programme, with the emphasis on a long run every weekend.—Bruce Tulloh, RW Coaching Editor

, but to do one long run a week. This run gradually increases in distance over the weeks. The training volume levels out at about 22 miles a week, spread over four runs.

if you are a first-timer without a long background in running. You’ve invested a great deal of energy, both physical and mental, and a great deal of time in your marathon debut.Running such a long way will have taken a fair toll on your body

or seven running sessions into a long weekend. You should start and finish with easy runs, alternating between hard and easy sessions. If you are running a camp at home, look around your area and find the best long runs and the best places for speed

in your training. You must get used to running for over one-and-a-half hours, and your ‘quality’ sessions have to be a little longer than before. Over a 10-week build-up, make your long run a little longer week by week, and try to make the weekly mileage

and running-related games like ‘It’. Running set distances against times is not recommended at this stage, but there’s no reason why parents and children should not run together, as long as it’s the child who dictates the pace. Children have enough common