"I've just completed my first marathon, peaking at 50 miles per week during my training. I'm now looking to train over the winter and enter numerous events to improve on my PB. What's the best advice you kind folks have on training after your first

London Marathon. Now I slip a bit of padding under the tongue of my shoe to stop my toes sliding forward, and black toenails are a thing of the past. What works best for me are those 'chicken fillets' that you canput inside your bra for a boost. A 34B

This week's questioner loves his running and loves his beer. But do they mix?"How much harm will a skinful of ale a week before a marathon do me? I'm running my first full marathon of the year on Sunday 29 April, six days after St George's Day. St

for you because of the extra vitamins and fibre. That said, I took Jelly Babies and sour strawberries on my last long run, and they seemed to do the trick. Marathon training is a great excuse to stuff your face. – sal19Any questions?Got a new poser

Are fast marathoners a breed apart, or can the rest of us be as fast if we work hard enough?"Are fast runners naturally fast, or can you teach yourself to be fast, through pure dedication and training? I'm a long way off a 3:15 marathon, but with a

is it just a macho 'hey look at me' thing?"– Paul JohnsonYour answersRunning wearing a backpack trains you to run wearing a backpack. It's useful if you're doing military exercises or mountain marathons, but it doesn't confer any advantages otherwise. You

With spring marathon training well underway, the cross-training question is heavy on our minds. Do we really have to do it – and if so, what kind and how much? Is it enough to trot up the escalator once a week, or, horrors, do we have to hit the gym

drink. I find that I'm sluggish the first few miles, then get quicker and quicker. I need to eat within an hour or so of getting back. Generally, before marathons, I do eat. I can't say I've ever noticed a difference in speed/performance between eating

have to do it during the session, and this can have a major impact on your time. People say they want to conserve energy before a race, but I read somewhere that the body (liver) stores up to about 2,000 calories in glycogen. At marathon pace

, but when I take a day off my appetite drops and I feel sluggish. After four years of running I've done two marathons, 3:58 and 3:41, so surely I'm doing something right?" – Little LizardYour best answersIf you feel fine, you're getting enough restIt depends