, 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

“Hills build strength, and strength results in faster running. By running all hills – and by that I mean continuous gradients of up to three miles – I broke 2:30 in four consecutive marathons in the early 1980s,” says Welles Lobb, RUNNER’S WORLD US

’t think of that final plate of pasta on the eve of the race as your last meal. Your body will use up some of that food energy overnight, so make sure you have breakfast. European 5000 and 10,000m champion Sonia O’Sullivan chooses bread or cereal, coffee

bad?" Are you returning to running after a few years of inactivity? Are you motivated by the event T-shirts? Do you want a marathon medal? Do you want to start running in order to run or because you think running might be a means to some other end

This week's reader completed the London Marathon using a run/walk strategy – but she now wants to cut out the walks altogether, and it's not proving too easy. Can you offer any advice? "I'm getting really annoyed with myself. I trained for FLM using

variations etc. There is also some calorie counting feature, but I've never bothered with it. – Man In BlackI don't see the need for all these hi-tech solutions. Since men take about 10 seconds to run 100m and women take about 11 seconds, then all you have

think it's to do with endorphins, but I'm not sure what to do about it. Any advice, folks?" – highyYour best answers...1: Cool shower. 2: Good book. 3: Bedroom window open. 4: Ovaltine. 5: Someone special to tuck you in. # 1-4 recommended; # 5 essential

, so you can change some specifics when reality sets in."—Jeff Galloway, former Olympic 10,000m runner11. Come ready to play"Fitness has to be fun. If it is not play, there will be no fitness. Play is the process. Fitness is merely the product

where you can even contemplate this sort of activity. Only speed up in the last mile (1-2km) for a 5K, two miles (3km) for a 10K, and three miles for a half-marathon. The 3 p’sAt its core, performing well in a race is founded on three basic

heart rate to drop before beginning the next repetition. Your recovery target should be less than 80 per cent of your WHR.Suggested sessionJog for 10 minutes, then run three repetitions of 1.5 miles at about 85-90 per cent of WHR. Rest three minutes