running. 800m at 3,000m pace; 1200m slightly slower than 3,000m pace; one mile at 5K pace with a 1:1 recovery. Repeat in reverse.

Long run Do a five-mile warm-up, the 6.2-mile race at marathon pace and finish with four slow miles, for 15 in totalWeek 2Run your usual mileage with a moderate interval workout midweek (1 mile-1200m-800m-400m step-down) and do a two-day taper

before a 10K, half-marathon, or marathon. The pace in these longer races will seem slow and easy by comparison.Goal: 5K for fun and fitnessHow often: Sixteen to 20 times per year.Why: If you hate speedwork, run a 5K every other week or so. It will help

Speed repetitions Warm up, then run eight x 400m at mile race pace with two-minute jog recoveries between. 5 Sprints Warm up, then run eight x 200m at 800m race pace with 200m slow jog recoveries between.6 Strides Warm up, then run 10-12 x 100m

of Medical Science for Sport and Exercise showed that speed at lactate threshold is the best physiological predictor of distance-running performance. Indeed, Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon champion was said to have had a modestly high VO2max

pace, then drop the pace by two to three seconds for each successive 400mRecovery: Jog for four minutes between repeats.Ed Eyestone is an exercise physiologist and two-time Olympic marathon runner.

race in Brussels in August 2007, which means they have to run well at the Flora London Marathon at the end of the month.And then there are other runners like Eric, who rolls out of bed on Monday and decides he's going to race a 5K on Sunday after