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

-10 repetitions at their race pace, while top 10,000m and marathon runners will run up to 25 with a much shorter recovery.Below, we list suggested speeds for your efforts according to your best 10K time of the last 12 months, with the equivalent 400m time

% Recovery run – dead slow. It may feel biomechanically odd at first, but it’s important. 30-40 minutes.60-70% Long, slow runs – up to 65% the body is teaching itself to burn fat as fuel (useful for marathons). Anything from 1-3hrs.70-85% Fartlek – speedplay

... to get/stay in shape 10%to feel better about myself 35%to lose/maintain weight 27%to be competitive in races 17%to relieve stress 2%to train for another sport 9% MY RACING My favourite races are... 10K 36%Half-marathon 27%5K 15%Marathon 11%Cross

like simple carbohydrates for turning you into a grotesque parody of the human form, somewhere between a waterbed and an elephant seal.So, when it became clear that I wasn’t going to be able to wriggle out of Rory Coleman’s awful Marathon Of Britain, I

and their coaches. The goal: to find programmes that provide the greatest return for the effort we are putting in.If the following three programmes were all guaranteed to improve your marathon time by 20 minutes, which one would you choose? (A) Run 100 miles a week

. Heavily cushioned treads, which have traditionally dominated the running-shoe market, don't allow for such an experience, the barefooters contend. "Sure," says McDougall, himself an ultra marathoner. "I'll throw on a minimal shoe, but when I want to get

to lessen that impact. Heavily cushioned treads, which have traditionally dominated the running-shoe market, don't allow for such an experience, the barefooters contend. "Sure," says McDougall, himself an ultra marathoner. "I'll throw on a minimal shoe

with adventure running? Or consider giving yourself a dramatic new challenge – for instance, discovering how quickly you could manage 1500m. Think about a big challenge, like a foreign marathon, that seemed improbable or impossible due to your past work

strike on the day that seems best. For the rest of the week, I run easy – making sure to vary the distances and routes I take.Here’s my favourite quality session. First I jog for two to three miles. I then run at tempo pace (between 10K and half-marathon