of caffeine drinkers, who downed 1.4mg of caffeine per pound of body weight (a 355ml coffee for a 68kg person), had a 1.2 per cent improvement in an 8K race. "They were able to maintain a higher intensity without undue fatigue," says study author Dr Michelle

of useful features including a 200-lap memory, three target zones and detailed personal inputs such as VO2max and Body Mass Index (BMI). The chest strap chafes mildly but no more so than other HRMs. The regular functions such as the stop-watch and count

Olympic1.5K swim, 40K bike ride, 10K runIronman3.8K swim, 180K bike ride, 42K run (marathon)Between each leg is a stage known as transition, giving you time to prepare for the next discipline (for example, removing your wetsuit or parking your bike). Don

For one brief moment, probably while endorphins were still pumping through your body after a good run, you flirted with the idea of doing a marathon. Then the endorphins disappeared and the reality of training for four months and trying to squeeze

, and the bumpy daisy-chain lace design will prevent your laces from coming undone. And for those with unusually shaped feet, the 902 comes in a range of widths. Contact www.newbalance.co.uk Saucony Grid Type A2, £70 Weight 180gClearly designed for racing

, they are not easily accessible while on the move. Good For Faster runners or medium (10- to 15-mile) runs. How It Rated Comfort/Stability 7 Functionality 7 Durability 8 Weight/Bulk 8 Added Extras 4 Nathan HPL O2O Race Vest, £35 Water Capacity 2L Contact

psychologist at Brunel University, and sub-three-hour marathon runner. "You're 'The Runner' that your friends know, which is a very brittle concept – and one that is easily shattered in your own mind through one bad performance." Your strategy Without

, increase the speed settings to make sure you're always sprinting at 8/10 effort. If you've only got time for a short workout, this short sharp session (10-15 minutes) does the trick. Warm up with an easy jog on an 0.25-1

specify not just how many servings of carbohydrates you should be eating every day, but also what type of carbs each serving should consist of. The guidelines recommend an average of 150g of carbohydrate per day (based on a 2,000kcal-per-day diet) and call

surface to run on – so it's generally a good idea to recreate outdoor conditions as much as possible on the treadmill by setting it to a 1% incline or increasing the speed slightly, to adapt slowly to outdoor running. When you do get going outside