hard mile one week before a target 5K; a 5K two weeks before a 10K; a 10K two weeks before a half-marathon; a 10K or half three to four weeks before a full marathon.Supporting races Run some events as training sessions. By running them at a lower

a race rather than set a PB, your mile demands will be reduced.Rule #3 Tougher training, lower mileage. Tough track sessions, tempo runs and short repeats are harder to recover from than the same mileage volume, run easily. So when you add quality

in a long run.To make sure your fast-twitch fibres are there for you whether you're pushing the pace in a 5K or slogging through the last few miles of a marathon, you need to include a mix of faster sessions in your training every week. The sessions

sessions, both run at the same pace. Begin with a one- to two-mile warm-up and a few strides, and finish with a one- to two-mile cool-down.Tempo RunsIt’s no accident that most hard work-outs performed by Kenyan runners are variations on the tempo run. Take

training and racing.Thursday: 2 x 800m at goal race pace, with equal time jog recovery between The goal is to run a mile's worth of distance at the pace you think you'll be able to maintain on race day. This short session will help you determine what your

the quantity-versus-quality conundrum: “Is it better to get in a 10-miler, so I can hit a certain weekly mileage goal, or should I do the interval session that would give me two hard work-outs this week?” In other words, is it better to run longer (quantity

sessions every two to four weeks. Generally, these workouts are done at 3,000m pace (eight to 12 seconds per mile faster than 5K race pace). The pace is fast, so don't make these your first repeats of the season. Classic Six to eight lots of three minutes

If your training peaked for a summer race but you hope to perform well in an autumn event too, you're not that different from an elite athlete who has multiple goals (save, perhaps, for a minute or two per mile). Runners looking to qualify