This programme culminates in a mile race or time trial at the end of the eighth week. Each week, space out the three sessions rather than doing them on consecutive days. Any other weekly sessions should be run at an easy pace, the distance dependent

in a fast training session, and the following sessions for races over 10 miles should only be attempted once. These sessions are not for beginners.Key session for mile races: 8 x 400m with around 90-second recoveriesKey session for 5K races: 4 x 1M

-level schedules he recalled the story of Graham Williamson, one of the athletes he coached in the mid-1980s. Williamson had been injured and was avoiding speedwork until the three weeks before a big mile race. Even then he only did a total of four sessions

runners rule the day on pancake-flat ground.6. Since you’ll run your 10-mile race around 15 seconds per mile slower than your 10K tempo, it’s easy to plan excellent preparatory training sessions for a forthcoming 10-miler. Here are two beauties which

Q. I’m a fairly strong runner with a recent 5K PB of 16:32, but I have trouble with the last mile of that distance. I always have to slow down at the end of the race, even though I try not to start out too fast. Can you recommend any racing

comfortably achieve that target with about six weeks of concerted preparation. Your first step should be to establish a benchmark average pace per mile on which to base the speed sessions. On a day when you feel rested, test yourself by running one and a half

stretching and a few strides, then pick the session that corresponds with your weekend race.5KThis one is called a fast-finish mile. Run one mile with the first half at 10K race pace and the second half 16-20 seconds faster. Recover with six to eight minutes

only have the time to run three times a week. What is the ideal schedule which includes all the elements needed – a long run, a steady run and a speed session?Anderson: Work-out One: 45-60 minutes easy, a minute or so per mile slower than race speed

and then struggle to maintain their pace after 20 miles.Q. What's the most important quality session of the week (after the long run) for a 6 - 7 min/mile marathon runner? JokermanA. I think the most important session is an interval session (400m, 800m, mile etc

miles a week, including at least some fast striding or fartlek.The difficult bit is knowing how long it will take to adjust to the faster tempo of mile running. In the four-week programme below, I have introduced two fast sessions in the first week