Monday: three-hour bike ride; 90-minutes weights; 40-minute swim. Tuesday: 60-minute swim; 90-minute run. Wednesday: two-hour bike ride; 60-minute swim. That might be the start of the training week for a professional triathlete. But they don't have

When you first take up running, what gets you out the door is sheer enjoyment. It's this that motivates you to complete your first race (and fans the desire to target your second and third...) and gives you the immense satisfaction of putting a hard

.Breathe EasierYou probably don’t think much about your breathing – which is precisely why you should. “Most elite runners use a two-two breathing pattern – breathing in for two steps and out for two steps,” says long-time running coach and exercise physiologist

and targets, and enter events? How do you help a 12-year-old through the low times and disappointment?"– Raymond McMillan (by email)Your best answersMake it an enjoyable family activityMy two daughters aged 11 and 14 have come running with me – just light

and freshly motivated with every step you make towards your end goal.Setting realistic time targets also helps. If you fancy losing a stone "one day", you'll find it easy to keep making excuses. Instead, start a weight-loss plan now with the aim of dropping

that positive health-related behaviours acquired in childhood are more likely to be carried into adulthood. Importantly, running together also gives families time to talk. There are risks, though; over-training during childhood can lead to injury, even in later

running.When you start keeping a training log, you're likely to include some standard information. Your resting heart rate, for example, will indicate whether you're becoming fitter. Noting the distance you run and amount of time you spend on your feet

work, based on a 40K time-trial speed; and on Wednesday, incorporating bike-run workouts into your training for one hour. For an experienced triathlete, Monday's session could be a pyramid swim of 3.8K focusing on technique and different muscle groups

Running addicts can be hard to take, but being laissez-faire isn't ideal, either. "Competition motivates you, but you need to focus on your own performance, not on how others do," says performance counsellor Shaunna Taylor of the Association

always feel better about yourself after a run, and if you feel better about yourself then you're more likely to fancy sex."Boynton even believes the act of running can make you a better lover. "As a runner you spend time on your own, developing