GETTY IMAGES1. WALK AND RUNRemember: miles are miles, as far as your belly's concerned. "Coming back from injury last year, I needed a plan to stop me piling on weight," says James Smith from Hemel Hempstead. "I stopped taking the bus and started walking to work and back instead....
of the most important elements of my routine, because it is crucial for recovery, when the body adapts to the stimulus of training and repairs itself." Eight or more hours' sleep a night and two-hour afternoon naps aren't realistic for most recreational
the pace of your runs is essential to improving, it's key to have the correct variation. "You need to make your recovery runs really easy and your hard runs really hard," explains Chris Frapwell, coach to GB Olympic marathon hopeful Dan Robinson. "Easy runs
BAD HABIT: You’re a night owl Runners who short-change sleep compromise recovery, immunity and mental sharpness, which can turn an easy workout into a gruelling one. "Sleep enhances the restoration of cells damaged by exercise," says Professor Jim
the importance of nutrition and hydration to get the most from your sessions, and most importantly, to aid recovery after sessions – you'll enjoy your running more and your times will come on leaps and bounds. You could even suggest a peer-review of food diaries