've had two chest infections which knocked me out for more than two weeks, both after races, and I feel more tired than normal. I'm concerned I may be overtrained. Should I take this complete break or just cut back? What about getting back to proper

or you completed the suggested distance well within the time: If everything is going ‘too’ well, take care – try to hold yourself back for now to avoid the possibility of overtraining. Nonetheless, your new-found fitness might genuinely be better than

sleep – an extra 30-45 minutes a night. Having difficulty nodding off – and then struggling to get up the next morning – could mean that you are over-training. As you’ll see in our schedules, you will benefit from having an occasional easy week – usually

"Look on a training diary as a coach, conscience and friend," says Steve Smythe, a runner and coach who's been writing down every run he completes since 1976. He's recognised that keeping tabs on his training is a great way to make the most of his

:30 your weekly mileage should be 30-35, and you should be clocking a regular 40 miles a week to start the sub-3:00 schedule. Sub-4:30 runners ought to be able to run comfortably three or four times a week by the start of the schedules; and if you’ve never

-scratching scenarios:I blew up The end of the race is in sight, but you feel as if you’re running through porridge and scything through the field backwards. Were you a little over-enthusiastic at the start? Without fail, every race has a group of runners who speed off

-tune your training regime and plot a perfect race-day strategy. Plus, keeping an eye on your heart rate means you'll be able to spot looming illness and the effects of overtraining and side-step the risks of running under the weather. GETTY IMAGES

weeks. I used the Runner's World emergency schedules, which were excellent. But work pressures and a nasty cold cut into this last-minute attempt at training. I had logged just 50 miles through my preparation... From 11 miles my left thigh began to cramp

at the running club true?And unless you’ve exclusive 24-hour access to a panel of experts, there’s no better place to turn than the RW forums. Here you can tap the collective knowledge of more than 350,000 runners, from fresh-faced first-timers to wizened oldies

Apart from the sort of injuries that can plague all runners – shin splints, black toenails, tendonitis – there are some health issues that are more prevalent in women runners, and some that are exclusively female.AcneWomen runners can be plagued