chance to recharge. Strike a balance between... Slower & fasterVarying the pace of your runs is another key to getting out of the doldrums and improving your fitness level. Instead of cruising at the same speed every day, alternate between slower

– preferably the last long one you do before tapering for your big race – as a race simulation. The same would apply whether it's an eight-miler in preparation for a 10K race or a 20-miler in the run up to London. Keep the pace comfortably slow, but do

hard pace and having something left for the finish." Should you try it? You don't have to be an Olympian to benefit from the thinking of Olympians. "I've always been a believer in quality over quantity," says Favor-Hamilton. "Quantity wears you down