, in which a group of runners added only one thing to their usual training: a weekly, 20-minute continuous run completed at a pace which was about 10-12 seconds per mile slower than 10K race speed. In just a little over three months, these 20-minute sessions

often see round figures quoted in general guides, ranging from 70-90 per cent of MHR. Unfortunately, the reason they’re so vague is that – as we’ve found out – we’re all different.In the early days, you’d have needed a physiological lab test to find

monitor comes in.Speed is often used to regulate threshold sessions, typically at between 10K and 10-mile pace. However, this can be hard to judge, especially when the terrain and/or environmental conditions vary from one session to the next. What’s more

one. Some runners are afraid ever to slow down and allow their bodies to recover from a hard session, long run or race. They push the pace on every run. Many coaches list this as the most common training mistake they see. Why? Because runners assume

, depending on your pace. All easy running is handled by slow-twitch muscle fibres - no surprise there. As running intensity increases, more slow-twitch fibres are recruited. Once you're running at a moderate intensity, fast-twitch type IIa fibres join

:12) 7:00 7:05-7:12 6:4550 (8:00) 7:40 7:50-8:00 7:3055 (8:48) 8:30 8:40-8:48 8:1560 (9:36) 9:20 9:25-9:36 9:0065 (10:24) 10:10 10:15-10:25 9:45Variation 1:Jog bends/stride straights. The total time per repetition should equal your 10K pace

evenings free for EastEnders) with these effective and efficient lunchtime sessions.Lunchtime Session One - Hit Your Race PaceIf you tend to start well in races of 10K and upwards, but then suffer a catastrophic blow- out before the end, this 4x4 session

joints and connective tissue than running on roads or pavements. For many runners, the reason why the treadmill stands out is its perfect pace. Hitting your target pace becomes simply a matter of setting the speed and pressing start

every few minutes as you're running, to get a general idea of your rate throughout the session. You will probably find that, even if you maintain the same pace throughout, your heart rate will rise by 5-10 beats over a period of 30 minutes

pace your first week back, then the same at 5K pace4 Log a weekly tempo run of 20 minutes at a pace 20 seconds slower than 10K paceReduce Ten days before a race...1 Reduce weekly mileage by 50 per cent2 Run 75 per cent of the distance of your normal