, the thought of running at different paces is proving troublesome – can you help him get more for his miles by lending a hand?"I began running about six months ago, on a run-walk training routine and progressed to do my first 5K in 30:05. I have kept on running
speed and can only manage half the distance I would normally expect to do, or I run at a comfortable pace, which is about 1mph less than Iwould normally run indoors. Is this just me or do others find a big difference?" – Ben GillamYour best answers
GETTY IMAGES With so much to think about before your first marathon – what to wear, when to eat and how to pace yourself for starters – it’s no wonder your anxiety levels can soar during
, and your short weekday runs four miles. If your legs feel sluggish, a few quick strides should help shrug off the heaviness.Week 1Keep all your runs shorter than four miles, and slower than your intended race pace. Two days before the race, don’t run at all
for the first mile to warm up and gradually pick up the pace. – ScianceLook to the running greats for inspirationStretching cold muscles is a sure route to injury. After all when did you last see a gazelle stretch before taking flight? – FellrunnerIt’s not all
that I’ve failed. Plus I am frustrated by my inability to run better so it's always a disappointment. Yes change my expectation but... I can't. I can be logical and accept that I will run at a particular pace and finish, but it won't stop me wishing
to walk I make sure it is a brisk pace, which is often quicker and more efficient than running. Having the mentality ‘it’s going to make me a better runner’ is a good motivator. The terrain you are on can make a big difference too. On roads there aren
"quality" session a week and then doing medium length/pace runs whenever I've got time. It’s not ideal, but it is practical when you can't let the training dictate your life. – Martin PaceFocus on quality not quantityI think that listening to your body
the marathon because I'd got relatively quick at 10K on this regime (sub-34:00), so probably wasn't building up much lactic acid at marathon pace and was able to keep going. – themoabirdStrengthen your musclesAll my jealous running friends know me
else would feel the same... I agree with all of the above, but I would also add… don't feel bad about feeling bad (if you see what I mean). We invest a lot of time and effort into our preparations, whatever our pace so it's natural to feel
