Performing Edge (£14.50, Stackpole Books). Along with your workouts, write in your training log how motivated, focused, energised or confident you felt on a scale of one to 10. "Maybe you scribble a three next to 'focused' a few days in row," she says. "So
1. SpeedThe Session: 4 x 40m sprints (with 3 mins recovery), then 4 x 300m sprints (with 6 mins recovery)Tony Minichiello says: "Speed training in heptathlon is crucial as there's an element of it in every event - just as there is in every race
My husband ran the race. In training, just about everything for months had gone to plan. He set off strong. The family saw him at mile 12 and he looked good and happy - he was aiming for four hours. We were all waiting on Birdcage Walk, banners
, while capital-based runners can also test their times in the Self Transcendence series in Battersea Park. 10K opportunities also abound, and those inspired by the Flora London Marathon can tread city streets in the Bupa London 10,000 and the Bupa Great
Long run Do a five-mile warm-up, the 6.2-mile race at marathon pace and finish with four slow miles, for 15 in totalWeek 2Run your usual mileage with a moderate interval workout midweek (1 mile-1200m-800m-400m step-down) and do a two-day taper
servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day.The new rule Eat two 80g portions of fruit and 2 1/2 120g portions of vegetables for a 2,000kcal diet, and more for greater calorie intakes. One portion of fruit equals one apple, banana, orange
of periodisation, it can seem tough between 'peaks'. Runner Lasse Viren, dubbed The 'Flying Finn', won very little other than his four Olympic gold medals, from double victory in the 5000m and 10,000m at the 1972 and 1976 Games. He mastered the art of peaking
't just about running longer - it's also about being able to hold a slightly faster pace.BESTComplete 15-16 miles, with the first 12 miles at an easy pace and the last 3-4 miles at tempo pace (about 10K race pace or slightly faster).
Many elite runners plan their racing calendars a year or more in advance. There are some right now who know that in order to be on the starting line of an Olympic final in Beijing in August 2008, they need to hit an A-standard qualifying time in a
the result.“I covered 18-23 miles in my long training runs,” says Strand, “and I did the last 9-14 miles at marathon pace or faster. That was much faster than my previous long-run efforts of 17-22 miles at whatever pace I felt like running.”This kind
