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

Q I know that long runs should be run slower than race pace, but can you explain why. I want to race at eight minute/mile pace at next year’s Flora London Marathon, so surely I should train at that pace? Also, if I run a half-marathon in January

Q I seem to have been quite a good runner from the start. In my first race I placed sixth; on the next couple I was pushing between second and third. Five years later I appear to be going backwards. I train very hard but I can’t seem to get better

way you can," says sports psychologist Victor Thompson (sportspsychologist.co.uk). The good news is that even when you've been put out of the running, there are ways to keep training and remain part of the race-day action.Get back to classAfter having

Q I don’t race longer than 10K. Do my training runs need to be any longer than this distance? A Yes – longer runs are beneficial, even for 5K and 10K runners, because there is a relationship between endurance and speed. Although a lot shorter than a

to get faster. But there are several different ways to improve average race velocities. For example, increasing VO2max (maximal aerobic capacity) improves race speeds, because as VO2max rises, your previous race speeds will correspond with a lower

on Sunday?A It’s a dilemma that many runners face – can we mix ‘business’ with pleasure? Of course, it is possible to down a few pints on a Friday night and run on the Sunday, but it probably isn’t the best way to prepare for a race – especially if it’s one

Q. In my time as a runner, I’ve run seven marathons, and now I want to train for an ultra-distance trail run of 50K (just over 30 miles). How should I modify my marathon training to prepare for the longer race?A Assuming that your seven marathons

think the UK's general change to racing on a Sunday from Saturdays makes it more difficult to race as frequently as we did in the 80s, and still get the long runs in. I raced most weekends, and often mid-week in the summer - relays and track races

As any runner who’s ever felt their legs turn into lead anvils at the end of a hard session or race knows, running further or faster all boils down to a battle against fatigue. So you train to increase either the distance or the pace – or both – you