If you want to become a better runner, there’s no real training substitute for running. Other sports just don’t cut the mustard when it comes to preparing your body for race day, right?Right. But in terms of boosting your fitness, balancing muscle

for example, that would be 10 miles steady, 10 miles tempo, five miles fast and five miles slow. This has the advantage that you can get some steady miles in for general conditioning, you get practice at running near to race pace, and you get to do some

for a beginner like me to keep going on these hills. Any advice please?" – West Country PlodderYour best answersJust bite the bulletI struggle with hills all the time, and I even started to run round them rather than go up them. This was cured when I

This week’s questioner needs your advice on kitting himself out on a rainy day – that way, he’ll have no excuse to forego a training run on account of the weather. How do you tog yourself out if the clouds are looming?"I'm not keen on running