crunches, you may find you have slipped into a routine. "You need to constantly challenge your muscles to get results," says running coach Sam Murphy, co-author of Running Well (Human Kinetics Publishers; £14.99). The fix Mix it up. Fine-tune your
can take days off." And don't try to beat your run-to-work PB. "This will add pressure." Mix it up Running a different route everyday will keep you motivated. Go to sustrans.org.uk to find 12,000 miles of traffic-free routes near you. Come up
crashed. He now believes he did too many hard 20-milers in the heat. "I was exhausted from the first step of the marathon," he says. He finished 15th in 2:14:19.HydrationEveryone knows drinking fluids is supposed to help you run faster. But you have
GETTY IMAGES Better sleep. That's all that could be standing between you and a new PB. Too good to be true? Not according to Mara Yamauchi, who set a new marathon PB (2:25:03) at the International Women's Marathon in Tokyo in November. "Sleep is one
my mileage and practised running above 14,000 feet, but still I'd limped home after aggravating an old Achilles injury. Today I was ready for a charmed third try. I was fit, healthy and confident of a top-10 finish. Maybe I'd even break three hours
are to be expected, but don't let them put you off your next cycle of training or another race. It's easy to recover, stay in great shape and be ready for the next challenge if you follow these simple tips from our expert coaches and athletes. Go for a spin"After a