Q I’ve been running for just over a year now and can now comfortably train at around 10 minute/mile pace for an hour, which I do three times a week. However, I’ve been doing this for at least six months and don’t seem to be able to get any quicker

woollen ski hat to retain heat. Sunblock, sunglasses, a cap and white clothing make sense on hot days.DON’T run in worn-out shoes, or in shoes that are designed for other sports.DON’T attempt to train through an athletic injury. Little aches and pains can

that triathlon revolutionised her running. "I knew I could run faster and stronger but every time I concentrated on training for a marathon, I became injured," she says. "Triathlon training helped me to become a stronger runner and train injury-free." After

do you need to train a week to see improvement? Our panel of five beginners reveal how they took their first tentative steps - and how to pick up the pace.Getting StartedIf you're already quite active you could head out for a slowish run straight away

, overhauled his diet and overcame a knee injury to get in shape for London, wouldn’t be drawn on his future plans straight away. “I’d like to run abroad maybe, but we’ll see.” Before the off, Braidwood said she’d be happy as long as she didn’t come last. She

six sets. This is plenty for a beginner. You should also consider increasing one run a week to more than 30 minutes. A good goal would be to build up one weekly run to at least 60 minutes.At some point, you may also want to add threshold training runs

, it probably would have helped prevent a multitude of injuries.Paul Magner Years Running 35 Variety is the spice of lifeIt’s easy to get stuck in a rut, and become a habitual runner. You can find yourself following the same routine week

on shorter races early on, I’m convinced I’d have a faster marathon PB and fewer injury problems." Eileen Portz-Shovlin, 53. Years running: 22 Keep a training log "I wish I’d kept running logs when I first started running, and that I’d done a better job

disciplines – swim, bike and run – involve different muscle groups and movement patterns, and as less time is spent on one single discipline, rates of overuse injuries tend to be lower.’ (See case study 2.) The good news is that if you’re already a runner, you

This extract is from The Runner's World Complete Book of Running by RW USA Editor Amby Burfoot. You can now preview it, free, for two weeks without risk or obligation. All running programmes for beginners are the same: they move you from walking