hours on the turbo trainer, continue to swim endless lengths of the pool and pound the streets for hours. That's training harder; you could be forgetting to train smarter. You could be forgetting the importance of strength.How strength training helps

to strengthen your mind. In long distance events, the importance of your state of mind in determining the outcome of a race can't   be overestimated. Exploring ways of lifting yourself to the next level by increasing your mental strength and, in the process

. In long distance events, the importance of your state of mind in determining the outcome of a race can't   be overestimated. Exploring ways of lifting yourself to the next level by increasing your mental strength and, in the process, greatly building your

?"It's time to face the cryptic 'cross-training' references on my marathon schedule. What should I do? There's so much choice! Whenever I run more than about 14 miles my upper body gets tired, so I know I need to develop my core strength, but what's the best

Bent-Over RowRest your left knee and arm on a bench, bend your right elbow and lift a dumbbell straight up. Lower. Do 15 reps per arm.

You know that adding some weight training to your programme will help your running by making you more stable and powerful, but what if you don’t fancy joining a gym? Here’s the answer: stay at home and use your own body weight for all-round strength

're strong enough to cope with the training. Working at least one strength training session into your weekly schedule pays real dividends, in terms of improved performance, greater endurance and faster overall speed - but it also ensures that you'll spend

or neglecting because of training - going to the cinema, phoning your mother or hanging out with friends. Or take the opportunity to build your strengths in those sports you can still do safely while you recover.4. Think long termMaitland says it can take five

-->Strengthening your lower back and abdominal muscles should help ease any pain you experience while running. To minimise stress on the lower back, use an upright posture (ie no slouching) while sitting, standing, walking, and running. You can also protect your back by doing mos...

caused by changes in terrain gives your heart a boost." The discipline also builds lower leg strength. "Your foot mark changes with every step because the ground is uneven and sometimes very unstable, too," says Anderson. "It means lower limbs