Speed Lite, £30 A neat 10-litre pack that punches above its weight (less than 350g). The breathable straps and tapered shape make it a pleasure to run in, as there's no interference with your natural arm action. It's small, but can house a hydration
your fitness, and before the pre-race taper that lets you recharge for the big event. Let's assume you're in decent shape after increasing your training through the early winter. To thrive during your Monster Month, it's more important than ever to pay
Long run Do a five-mile warm-up, the 6.2-mile race at marathon pace and finish with four slow miles, for 15 in totalWeek 2Run your usual mileage with a moderate interval workout midweek (1 mile-1200m-800m-400m step-down) and do a two-day taper
level,"says elite coach Dennis Barker. "It’s more intense, you have different people to challenge you, and you can really hone your competitive edge.” Timing will all depend on how far away the main event is. You need enough time for a mini-taper
ever manage. An exact time is difficult to predict but if you get the five-mile below 28:00, then a 1:16 should be possible.Q. Would you recommend a two or three week taper? A two-week taper would allow me to have an additional drop back week between
an Ironman in Hawaii. "It's better to get out there than to hide away," says Simon Ward of www.thetriathloncoach.com. "Be sensible. You should be tapering your training before a race, so walking around in the heat is often enough, combined with light training
outdoors in the sun (without sunglasses) to help you reset your biological clock more quickly. Early morning walks are best for this. Do not overdo any exercise because at this stage you should be following a tapering programme as race-day approaches
training plan, diet and race-day strategy. "Every race is a puzzle," says coach Jeff Horowitz, author of My First 100 Marathons (£15.99, Skyhorse Publishing). "Look for clues to solve it." Did you rest enough during your taper? Did you go out too fast? Did
your all into a 10K, 10 miler or half marathon and get a realistic gauge of how you have progressed. I recommend tapering for a few days before your assessment race so you go into it fresh. Use online predictor tools to see what your result says about
is great!Q8. During my last couple of long runs I experienced quite a bit of hip tightness and aching afterwards. My hips still feel very tight, even though I'm now in the middle of tapering for Brighton Marathon. Is there anything I can do to loosen them
