and seeing your performances tailing off. With that in mind, here’s how many races we recommend you do in the three months before tackling a PB:Mile: One 5K, two 800m and four 1500m or mile races. Ideally no more than 10 1500m/mile races in a year.5K: One

in 3:30, for example, at a rate of 180 steps a minute, during the entire race you will take 37,800 steps. Stronger leg muscles allow you to spend less time on the ground with each foot-strike and increase your stride length.A reduction of just 0.02 of a

two or three intervals with five-minute recoveries), or do a continuous 25-minute tempo run at a pace that’s 12-15 seconds per mile slower than your usual 10K race pace. TaperIt’s tempting to think that extra time spent training in the last weeks

stretching and a few strides, then pick the session that corresponds with your weekend race.5KThis one is called a fast-finish mile. Run one mile with the first half at 10K race pace and the second half 16-20 seconds faster. Recover with six to eight minutes

-90 seconds then increase the next interval to two minutes. Repeat this pattern up to a five-minute interval, make the next interval four minutes and continue down the pyramid for a 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 pattern. Finish with 10-minutes of steady running at 40

-90 seconds then increase the next interval to two minutes. Repeat this pattern up to a five-minute interval, make the next interval four minutes and continue down the pyramid for a 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 pattern. Finish with 10-minutes of steady running at 40

4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16The best feeling in the world - two weeks post-race:Week 17 | Week 18

coach train for 5Ks in the summer. Why not have a go at this distance on the track, as well as the road. You’ll retain the endurance benefits of your marathon training, and working on your speed in the summer will help you to perform better over 10K, 10

to the race in 2003!2 City of Norwich Half-Marathon, Norfolk, JuneMore than 1000 runners made this the biggest-ever turnout for this rural race.3 L1310K, Liverpool, OctoberCombining two good races – the Liverpool Half-Marathon and 10K – could have been a

, swimming one hour a week, and spending 30-40 minutes per week on gym work.For the running, try to do one session a week of speedwork, with things like 10 x 1 minute fast, two minutes slow (or 12 x 200m fast, 200m jog if you’re on the track). This should