Devising training sessions is easy. Anyone can come up with a plan that sounds great. Take my old high school track coach, for example. Way back in the mid-1960s, he ordered us distance runners to do 10x400 metres, each in 60 seconds. That’s what US

1. SpeedThe Session: 4 x 40m sprints (with 3 mins recovery), then 4 x 300m sprints (with 6 mins recovery)Tony Minichiello says: "Speed training in heptathlon is crucial as there's an element of it in every event - just as there is in every race

Many elite runners plan their racing calendars a year or more in advance. There are some right now who know that in order to be on the starting line of an Olympic final in Beijing in August 2008, they need to hit an A-standard qualifying time in a

suit, you could always use our interactive SmartCoach tool to create your own tailor-made marathon schedule. Simply input a selection of details and SmartCoach will equip you with a fully-personalised training plan, designed to fit your preferences

Hard Training Q&AsTRAINING GENERAL• Do I need to take an "easy week" when my average mileage isn’t that high? • Should you try and break through ‘the wall’ in training? • Is it just the cold weather, or am I getting fitter? • How do I overcome

First Timer - SteveFollow on the forum: Steve loves bacon Target: sub 4:00Marathon PB: This will be my firstCoach: Sam MurphyTraining schedule: See Steve's training planStrengths: "I’m a very positive person – for me, the running drink is always

, or it can be a couple of long weekends at home, if planned properly.I write this during my fourth training camp of the year, 7000ft up in the Pyrenees at Font Romeu. This is high level training in every sense of the world, as most of the group are preparing

’s time.Consult the race diary on this site and mark a few target events on your calendar. Then plan a training programme accordingly. If you find scenic runs more appealing, buy an Ordnance Survey map for your area and highlight a few trails you’ve yet

reducing your planned training sessions. The freedom that comes from not running as much can mean you have energy to burn and time to kill, but don't neglect these key areas during your two-week countdown:Training Get plenty of rest - don't do all the odd

be regarded as normal. For those who have to work and run, a good rule of thumb is, “One day off a week, one weekend off a month, and one month off a year”. If you have a planned training period of 8-10 weeks leading up to a big race, you can then carry