at which you can run without going into oxygen debt and accumulating lactic acid in the muscles. By training at around this speed you should be pushing up your threshold pace, and by increasing the volume of hard training you should be able to maintain

physio appointment for some deep tissue massage, but I’m not sure what I should do in terms of running or other exercise. Dan EllingworthA. Hopefully the taper will help ease out your hamstrings a bit, with the reduced volume of training allowing more

is known as angiogenesis, says Dr J Carson Smith, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, US, who studies the role exercise plays in brain function. “We know that neurogenesis and angiogenesis increase brain tissue volume, which otherwise

, but to do one long run a week. This run gradually increases in distance over the weeks. The training volume levels out at about 22 miles a week, spread over four runs.

, and always strive not to drop a long run or speed session if you’re forced to miss a day.In Weeks 5-8... you add volume and speedThis is a key period. The training is still intensifying each week, you have still to reach the heaviest period, but the key

or cramping sensation within the calf that you describe. Usually, the athlete is unable to run through the pain, but upon ceasing activity the pain will settle relatively quickly (usually within a few minutes) as the volume of blood in the muscles returns

that the electrolytes themselves aren’t causing the nausea). Other factors that may increase the rate of transfer include taking in larger volumes of fluid at once and at a lower temperature (though if taking larger swigs leaves you bloated, try smaller sips more

-Marathon)We've organised them alphabetically by race name - A | B | C-E | F | G | H-K | L-M | N-Q | R | S | T-U | V-Y(Editor's note: If you look hard through the race comments, you may find, er, the odd spelling mistake. The huge volume meant that we've only been able

If you’ve been training for weeks, you’ll want to make the last workout before your race count. Studies indicate the best way to prepare for a race is to reduce the volume of your running (mileage) while maintaining the intensity. These four

, so my advice is to cut back your calorie intake only modestly – chopping foods high in saturated fat or refined carbohydrates – and gradually building up your running volume. If you lose more than 500g per week after the initial week, or if you often