NAIL A SHORT RACE

The biggest barrier to a faster 5K or 10K comes from the waste products that build up in your muscles when you pick up the pace, says Gaudette. Intervals at these race paces train your body to process these substances while also increasing the rate at which oxygen travels to your muscles, allowing you to run faster for longer. ‘You’re getting an opportunity to practise the pain, mental stress and fatigue that come with running at that pace,’ says coach Carl Leivers.

THE WORKOUT After a 10-minute warm-up, run 12 x 400m repeats at your 5K pace (if that’s your goal distance), with 30 seconds of easy running in between. Targeting a 10K? Do 16 x 400m at 10K pace instead. The first few reps should feel relatively easy – the second half should be where it gets tough, says Gaudette.