Hi all,

Some may call this lazy but I have gone to the Twitter World (follow me here if you like) to ask the questions of the people and will publish those questions here. They may be a little haphazard as the questions came from all over the place but you'll just have to put up with that! It was quite interesting for me to see the sort of questions people ask, some are the obvious ones, others are things that perhaps I see as automatic but for others are much less so. Anyway, here we go!

DazReevell 
if you could give just one tip to new runners what would it be?

I get asked this a lot and it's not an easy one to answer but I always say something along the lines of - be consistent and sensible. By this I mean don't just rush gung-ho into a crazy training schedule. Start small and very gradually build things up around a training plan that suits your lifestyle and is sustainable. If you just try and run longer than you're used to then you increase risk of injury and also knackering yourself so much it's not enjoyable anymore. Start within your limits, try and run regularly, and very gradually increase the distance (not EVERY run either!).

marathonman4
What is it in your opinion that Kenyan and East African long distance athletes are doing that seems to be leaving Europe behind?

Very topical! I think it's a combination of a few factors, but I think the overpowering one is sheer numbers. There are so many top class African athletes out there compared to the top 'Western' runners. Whay are there so many? Well, I think it's down to the fact that running offers real career prospects. Prize money in Europe for a Kenyan is worth so much that for many it can make them incredibly rich and with so few opportunities in their own country that ir's really the only way to make money. Also, success breeds success. The national icons in Kenya and Ethiopia are endurance athletes. When I was in Ethiopia, everyone was talking about Haile and he was a god there. Everyone wants to be the next Haile or Paul Tergat and this desire drives them on. Mo and Paula have helped here, but with so many other sporting heroes, the population is divided. Why are they so good? Well, in my opinion this is down to a simple lifestyle, living at altitude and yes, genetic factors. I have no doubt that the East Africans are genetically blessed distance runners. I do not actually believe they train any harder than us or do anything different. I belive they are gifted, full of desire, and have the power of numbers.

MattWang83  
What's your guilty pleasure?

Haha, I have a few! Ale is one and my weakness is definitely the urge to sit in a pub and have a few ales with puns in their name! I still do have a few ales but I pick and choose my times. I also love coffee, and Boost bars....

boywhatruns 
What would you recommend as a vital speed/interval session for marathon training?

I don't thnk any speed session is vital for marathon running. Long runs and sustained marathon pace running is vital, not speed sessions. Saying that, it's good to add in some 5k/10k pace running just to stress different energy systems and also to reset your pace governance so that marathon pace 'feels' slow compared to the faster work. I do do 5k/10k pace work as part of marathon prep and I tend to add in tempo either side of it to a) increase the session volume and b) learn to run comfortably at marathon pace even when tired as it's not always suitable to simulate that tiredness by having run for 15 miles beforehand! I will do sessions like 3 x (2 x 1k, 5 x 400) at 10k pace for the ks and 3-5k pace for the 400s. Also, standard sessions like 10 x 1k or 5 x 2k are great.

AndyVernonGB  
How do you feel when you line up against a great rival such as @leemerrien ?

A celebrity tweet! Andy runs with me at Aldershot and I have known him for years. To answer his slightly humurous question: Lee is a tough competitor and one I know very well having trained/roomed/raced aginst him several times over the years. He usuallly has the edge over me but if I beat him, I know I've had a great run.

AndyVernonGB 
How did it feel cruising to victory at the nat 6 stage beating athletes such as @leemerrien @Keith_Gerrard and@scottoverall ?

Haha! Getting silly now Andy. It was great to break the tape at the 6 stage and in fact Scott Overall shouted to me as I jogged to the start line having confessed to my fitness concerns and knowing I would be in 2nd place to start with Keith Gerrard chasing me "I wouldn't want to be you Ben! Good luck!". So it was doubly satisfying to take 1st place and also hold off Keith!

Keith_Gerrard 
How did it feel NOT be on the front cover of AW for your 6-stage efforts? Harsh I thought.

Agreed. It was probably my only chance of getting on the front cover. I even remembered not to stop my watch as I crossed the line as it doesn't look good on the photo.

Scullionxc 
Do you live by the code of the Garmin, like myself and @AndyVernonGB, or do you run free like @Keith_Gerrard and@scottoverall

By the garmin... I don't use it to pace myself, but I do use it to gauge how fit I am. It won't cause me to slow down or speed up and I don't run to a set pace, but I do like stats as a measure of how fit I am! Also, it adds something interesting on runs, just to see how things are going!

gobi_one 
How do you manage getting to race weight but still having the energy to train hard ?

Hmmm, I have never ever watched my weight! It's been about 56kg for more than 10 years I think! Generally I eat when I am hungry, and all the training keeps the weight down!

gobi_one 
Do you have a key weekly session you use as part of your marathon buildup?
Not weekly, but I revisit sessions like 8 x 1km every 2-3 weeks. I also do lots of tempo running (at least 1 a week) and my pace/mile gives me a great indication of how fit I am. I know when I am doing 8 x 1km in about 2.50 and I feel quite comfortable that things are going well!

gobi_one 
What is the longest MP run you do in your buildup?

I will do half-marathon races at my marathon pace sometimes as part of a build up. I like doing this as my mind is in race mode and so it always feels more comfortable to run at MP in a race than on my own on a canal. Generally the highest volume effort I will ever do will be 22-24 miles with about 10-13 miles at MP. There would only be 1 or 2 of these in my build up though - you can't do these every week!

Keith_Gerrard 
Favourite training location in the world?

Very tough one - the hills at the top of Addis Ababa were amzing to run on - seeing Bekele coming the other way was pretty special! But Addis in general is difficult as you need a car to get everywhere. Font Romeu is similar in needing a car but the runs there are so peaceful and the views are amazing. 

tim_grose  
Marathon training question. How many mpw should you be doing before twice a day runs?

Another popular topic of debate! I would say 70-80mpw is enough in single runs and then anything more requires doubles. No doubt a 10-12 miler in a single run is more beneficial in terms of marathon training than 2 x 6miles, but is it possible to to do a 12 miler on a recovery day and really be recovering? I think not and tend to mix it up with Monday and Friday being days when I will not do a run over 8-9 miles or so and ensure I can recover. For me, around the 10mile mark (or 70mins of running) is where I feel the effects for the rest of the day. I can run 9 miles and not really feel like I've been for a run, but 12 miles and I definitely feel it. This has taken a while to build up to and it will obviously vary by individual.

tim_grose 
 another question. How much of your running is actually on the road?

A lot. Well, a lot is on canals and footpaths which are pretty solid underfoot. I don't see the point of running through mud anymore in training and I think that this has determined how I've improved as a road runner in recent years. I tend to find myself hitting a rhythm and that my body has become accustomed to good running surfaces. Also, it may be why I'm not as good as XC as perhaps I once was!

Bradford82 
What's the most effective change to your training you've ever made?

This is an easy one for me. Long runs with tempo/MP running in. These wiped me out at the start and I couldn't handle them. Now I've learnt to do them under control and feeling like I had more. I started doing 40 easy/40 steady/40 tempo (where the last 20mins would be 'hanging on' and well off MP) and now can do these feeling controlled and much faster than I could before. If you want to run a good marathon, these runs are the key. But again, not every week. I would do this every 2-3 weeks or so.

iaintaggart
do u advise a taper for shorter races? Cross country to 10k.

Depends! If it is a key target then yes, but only for 3-4 days or so. If it's just part of a build up for another race then I wouldn't taper for it and just run it expecting to not feel as sharp as I'd like.

AlexPSullivan 
What miles do you do in "off" season before build to mara? And what's ur typical 'foundation' period before final buildup?

80-100 miles per week. I need to be fit before I start the build-up but I won't have done any long gruelling tempo runs and the sessions will be lower on volume than normal. My foundation period will vary really on how long until my next marathon. I never have more then 2-3 weeks out of running at any time unless it's enforced by illness/injury.

racingsnake1  what was the first race you won?

I can't remember! I remember winning a 3km track race when I was 14 or so. First XC race would have been a school race when I was 14 or so as well. 

paulhalford 
What's the most mileage you personally can run on a recovery day to be ready for a session the next?

This is hard to say. I've definitely done 2 x 10miles and then done a great session the next day and I do get periods where whatever I do, I just seem to recover and feel amazing the next day. As a general rule, 2 x 50mins (8 miles) is what I can do and still run hard the next day.

gobi_one  
what pace do you easy/recovery runs ?

Usually 6.45-7.15 miling. I don't ever go much slower than this and when I have a hard session that day, my morning run will be purposefully slow.

Bradford82 
How do you judge whether to rest or run through an injury/pain?

This is really tough. Especially given recent circumstances! Generally, if the injury gets worse as the run goes on, this is a very bad sign. If it eases off I tend to think it's ok and just a niggle but then if that starts to worsen day to day or week to week then you have to cut your losses and get it sorted. I've definitely run through injuries that have cleared up, and those that haven't and I've had to just face the facts and take time off. I hate running through pain and if it the injury is affecting your running rather than just 'being a bit sore' then it needs to be sorted.

Too_Much_Ha_Ha 

Q: How do you know if you're training volume is too high or if you could do more? Trial and error?

Another very good question. If you're feeling continually tired on runs and every run feels like a struggle, you're doing too much. Very very occasionally this is to be expectd as part of a tough week, but if it persists, you need to scale back. There's a little bit of trial and error involved but it has to be small increments and if you introduce something extra or further or harder, then make sure you scale back the following few days/week so the body can adapt. I always have an easier week after a harder week. As a guide if you do a week of 110% of your normal training, make the next week 90%, then 100%, then 110% again and see how the body copes. You can't just bring in more volume and then keep ramping it up  - your body just won't get a chance to adapt.

Phew, that's all of them! Thanks for the questions guys! Hope the answeres were useful.
Ben