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5 Tips for improving your run

Rob de Castella was one of Australia's most successful marathon runners. Having held world records for the marathon, he was considered the best in the world in his peak running time. From the young age of 12, "Deek" began running with his father. At the age of 14, he started serious training with the Australian National Distance Coach, Pat Clohessy. Clohessy started the young athlete on a training program of 60 to 80 km per week, including a long run of up to 21km, shorter recovery runs, and hill and track training which typically consisted of 8 x 400m repetitions. Below is a typical week for Deek's training.

On this training scheme and with similar variations, De Castella ran the world's fastest marathon (2:08:18 at Fukuoka in 1981) which was the fastest time ever on an out and back course. As well as that De Castella competed at 4 Olympic Games, won the 1982 Commonwealth Games Marathon and 1983 World Championships Marathon convincingly. Deek also placed well in the World Cross-Country championships coming 6^th in 1981 and 1983. Throughout his career he managed to get his Marathon time down to 2:07:51 in 1986 which made him the 3^rd fastest marathon runner at the time. If ever there is a perfect running career, de Castella came as close to it as anyone.

5 tips for improving your run

• - include speed work in your weekly running program
• - include at least one long run once a week and other moderately long recovery runs
• - work on core stability and strengthening hips
• - include plenty of stretching every day
• - focus on running with a good and economic technique