One of the worst experiences of running is bonking in a race. This is where you simply run out of energy to maintain your goal pace and running suddenly feels incredibly hard.

You start getting over taken by runners dressed as Big Bird or that person who decided running in a full tracksuit in the middle of summer was a good idea.

The key is to pace yourself at the start of a race. DON’T GO OFF TO QUICK. Factor in the distance and your current fitness levels to save some energy for the latter stages. If there are pacers then find one that is a touch slower than your goal pace.

It will then be your turn to do the overtaking and there are not many better feelings than sprinting past a team mate just before the finish line.