'Training,' one American coach told me, 'is a 24-hour proposition.' Even if you struggle to live up to this standard, you can still heed the idea behind the words: if you want to get the most out of your running, you need to think about how your style of living fits around your running. Your whole approach to training has to become more than just an occasional hobby. It has to become part of your everyday routine, even if this pattern of living lasts only for a short while.