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Your questions answered

Pregnancy pain, knowing what to do when a runner collapses, prepping for your first multi-stage race, the joy of a new route and much more besides

Q How do you train for a multi-stage race? I can’t imagine doing a long run and then waking up and doing it all again!

A Back-to-back runs – specifically running close to what you’d normally consider to be a ‘long run’ distance on two consecutive days – are the backbone of stage-race training as they get you used to running on tired legs.

They’re tough, so aim to do one every three or four weeks. You can also schedule a monthly ‘day on your feet’, where you do a long run, then try to keep moving for the rest of the day, whether that’s walking the dog, gardening or going on a bike ride. Festivals are also a great way to fit in back-to-back ‘days on your feet’.

It’s not always possible, but try to mimic the race terrain and conditions on longer runs. This includes getting used to any kit you’ll be using during the race. Recovery is another key element – take rest days after long runs and wind down your training in the two weeks before race day. As a guide, two weeks out, your long run should be about half the distance of the longest run you’ve done during your training. In the final week, halve this again and limit any other runs to steady outings under 5K. You’ll also need to plan for the event days themselves. Read the race instructions carefully to find out about timings, the start and finish locations, checkpoints, accommodation and catering as well as the race route. KL