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ISSUE 137 //  MAY 2021

We couldn’t have done it without…

ISSUE 137 //  May 2021

GIRLS’ CONFIDENCE IN SPORT CRISIS

Lockdown has made young women keener than ever to do sport and exercise, for mental and physical health

NEW GEAR

With the weather warming up it’s time to try a tri. Here’s our guide to the best kit to get started with triathlon, your new swim-bike-run challenge for summer 2021

Maximise my time in the gym to become a better runner?

Should runners be working out in the gym, and if so, how can they use their gym time efficiently, to improve their running fitness and performance?

HEALTH

The latest nutrition, beauty and health headlines. Because running doesn’t end at your feet

Laura Donnelly

Laura loves social running but that doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park. She has her sights set on the  London Marathon and she dabbles in tri too

FUEL

We’re going full colour this issue so stock up on harissa, feta, watercress and fresh green veg. Plus, advice on fuelling the menopause

Finding some balance

MUM ON THE RUN Laura Fountain is a

CLINIC

When the topic of rest and recovery is raised with runners, many are often guilty of either paying it lip service, or only focusing on it when injury strikes or performance is affected. Both rest and recovery are your allies, rather than enemies, Mike says

MY BEST RUN

Horsford Woods, Norfolk

Does running help my IBS?

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be both painful and embarrassing. Will running make these symptoms worse, or can it help alleviate them?

Running mates

Because we run better together

Your questions answered

Tips on carb-loading, how to chat on the trot, and the best summer headbands. Plus, is it a good idea to use kinesiology tape?

DIARY

We’ve had a fleeting glimpse of summer, a

Andrea Huser

The legend of the ultra-trail and Queen of Endurance Andrea Huser inspired women around the world to take on tougher challenges and push themselves to new limits

“With running, on a good day you get this beautiful rhythm and endorphins, and you feel at peace”

Alice Hector WARRIOR

RUNNING AFTER COVID

For many runners, the challenges over the past year of the Covid pandemic have been related to lockdown. But for those of us who actually contracted the virus, the wildly varying symptoms and after effects have had long-term implications that no-one could have foreseen

RUNNING BACK THROUGH TIME

Remember when we could go further  than five miles from our doorsteps?  That time is coming back, says Anna  McNuff, so plan your run trips now

ASSISTED RUNNING

Many people face huge physical barriers before they can run. Whether you’re a disabled runner or someone who’s keen to help, here are ways we can work together to make running more accessible and inclusive 

5K-10K TRAINING PLANS

From a fast 5K to a long 10K: we show you how

Alison Walker

Alison Walker is a Malaysian ultra-runner based in the Calder Valley has lots of Valley in Yorkshire. She ran her first ultramarathon in 2019.  This year she hopes to complete some of her wish-list races

NEW RELEASE SHOES

There’s no feeling like that new-shoe feeling

How to build a shoe

How do running shoes go from sketch to reality? We spoke to a shoe engineer at Decathlon to find out the hidden secrets

Go wild in the water

In 2020, more women than ever before took to the sea, rivers and lakes to try out wild and cold-water swimming.  How can runners benefit from taking a dip?

The good form workout

Working on your core and your posture will improve your form no end, and that means more efficient running, fewer injuries and longer distances. It’s worth the effort!

Achilles tendinitis

Prevent & protect This runners’ niggle can hang around

Heads you win

If only running was as simple as just going for a run. We all know the many pitfalls that can stop us in our tracks, but happily help is now on hand in the shape of Dr Juliet McGrattan who has written the ultimate runner’s bible to running health, from our feet right up to our heads

Run Well

In this exclusive extract from Run Well, Dr Juliet McGrattan examines common questions on mental health, addiction and how to include running mindfully into busy lives

Is there a magic pill?

With so many supplements available, read on to find which, if any, can offer your running performance a boost…

LIFE ON A PLATE

Julia, aged 55, discovered running five years ago, after a  lifetime of avoiding it. She is now a marathoner