OPTIMAL EXTRAS

Welcome!

Life moves fast for all of us these days, shooting

POWER UP

CHARGE UP YOUR PACE BY BUILDING A BODY THAT CAN COPE WITH FASTER SPEEDS - HERE’S HOW YOU NEED TO TRAIN FROM TOP TO TOE

MARGINAL GAINS

TRAINING AS HARD AS YOU CAN? TAKE A GAMBLE ON THESE SIMPLE SHORTCUTS TO GO FASTER IN YOUR NEXT RACE…

WORK IT

PUT THE THEORY INTO PRACTICE WITH THIS BEGINNERS’ GUIDE TO SPEED WORK

FAST FEED

SEVEN OF THE BEST RACING AND SPEEDWORK SHOES

TAKE A SHORTCUT

T HEY SAY THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS TO IMPROVEMENT.WE DISAGREE.HERE’S OUR GUIDE TO HOW TO RUN FURTHER AND FASTER WITH HALF THE EFFORT…

LONG STORY

MANY RUNNERS TELL THEM SELVES THEY’LL NEVER RUN LONG DISTANCES – BUT IT’S A FICTION, SAYS CHRISTINA MACDONALD

THE SELF-CARE HANDBOOK

TAKING A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO TRAINING, RATHER THAN END LESSLY PUSHING THROUGH NIGGLES AND ILLNESS , COULD BE THE WAY TO AN INJURY - FREE FUTURE , SAYS CLAIRE CHAMBERLAIN

MEET THE TEAM

THE WOMEN’S RUNNING TEAM HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST FROM YOUR RUNNING

HAVE YOUR SAY

A small article in the May issue of your magazine caught

YOUR RUNS

SHARE #YOURRUNS WITH US! TWEET TO @WOMENSRUNNINGUK

3 ISSUES FOR JUST £1 PLUS SUBSCRIBER CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Special subscriber-only message from the editor each

THE CHALLENGE NO 14

Every month, WR challenges you to complete a different task and show us the evidence. This month, we asked you to get a friend into running and were delighted to see pictures of women you’ve inspired to run – and of the women who have inspired you, too, to get out there!

“THE MARATHON GAVE ME A WAY TO MANAGE MY GRIEF”

When her estranged stepbrother died, Andrea-Louise Glenn discovered he ’d shared her love of running. What followed not only helped her heal, but also resulted in her writing an inspirational book about her running journey

HEALTH NEWS

A new class of drug, designed to treat less common

FOOD IN THE NEWS

Moderate drinking could lower the risk of cardiovascular

DRILLS AND THRILLS

THESE RUNNING DRILLS ARE GREAT FOR IMPROVING YOUR RUNNING EFFICIENCY – ADD THEM ON TO THE END OF AN EASY RUN OR BASH THROUGH THEM BEFORE A HARD WORKOUT

RUNNING TECH

A DEDICATED SPACE FOR ALL THINGS TECH

JOIN THE ACTIVEWEAR ARMY!

GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR INNER SOLDIER FOR SOME MILITARY-PRECISION TRAINING THIS SUMMER!

I NEED A HERO

Inspired by her superhero-obsessed four-year-old, running mum Claire Chamberlain dons her best tiara for the Virgin Money London Marathon

“IT WAS VERY MOTIVATING TO HAVE SUPPORT ALL THE WAY ROUND AND TO HAVE SOMEONE BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY”

“IT WAS VERY MOTIVATING TO HAVE SUPPORT ALL THE WAY

SOME LIKE IT HOT

Our annoyingly cheerful ultrarunner Damian Hall has been running around dressed as a space man

Limiting carbs

If you’re trying to lose weight alongside running,

“RUNNING STILL KEEPS MY DEMONS AWAY”

Having survived life-thr eatening anor exia, Charley Jennings went on to become an Olympic Torchbearer who ’s won 11 of the 64 marathons and ultr as she ’s run so far

GET SET TO HIT YOUR RACE PACE!

Looking for a new race personal best this summer? Then

“WE’VE ALL GOT SOMETHING FROM IT”

CHILDREN’S HOSPICE SOUTH WEST WILL JOIN US FOR A SECOND YEAR AS THE REGIONAL CHARITY SPONSOR FOR OUR EXETER RACE. NICOLA JEFFERY, WHOSE FAMILY HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE CHARITY FOR NINE YEARS, TELLS US THE ENORMOUSLY BENEFICIAL IMPACT RUNNING HAS HAD ON HER WHOLE FAMILY

RUNNING AWAY FROM YOURSELF

EXERCISE IS A GREAT WAY TO BOOST MOOD AND HELP US COPE WITH DEVASTATING EVENTS LIKE A LOSS , BUT USING IT EXCESSIVELY AFTER A BEREAVEMENT OR RELATIONSHIP BREAK - UP CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR HEALTH

FIRST LADIES

THEY DARED TO BE DIFFERENT AND PAVED THE WAY FOR WOMEN EVERYWHERE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH RUNNING. L I SA JACKSON MEETS FOUR FEMALE PIONEERS

SWEET SUCCESS

TRAININ GHARD? THEN MAKE SURE YOU REWARD YOURSELF WITH THESE DELICIOUS DESSERTS BY PIPPA MURRAY

YOUR KETTLEBELL SUPER-CIRCUIT

USE ONE KEY PIECE OF KIT TO BUILD STRENGTH THIS SUMMER

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE!

LEAP INTO ACTION WITH OUR CHOICE OF THE BES TKIT FOR SPRING

TRAIL SPOTTING

The idea of bounding over beautiful moorland, miles from anywhere, is the stuff of dreams for aspiring trail runners. If fear is preventing you fulfilling that fantasy, here’s how to take your first trail steps with confidence

MARATHON TAPER CAPER

It can be the hardest part of marathon training, but get your taper right and you could be in for ashiny new PB!

LAST RDERS!

With one of our team already through her A- race, and the other three about to face theirs, we talked race-day tactics with our fearsome foursome

RUN WITH US!

Meet some of the brilliant women who’ll be helping you run to success at your local Women’s Running Race Series event this year. Follow your local WRRS Race Ambassador on Instagram, Twitter and on their blogs for training tips and updates, as well as exclusive offers in the run-up to the races – and don’t forget to find them and say hi on race day!

GO!

Tina Chantrey falls in love with this romantic city

MERCI, MARATHON DE PARIS!

EXPECT ADVENTURE AND EXCITEMENT AT THE SECOND LARGEST MARATHON IN THE WORLD

NORTHERN LIGHT SPEED

LOOKING FOR A FAST 26.2 – MILER NEXT SPRING? THEN HEAD TO THE ASICS GREATER MANCHESTER MARATHON

A GRAND DAY OUT

CLAIRE CHAMBERLAIN ENJOYED THE MAJESTIC SURROUNDINGS AND FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE OF THE VITALITY BATH HALF MARATHON

WOKING GOOD!

LISA JACKSON HEADS TO THE SURREY HALF - MARATHON IN HONOUR OF A VERY SPECIAL RUNNER VERY FAR AWAY…

SPARTANS, ARE YOU READY?

DO BATTLE WITH A FEARSOME - BUT JOLLY FRIENDLY - OBSTACLE RACE