Hello!

Let’s talk about marathons. Right now, we’re in

We couldn’t have done it without…

ISSUE 154 || OCTOBER 2022 Emma Kirk-Odunubi Emma

LIFESTYLE

IMAGE © STOCK.ADOBE.COM Headlines || People ||

HODGKINSON FINALLY TAKES GOLD

2022’s summer of sport is over but it was an incredible season for women runners, with McColgan, Hodgkinson, Muir and Rainbow-Cooper – among others – scooping medals and records

WORLD BRONZE FOR JENNINGS

Congratulations to Irish Masters runner Caitriona Jennings, who

FEELING THE SQUEEZE

N ew research has revealed that up to

This month we love...

ARBONNE HYDRATEME NIGHTTIME MOISTURE BOOSTER WITH HYALURONIC ACID

NEW GEAR

Autumn’s kit has a spring in its step

Look after my runner’s knee injury?

If you’re suffering from pain beneath your kneecap, you may have what’s known as ‘runner’s knee’. How can you help ease your symptoms?

HEALTH

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

Trina Dawkins

Since the death of her mother in 2021, trail running specialist Trina has been exploring the healing power of nature through her running

FUEL

The latest nutrition to nourish your body and fuel your running

EATWELL

CAN VITAMINS MAKE MY RUNNING ROUTINE EASIER? A

MEAL MATHS

Shape the salmon & potato into patties, dip in egg and pan fry for an anti-inflammatory snack

Hard truths for run clubs to hear

LIFE COACH Laura Fountain is a running coach,

This month’s wise women

THE TEN PILLARS OF SUCCESS: SECRET STRATEGIES OF

INJURY CLINIC

With Emma Kirk-Odunubi

Ultra Trail Bosques del Sur, Carzola, Jaen, Spain

Nicola McNally found her inner strength tackling testing terrain, equipment failure and tummy troubles

Is trail running better than road running?

You either love or hate trail running, with many road runners who chase PBs and times averse to the much slower, often harder and more challenging type of running that goes off-road and stays off-road

“Running has shown me that I can always go that little bit further: it’s about not sticking to the limits you think you have”

This issue, we talk to Lizzie (our cover star), Martina and Zee: all three are members of the London-based Run The Boroughs club and are in training for their first marathon in the capital. We discuss what the club and running means to them and find out how they’ve trained for the biggest challenge of their lives. Beware: their enthusiasm is super infectious and you may well find your finger hovering over an Enter Now button once you’ve read their stories

“Run The Boroughs is special because of its diversity”

Running means so much more to Martina than simply exercise, and so does Run The Boroughs

“Run The Boroughs has a big group chat on WhatsApp, and I love it. Everyone kind of spurs each other on”

Zee has discovered the thrill of group running, which has motivated her to run faster and further than she ever dreamed

ESSENTIAL KIT

Must-haves for the Run The Boroughs women

THE BEST GEAR OF 2022

Roll out the red carpet, it’s time to announce this year’s run kit winners. There may be more Lycra than lamé, and more grip than glitter, but these awards are more glamourous than the Oscars and the BAFTAs added together. FACT

THE BIG QUESTIONS

When has your beloved running kit failed you?

Running for good mental health

Teacher Sam Alvarez, 52, set herself the challenge

SPORT GAVE ME CONFIDENCE

Olympic-gold triathlete Jess Learmonth, 34, from Leeds, wrote

BRIGHTON AND HOVE WOMEN’S RUNNING CLUB

NEXT ISSUE SELL YOUR FAVOURITE RACE TO US!

We hang out with Rupa Bharadva

Rupa, 41, a business owner from West London

Clothing

BEST TIGHTS Sweaty Betty Power Gym Legging £80

Accessories

BEST HEADPHONES SHOKZ OpenRun Pro £129.95 / uk.shokz.com

Nutrition || Skincare || Home gym

BEST PROTEIN SNACK Bounce Hazelnut Praline £16 for

THE WINNERS 2O22

There were more winners than we could fit even in this jam-packed feature, so here is our full list. We will be celebrating all the winners on womensrunning.co.uk in the coming weeks, so make sure you check back!

Running sessions to mix up your training

What exactly is a running session? And how can a variety of types of session make you a fitter and stronger runner? Anna’s here to explain all... Words: Anna Harding Images: stock.adobe.com

THE STRESS-FREE MARATHON PLAN

While training for the big one might take over the focus of your running for a while, it doesn’t need to rule your life. And it certainly shouldn’t be stressful…

YOUR STRESS FREE TRAINING PLAN

If you give yourself lots of time to train and allow a couple of extra weeks for holidays or winter bugs, your journey to the finish line should be smooth

Rebecca Di-Luzio

Rebecca Di-Luziois an ultrarunner with an extensive sporting CV; she has a Commonwealth gold medal in rowing, and has cycled semi-professionally doing international stage racing

ESSENTIAL KIT

Putting your next trainers through their paces

ESSENTIAL TOPS

Technical long-sleeve tops and recovery wear are where it’s at this autumn: it’s time to get your sleeves on

ESSENTIAL LIGHT JACKETS

Shells are a great addition to your kit, protecting you from the elements while keeping you cool

ESSENTIAL TRAIL SHOES

Mixed weather and muddy trails come hand in hand, so you need a good shoe to see you through

ESSENTIAL SOCKS

We all know that merino and bamboo are the mutt’s nuts when it comes to foot fabric. But let us introduce you to alpaca, a new kid on the sock block

TEST

Esther shares how much she loves these stylish shoes….

GROUP TEST TREADMILLS

Sometimes it’s just not practical to run outside, but that doesn’t mean you have to put your running on hold

ESSENTIAL TECH

From wearable tech, to home gym upgrades, we test the very latest in fitness tech

3 of the best apps

Technology can make fitness more affordable and accessible too

True Motion U-TECH Aion next gen

When we heard about a running shoe company that doesn’t believe in stability shoes, we had to find out more…

A to Z of race jargon

Do you feel ready to race but, as a newbie, you want to know a bit more about some of the specialist terminology? If you’ve been itching to enter that 10K, or tempted to tackle a marathon, don’t panic about the technical banter on race day. You’ve done the training; now let us gently guide you through some of those terms that you might not be familiar with, in our jargon-busting A to Z

Strength for trail running

It’s imperative to build on your overall strength if you’re heading out on the trails Workout created by: Anne-Marie Lategan

Upper body

Balancing while running on the trails requires your arms to move slightly further out and this can cause stiff neck and shoulders unless you build the relevant muscles

Lower body

The uneven surface of the trails means your leg muscles need to be alert to react to every step. Neuromuscular development – or keeping your balance – becomes a lot more important so the connection between your brain and your muscles has to improve. The more you train your brain and muscles on how to react, the easier trail running will become

| Standing side kick

Areas trained Bottom (glutes). Why do it? Improving

| Single leg stand up and sit down

Areas trained Front thigh and bottom (quadriceps and

| Side lunge to balance

Areas trained Inner and outer thighs, bottom, core

Ankle flexion

Pain in the front of your lower leg (or shin splints) is usually nothing too serious and normally occurs when you increase the intensity or the duration of your workout. The inflammation and pain in your shins occurs when overuse of the small muscle in your lower leg (the tibialis anterior) causes inflammation in the muscles and tendons

Mari Thomas

Runner Mari, the founder of sports bra company MAAREE, has had a lifelong belief in the positive impact of sport on both physical and mental health

THE EXPERTS

Dr Rhonda Cohen is a sport and exercise

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Strategies to reduce pre-run anxiety, how to improve technique and recommended ultra books. Plus, rehabbing after a hip replacement

Q Can you recommend any inspiring books about ultra-running?

A I had the privilege of ghost-writing ultra-runner

BADWATER 135

Zeph Brand fulfils a lifelong dream of crewing for a legendary runner in a legendary race

DIARY

We’ve gone a bit festive this issue with a feast of Christmassy runs to choose from. Or, if you’d rather go all-out in the New Year to run off the excesses of Christmas, we’ve included those too. See you on the start line!

BIGXMASTRAIL

Three intermediate-distance trail races through the suburbs and

LAURA MUIR

This summer, it was Laura Muir who won the first medal for Great Britain at the World Championships in Eugene, USA. She then went on to No.46 take gold in the 1,500m and bronze in the 800m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and then another gold in the European Championships in Munich. Along with last year’s silver at the Tokyo Olympics, it’s clear Laura is one of the world’s greatest female 1,500m runners

Laura’s achievements

• 1,500m Gold, 2022 European Championships • 1,500m