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ISSUE 142 || OCTOBER 2021

This month we...

…clapped our faves in our 2021 Product Awards

WITH YOU EVERY STEP

Women’s Running is your community: a supportive place

LIFESTYLE

WEAR IT PINK

Raise money and awareness about breast cancer on 22 October

FEMALE ATHLETES IMPACTED BY PERIODS

New research published in the British Journal of

SAFETY A BARRIER TO MINORITY ENDURANCE ATHLETES

New research shows there’s a long way to go

This month we love...

SMART SKIN GOLDEN JELLYCLEANSER £24, mysmartskin.co.uk Grape seed

NEW GEAR

There’s no such thing as bad weather! So here’s the best new autumn kit

In This IssueUse menstrual cycle tracking to improve my training and wellbeing?

One factor that’s often overlooked in training is your menstrual cycle, yet it plays a critical role in the development of your fitness and performance

HORMONE PROFILING COULD IMPROVE BREAST CANCER SURVIVAL RATES

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

Head-to-toe Icelandic recovery

How about an Icelandic health boost this autumn?

3 IMMUNE BOOSTERS FOR AUTUMN

BEST BUSTING BUGS LILY & LOAF IMMUNITY GUMMIES

YOU CAN’T AVOID SMELLY TRAINERS

It’s certainly not impossible and although there are

Helen Godfrey

Helen has been running since her 20s. Rather than accepting age, race or injuries as defining factors, she just keeps getting better and better at running and triathlon events, and inspires others to do the same

FUEL

Reaching for brightly coloured foods is a great way

EAT WELL

WHAT CAN I EAT TO AVOID WINTER BUGS?

3 of the best superfood bars

HUMAN FOOD TASTER PACK Select three flavours of

My coaching journey: how it all began

Laura Fountain is a running coach, a personal trainer, a marathon runner and the author of The Lazy Runner and Tricurious. Follow Laura @lazygirlrunning

This months wise women

GLITTERING A TURD: HOW SURVIVING THE UNSURVIVABLE TAUGHT ME

CLINIC

Beautiful coastlines, team shots, finisher line photos; these images are everywhere on social media but beware, FOMO can cause more than just injured pride

THE Perfect GIFT FOR Christmas...

Events

THAMES MEANDER MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON Enjoy the

Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire

Sarah Martin loves running along the south coast to clear her head and boost her wellbeing

Is HIIT training the best way to burn fat?

If you’re interested in losing weight, you may have investigated some of the different options, including HIIT. Will this type of exercise, with very short intense bursts of all-out effort, help you to shed the pounds and run lighter?

COACH

7 marathon shocks || Marathon training plan || How

WOMEN'S RUNNING AWARDS THE BEST GEAR OF 2021

After a long summer of testing, our panel has chosen 2021’s best shoes, clothes, tech and nutrition designed specially for women runners

THE WINNERS

THE WOMEN’S RUNNING PRODUCT AWARDS 2021

What makes Kollo so special?

Aids muscle recovery Kollo can play an essential

Did you know Collagen is not just for beauty?

JENNI FALCONER TELLS US WHY SHE STARTED HER OWN COLLAGEN BRAND

HERE WE GO AGAIN, LONDON

Emma Campbell is raring to go for the 2021 London Marathon. It’s a time to ref lect and appreciate the present

“I didn’t understand why there were hardly any black women running”

Black Girls Do Run UK warriors

“Absolutely no one looked like me and I was shocked”

When Celeste did the Oxford half marathon, she witnessed a real lack of diversity in the running community

“I didn’t adjust well to the first lockdown”

Sacha Lumley didn’t realise how important group running had become to her until it was snatched away from her by Covid

Tasha’s running game changers

The key bits of kit Tasha can’t do without

“Your body is capable of wonderful things”

Linda is training, with Tasha and Sacha, for the London Marathon. The rest of BGDRUK will be cheering them on

Marathon surprises … and how to deal with them

Race days can throw all sorts of unexpected things at you: here’s how to minimise their impact

SPRING MARATHON: 20 WEEKS TO TRAIN

Autumn is in full swing and it’s the perfect time to plan your training for a springtime marathon. Taking 20 weeks to train will enable you to build distance slowly and will give you the best chance of avoiding injury. Let’s do this!

20-WEEK MARATHON TRAINING PLAN

Signed up for a spring marathon and now wondering

Sophia Warner

Sophia is a mother, Paralympian, sport series founder and TV presenter

KIT

Shoes || Apparel || Tech

ESSENTIAL KIT NEW RELEASE SHOES

Mix carbon, foam and cloud and what do you get? Awesome trainers, that’s what!

GROUP TEST TOPS

Go weak at the knees for baselayers and thumbholes

ESSENTIAL WARMER LAYERS

Beautifully snug tops to keep you cosy post-run

AUTUMN TRAIL ESSENTIALS

Now temperatures have dipped a bit, you can put some serious miles behind you

NUTRITION ESSENTIALS

Add fuel to your running fire with these magic potions

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES

Those bits and bobs that make your running life easier

Long-distance TEST

Susan has been channelling her inner badass

ESSENTIAL TECH

The best bits of tech to make you a better runner

BOOTCAMP

Recover better || Core workout || Perfect form

Mend your WAYS

Your recovery is just as important as your running: and we’re sorry to say that recovery doesn’t just mean lying around watching boxsets. Great recovery equals stronger running. Here’s how…

The biggest mistakes runners make

FROM THE EXPERTS

Core strength for runners

Hello to good posture, and goodbye to injuries, slouching and falls. Taking the time to build your core brings a myriad benefits – and not just to your running

Perfect form Sit-ups

Sit-ups are like front crawl; if you’re a certain age, you probably weren’t taught to do them properly so you’ve been wary of them for decades. Fear not, we have a fix

BALANCE

Beat race-day blues || Q&A

Beat post-race blues

Foolproof your training routine to make sure you don’t fall victim to a post-event comedown, says Louise Pyne

THE EXPERTS

Anita Bean is a nutritionist for the London

Your questions answered

We shy away from nothing. Our experts can help with everything from weight loss to specialist kit, boredom to injury, and runner’s farts to sweat-fests

Win! YOUR MARATHON SURVIVAL KIT

WORTH £427

CAPE WRATH ULTRA

We take on some of the most epic races out there, because we want you to do the same!

DIARY

We’re still featuring a mix of real and virtual races as there is definitely an appetite for both. Our races span all the running levels and race types; from urban to track running to trail races and ultras and back to kiddie fun runs; it’s all here. All you’ll need is a pair of running trainers and a warrior attitude. See you on the start line!

Anita Neil

Anita Neil was one of Great Britain’s most talented sprinters in the 1960s and 70s, but lack of funding and support meant her outstanding career was cut short when she was still in her early 20s