We couldn’t have done it without…

ISSUE 172 || APRIL 2024 Emma Kirk-Odunubi Emma

THE TEAM

SENIOR EDITOR Esther Newman SENIOR ART EDITOR Alex

Hello!

issue 172 || APRIL 2024 Happy April! Now

This month we...

...aimed high And discovered skyrunning on page 68

LIFESTYLE

Headlines || People || Food || Kit ||

ACTION TO GET WOMEN MOVING

The people, campaigns, research and updates making an impact in our running community this month

NEW GEAR

Inject some new life into your run kit drawer with these light, bright – but still cosy! – togs for spring

How do I use CoQ10 to benefit my running fitness?

CoQ10 is critical for cellular energy, supporting brain health, muscle function, vascular and respiration capability. Should you be taking it to improve your running?

HEALTH

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

Dr Rosie Allister

Juggling her busy life as a doctor as well as a Samaritans volunteer, Rosie is also raising money for the charity by running the London Marathon this year 

MEAL MATHS

WE ALL BRING OUR OWN STRENGTHS

LIFE COACH Laura Fountain is a running coach,

IN JURY CLINIC Blisters

Don't let all that good training go to pot on race day – due to a measly blister. How to banish the critters of the running world…

New York Marathon

NEW YORK

I’m a recreational runner and only run a couple of times a week. It’s not worth me going to the gym, is it?

Yes, strength and stretching is fundamental to those in a training block, but for those of us exerting less strain on our bodies, is the gym really necessary to complement our running?

Trail running WALK THIS WAY

Why walking makes you a stronger trail runner

“I DON’T WANT ALL THESE LITTLE MEDALS LYING IN MY DRAWER, I JUST WANT THAT ONE BIG ONE THAT SAYS I’VE DONE ALL SIX MAJORS!”

Yazmin Johnson

GO FURTHER AND CONQUER

Think you couldn’t be an ultra runner? Think again! Here’s how to take your first steps to a big adventure

TALES FROM THE POD

It’s half marathon season in Planet Pod, with both Esther and Holly in the thick of their training. Who’s doing this with us…?

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN?

Are you getting enough protein?

Running mates Because we run better together

This month, we’re talking about thoughts on parkrun stats, why running can help us heal and we find out how you keep going when the going gets tough

Running helped me back to health

Paramedic Sophie Loftus , 31, from Ely, says running helped her recover from a viral infection – and now she’s training for her first marathon

We hang out with Jacky Patching

Jacky , 52, from East Sussex, is a driver for a home-delivery food service for the elderly

THE FINSBURY FLYERS

This accessible group was set up to support the female running community in London

Your questions answered

It’s all about balance: managing weight gain vs plentiful fuelling; training for a marathon vs an ultra; mitigating your forefoot gait; weighing up the benefits of a sports massage; and supporting micro-brands

BARCELONA HALF MARATHON

Esther took on the Barcelona Half and has the satsuma to prove it

RYE ANCIENT TRAILS 30K

Lydia Willgress looks back, through rose-tinted sun specs, at a race she did at the end of last summer. Roll on sunny run days!

DIARY

Oh, the dates on all these races even look good in print. We’re seeing a lot of May, June and July in this issue’s race diary and we’re here for it. It’s time to unleash the legs, start developing that runner’s tan line, and slather SPF all over the place. See you on the start line for some spring-intosummer fun!

Jacky Hunt-Broersma

Jacky Hunt-Broersma has changed the way the world sees amputee runners

COACH

Running shoes || Fun marathon plan || How

Everything you wanted to know about running shoes... ...but were afraid to ask!

These days it seems like you need a PhD in footwear to decide on the right running shoes. So we’re here to help with our ultimate shoe guide

MARATHON TRAINING

{MADE FUN!}

YOUR FUN MARATHON TRAINING PLAN

This plan is designed to prepare you to run a marathon, but it aims to make your training journey as simple and enjoyable as possible. It’s a flexible plan in that it doesn’t tell you which days to run on. It’s up to you, but we would recommend trying to space your runs out within your week and taking a rest day the day after your long run. All your runs should be done at a comfortable pace and we encourage you to run/walk as much as you’d like

Natalie Dau

Natalie Dau is the co-author of Run Like a Woman, as well being an ASICS and Garmin sponsored ultra-marathon athlete

APRIL KIT NEW RELEASE SHOES

Putting your next trainers through their paces

GROUP TEST TOPS

A long-sleeved top is an all-season purchase

ESSENTIAL JACKETS

April showers seem to leak into all months of the year these days…

LONDON MARATHON ESSENTIALS

Gone are the days of boring race merch. You’ll be wearing these gorgeous pieces long after the big day

ESSENTIAL SOCKS

As all the great knitters out there know, making a good sock is not as simple as it seems…

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES

Sometimes, good bells and whistles are hard to find. We test the extra kit that’s so essential to runners

Long-distance TEST

These leggings are so comfortable, Esther even wears them to bed!

ESSENTIAL TECH

If Bond was a runner, Q would be all over this little lot…

3 of the best apps

Technology can make fitness more affordable and accessible too

TAKE TO THE... ...SKY!

Skyrunning is known as ‘the world’s most technical racing circuit’, so why on earth would anyone put themselves through it? Skyrunner and mountain leader Keri Wallace reckons we can all reach a little higher if we follow her example: this is her path to the skies

ULTIMATE CORE STABILITY BALL WORKOUT

Don’t let that stability ball gather dust in the corner of your room. We have eight simple moves that will strengthen your core for abs of steel and rock-hard running form

RESISTANCE BAND STANDING GLUTE LIFT

Perfect form