We couldn’t have done it without…

ISSUE 179 || NOVEMBER 2024

THE TEAM

SENIOR EDITOR Esther Newman SENIOR ART EDITOR Alex

THE WINNERS 2O24

Testers were looking for a mix of durability, value for money, sustainability, overall performance and, let’s face it, a little bit of style. We aim for a mix of big-name and independent retailers and are proud to feature a good number of British brands. Congratulations to this year’s winners – listed in their full glory here

THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Lucy Macdonald works with charity marathon runners, as well as seeing runners in person at her practice, Octopus Clinic, in London. Her YouTube channel is Lucy Macdonald Physiotherapist

THE CHIROPRACTOR

Juliet Lock is a chiropractor and works in private practice and elite sport. She’s a runner and has a practice in Oxfordshire ( thepractice-thame.co.uk )

THE OSTEOPATH

Monica Blackburn runs MFB Osteopathy in Hertfordshire. She’s a runner and so are a lot of her patients, and she posts about her work @mfbosteo

THE NUTRITION EXPERT

Charlie Watson is an NHS dietitian and marathon runner who shares tips and advice online @therunnerbeans

THE PODIATRIST

Stu Campbell is a podiatrist and is foot and ankle and biometrics lead at Altius Healthcare in Greater Manchester ( altiushealthcare.co.uk ).

REMEMBERING REBECCA CHEPTEGEI

As the sport community reels after the recent shocking death of Cheptegei, we look at an UN report on violence against women in sport

TCS LONDON MARATHON BIGGEST ONE-DAY FUNDRAISING EVENT EVER

Y et another world record has been set

$2,280 The annual worth of an ‘active day’ of 10,000 steps

According to research conducted by academics at the

EXERCISE WILL BUST YOUR STRESS

New ASICS research shows our mental state declines

WELLBEING BURNOUT RISE

The lululemon 2024 Global Wellbeing Report, a study

This month we love...

TISSERANDROLL-ON DEODORANT £7, tisserand.com These natural

NEW GEAR

Time for your monthly fit check. Make sure your accessories are as on point as your performance

BEAT MY PB W ITH DIGITAL TWIN TECHNOLOGY?

Technology has revolutionised sport for centuries, from the advancement of tennis rackets and footwear to digital fitness trackers. Could a digital twin take your running to a new, undreamed of level?

END VAT ON PER IOD SPORTSWEAR

HEALTH

3 OF THE BEST DRINKS

BEST FOR FIZZ FANS GUNNA £1.99, amazon.co.uk

MYTH BUSTER

RUNNING WHILE PREGNANT IS UNSAFE

Melanie Campbell

Melanie Campbell has completed several marathons, including London Marathon four times. She will be running this race for the fifth time next April, to raise money for a new CT scanner for Bournemouth Hospital

FUEL

The latest nutrition to nourish your body and fuel your running

EAT WELL

HOW CAN IT WEAK MY DIET TO RECOVER BETTER?

MEAL MATHS

Put honey-roast pumpkin cubes in the oven and top with sesame seeds for a healthy side dish

LIFE COACH

Laura Fountain is a running coach, a

DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

We all feel some degree of guilt or

This month’s wise women

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PARK RUN: EVERYTHING YOU

INJURY CLINIC

Lower Back Pain

MY BEST RACE

UNITED KINGDOM Saucony London 10k Judith Namaganda lost

Events

BEYOND THE ULTIMATE ICE ULTRA If you’re bored

I’m really keen to improve my carbon footprint, but is eco-friendly running gear a practical choice?

Are you really doing the planet a favour if you buy a top that claims to be made from recycled fabrics? There’s a school of thought that says the only good thing is to buy nothing at all…

“With each stride, every step of my running, I feel I’ve got millions of Afghan women and girls running with me. I’ve got so many souls with me, telling me you’ve got it, go, go, go”

It’s not hard to find incredible women runners to welcome as WR warriors but sometimes one comes along who knocks you off your feet – with their running performance, their determination, their back story and their motivations. Meet Fatima, a bona fide inspiration Words: Rachel Ifans

Running mates

Because we run better together

We hang out with Lisa Kempster

Lisa is a 49-year-old Health Coach from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

DRAGONS RUNNING CLUB

This Leeds-based club has inspired hundreds of runners and has a caring and inclusive ethos

A New Dawn

Women’s safety is a year-round issue for runners, but winter can be especially worrying. What can we do about it?

“Help them understand” Fitmums & Friends

Sam Barlow is the founder of Fitmums &

“It’s an all-year round issue” Black Girls Do Run

Black Girls Do Run UK is both an

Women’s Running AWARDS 2024

Drumroll please! These are the shoes, clothes, tech and nutrition we loved the most this year…

Yimika Onabiyi

“We need better-lit roads”

Solent Running Sisters

“ There is no simple fix”

THE PROFESSIONALS

There’s a world of treatment and support out there, whether you have a niggle or a full-blown injury. But who should you see first?

KIT

Shoes || Clothes || Tech

OUR TESTERS

GINACRANE AGE: 48 TYPEOFRUNNING: MOSTLYFENLAND TRAILS,WITH

NOVEMBER KIT

NEW RELEASE SHOES

ESSENTIAL RUNNING BUGGIES

For parents of young children, a good running ng buggy can be a godsend: here are three of the best

GROUP TEST JACKETS

BEST Coats for before, during and after…

ESSENTIAL LEGGINGS

Breathe a sign of relief; it’s long-trouser season, ladies…

RECOVERY ESSENTIALS

These days, compression technology reaches far beyond the socks

COACH

Training plan know-how || Hill sessions || How I Train

WHY YOU NEED A TRAINING PLAN

If you’ve done without one so far, you don’t know what you’re missing! Having a plan to follow can help you achieve your goals free from injury, and with a big old smile on your face

HILL SESSIONS

Training for a hilly race? Or maybe you’re so bored of the flat canal path that the thought of it makes you weep? No worries, we have the perfect solution…

Rachel Hodgkinson

Rachel began running as a hobby and is now an elite runner who competes for Great Britain

WINTER STRENGTH WORKOUT

This simple routine only requires a small resistance band for big gains

KETTLEBELL SWINGS FOR RUNNERS

Nothing says strength work like a kettlebell swing, so make like a bona fide gym bunny and swing it out

THE EXPERTS

Lisa Jackson is a clinical hypnotherapist and

Your questions answered

How to combat muscle stiffness, top tips for rebooting your mojo, how to period-proof your race, and how to stop wheezing

LAKE GARDA 42

Lisa Compton flew to Northern Italy to take on the LAKE GARDA 42 half marathon, as part of her training for London Marathon

DASH IN THE DARK 5K, SOUTHAMPTON

Just as the nights were drawing in, a glow-tastic light festival on Southampton Common lit up the sky. Tina Chantrey joined runners dressed to impress, to raise money for the life-saving work of the Hampshire Air Ambulance

ALL IN THE GENES?

Can we out-run our own genetics?

DIARY

Incredible as it seems, we’re now predominantly featuring races that take place in 2025. Yes, that’s right, pat yourselves on the back for running around another year on the race calendar. Some newbies on the rosta this issue, from central London to the Highlands of Scotland. Sign up now and see you on the start line!

SIFAN HASSAN

As the first woman in history to attempt the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon at an Olympics Games – and winning medals in all three – Sifan Hassan shows no fear when it comes to taking on new challenges