Runner World UK - 2018-4, 30 Best New Shoes

30 BEST NEW SHOES
FIND YOUR
PERFECT
PAIR NOW!
OUTRUN
AGEING!
How Running
Keeps You Young
FIND AND FIX UNLOCK YOUR

YOUR BODY’S NEGLECTED
WEAK SPOTS RUNNING
Try This Simple Test MUSCLE
THE 5-MIN
WARM-UP
FOR MAX
RESULTS
BEGINNERS
ACE A 5K
04
APRIL 2018 £4.70 9 771350 774187

RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK
IN THIS ISSUE APRIL
2018
REGULARS WARM-UPS HUMAN RACE FEATURES COACH GEAR RACE
SHOE GUIDE
RW’s spring/summer 2018 shoe guide
features 30 pairs of trainers that have
been tested on the road and in the
RW shoe lab, in Oregon, US. Our
award winners might surprise you
ON THE P13 Get 41% Tougher Today For P56 Find And Fix Your Body’s P87 Beginners: Ace A 5K Top tips
high speeds you need to add Weak Spots How to make all from a pro on how beginners
COVER high-intensity workouts your muscles pull their weight can go the distance in style
and boost performance
Photographer Sam
Kweskin Runner P42 Crush Your Goals Lose P90 Unlock Your Neglected
Theon Holland weight, beat injury, boost P67 30 Best New Shoes Find Running Muscle Avoid injury
Styling Argy your mojo and more! It’s time your perfect pair now! We and improve times by targeting
Koutsothanasis
Clothing Adidas to break down some barriers tested the latest models. It those glutes – the powerful
ID Elevate Tee, was our pleasure muscles we often forget about
Nike Running P48 Outrun Ageing How running
Shield Tech Tights,
Saucony Liberty keeps you young. And fit. And P84 The Five-Minute Warm-up P93 All-Natural Run Fuel
ISO Shoes healthy. And happy For maximum results Bite-sized super snacks
008 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

WE’RE ALWAYS
RUNNING AT
RUNNERSWORLD.
CO.UK
WOOD YOU?
The Barkley
Marathons:
not your
BACK ON TRACK
average race
We spent an evening
with Track Mafia
and you can try out
the session, too:
P32 Tonky Talk There’s nothing runnersworld.co.uk/
REGULARS wrong with a bit of friendly trackmafia
competition. Nothing at all
P10 Rave Run A stunning scenic
route through New England P33 How I Ran It Off Russell
Edwards says running is
P106 I’m A Runner Michelle better than lifting weights.
Ackerley from The One Show It makes him happier, too
on what makes her smile when
she’s running
FEATURES
WARM-UPS P34 Barkley Marathons Join us

in the Appalachians for a race
ZWIFT
P15 Fitness Stay cool on the run that’s as brutal as it is eccentric
We took to the
with some fabric conditioning
treadmill to try
P54 Whole Latke Love Potato
Pancakes with a out the virtual
P17 Nutrition Another reason to sweet, savoury or
pancakes to power your run
training app’s new
eat potatoes. Very well, then… smoky hit. p54
running platform:
COACH runnersworld.co.uk/
P19 Mind + Health Runners are fit
zwift
for purpose, say employers
P86 Pull Your Weight Why
P21 Injury How the protein gelatin resistance training is crucial
can help you beat injury. if you want to become a
However, go easy on the sweets stronger and faster runner
P88 Mantra Power Talking to

HUMAN RACE yourself is perfectly sane
P23 Going The Distance Kevin

Webber has terminal cancer: RACE
he’s also running a 350-mile WINTER SUN
P H OTO G R A P H : D U N CA N N I C H O L L S ( T R AC K M A F I A )
Arctic ultramarathon P96 The Main Event Britain’s

Take five and fit in a
warm-up. p84 Ocean City Half, Plymouth, Want to escape the
P26 Murphy’s Lore Sam learns to is a real charmer cold with a running
live with the ageing process holiday? We review
P98 The Big Debate Time-related Club La Santa:
P27 By The Numbers Running on start pens: yes or no? runnersworld.co.uk/
water in freezing Mongolia clublasanta
P99 Race Numbers
P28 Your World Your views, The Greater Manchester
your news, your pages Marathon and Exe to Axe
P31 Running On The Shy The Mile P100 The Start List Our choice of
Shy Running Club great April races for you
APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 009

RAVE RUN
EATON, NEW
HAMPSHIRE
THE EXPERIENCE
Surrounded by stunning
New England scenery,
the half-mile-long Foss
Mountain Trail offers
easy access to sweeping
vistas of Mount
Washington. On the
area’s nearby runnable
dirt roads, you may
spot remnants of
early American farms,
like cellar holes and
stone walls, Tilton says.
‘It’s cool to imagine this
place looked totally
different 100 years ago.’
RECOVERY BLUES
During spring and
summer, Tilton suggests
heading straight from the
trail to one of the region’s
blueberry farms, to pick
straight from the bushes.
RACE NEARBY
White Mountain Milers
Half Marathon and 5K,
October 28, 2018
RUNNER
Kevin Tilton
PHOTOGRAPHER
Joe Klementovich/
Aurora Photos
SEND YOUR RAVE RUN PICS TO

RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK/
RAVERUN
XXXXXXXX
APRIL
MAY2017
2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 011
2017 RUNNER’SWORLD.CO.UK
Andy Dixon
EDITOR
REID HOLLAND Marketing
& Circulation Director
EDITOR’S
JOE MACKIE Deputy Editor
KERRY MCCARTHY
Commissioning Editor
MATT BLAIZE-SMITH Head of
Consumer Sales and Marketing
JUSTINE BOUCHER Head of
Subscriptions Marketing
LETTER
RICK PEARSON Section Editor VICKY CHANDLER Subscriptions
JOHN CARROLL Chief Sub Editor Marketing Manager THIS ISSUE HAS PROVIDED
When have VICTORIA GREENWOOD
my new favourite quote about
you pushed Subscriptions Marketing Executive
SEEMA KUMARI Digital Marketing the benefits of running. I’ll keep
WAYNE HANNON beyond your Director it handy – along with research
Creative Director limits? that shows runners have
DEAN FARROW Art Editor
‘Training for a stronger knees than non-
sub-three-hour BEN BOLTON Deputy Head of runners – for those occasions
marathon. PR & Comms
BEN HOBSON Digital Editor Four months FAY JENNINGS Head of PR when I meet a particularly
of relentless Media enquiries: sceptical naysayer. ‘If you could put the effects into
toil. Once I did media@hearst.co.uk
it, I hung up my a pill, it [running] would be a multibillion-dollar
marathon-PB pharmaceutical company,’ says anthropologist
JO PAVEY Contributing Editor shoes for good.’
EMILY ABBATE, ANITA BEAN, – Andy Dixon Dr David Raichlen. Being a runner is a proven
MARTIN BOON, JESSICA VICTORIA ARCHBOLD Director of way to add years to your life, as our feature on
DUNHAM, JEFF GALLOWAY, ‘At the 2016 Events & Sponsorship, Hearst Live
LISA HANEY, CHARLIE Eastleigh 10K. JENNI WHALE Events Executive, page 48 explains. It’s a potent example of how
JACKSON, WES JUDD, LISA I had a time Hearst Live our sport can help you go beyond your limits.
MARSHALL, ASHLEY MATEO, in mind, but
ran without a On page 42, we explain how to break through
ADRIAN MONTI, SAM MURPHY,
GEORGE PENDLE, DAN ROE,
watch. When I the barriers standing between you and your goals,
saw the time at
MARTYN SHORTEN, PAUL the finish line, I EMMA KING Workflow Director whether that’s losing weight, keeping motivated
TONKINSON couldn’t believe ROGER BILSLAND or staying injury-free. ‘Monster’ March is also the
it: I’d finished Production Manager
over a minute JONATHAN STUART time when those of us who are training for spring
JAMES WILDMAN CEO faster than Ad Production Controller marathons have to tackle the toughest weeks of the
CLAIRE BLUNT Chief Operating I’d previously
thought possible.’ schedule – and, as part of our Mission Marathon
Officer – Rick Pearson
SURINDER SIMMONS HR Director campaign, our three challengers – Lily, Jo and Paul
SOPHIE WILKINSON Acting Head
‘At the six-day
– are aiming to set new personal bests next month.
of Editorial Operations Trans Rockies Call our subscription enquiry line on 0844 848 To check on their progress, turn to page 80 or
PAUL CASSAR Chief Digital Run in Colorado. 5203 for annual rates for the UK, back issues,
Officer A combo of enquiries, change of address and orders. Lines search #missionmarathon on Instagram.
CLARE GORMAN Chief altitude sickness open Mon to Fri, 8am to 9:30pm; Saturday, The Barkley Marathons is also about pushing
Operations Director and having 8am to 4pm. Subscription address: Runner’s
chipped some World subscriptions, Hearst Magazines UK people to their limits – but in the most extreme
JUDITH SECOMBE Director,
Hearst Brand Services
bone off my Ltd, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill way. This brutal 100-mile trail race across the
kneecap left me Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire
ALUN WILLIAMS Managing in bits by the LE16 9EF Appalachian Mountains in the US has been
Director, Health & Fitness second day, but completed by only 15 runners in its 22-year
NATASHA MANN Executive I rallied to finish.’ RUNNER’S WORLD is published in the UK
Assistant to Chief Brand Officer – Kerry McCarthy Copyright © All rights reserved. history. To find out why, check out the feature on
RUNNER’S WORLD is printed and bound by
and Managing Director,
Southernprint Ltd, 17-21 Factory Road,
page 34. And then strike it from your bucket list.
Health & Fitness ‘My half- Upton Ind. Estate, Poole, Dorset BH16 5SN.
JANE SHACKLETON Head of marathon PB. I RUNNER’S WORLD is distributed by Frontline
Marketing, Health & Fitness ran two minutes Ltd, Peterborough. Tel: 01733 555161
faster than my
PHILIPPA TURNER Senior
target time. RUNNER’S WORLD is a member of the
Marketing Executive From mile five Independent Press Standards Organisation
I was thinking, (which regulates the UK’s magazine and
‘I should slow newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’
ANDREA SULLIVAN Director

down, I’m going
to blow up’,
but something
Code of Practice and are committed to
upholding the highest standards of journalism.
CONTRIBUTORS
of Sport If you think that we have not met those
made me keep
DENISE DEGROOT Director pushing.’
standards and want to make a complaint
of Travel please contact complaints@hearst.co.uk or
– Joe Mackie visit www.hearst.co.uk/hearst-magazines-
JIM CHAUDRY Director of Motors
uk-complaints-procedure. If we are unable to
JACQUIE DUCKWORTH Client resolve your complaint, or if you would like
Director, Personal Finance more information about IPSO or the Editors’
Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit
www.ipso.co.uk
JANE WOLFSON Chief Agency

Officer
JONI MORRISS Group Agency
Director
CLARE CROOKES Regional ASHLEY MATEO WES JUDD
Agency Director The journalist, The accomplished
NATASHA BAILEY Client Direct marathon runner and mountain runner and
Director, Health and Sport 020
3640 2220 Ironman finisher has regular contributor to
VICTORIA SLESSAR Client written on fitness the likes of RW and
Manager, Fitness 020 7439 5252 and nutrition for Outside delves deep
LUCY PORTER Head of Business
Management 020 7439 5276 Esquire, Rolling Stone into the latest science
GEMMA THOMPSON Business and Glamour. For on how running can
Manager 020 7297 3480 RW this month she actually slow down
LEE RIMMER Head of Classified
020 3728 7707 discovers that efficient your body’s ageing
running is all about a process, in The Real
balanced body, p56. Miracle Pill on p48.

FITNESS NUTRITION MIND+ INJURY
HEALTH
WARM-UPS
The TIPS YOU NEED to GET UP to SPEED
TRAIN
FOR
PAIN
High-intensity means
high performance
LOOKING TO INCREASE YOUR

PAIN TOLERANCE? The key could
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : E M I L I A N O G R A N A D O 1. J O U R N A L O F C L I N I CA L E N D O C R I N O LO GY & M E TA B O L I S M
be high-intensity interval
training, according to a recent
study by Oxford Brookes
University. The study used a
pain protocol – fist-clenching
when circulation is reduced to
the arm with a blood-pressure
cuff – before, during and after
a six-week training period.
One group did medium-
intensity continuous training,
while the other did high-
intensity intervals. Both
groups increased their fitness
by the same amount. But pain
tolerance increased by 41 per
cent in the high-intensity
group, while the medium-
intensity subjects saw no
change. The high-intensity
group also enjoyed far bigger
improvements in their racing
performance. The moral?
For the biggest performance
gains, build regular high-
intensity interval workouts
into your schedule.

WARM-UPS FITNESS
TOP PERFORMER
Swap your shirt
– it can help you
MATERIAL
run for longer
DIFFERENCE
The right running vest
can spur your efforts
WITH THE WEATHER FINALLY BEGINNING
to warm up, it’s time to dust off your
running vests – just make sure they’re
made from the right material. In a
recent study1, a group of athletes ran
for 45 minutes in very hot conditions
(32C). Three types of vest were tested:
one made of 100 per cent cotton fibres,
one constructed with 50 per cent
cotton and 50 per cent soybean natural
fibres, and a synthetic shirt of 100
per cent polyester. The three types of
vest fibre had no effect on the athletes’
body temperature, heart rate or levels
of comfort. However, the synthetic
vest reduced the athletes’ perceived
exertion levels and degree of heat
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y, M I TC H M A N D E L . 1. J O U R N A L O F S T R E N G T H A N D CO N D I T I O N I N G R E S E A R C H ( D E C . 2 01 7 ) 2 . S T R AVA
perception. The synthetic fabric

also quantitatively lowered their
chest temperature. So perhaps
there is something in all those
‘performance fabrics’, after all…
BOTTLE
Try this THE AVERAGE
DISTANCE UK
Fizzy heights Why spend money on
a personal trainer when you can get
WOMEN AND 7 KM 8.2KM
one in your pocket for free? FizzUp
(fizzup.com/en) sends personalised,
MEN RUN ON A
Running while holding equipment-free workouts to your
smartphone, free. Premium content
SINGLE OUTING 2
FEMALE MALE
a water bottle in one hand is available for a monthly fee.
or while wearing
a hydration belt does
not significantly change
BREAK THE PLANK
anyone to popularise the plank,
believes there’s little benefit to
your running motion or How long can you hold the be had in attempting to hold
energy expenditure, plank position for? A minute? the position for as long as
Two? Three? You may be possible. ‘There’s no utility to
according to a study wasting your time. According this kind of activity, other than
involving trained runners to a study in the Journal of claiming a record,’ he says.
Strength and Conditioning Instead, McGill recommends
that was published in the Research, you’ll see greater ‘repeated 10-second holds of
International Journal of gains by doing shorter holds the plank, side plank and bird
more frequently. Professor of dog’. Start with five reps (hold
Sports Physiology and spine biomechanics Stuart each position for 10 seconds),
Performance. McGill, who did more than then four, three, two and one.

WARM-UPS NUTRITION
BURIED
TREASURE BUZZWORD
Ketogenic
We dig potatoes, the carb
that can reduce cancer risk Sturdy and dense
they may be, but
A high-fat, low-carb diet
potatoes are, designed to teach the
WHILE SO-CALLED ‘SUPERFOODS’ make in fact, 80 per cent body to burn fats, rather
the headlines, the humble potato water. And still than carbohydrates, as its
also provides runners with health- they’re delicious! principal energy source.
boosting benefits. And now there’s The ‘keto’ diet has been
a new reason to reach for a spud: embraced by a number of
a recent study1 found that eating high-profile athletes, but
purple potatoes might reduce the the jury remains out as to
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : LO U I S A PA R R Y. F O O D I L LU S T R AT I O N : O S CA R B O LTO N G R E E N . 1. J O U R N A L O F N U T R I T I O N A L B I O C H E M I S T RY 2. J O U R N A L O F T H E A M E R I CA N H E A R T AS S O C I AT I O N
risk of colon cancer. Purple potatoes its suitability for runners.

are high in antioxidants and
TWO
anti-inflammatory properties that
can reduce levels of interleukin-6, a
protein linked to cancer cell growth
within the colon. Potatoes are a
source of vitamin B6 – necessary for
the breakdown of glycogen – and
are also rich in recovery-boosting
potassium and magnesium.
The percentage
THREE WAYS TO improvement in mile
ENJOY POTATOES time in runners who
As a healthy(ish) snack
drank coffee an hour
If you are intent on enjoying beforehand. The
potatoes as crisps, opt for
Pop Chips. They’re popped
study2 suggests
rather than fried, and a 23g coffee is a safe way of
pack contains only 94kcals.
Still – moderation, please.
aiding performance,
says its author,
As a prerun powerhouse
Potatoes are a great source
Dr Neil Clarke.
of slow-release energy,
making them the ideal choice
the night before a big race.
As a running snack
Chop a sweet potato into
small chunks, sprinkle with
salt and enjoy as a slow-
release midrun snack. Try this
SOMETHING
TO CHEW ON
TAKE HEART WITH PLANT PROTEINS Vegan-friendly, Health-
It could be time to swap that big, published in the International span’s Kick-Start Gum
juicy rib-eye for some tofu or Journal of Sports Physiology and (£24.99 for 120 pieces,
healthy green veg like broccoli – Performance. Dr John Sievenpiper healthspan.co.uk) delivers
your heart will thank you for it. says swapping meat for foods such 100mg of pure caffeine.
Replacing one to two servings of as soy, nuts and pulses could reduce Chew it 10-15 minutes
animal proteins with plant proteins the three cholesterol markers for before your run and
every day could reduce your risk of heart diseases by five per cent. reap the benefit of
heart disease, according to a study So, time to erase the steaks. that caffeine kick.

WARM-UPS MIND+HEALTH
SUPER BOWL
A bowl of breakfast cereal
may reduce your chances
of suffering a stroke,
according to new
research.2 The study of
more than 100,000 adults
looked at the intake of
wholegrain foods and the
incidence of ischemic
stroke – a brain blood clot
that occurs due to a lack
of oxygen and nutrients –
over 25 years. It was
found that wholegrain
cold breakfast cereal
(possibly because of the
folic acid content) and
bran (high in dietary fibre)
lowered the risk of
ischemic stroke.
50.3
I L L U S T R AT I O N : JA N N E L I VO N E N . P H OTO G R A P H : H E A R S T S T U D I O S 1. F R O N T I E R S I N P SYC H O LO GY; 2. S T R O K E . A H A J O U R N A L S .O R G
JOB TRAINING Percentage of UK

Employers like the look
of marathon runners runners who prefer to
use kilometres rather
than miles for their
FIT THE ROLE

RUNNING MARATHONS could help you to land you next analysis, according
your job. In an experiment,1 prospective employers
judged marathon runners as being more physically fit –
to Strava
and therefore more able to handle the responsibilities of
DISTANCE
Why marathon runners are a job – even if they had an older appearance. In essence,
by being in good physical shape, you can mitigate some
ahead of the pack in job seeking
MEMORIES
of the age bias (intentional or otherwise) when your
facial appearance is older. The bias in favour of
marathon runners was more pronounced when selecting Running may be doing
candidates for positions with heavy customer contact. more than just improving
your heart and lungs –
a new study suggests that
it could also be improving
your memory. Researchers
Ultrarunners are a their health. According to achievement. ‘[Ultrarunning] from the University of
committed bunch. A the study, published in appears to serve their British Columbia, Canada,
ULTRA recent study revealed that Research in Sports personal achievement discovered that aerobic
KEEN 74 per cent of ultrarunners Medicine, those who said motivation, such that they exercise appears to
would continue to run they’d continue were more perceive enhanced boost the size of the
Rating goals ultras even if they were to likely to be unmarried, benefits that are worth hippocampus, the brain
over health learn, with total certainty, younger, childless and retaining at the risk to their area involved in verbal
that doing so was bad for have a higher personal goal health,’ the study said. memory and learning.

WARM-UPS INJURY
STRENGTH AND
STABILITY
The popularity of strength
and conditioning work
among competitive
SWEET AS… distance runners:4
But mind you
don’t overdose STRETCHING
on the ‘medicine’
86%
C O R E S TA B I L I T Y
70%
R E S I S TA N C E T R A I N I N G
63%
P LY O M E T R I C S
35%
STRESS
Higher levels of
academic or work
stress lead to an
increased risk of
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : H E A R S T S T U D I O S ( S H O E S ); DAV I D SY K E S ( M A I N I M AG E ). 1. R U N N I N G- P H YS I O.C O M /G E L AT I N
injury, says a US
2 ,3. S CA N D I N AV I A N J O U R N A L O F M E D I C I N E A N D S C I E N C E I N S P O R T S 4 , 5. J O U R N A L O F S T R E N G T H A N D CO N D I T I O N I N G R E S E A R C H
study.5 It found
people were 3.19
times more likely
to have an injury
during weeks
EAT AWAY
TENDON ISSUES, such as Achilles tendonitis, account and months when
for many running injuries. Recovery normally includes
rest and rehab, but there’s now evidence to suggest they had high
that adding gelatin to the process might help. stress levels.
YOUR
A recent study1 trialled intermitted exercise with
a vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplement. It showed
that, with a 15g consumption of gelatin (which is
INJURIES
derived from animals), there was a twofold increase
in collagen synthesis – a process believed to aid
injury recovery – compared with intermittent
exercise on its own. So a dose of gelatin before a
Gelatin could aid recovery, rehab session could help you to get back in the game
sooner. It’s available in sweets such as jelly babies Try this
but do show some restraint… and it’s often used in baking, but try to concentrate
on more nutritious sources, such as bone broth.
TO THE RESCUE
64
ROTATION SYSTEM
Soothe and revive your
The percentage decrease muscles postrun with
Rotate your running shoes to reduce in injury risk among Muscle Rescue Balm (£30
your injury risk. A study2 found those for 70g, espaskincare.
who used a variety of shoes were less
those who meet the daily com). The cream melts
likely to develop injuries. Switching dietary recommendations into the skin to soothe
shoes subtly alters the load on the sore legs, while the clove
musculoskeletal system, decreasing
for consumption of fruit, and Indian bay give a nice
the chance of overuse injuries. vegetables and fish.3 warming sensation.

100 MILES ON A FROZEN LAKE p27 THE MILE SHY CLUB p31
HUMAN( )RACENEWS, VIEWS, TRENDS and ORDINARY RUNNERS doing EXTRAORDINARY THINGS
GOING THE
DISTANCE
Kevin Webber hasn’t let terminal
prostate cancer define him.
Instead, he’s been inspired
‘I BURST INTO TEARS and cried for

about two months.’ Kevin Webber is
recalling the moment, on November 6,
2014, when was diagnosed with terminal
prostate cancer and given two years to
live. He was 49 and had recently run
100km from London to Brighton. ‘There’s
this image of prostate cancer as an
old-man’s disease, but it isn’t,’ he says.
‘I got it in my forties; I’ve had friends who
got it in their thirties. And the younger
you get it, the more aggressive it is.’
The early days and weeks were
especially tough, as the enormity of the
news began to hit home. ‘All the ambitions,
all the hopes – grandchildren, retiring,
travelling around Europe – all that had
disappeared,’ says Kevin, who lives in
Stoneleigh, Surrey, with his wife and

H R
“1,000 Miles of Madness”, as a
reference to the 1,000 men in the
UK who die of prostate cancer every
month,’ he says.
This year, he’s taking on his
biggest challenge yet. In March,
he’ll set off on the 6633 Arctic
Ultra, 350 miles across the Arctic
unsupported, pulling a sledge in
temperatures of -50C. To warm
up, two weeks later, he’s headed to
‘APART FROM THE Kevin’s new

the Sahara for the MdS, where
temperatures can soar to 50C.
TREATMENT SIDE
philosophy ‘I don’t believe anyone has ever
for living taken on both of these races with
OF HAVING CANCER,
T4 cancer,’ says Kevin.
‘Prostate cancer As well as raising thousands of
pounds for Prostate Cancer UK,
I’VE HAD THE BEST
is not just an old-
man’s disease – Kevin’s hoping his endurance feats
men of all ages might inspire others to explore their
THREE YEARS OF should have
their prostate
own limits. ‘The longer I live, the
more I think about legacy,’ he says.
MY LIFE’ examined’ ‘On a personal level, I’d like my kids
to look at me and think, “When the
‘The hardest going gets tough, you get going –
bit about running Dad didn’t give up.” On a broader
is the 10 minutes level, I’d like to help people realise
before you go out that life is for living. That doesn’t
the front door’ have to mean running. If you want
to learn Spanish or the guitar, what
‘Don’t wait for a are you waiting for? Don’t wait for a
bad diagnosis to rubbish diagnosis: do it now.’
start living your One of the things about being ill,
life to the full’ says Kevin, is that he loves life more
– in every form. ‘When I used to run,
if there was a snail on the pavement
three children. ‘But there was one and my foot was going to land on it,
thing I still really enjoyed doing, and I wouldn’t check my stride. Now, I’ll
that was running.’ move my foot. I know that sounds
So two months after the silly, but my outlook has changed:
diagnosis, and just after his first I realise how precious my life is, so
dose of chemotherapy, Kevin laced I feel I have no right to end other
up his trainers and ran for three creatures’ lives.’ For that reason,
miles. Physically, he felt awful, but Kevin has changed his diet to
mentally he felt he’d reclaimed become mainly vegan. ‘Just because
something that cancer was trying to I fancy a bit of meat, I no longer
take away: control. ‘One of the things think I have to right to kill
I thought back then is, “What’s the something,’ he says. ‘Plus, I actually
point? What’s the point of eating think veganism is better for you
healthily? What’s the point of when you have cancer.’
worrying about anything?” Running By cherishing life in all its forms,
gave me back a sense of purpose.’ Kevin has filled his post-diagnosis
Looking back to that moment, years with joy. ‘I wish I didn’t have
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N P H OTO G R A P H S : R U P E R T F OW L E R
Kevin sees it as a kind of epiphany, a cancer,’ says Kevin. ‘But apart from
moment where he decided not to be the treatment side of it, I’ve had the
defined by the fatal disease. ‘I didn’t best three years of my life. I’d never
want to be a victim, and use cancer have done the MdS: I’ve now done
as an excuse. “Oh look, there’s it twice. I’d never have been to
Kevin. There’s a reason why he’s oncologist, he ran the Brighton TRUE GRIT Iceland: I’ve now been there twice.
Since his diagnosis,
upset, crying, quiet, miserable, Marathon in 2015 and began raising I’d never have met some of the great
Kevin has travelled
drunk: he’s got cancer.’ I wanted it money for Prostate Cancer UK. The the world, running people I’ve met. I’ve had such a ball
to be, “There’s Kevin: he’s going for distances and donations have and raising money and have probably done more good
a run again.” The latter is a far continued to grow. Kevin has for Prostate in the past three years than I did in
better place to be than the former finished the Marathon des Sables Cancer UK the previous 50.’
– not just for me, but also for my (MdS) twice, walked 15 marathons
wife and kids.’ in 15 days with Sky Sports TV
So Kevin kept running. Defying presenter Jeff Stelling and in 2016
the advice and expectations of his ran 1,000 miles in total. ‘I called it

Murphy’s Lore
BY SAM MURPHY
KEEP PLANTING ONE FOOT

IN FRONT OF THE OTHER
Joe Friel in his book Fast
After 50. He’s right in terms of
the outcome, but it’s not so much
that the rate of decline accelerates
as that the thing that has been
slowing the rate of decline has
been taken away. Namely, exercise.
A recent study in The Journal of
Physiology confirmed what has
long been the medical consensus:
exercise is a ‘lifelong supplement’
for healthy ageing.
But sometimes we have to stop
running, and whatever the reason
WHAT SAM... for the break – laziness, injury, work
– the result is the same: we suddenly
Raced… find ourselves skidding down the
slippery slope of detraining.
I got beaten
So what’s the answer? Some
by my terrier,
veteran athletes choose to ensure
Morris, in a
no weeds take root by resolving
Parkrun when he
never to take a break. Ron Hill
knocked 1:34 off
famously ran every single day for
W
his PB, running
more than 52 years, including
with his ‘dad’.
running with a cracked sternum
Galling.
e live in an era where the quick fix is revered. after a car crash. But running
Who wants to spend hours, weeks or years on broken bones is not to be
toiling for something when there’s a faster,
Discovered… encouraged, whatever your age.
easier option? The only trouble is, the quick fix Some impressive Should we just accept age-related
rarely works, and if it does, the results don’t tend running wear decline with good grace, then? In
to last long. I’ve always stressed to new runners at budget his book Run Strong Stay Hungry,
that fitness doesn’t come in a spray-on can. Work store Matalan. Jonathan Beverly interviews
hard, recover well and progress sensibly – that’s many lifelong runners about what
the way to build fitness that stays the course, Read… motivates them to keep going, and
weathering the ups and downs of your training. his findings suggest a degree of
Or re-read half
There’s a certain justice to this. You reap what you sow. If you’ll allow acceptance is crucial. Many of his
a dozen hefty
me to persevere with the plant analogy, a quick-fix seeker would just throw interviewees derived their pleasure
running science
in a few seedlings and wait for the flowers to appear; who cares if you have from putting in a good honest effort
tomes to refresh
to repeat the process next year? The more committed gardener would take in training and racing, regardless
and update my
the long view; preparing the soil, sowing seeds from scratch and, when of pace, while others thrived on
knowledge and
their plants emerged, keep them free from weeds, nourished and well- chasing age-group standards. Some
approach to
watered. It goes without saying who ends up with the best blooms, right? simply found running gave them a
coaching.
At least, it would if it weren’t such a cruel and unjust world. Recently, sense of purpose.
despite my dutifully diligent approach to running over three decades, Those who couldn’t make peace
I’ve found that it takes very little for my hard-won fitness to wilt. with the idea that PBs and race
After just a few days off with a head cold, dragging myself round a wins were no longer possible had
four-miler feels like starting from scratch. If I miss my fortnightly hill another solution: they gave up
I L L U S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I
session, moderate slopes seem to take on Everest-like proportions. Gone altogether. But quitting isn’t on my
are the days when I could bounce back from time off running or periods of agenda. So I’ll continue to nurture
overindulgence. The reason? Ageing. my fitness as much as I can – while
Research shows that as we age, the adaptations our bodies make in accepting the occasional weed
response to exercise unravel faster when we take a break than they did among the flowers.
when were younger. ‘For the senior athlete, not training means the rate at
which aerobic capacity and muscle mass are lost accelerates,’ writes coach

H R
YOU’RE
!
AMA ZING
SOPHIE
BY THE NUMBERS
ALLIE BAILEY
GOODWIN
Youngest person to
run 100 marathons
36, LONDON, RAN ACROSS A FROZEN LAKE IN MONGOLIA
Despite ‘hating PE at school’, Sophie
LAKE KHÖVSGÖL in Outer Mongolia is out to this frozen wilderness to run across the
Goodwin has run herself into the
one of the coldest places on earth. The lake, a distance of 100 miles, as part of a recce for
record books: she’s the youngest
temperature regularly dips below -40ºC and the the upcoming Mongol 100. ‘It was so cold,’ she
person to finish 100 marathons.
conditions are more suited to woolly yaks than says. ‘I wore four layers on my top half, four layers
The previous record holder, Ryan
ultrarunners. But in January this year, Londoner on my bottom half, a one-piece and a North Face
Holmes, was 21 years and 172 days
Allie Bailey pulled on her thermals and headed jacket. But it was the best thing I’ve ever done.’
old when he ran his 100th. But
through lots of ‘cramming’,
including 10 marathons in 10 days,
Sophie beat Ryan’s record by 20
days. A student at the University of
East Anglia, Sophie ran her first
marathon a few weeks before her
19th birthday, at the Fowlmead
Challenge in Kent, and clocked up
her 100th at the same race last
December. ‘I hated marathon
running at the start,’ she says, ‘and THE ALTITUDE IN METRES OF THE LAKE – 300M HIGHER THAN BEN NEVIS
-47 C
had no idea about the 100 marathon
º
record. But we looked into it and
Eight 267
saw it was possible.’ Sophie, who
suffers from anxiety and depression,
also found running improved her
mental health. ‘That was a huge
motivation to keep going,’ she says. Number of pounds in
weight lost by Allie Depth of the lake in
on the three-day run THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE DURING THE TRIP metres at its deepest
FOUR 34 70
JAMES
WADSWORTH
Soldier aims to
raise vital funds
The thickness in
Number of seconds Number of centimetres of the ice
Military bomb disposal experts it took to freeze a ‘pacer ponies’ that Distance in miles on top of the lake. ‘It
do a vital job and Captain James bottle of water shepherded Allie and covered on the third has to be 17cm to hold
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : W I L L I A M WO O DWA R D ( B Y T H E N U M B E R S )
Wadsworth is using his running the other runners and final day a man and horse.’
to support them. James, who
2PM-4PM
received the Conspicuous Gallantry
One
Cross for his work in Iraq and ‘THE ONLY TIME DURING
Afghanistan, has organised an THE DAY WHEN YOU
endurance run for the Felix Fund. COULD TAKE OFF
‘The Felix Fund was put together YOUR BUFF WITHOUT
Number of women to
during the early stages of FREEZING. WE CALLED
have run across Lake
Afghanistan, to help rehabilitate
Khövsgöl. ‘I’m the IT “THE GOLDEN
people after being shot at and
first. Go me!’ HOURS”.’
blown up,’ he says. The event,
The Soldiers’ Pass, takes place
in Oxfordshire on July 14 over
distances ranging from 5K to 100K.
Says James: ‘The idea is to get
military and civvies together for
a good cause and remember the
bomb disposal community.’

YO U R
WORLD
accompany me on the shorter runs.
LETTER OF THE MONTH I run in the light and in hi-vis kit. It
may be because I am getting older,
but no-one seems keen to slow
STREAKY BLINDER down when passing me anymore.
Generally, motorists will slow down
After I ran my last race in December to for horses and cattle but not, it
raise money for Leuka, the charity for seems, for runners. Please, dear
Leukaemia Research (my husband has motorists, it is just as alarming for
leukaemia), I was inspired by an article in a human on foot to be passed at
Runner’s World about Run Every Day (RED) 60 miles an hour as it is for a horse.
January. With no race planned till February, Alex J, via email
I thought it would be a good challenge to
run every day in January – and it was! I ran
in the sunshine, rain, wind and snow; I ran
before dawn and after a day’s heavy work.
I ran alone or with a friend’s dog (a great
treat for both of us!), on roads and trails,
through mud and over frozen ground,
when I felt great and when I didn't want to
lace up my shoes. But now, with January 31
UP FOR A behind me, I can say I have run every day
CHALLENGE for 31 days. Was it hard? Yes. Would I do it
Kate Billmore ran
every day in January
again? Definitely, but not till next January!
Kate Billmore, Haxey, North Lincolnshire
COVER STORY
IT’S A WRAP! he always wrapped his phone in After running many races since
Early last year I went for a run on a a layer of clingfilm to seal it from I started in my forties, I have
day that had started off rainy. I was the effects of rain or sweat. I have accumulated many mugs, medals
wearing my waterproof running religiously done this since as a and T-shirts. ‘I know, I’ll make a
jacket, just to be on the safe side. precaution – and it is most effective. duvet cover,’ thought I, being a dab
After a mile or so, an oncoming I just wanted to pass on this tip to hand at crafty things. Firstly, it took
Range Rover driver thought it would your readers. hours to cut the correct part of the
be hilarious to drive through a large Dee Hailey, Oxon T-shirts (all 144 of them). I then had
deep puddle – despite there being Dee Hailey’s phone
to pin them on a sheet. Easy-peasy
no oncoming traffic – and drench now has full – not! Give me a 1,000-piece jigsaw
me. When I got home, I found the coverage TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT anytime. Anyway, after days and
jacket was not as waterproof as I I have been running for quite a while days, the duvet cover was finished.
had assumed and that my mobile now, managed a good number of It was tough, but I’m delighted
phone, which had been in my front marathons and banked a lot of with the end results – just like
pocket, had drowned. I mentioned miles. I generally run on my own, finishing a race.
this to a fellow runner, who said though my dog will sometimes Dott Carr, via email
SNAP CHAT
#FAVERUNNINGSTRETCH A few of you have been stretching the definition of a good running stretch
‘Couch stretch all the way!’ ‘Works every time’ – Chris Marsh ‘Can’t beat this calf stretch’ ‘This hamstring stretch is great’
– Carolyn Whiley – George Bull – Georgie Cowley
Next month: #RWbestbooks. Show us you with your favourite running book.

H R
AM I A ‘PROPER’ RUNNER? runners is neither here nor there.
I would love to join a running club, Head along to your local club;
and I know there are several very we bet you‘ll be surprised by
local to me, but I don’t feel like I’m how inclusive it is.
‘enough’ of a runner to join. I can’t
run as fast and far as the people I
THE POLL
class as runners. Whenever people BIG TROUBLE
ask about my running, I always find I was flicking through the March
Is it time men and women
myself saying, ‘Oh, I’m not an actual issue and came across the Cost Lee South wants raced the same distances
runner.’ What does class someone benefit letter, and so I skipped a more inclusive
at cross-country?
as a runner? Someone who runs ahead to the budget-gear review. T-shirt policy
regularly? Someone who can run Lots of it looks great, so I tried
a continuous 5K? I honestly don’t to order some of it, such as the
know. I really enjoy running, Kalenji Running Jersey Hood from
pushing myself and the challenges Decathlon. Unfortunately, Decathlon
it can bring, so I honestly hope one suffers from the same issue as a lot
day I will be able to class myself of other retailers – there just isn't
as ‘a runner’. any gear for sale for plus-sized
Sarah Patterson, New Forest runners. I’m an accomplished
10-15km runner currently training for
Sarah, you’re already a my first half marathon, but as I have
runner. The fact you may a dreadful diet I am still wearing a 89% yes
not be as fast as some other 3XL or 4XL top. It’s the same at ‘Yes – and for male and female
tennis players to play the same
number of sets, etc.’
– @TheRunn1ngSam
OUR WORLD
WE ASK, YOU ANSWER

11% no
RW staff,
There were no comments
putting
from those who think things
themselves
WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST VALUE IN

should stay just as they are
in the
– why so shy?
picture,
A RUNNING PARTNER?
for better
or worse
races, where the free race T-shirts

‘Silence.’ ‘Someone who in the goody bags are never big
– Steve Groves instinctively knows enough. Could Runner’s World run
when to drop the something about this, or provide
‘A piggy-back. chit-chat and who advice or a review section for larger
– Andrew Rear stays up to date runners at some point, please?
with their CPR Lee South, via email
‘Someone who can training.’ Section editor Rick
put up with my – Stuart Lockwood has been running
to the highest point
swearing and ‘Four legs.’ in various London
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
understand my ‘I like to run with – Clare Bryan boroughs. Here I recently had surgery to remove my
complete inability to people who are he is (right) at the ovaries and fallopian tubes. I spent
run uphill. Singing is serious about their ‘Knowing someone crest of Croydon the two months prior to that in
also important - running, but have a else is there, knowing unending pain, unable to run a step.
willingness more great sense of when to talk and when I feel like I have been reborn now
so than ability.’ humour.’ not to, and to compare – I’m running again, but training the
– Laura Pinney – Dace Fenton notes over tea when right way. On days off running, I do
you're done.’ yoga, physical therapy and/or core
‘One who doesn’t mind – Ruth Dowling work. I am more fit than I was 20
“seeing where that years ago, and look forward to
path goes...”’ ‘Someone of a similar Editor Andy
completing a marathon this autumn.
– Jo Jefferies – if not quicker – pace offers advice on My energy is sky-high and my
than I am, and who sensible pacing enthusiasm for life knows no
‘Their absence. I doesn’t expect me at the Virgin bounds. Running is the godsend
Money London
always run alone.’ to talk.’ Marathon’s ‘Meet
from which this all springs.
– Mark – Andy L the Experts’ day Erica Heyl, via email
P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y I M AG E S
WHAT’S INSPIRED, IMPRESSED OR, PERHAPS, ANNOYED YOU LATELY ABOUT RUNNING OR RUNNERS? THE WRITER OF THE
WINNING EMAIL OR LETTER RECEIVES A PAIR OF SAUCONY HURRICANE ISO 2S, WORTH £135
33 Broadwick Street, London W1F 0DQ Email letters@runnersworld.co.uk Tweet @runnersworlduk Facebook runnersworlduk

RW / / PROMOTION
TAKING
IT IN
YOUR
STRIDE
From upping the miles to perfecting
your marathon pace, here’s how to
have a monster March
April marathons are won in March. It’s
the month beforehand when you nail your PACE IT RIGHT
long runs, perfect your race-day pace and Those looking to
finalise your running kit. run a 3:30 marathon
So with the Virgin Money London Marathon will need to run at
8:00min/mile pace.
taking place on Sunday, 22 April, now is the time to Find our pacer and
double down on your training and ensure you’re in stick with them
the best possible condition come race day.
You’ll want to start getting very familiar with
what your marathon pace feels like. To this end,
consider inserting marathon-pace sections into
some of your weekly long runs. On the day itself,
don’t forget to make the most of the Runner’s
World pacing team, who’ll be dressed head-to-
toe in New Balance kit. Find them in the back
of each start pen before the race – and let
them do the pacing for you.
March is also the time to road-test your
race-day wardrobe. You want clothing
that’s comfortable, reliable and fills you
with confidence. New Balance, proud
sponsor of the race, can help here. Check
out the latest New Balance running range,
which is purpose-built to meet the
demands of the marathon distance.
Train hard, feel good, look great: that’s
what marathon training – and New
Balance – is all about.
SOLE MATES TO FIND YOUR PACER AND GET

ADVICE ON PACING YOUR
Picking the RACE IN THE LEAD-UP TO
right pair of THE MARATHON, VISIT
shoes is crucial RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK/
to marathon PACERS2018
success. Here
are two worthy VISIT THE NEW BALANCE HUB
candidates FRESH FOAM ZANTE V4 890V6
The fourth edition of this raved-about Rev up your running with these lauded, AT NEWBALANCE.CO.UK/
running shoe continues to deliver lightweight trainers, which are ideal LONDONMARATHON
superior fit and feel for those looking to for the speedier marathoner. The 6mm
beat their best time. The Fresh Foam heel-to-toe drop lends itself best to
midsole cushioning gives premium efficient midfoot runners and, at
comfort, while the lightweight upper only 255g, this shoe certainly won’t
keeps the shoe fast and light. £100. weigh you down. £105.
H R
SOCIAL
NT
MOVEME
RUNNING ON
THE SHY
The club that offers beginners a
chance to boost their physical and
mental health through running
FOR MANY, in my teens where Clockwise from What is it about the are often followed by
traditional running I was suicidal and top left: running club that people find trips to the pub, there
along the canal
clubs can seem was homeless for path; Jane Wilby- so appealing? are regular away days
intimidating, and the a short period.’ Palmer in typically ‘After a tough few years at parkruns and an
popular distances – 5K, Jane’s life began to positive mood; trying to juggle work and inclusive atmosphere
10K, half marathon and improve in her late-20s MileShyClub my own family life as well that encourages people
runners at a
marathon – are a distant and she decided to ‘give as caring for my dad, who to discuss more than
Tuesday track
dream. The MileShyClub running a try’, although session had a stroke nearly five just their PBs.
offers an alternative: a she was still a 20-a-day years ago, I decided to ‘People do open up
beginner-friendly option smoker. A few years later, take stock and make when they’re at the
that provides not only at the beginning of 2017, some positive life running club,’ says Jane.
running advice but also she left her post at a legal choices,’ says Dawn ‘I think they know when
emotional support to its firm, retrained as a fitness Patterson, who joined the they come to the club,
members. The goal is not trainer and started the club last October. ‘On they won’t be judged. It
to run far or fast – MileShyClub. It was an that first Manchester helps to deal with things
although some of its immediate success. morning Jane welcomed like loneliness.’ Jane
MILES
members do both – but ‘Thirty-three people me to the club, would, however, like to
BETTER
to put one foot in front of turned up to my first introducing me, and the get more men along to
the other among friends. session – which scared Instead of 5Ks other newbies, to the the club. ‘There are
It’s the brainchild of me silly,’ she says. ‘But and 10Ks, the existing members, various fitness campaigns
Jane Wilby-Palmer, who it all went really well, MileShyClub listened to us about our for women, like This Girl
knows all about running’s and people have just encourages its running experience and Can and Run Mummy
ability to transform one’s kept on turning up and new members set us newbies off on our Run, but mental health in
physical and mental turning up.’ to try to run a first run. I’ve made middle-aged men is a
health. ‘I had a pretty Indeed, there are mile. ‘Once they friends, laughed during huge issue that isn’t being
turbulent time as a now over 100 members achieve this, we our crazy warm-up addressed,' she says.
teenager, struggling with of the Sale club and tell them, “You're sessions, got cold and In a bid to make the
depression and anxiety,’ MileShyClubs in mile shy no wet, slipped in snow, but club accessible to
she says. ‘It got to a point Newcastle and Stockport. more,”’ says Jane. have loved every minute.’ everyone, Jane runs
Michelle McRory has MileShyClub as a
had a similarly positive not-for-profit, with
experience. ‘I hadn’t run sessions costing just £2,
for nine years and had and has ambitions to roll
assumed I would never go out branches across the
running again,’ she says. UK. Until then, she has
‘I also had a lot of anxiety some advice for those
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : J O H N W E L L E R
and knew that running looking to get healthier,

would be good for me, but worried about how to
but didn’t know where to start. ‘You only live once,’
start. Being able to come she says. ‘If you don’t
to the club and mix with give it a try, you'll always
friendly people has made wonder – and running
such a difference to can improve your life
my wellbeing.’ in so many ways.’
Part of the club’s
success in improving its
members’ physical and
mental health is its focus
on the social side of
things. Training sessions

Tonky Talk
BY PAUL TONKINSON
‘WHAT I REALLY WANT

TO DO IS BEAT TREVOR’
I then began doubling down for
an assault on the marathon. At the
Watford Half, we locked horns
again. That day I found a groove
and took four minutes out of him.
I was very focused at the time.
Along the way I beat Trevor
another couple of times and normal
service was resumed. Post-
marathon, for a couple of months,
I was flying on the track. I’d found
a new level of speed. I was charging
away close to the front of the
B group! Then a couple of niggles, a
holiday, and things got complicated.
RUNNERPEDIA Trevor thrashed me in the club
handicap. I beat Trevor in the
Latte Middlesex 10K by 42 seconds.
threshold (n) Now, it has to be said, I really like
Number of Trevor. Some might call the whole
coffees you can thing pathetic. But it keeps me
stomach before interested. There’s nothing at stake,
a run. but Trevor’s become a marker of
A
something: beating him is a
BIIT training (n) standard I want to maintain.
nthony Way was my first running nemesis. Every year Recently, I’ve been a bit off the
An interval
we’d battle it out in the school 1500m. It was the time of boil. Loads of travel and a dodgy
session you
life when you wouldn’t run all year round, then do some knee has meant my appearance at
abandon after
sprints the day before to train for sports day. The whole Tuesday track has been sporadic.
only a couple
school would take the day off and sit in the sun and flirt On my return a couple of weeks ago,
of reps.
and scoff and scrap and race. Does life get any better? I couldn’t help but notice Trevor
I had only one tactic: to race from the front. Way had lost weight. He’d hit a bit of
had the faster finish so I’d barrel to the front like a
Hit the Walls (v) form and had clocked a PB in the
nutter in a usually successful attempt to drop him To attack the Seville Half Marathon. That night
before the last lap. One year he stayed with me, ice cream tub he was comfortably ahead of me on
limpet-like, into the final 400m. I can still remember hitting 300m to go with gusto. every rep as I slid down the B group.
and launching a lung-bursting sprint for my life. I held on, just, and victory It’s affected me, got me
was mine. Then Jonathan Beadle came from nowhere the following year. motivated again – in a good way.
He’d been training on the quiet; he ghosted past me in the back straight. It’s more miles, fewer cakes. Now
My winning streak was over. most of this is for honourable
When I returned to running as an adult, I ran lots of different events for reasons. I’m getting fit to pace the
lots of different reasons. Mass participation marathons to finish; local fun London Marathon in April and I
runs to pace my son or wife. Then I joined a club, got serious and Trevor want to run a solid ultra in May.
emerged. At first I didn’t notice him. At sessions that first summer, I was a After that, who knows – a quicker
bit faster than him, so he wasn’t really in my orbit. Then one night, as marathon? But sometimes, as I
autumn approached, he overtook me on the last rep of an interval session. accelerate up a hill towards the end
He has a low-armed, smooth, economical style, which only made it more of a so-called steady run, I can’t
I L L U S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I
irritating as he breezed past. I tried to respond but my legs had the all the help thinking – what I really want
strength of pipe cleaners. We had a laugh afterwards – ‘got you at the end to do is beat Trevor.
there!’ – and introduced ourselves.
That winter, amid the crowded chaos of cross-country races, I was often
in his vicinity. I often started off faster than Trevor and then he’d breeze
past me again. I’d think, ‘Oh – there’s Trevor. I’ll let him go now and peg
him back later.’ But I wouldn’t. He’d be waiting at the finish, smiling again.

H R
N
HOW I R A
IT OFF!
MAKING
STRIDES
Russell Edwards on losing
weight and why logging miles
trumps pumping iron
Then
As a kid, I was sporty but
overweight. I’ve always had
an issue with food. In uni, I
was big in my first year, but
then I started losing weight.
I got into a bodybuilding: at
one point, my body fat was
down to seven per cent. RUSSELL’S
When I hit 28, I remember TOP TIPS FOR
thinking, ‘I just can’t keep up SUCCESS
that kind of lifestyle.’ And
when I let it all go, I didn’t half Don’t focus on
let it all go. I left my job in the weight loss or
gym – as a personal trainer – the scales;
became a dad and lost all instead, focus
routine. I went up to 19st 4lb. on how far
The job I was doing was next you’re running.
to a McDonald’s. I looked at
my bank statement for one
month and found I’d spent A calorie-
over £200 there. counting app
will keep you
The turnaround accountable
I bought a Fitbit for my 35th for how much
birthday. I knew something you’re eating.
needed to change. It opened
my eyes to how little I was
doing. One day, I’d done about Don’t worry
1,600 steps – and 1,000 of about what
those had been me walking In the first three weeks, I lost sub-1:27 half marathon people think
to and from the car. about a stone. But I didn’t in Cardiff in October. of you. Most
My son was then about two focus on the weight loss; I’m still starting my journey. of them are
I N T E R V I E W: A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H : R U P E R T F OW L E R
years old. I’d come home I focused on running further.’ And I’m still an overeater. probably
from work, he’d be excited If you put a table of food in secretly
to see me and want to play. I The future front of me, I’d try to eat wishing
remember having to push him I’m 12st 10lb and I feel pretty all of it. But running has they were
away, saying, ‘Daddy’s tired.’ comfortable with that. My given me a sense of purpose running, too.
I felt bad then, and decided to partner, Laura, said, ‘You look and accountability.
try running. Behind my house, good.’ I said, ‘I feel good, too.’ I want someone to read
there’s a lane. It’s about two My running days are a lot this article and for it to help Set lots of
miles long and there’s little happier than my body- them in some way. It’s hard short-term
traffic. I used to go there and building days were. It's being overweight, but you goals, such
run two minutes on, three stressful trying to look good can keep it in check. You as running for
minutes off. The main reason aesthetically, but when you’re just need some systems in 10 minutes
I’d go is that it was quiet and I trying to be fit, it’s fun. My place – and running really nonstop, or
didn't want anyone to see me. goal this year is to run a is a great place to start. running a 5K.

BEYOND LIMITS ISSUE: BARKLEY MARATHONS
Gary Robbins
waits to hear if
he qualified as
a finisher after
60 hours of near-
constant effort

THE
GATES
OF
HELL
THE BARKLEY
MARATHONS IS A
WILDLY ECCENTRIC,
CRUSHINGLY BRUTAL
ORDEAL DESIGNED TO TAKE
RUNNERS BEYOND THEIR
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL
LIMITS OVER 100+ MILES
OF HELLISH, SNAKE-
RIDDLED WILDERNESS
IN TENNESSEE’S
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS.
WHICH IS WHY SOME
OF THE WORLD’S BEST
ULTRARUNNERS TRY
DESPERATELY TO LAND A
COVETED STARTING SPOT…
WORDS: GEORGE PENDLE

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEXIS BERG
Mount Everest. Twice. And all in just on compasses and the race’s obscure
A
on the side of a 60 hours. Of more than 1,000 entrants official directions. GPS is forbidden.
Tennessee mountain. up to 2016, only 14 have finished. Runners must locate 13 books –
He’s crumpled on the It costs $1.60 (just over £1) to enter. largely chosen with an eye for dark
g round, soaking wet An application must be sent to a closely comedy, eg Unravelled, Lost and Found,
a nd breat hing ha rd. guarded email address at precisely and There Is Nothing Wrong With You:
His wife weeps as she the right minute on precisely the right Going Beyond Self-Hate – in each course
huddles over him, her hands resting day, and must include an essay titled loop, and tear out a page corresponding
softly on his arm. Above them stands a ‘Why I Should Be Allowed to Run in to their race number. After each loop,
bearded figure in a wide-brimmed hat. the Barkley.’ the pages are counted and each runner
‘I got all my pages!’ pleads the man You must then complete a written is given a new number. There are no
on the ground. His voice is shrill, exam that asks, for instance, ‘Explain aid stations, just two unmanned water
hysterical. ‘I dropped down the wrong the excess positrons in the f lux of drops that are often frozen solid. Those
side of the mountain in the fog. I had to cosmic rays’ and ‘How much butter unable to finish are serenaded by the
swim a river.’ He gasps for air. ‘I got all should you use to cook a pound of liver Barkley’s official bugler playing a
my pages!’ A small group of onlookers (with onions)?’ New runners must discordant rendition of ‘Taps.’
look from the broken man on the bring a licence plate from their state or All runners must sign a disclaimer
ground to the inscrutable face of the country. Returnees who did not finish that reads: ‘If I am stupid enough to
bearded figure looming over him. ‘He must bring a specified item of clothing. attempt the Barkley, I deserve to be
got all his pages,’ repeats a voice in the One year it was a flannel shirt. Another held responsible for any result of that
crowd. ‘He got all his pages.’ it was white socks. The few who have attempt, be it financial, physical, mental
There are marathons, there are finished the course and are crazy or anything else.’
ultramarathons, and then there is enough to return, need only bring a ‘The runners come for something
the Barkley Marathons. Officially, pack of Camel cigarettes. they could fail at,’ says the man behind
it consist s of f ive loops t h roug h The race can begin any time between it all, Lazarus Lake, or Laz for short.
Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, midnight and noon on the closest ‘And the less likely it is that they can do
US, totalling 100 miles, but most Saturday to April Fools’ Day, always it, the more attracted they are to it.’
participants believe it’s closer to 130. exactly one hour after a conch is blown. The event was indirectly inspired by
Runners must ascend and descend Runners are not given a map of the James Earl Ray, Martin Luther King’s
over 36,000m of elevation – almost the course, which is unmarked, until the assassin, who escaped from nearby
equivalent of climbing up and down afternoon before. Then they must rely Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in
‘THE RUNNERS COME FOR

SOMETHING THEY COULD
FAIL AT. AND THE LESS
LIKELY IT IS THAT THEY
CAN DO IT, THE MORE
ATTRACTED THEY ARE’

BARKLEY MARATHONS
from running seven marathons on

seven continents in seven days. Then
there’s neon-drenched ultrarunning
fixture Jamil ‘Jam Jam’ Coury; Heather
Anderson, one of six women competing,
who crushed both the women’s and
the men’s records for hiking the 2,189-
mile Appalachian Trail unsupported;
Anderson’s boyfriend, Adam Lint, a
Barkley veteran fancied to reach loop
five; Mike Versteeg, who smashed the
record for the 830-mile Arizona Trail
run by six days; and Johan Steene, a
Swede who runs 150 miles in 24 hours
for fun. There’s a rescue swimmer, a
Zen Himalayan adventurer, and half
a dozen Frenchmen. Each of the 40
competitors has been chosen for his
or her particular skill set. It’s like The
Dirty Dozen meets Chariots of Fire. Or
should that be Deliverance?
On the Friday before the race, the
weather is looking favourable. Robbins
has gone so far as to predict that four
runners will start loop five, the most
(above) John Kelly
struggles through ever. ‘It’s true we’ve got some really
the brutal last fast people this year,’ Laz says. ‘But, you
stretch; (below know, speed kills.’
left) race founder So who does Laz think can finish
Lazarus Lake starts
the race; (below the course? ‘Well, no one seems to be
right) Laz hangs mentioning John Kelly.’
up the runners’ John Kelly is the local boy. His family
licence plates has lived on the edge of the park for 200
years. This is Kelly’s third Barkley. Last
time out he was garroted by saw briars,
1977. When he was recaptured 56 hours Completing three loops is known as a the vicious inch-long thorns, which left
later, Ray had barely gone eight miles. ‘Fun Run.’ But during the last two loops, bleeding gashes across his neck. By the
Laz thought he could have made it at exhaustion can detach runners from end of the fourth loop, he was unable
least a hundred. (Wrongly, it turned reality. In 2005, a runner on loop five to recognise his crew, and he fell asleep
out, as he’s never managed more than became convinced there were houses on 100 yards into the fifth.
two loops of the course.) Named after top of one of the mountains
Laz’s friend Barry Barkley, the first and that he had been sent to
event was held in 1986. Thirteen people collect the rubbish.
participated. No one finished. The Laz likes to say that to
next year Laz made the course harder. finish the Barkley you just
No one finished. And so on until 1995, have to average two miles
when Brit Mark Williams, fuelled by tea an hour for 60 hours. How
and cheese sandwiches, completed the hard can that be? A few
five loops in 59:28. minutes walking the course
gives you some idea. The
slopes are so steep they look
like they’re folding over and
It’s now check-in time at the Frozen back down on you. A thick
He a d c a m p s i t e . ‘ To m o r r o w I ’l l bla n ket of decomposed
be calling you an evil man,’ remarks leaves hides rocks and fallen
one runner. branches, and the bare trees
‘If that’s all I’m called,’ says Laz, ‘it’ll turn the whole park into
all have been a failure.’ one utterly disorientating
The master map is revealed, taped panorama of brown.
to a picnic table. Runners crowd G a r y R o b bi n s i s t h e
around, copying sections of the course favourite to f inish. The
– Rat Jaw, Gnarly Mouth, Leonard’s powerfully built mountain
Butt Slide, Foolish Stu, Bad Thing, trail specialist first ran the
Hillpoca ly pse – onto their maps. Barkley last year and managed to get B y 10 p m t h e f i r e s h a v e b e e n
They can also consult Laz’s printed to the fifth loop, an incredible feat for extinguished and conversation has
directions: ‘Look for a weird rock at a a ‘virgin’. His red beard has its own quietened to a murmur. Up at the
confluence of two streams, cross over Twitter account and he arrived with yellow gate, which serves as the race’s
that, turn left, and go down a hillside. his own videographer. start and finish lines, Laz is laughing
If it looks too steep, that’s the right one.’ Behind him is Mike Wardian, fresh and glancing at his watch.

A deep, harsh note booms under the took part in the Barkley some years
trees. The conch has been blown! Tents ago. It’s only when I look closer that I
light up like colourful mushrooms. notice 1,000 different tiny spots of glue
It’s 12:42am on Saturday, April 1. It’s catching the light. ‘When it arrived, it
cold, it’s drizzling, and there’s fog. Fog was shattered,’ says Laz. ‘But I found
is the worst weather to have at the t wo pieces I could stick together.
Barkley, far worse than rain or snow. Then I put it aside and searched for
‘Headlamps are no use – everything new ones.’ He had no idea what it was
turns into a wall of white,’ Laz says. supposed to look like, but he stuck with
‘Turn your headlamp off and it’s a wall it for months, painstakingly finding
of black. There’s going to be a lot of matching fragments when most people
people not finishing loop one.’ would have given up or gone insane. ‘I
At 1:42am, instead of firing a starting didn’t know until it was put together
pistol, Laz lights a Camel. And with that it had elephants on it,’ he says.
that plume of smoke, the runners are Fort y five years ago, Laz began
off. Just as the last of them disappear highlighting every road he had run on
from view, there is a loud crack. Twenty a local map. When he exhausted the
feet from the gate, a 100ft oak tilts and roads on one map, he’d get another
crashes to the ground. The stunned and tape it to the first. He set out
silence is broken only by the sound of to run across all of Tennessee’s 95
Laz cackling. ‘I wish that had happened counties, an odyssey that allowed
two minutes before the start!’ him to immerse himself in the state’s
geolog y, biolog y a nd histor y. He
explains how over the years he has
followed in the footsteps of the armies
When I meet Laz at his home outside of the North and South; and before
Bell Buckle, Tennessee, three weeks them the settlers and the Cherokee;
b ef or e t he r a ce , he ’s we a r i n g a and before them the Woodland people,
f lannel shirt and, no doubt, a pair whose villages you could still see as
of white socks under his boots. He faint dark outlines in tilled fields; and
puffs enthusiastically on a Camel. A back 10,000 years to the Clovis, whose
red beanie embossed with the word pointed projectiles could still be found; (above) a runner
Geezer crowns his head. His face, and back further still, over ground once makes his way
through thick fog;
apart from his bulging, bespectacled trod by mastodons and sabre-toothed (below) John Kelly
eyes, is largely obscured by an unruly tears out a page
grey beard. In short, he looks every from one of the
books on the route;
inch the terrifying hillbilly, an image (below right) Gary
that’s deepened by the presence of Big, Robbins’ deluxe
his giant red pit bull, who seems to be ‘Tent Mahal’
considering whether my skull would
fit in his mouth. Big had been shot
and abandoned when Laz found him.
‘Someone wanted him for a fighting
dog,’ says Laz, ‘but he just didn’t have
the nature for it.’ Laz nursed him
back to health, and now the two are
inseparable and, in a way, similar.
Despite his fearsome demeanour and
reputation, Laz is not a fighting dog by
nature, either. He pores over science
and history books and writes short
stories about his dog’s adventures.
Laz’s house is nestled in dense woods
at the top of a hill perforated with
caves. Inside, there’s a room with half
a dozen beds covered with quilts made
from Laz’s old race T-shirts, ready for
any itinerant runners who happen to
be passing through. The house is filled
with boxes of animal skulls picked
up on his runs, arrowheads collected
with his father, and stacks of National
Geographic magazines.
Laz offers me a pull from a jar of
moonshine. Among the oddities and
archaeological finds is an intricately
sculpted marble ball covered in fine
latticework and geometric designs,
a gift from an Indian runner who

BARKLEY MARATHONS
SOME RUNNERS FINISH Seven hours into t he race, t h ree
THE FIRST LOOP BUT SHAKE

runners have already dropped out. It’s
not until 11:12 in the morning that Gary
Robbins and John Kelly trot up the
THEIR HEADS AT THE GATE: road together to finish the first loop.
Finishing the race under the time limit
THEY’RE NOT GOING BACK is now seriously unlikely.

Robbins darts back to his tent to
OUT THERE
repack food, new headlights, and
clothes, while Kelly, his knees already
bleeding from the saw briars, gets
sprayed with sunblock. It’s forecast to
be 27C today. Just as the two differ in
their strengths, their camps are also
a study in contrasts. Robbins’s giant
space-age tent has been dubbed the
‘Tent Mahal.’ Kelly is fed and changed
at the yellow gate in full view. A hush
surrounds Robbins’s camp, whereas
billowing wood smoke and chatter
churn out of camp Kelly across as his
family floods in to offer support.
Other runners arrive in groups of
two or three, some finish the first
loop but shake their heads at the gate:
they’re not going back out there. After
13 hours of slogging up 40-degree
gradients, who wouldn’t want to give
in to the siren song of tent and sleeping
bag? ‘Taps’ is played. The hours pass.
Word t r ick les back t h at M i ke
Wardian, who was considered a serious
contender, was last seen charging
through the undergrowth in confusion.
A search party is just about to leave
when he trots back in. It’s taken him
more than 15 hours to complete the
cats, running through not just space to another. It kind of stuck with me.’ loop. He’s over the cutoff time.
but time. Last year, Laz crossed Unicoi In the 1970s, there were only a ‘I’ve never had to chase a cutoff
County, the last on his list. couple of hundred ultrarunners in before,’ he says, baffled, as if he finally
‘I never meant to be Laz,’ he says. the US, at most, and only a handful of feels what it’s like to be mortal. Of 40
Born Gary Cantrell, he first came official ultramarathons. None were starters, only 24 begin loop two.
upon the name Lazarus Lake in a in Tennessee. So Laz set up his own, By Saturday night, the temperature
phone book while running across the Strolling Jim, a 40-
Tennessee. Initially, he used it as his mile race named after a
email handle, but it soon morphed into champion walking horse.
his ultrarunning persona, and now ‘I wasn’t very fast,’ he
it’s unshakable. says, ‘and I didn’t have
Laz’s family comes from Oklahoma, outstanding endurance,
but when his father got a job working but I could take a lot of
on the space programme in the 1960s, punishment.’
they moved to Tullahoma, Tennessee. Today, Laz coaches
It was here, in 1966, that Laz’s father basketball at the local
saw a news report about a family in h ig h s cho ol , but for
Texas who jogged. most of his career he
‘ It b e c a m e t h e f i r s t r u n n i n g was an accountant, a
craze,’ says Laz, ‘and my dad started job he enjoyed for its
going to the track every day with his mental challenges. ‘I
buddies from work.’ Laz, who was used to love being given
12, accompanied his father on these an “insoluble” problem
excursions. ‘It was the first thing I was – you can’t fig ure out
able to beat him at, and my dad was how to do it, and you’re
very competitive.’ frustrated, and you might walk away has plummeted from 27C back to 4C.
Laz drifted into his school cross- from it a time or two. But then you let Laz stands at the gate, accounting
country team. One day, the team ran it roll around in your head. And when for ever y a rriva l, depa r t ure, a nd
from Tullahoma to the neighbouring you solve it, you say, “Man, that was DNF. Locals from the nearby town of
town of Estill Springs and back again. ‘It fun.” We need challenge to be happy. Wartburg come to watch the exhausted
was just so cool running from one town We need things to be hard.’ runners stagger to the gate.

Robbins and Kelly arrive together destroyed. A member of Kelly’s team
from loop two at 10pm and immediately wedges a slice of pepperoni pizza into
head to their campsites to eat and his mouth as he starts the next loop.
power-nap. They’re both out of camp Loop four is where the Barkley
again by 11:10pm. turns from collaborative endeavour
Most r unners quit during loop into a competition. Whoever finishes
two, and those dropping out now are loop four and gets out of camp first can
crushed and sour. There are tales of choose their direction for loop five, at
loose rocks and thorny trip wires. One which point the runners are forced to
runner estimates he fell more than 200 split up, with one running clockwise
times. The weary notes of the bugler and the other anticlockwise. Clockwise
sound throughout the night. is seen as the slightly easier direction.
When dawn breaks on Sunday, the ‘John can’t outrun Gary, but he knows
campsite has the air of a battlefield the course better,’ Laz muses. ‘Maybe
encampment. Feet stick out the back of he’ll take a tactical break and let Gary
SUVs. Laz snoozes in a camp chair by go off by himself, hoping he gets lost.’
the gate. Mike Versteeg, who bailed on
loop two, strums aimlessly on a guitar.
‘Why can’t I be good at something that
doesn’t make me feel miserable?’ he Laz directs five other races besides
says to no one in particular. Megan the Barkley. There’s the Big Backyard
Farrell, the fastest woman on loop one, Ultra , a race through the woods around
who dropped out the night before, is Laz’s house, in which participants
more philosophical. ‘I have a friend must complete a four-mile loop every
who believes in t ype-one fun and hour until only one runner is left. In
type-two fun. One is fun you have now. 2014, two competitors were locked in a
Two is fun you enjoy later on. This is dead heat after 49 hours of running.
definitely type-two fun.’ The race only ended because one had
At 10:42a m, Robbins a nd Kelly to catch a plane.
appear in lockstep. The wear is starting Then there’s ARFTA – A Race for the
to show, and their appetites have been Ages – in which runners have staggered
‘I’D HAD THIS VISION THAT

Gary Robbins I’D GET MY FINAL PAGE AND
on the first of
the five loops;
(bottom right)
the bugle
I’D ENJOY THE MOMENT. IN
that plays out the
DNF runners REALITY, I WAS SO FAR GONE
I COULDN’T SEE A THING’

BARKLEY MARATHONS
start times depending on their age: If frowns on the use of pacers, earbuds minutes when a cry comes from down
you’re 80, you start 80 hours before the and most conventional running advice. the hill. A deathly pale figure is jogging
set finish time; if you’re 30, 30 hours ‘Starting out “too fast” has become up, a plastic bag wrapped around his
before. Whoever completes the most a lost art,’ Laz wrote in one of his shoulders. It’s Kelly! The crowd breaks
laps of the one-mile-loop course wins. occasional columns for UltraRunning into cheers, and as he runs in and lays
And there’s the yearly Last Annual magazine. ‘It has come to be defined as both hands on the gate his usually
Vol State Road Race, 500km across the an error rather than a crucial part of a impassive face breaks into a sobbing
whole of Tennessee. ‘After so many runner’s signature performance… The grimace. Laz wipes something tear-
like from his eye and counts the pages.
They’re all there. John Kelly is the 15th
finisher of the Barkley Marathons.
There is no prize money for Kelly.
There is no medal. But as Laz says,
‘Those who know what you did know
that you did it.’
After getting to the last book, Kelly
says he checked his watch and saw one
hour and 45 minutes left. Plenty of time,
he thought. He checked again, but now
it read one hour and 20 minutes; he
had passed out on his feet. In a panic,
he realised he had to run not only to get
back in time but also to make sure he
wouldn’t fall asleep again.
When I speak to Kelly a week later
he is still suffering the dreaded Barkley
hangover. ‘It’s like every physical
ailment I’ve ever had all at once,’ he
(above left and says. He’s proud, but pretty sure he
right) a delirious won’t be running it again: ‘I’d had this
John Kelly at the
finish; (below) grand vision that I’d get my final page
a runner rests and I’d enjoy the moment and look
between loops down over my daddy’s farm. In reality,
I got my page and it was foggy and I was
so far gone I couldn’t see a thing.’
days on the road, you know you have thrill of achieving a result that seemed There’s still no sign of Robbins.
a job and a family, but that’s more like beyond reach is greater than the thrill ‘Fifteen minutes!’ shouts Laz. Runners
something you read about once in a of merely surviving.’ go up the hill in the direction Robbins
book,’ says Laz. ‘The real is what’s in is expected, to cheer him along.
front of you, and you break down your ‘Five minutes!’ shouts Laz. Robbins’s
life into “What am I going to drink?” wife appears distraught.
“Where will I find something to eat?” At 12:05am on Monday, two lights are ‘One minute!’ Everyone is looking
“Where am I going to sleep?” And that’s seen on the hill. Robbins and Kelly up the hill when a sound comes from
all that matters. It strips you down.’ run in hard and slam their hands on the other direction. It’s Robbins! He’s
La z’s races ca n be v iewed a s a the yellow gate. They both look awful, sprinting up to the gate – but from the
form of artistic expression. Like any though Kelly looks weaker. Falling into wrong direction. He’s drenched to the
artwork, they are designed to make you his camp chair, he flinches every time bone and throws himself at the gate
feel something – pain or inspiration, his feet are touched. After 12 minutes, before collapsing to the ground.
motivation or despair. The meaning is it’s Kelly who gets unsteadily to his ‘I got all my pages!’ he cries.
subject to interpretation. feet and touches the gate to signal he is ‘He got all his pages,’ repeats a voice
He doesn’t r un a ny more. Af ter starting loop five. He chooses clockwise in the crowd. ‘He got all his pages.’
100,000 miles, his legs finally gave and hobbles off up the trail. Laz looks at his watch. It reads
up on him. Now retired f rom his Eleven minutes later, Robbins comes 60:00:06. Robbins is six seconds too late.
accountancy job, he concentrates out of his tent and stiff ly walks to Still lying on the ground, Robbins
on directing his races and being a the gate as his wife spoon-feeds him gasps that he found the last book but
trickster figure to the ultrarunning mashed potatoes. He touches the gate, two miles from the end he took a wrong
community, which has grown and kisses her, and then speeds back down turn. He thought if he could get back to
changed enormously since the 1970s. the hill. Last year, both these runners the gate in time…
Ultrarunners today like their races to be made it to the last loop but failed to Laz shakes his head; Robbins went
run on single-cut trails, in spectacular finish. ‘It’s like hanging from a ledge by off the course. For all his effort, he’s
landscapes, with plenty of aid stations, your fingernails – it hurts so bad, but just another DNF. Even some of the
communal optimism and high-fives. you can’t let go,’ says Laz. veterans are teary-eyed. The week after
‘It’s much slower now,’ says Laz. At 6:45am, it starts to rain heavily. the race, Robbins will receive several
‘Originally, everyone who ran was Kelly didn’t take any waterproofs. emails that he’ll describe as ‘wonderful
serious and competitive. Now people ‘One hour!’ Laz shouts at 12:42pm. and appreciated,’ signed Gary Cantrell,
just do it to do it. They race now The rain eases up. not Lazarus Lake. For now, Laz gives
not necessarily to finish their best ‘Forty five minutes!’ Robbins a hug and ‘Taps’ is played. But
but to finish with the minimum of Still no sign of Robbins or Kelly. unlike the previous 38 renditions, this
discomfort.’ Unsurprisingly, Laz also La z is just about to ca ll out 30 time it sounds genuinely forlorn.

BEYOND LIMITS ISSUE: BREAKING BARRIERS
ention ‘the wall’ to

runners, and they’ll
M probably envision the
infamous point around
mile 20 of a 26.2-miler
when the limbs suddenly get heavy,
energy tanks and creeping self-doubt
makes crossing the finish line feel
like a matter of ‘if’, not ‘when’. But
that is not an experience exclusive to
marathoners – all runners pursuing
new goals will encounter at least one
seemingly insurmountable roadblock.
That block may be a niggling injury
that flares when you exceed a certain
mileage, making longer distances feel
impossible. For some, it’s symbolised
by a portable toilet, signifying the
gastrointestinal distress that can hit
mid-run and sabotage a time goal.
It’s easy to look at these walls
as entirely negative. But the bricks
hold important lessons, says sports
doctor Jordan Metzl, co-author of
Running Strong (Rodale). ‘A big part
of being a successful athlete is
identifying your wall and making a
plan for knocking it down,’ says
How to break down the physical and Metzl. ‘Once you get to the other side,
you realise you’re capable of things
you didn’t think possible.’
mental barriers standing between you and To that end, we’ve pinpointed
five common running barriers
your running goals. It’s time to get smashing and provided the tools to knock
them down. Happy wall-busting.

044 RUNNERSWORLD.CO UK APRIL 2018
BREAKING BARRIERS
1 The injury wall Gregg. You also want to start any Another problem is that cubicle-
run with warm, activated muscles. averse racers tend to skimp on their
There is no greater predictor of a Make a quick dynamic workout non- pre-race fluid or veer past the water
future running injury than a past one, negotiable – turn to page 84 for a at aid stations, which exacerbates gut
and old niggles flare when we start to five-minute warm-up routine to get troubles, says Mueller. When you’re
push mileage and skimp on rest. your body primed for action. dehydrated, your stomach slows the
‘Every runner has a weak link, and If you do feel that old injury rear movement of food through the
when training stress accumulates to up, shorten your stride and quicken digestive system. This leaves more
the point that it gets irritated, it can your cadence – turn your feet over undigested bits in the belly to jiggle
stop them in their tracks,’ says faster – which lightens the vertical around with each footfall.
exercise physiologist Adam St. Pierre, load pressing down with each Piling on gels or sports drinks can
also an ultrarunning coach with footfall, says Metzl. Make it simple make matters worse. Studies show
Carmichael Training Systems. by using a metronome app, and aim that consuming more than 60 grams
Some recurring injuries result for 165-180 footfalls per minute. of carbohydrates per hour can draw
from irritated tissues that never quite If that injury wall pops up during fluid into the gut and cause osmotic
healed (Achilles tendons and upper a race, your response should be diarrhoea, which is an unpleasant
hamstring injuries are classics). pain-dependent, says St. Pierre. condition indeed.
Others result from biomechanical ‘If you have pain, but you are able Then there’s plain nerves. ‘When
flaws (an overpronating foot, a long to run without changing your people are excited about a race, they
and heavy stride) that runners carry biomechanics, it is probably OK to are in fight-or-flight mode – their gut
with them into each training season.
As many as 79 per cent of runners
have to take time off each year due to ‘ When people are excited about a race,
injury, and some four per cent of half
marathoners and six to 18 per cent of they are in fight-or-flight mode – their
marathoners wind up in the medical
tent with one on race day. Trouble is,
gut shuts down and they often tense up’
runners often forget about their weak
link post-race, when they scale back push through,’ he says. ‘If you have shuts down and they often tense up,’
their training and the pain subsides. to change your gait substantially to says sports nutritionist Lisa Dorfman.
In reality, that’s exactly when they get to the finish line, you could end ‘A few miles in, they relax, and the
should focus on it. up with a more serious injury.’ That gut says, “OK to release!”’
means pull off, walk for 30 metres,
BREAK IT DOWN ‘If you have a then try running again. If you can’t, BREAK IT DOWN To steer clear of
nagging injury, begin your off- walk, so you can run another day. stomach pangs, first minimise
season by addressing it,’ says AJ what’s in your gut when you train,
Gregg, a strength and conditioning says Mueller. ‘Runners hear they
specialist. Consider seeing a sports- need to be eating more carbs to
medicine specialist who can zero in 2 The GI wall support training, but they don’t
on the root cause of your complaint realise that the “healthier carbs”
and help you craft a prevention Number two is the number one tend to be rich in dietary fibre,
plan. That plan will include strength- culprit for sabotaging a run. As many which leaves more residue in your
training, which builds muscular as 90 per cent of distance runners gut,’ she says. In the 72 hours before
scaffolding to protect vulnerable will be plagued with nausea, stomach a marathon, 24 hours before a 5K,
joints. It can reduce running injury cramps, wind or, most commonly, or two meals before a long run, stick
risk by half, according to the British diarrhoea at some point in training or to low-residue foods (white toast
Journal of Sports Medicine. racing, according to a 2014 review in instead of wheat, melon or banana
And while you may need to Sports Medicine. As four-time Boston instead of an apple with skin). And
back off the mileage, you won’t Marathon winner Bill Rodgers put it, go easy on nuts and seeds, which
necessarily have to stop running ‘more marathons are won or lost in leave gut residue as well. Also,
completely, as so many runners fear. the porta-toilets.’ Those tackling minimise fat, which takes longer to
‘Running can be rehab,’ says Gregg, shorter distances are not immune, clear the stomach, and sip enough
noting that you increase circulation either. ‘I see it in couch-to-5Kers to water that your urine is odourless
to injured tissue and sometimes veteran ultramarathoners,’ says and pale yellow.
mimic the motion of prescribed sports nutritionist Kim Mueller. On race or run morning, get up
WO R D S : L I S A M A R S H A L L . I L L U S T R AT I O N S : E D D I E G U Y
physical therapy exercises. To wit: Just what causes runner’s trots, early enough to allow for one hour
a study of Achilles tendinopathy however, is a matter of debate. One of digestion time before the starting
patients found those who ran explanation is that the constant gun for every 200-300 calories
through therapy recovered as well pounding irritates digestive organs consumed, Mueller advises. (Got an
as those who stopped for six weeks. (runners are twice as likely as hour before your run? Have a plain
Just remember, when you begin swimmers or cyclists to suffer muffin with a smear of peanut
to ramp back up, stick to the 10 per diarrhoea while exercising). The butter and seedless jam. Have a few
cent rule (boosting distance no more strenuous the workout, the hours? Make it a bagel with a more
more than 10 per cent per week) more likely the innards are to revolt, generous helping of peanut butter
and be very mindful of the kind of experts say; during intense exercise and jam, and add a banana.) And
running you do: attacking hills when oxygenated blood travels to the before you take off for the real
you’re not used to them or jumping muscles and away from the gut, thing, complete a light warm-up jog
into speedwork too fast is a sure leaving the blood-starved lining to ease any nerves and get things
way to anger a healing joint, says vulnerable to irritation. moving, as it were.

Once you’re running, be judicious athletes found those who excluded it all the time in clients,’ says Dorfman.
about energy gels, bars and chews; FODMAPs had fewer GI problems. Some of that weight may be muscle,
when you have one, wash it down If the urge to hit the portable toilet or water. But gain too much and it can
with water, not a sports drink (that persists? Don’t resist, says Mueller. thwart goals; each extra pound slows
will only pile more carbs in your gut). ‘The longer you wait, the more us down by 1.5 to two seconds per mile.
If you plan to race, Mueller also irritated your gut will get, and the The main reason runners gain
recommends mini race simulations harder it will be for you to recover.’ weight is their tendency to over-
every couple of weeks, practising estimate how many calories they burn,
this fuelling routine at your target says Dorfman. ‘They think, “Oh, I ran
race pace to get the body used to it. three miles, or I spent 20 minutes
‘What the gut tolerates in training, 3 The weight wall on the treadmill and so I can treat
which tends to be lower in intensity, myself to a feast.”’
can be vastly different to what it Images of runners on magazine She and Mueller also see the
tolerates at race intensity,’ she says. covers may lead one to assume that opposite. Runners eager to lose weight
Finally, runners with sensitive simply lacing up shoes will put you on don’t consume enough calories just
stomachs may want to consider the road to weight loss. In reality, as they start to expend far more.
cutting out nonsteroidal anti- many runners step on the scale weeks Starved of carbs, the body turns to
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which into their training only to discover amino acids for fuel, breaking down
can damage the intestinal lining, they’ve put on pounds. muscle and slowing the body’s resting
and eliminating FODMAPs One 2009 Tufts University study metabolic rate. The stress of chronic
(fermentable oligosaccharides, looked at 64 runners training for a training without adequate fuel can
disaccharides, monosaccharides, charity marathon and found that also kick off a cascade of hormonal
and polyols). These carbs, found in after three months of running more changes, including higher cortisol
wheat, onions, milk and sugar than four days a week, 50 of them saw levels, which signal the body to kick
alcohols (eg xylitol) are hard to no change in their weight, seven lost into survival mode and store more
absorb and can sit in the stomach, weight and seven gained. Of those fat, particularly in the abdominal
fermenting. A study of endurance seven gainers, six were women. ‘I see area. The result: weight creeps up.

BREAKING BARRIERS
BREAK IT DOWN Thankfully, this (a feel-good chemical) and melatonin ‘There is mounting evidence that
solution is simple. To prevent weight (a sleep-promoting hormone), which the muscle is not the limiting factor –
gain, be realistic about the calories can fuel depression and insomnia. it seems to be the mind,’ says Samuele
you burn, says Mueller. A runner For others, it’s a matter of buyer’s Marcora, professor of exercise
typically burns about two-thirds of remorse, says St. Pierre. After weeks physiology at the University of Kent.
his or her body weight in calories of early morning or late evening Marcora cites a 2015 study in which
per mile. That means a 120-pound workouts and decreased time with Spanish researchers put a group of
(8st 8lb) woman will burn about 240 family and friends, those without the college students on exercise bikes and
calories on a three-mile run (many right mindset start wondering, ‘Why said, ‘Pedal until you can’t possibly
recovery drinks contain more did I sign up for this, anyway?’ pedal one second more.’ The scientists
calories than that). then biopsied the students’ leg muscles
Another tactic is to reframe your BREAK IT DOWN To keep the mojo to measure the ATP, or fuel, left inside.
run as fun, not exercise. Cornell wall from emerging, pick a goal you The verdict? The students should have
University researchers found that are passionate about from the start, been able to keep pedalling for seven
when people were asked to take suggests Fitzgerald. That means additional minutes. It wasn’t their
either a one-mile ‘exercise walk’ or saying 'no thanks' to the road bodies that quit – it was their will.
a ‘scenic walk’, those in it for the marathon your friends want you to This suggests a promising bottom
scenery ate about 200 fewer calories run, because you know you much line, says Marcora: everyone from 5K
when they were later offered M&Ms. prefer trails or 5Ks, for instance. runners to ultramarathoners can
On the flip side, even if you want ‘There is mounting evidence that achieve more if they remember that
to shed pounds, try not to allow the the muscle is not the limiting factor what the brain thinks is the limit
difference between the number of – it seems to be the mind.’ isn’t the truth for the body. ‘You stop
calories you eat in a day and the The longer you're at it, the more because you feel as if you cannot keep
number you burn to be more than likely you’ll hit moments of doubt - going, but from a biochemical point
500, says Mueller. Not only could so don't train for longer than you of view, you can,’ he says.
this fuel fat storage, it could make need to. ‘If it will take you 16 weeks
you tired (so you want to run less) to get ready for a half marathon, BREAK IT DOWN To stoke your
and impair your immune system, don’t choose one that is 24 weeks willpower, you need two things: rest
upping risks of injury or illness. away,’ says Fitzgerald. Or at least and self-belief. ‘Research has shown
And if you’re already crashing into hold off on officially training until people have a higher perception of
the weight wall, consider mixing the time is right. effort and reach their wall earlier
things up with training. Once every If you’re facing a motivation wall when they are mentally fatigued,’
week or two, run ‘on empty’ – right now, back off running for a says Marcora. That means that, just
heading out for a low-intensity run week to let the body and psyche as you would with your body before
without eating breakfast. (Studies regroup, and boost your protein a big race, you must rest your mind.
suggest this can kick-start your intake. Research shows that when Avoid that last-minute piece of work
metabolism to burn fat.) On other
days, throw in high-intensity
intervals, which prompt the body to ‘The most important thing is to make running feel
burn more calories post-workout.
For instance, after a 15-minute fun again: download new music, pick a fresh route,
warm-up, run a minute at faster-
than-5K-pace, jog a minute, and
run with friends you’ve never run with before’
repeat nine times.
overtrained athletes suffer from and mentally taxing conversations.
mood swings, amping amino acids Science has also confirmed what
(the building blocks of protein) helps generations of running champions
4 The mojo wall them feel more energised and know already: self-talk can do
mentally clear. wonders to overcome a tricky spell
There comes a moment in almost The most important thing is to in a run or race. For one study,
every runner's life when he hears the make running feel fun again: researchers asked athletes to work
alarm and looks to his running shoes download new music, pick a fresh out to exhaustion, then they divided
with dread. For those with a race on route, run with friends you’ve never the group in two and had half
their calendar it tends to occur about run with before, and reframe your practise ‘if-then’ self-talk strategies
halfway in, when the excitement of training as something you get to do, (‘If I start to get tired, then I’ll repeat
signing up has worn off and the not something you have to. this mantra.’) Two weeks later,
routine begins to feel monotonous. members of the self-talk group
‘It’s like being in the middle of a lake perceived the same workout as far
where you are equidistant between easier and were able to go for
two shores and you can’t go back but 5 The mental wall longer. (For more on how to
you don't want to go forward,’ says construct your perfect self-talk
running coach Matt Fitzgerald, Conventional wisdom suggests that phrase, turn to page 88.)
author of How Bad Do You Want It? the quintessential marathoner's wall As Marcora puts it: ‘If, on top
(Aurum Press). – the heavy limbs, crashing energy of all the other things you do
The culprit can be overtraining and self-doubt — results from to improve your muscles and
syndrome; it hits about 65 per cent depleted sugar stores in the muscles. cardiovascular system, you also
of runners at some point. Too much That is undoubtedly a big part of the do things to improve your brain,
running and too little rest has an story. But compelling new research you might find a new gear you
effect on hormones such as serotonin suggests there’s more at play. didn't know existed.’

You don’t need tablets, dubious diet tips or hours
of brain games to look and feel younger. Doing the
simple thing we love will extend your lifespan – and
add more quality of life to those extra years, too

BEYOND L IMI TS ISSUE: FOREVER YOUNG
Big corporations have entered the anti-ageing market with gusto –

Unity Biotechnology, Elysium and Google’s Calico have invested
hundreds of millions into research and development of therapeutics
and medicines that work to mitigate, or even reverse, the effects of
growing old. While a magic-bullet pill has yet to appear, researchers
are bullish. ‘We believe that age can be solved,’ says Dr Sofiya Milman,
Director of Human Longevity Studies at the Institute for Aging
Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the US. ‘We don’t
think that people will be immortal, but we do believe that you can
certainly delay diseases and dysfunction that come with ageing.’
The funny thing is, we already have something that can ward off
disease and prevent, even reverse, the telltale signs of age. In fact, look
at the Venn diagram of what a hypothetical anti-ageing pill would
accomplish and what this existing tool already does for the body,
and the two circles almost perfectly intersect. You don’t need to be
a biohacker or billionaire to tap into this fountain of youth. Just
lace up your running shoes.
Running, according to many of the world’s top longevity researchers
(and decades of scientific study), is, and always has been, one of the
best things we can do to combat ageing. It helps control weight,
strengthens the heart and lungs and reduces our stress levels. But
look specifically at what it can do for us as we age – it can help prevent
some of the most common age-related diseases and ailments – and
it’s clear that running is the closest thing we’ve got to a miracle drug.
And it’s not just that our favourite sport can tack years on to our lives –
a full three, according to a study in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases
last March – it’s that it can add more life to our years. Run, and your
health, energy and quality of life are superior in ways both subtle
and absolutely vital. Living to 100 is meaningless without that.

LOOK TO OUR ANCIENT ancestors, ‘I think that exercise explains quite a bit about why we are the way
and it makes sense why running is we are today,’ he says. In other words, not running actually goes
a natural life-extender. For about against our own evolutionary history.
WE WERE two million years, the activity
ALL BORN was integral to our survival. ‘Our
T O RUN bodies adapted to r unning
because we had to do it to get
food,’ says Dr David Raichlen, an PU T YOU R PA L M U P to the left side of your
a nt h r op olo g i s t who s t ud ie s chest. Can you feel that strong beat? That’s
runners and the evolutionary history of exercise at the the single biggest age-defying benefit your
University of Arizona, US. The need to constantly be on the T HE S E C R E T run is giving you. Heart disease is among the
move had a profound physiological impact, causing our S TA R T S W I T H leading causes of death in the UK. As we age,
hearts to enlarge and our capillaries to grow, says Raichlen.
In a fascinating work published in Trends in Neurosciences,
T HE HE A R T our arteries stiffen; they can’t widen as well
to accommodate an increase in blood flow,
Raichlen lays out how running allowed Homo sapiens to and this is particularly true in the aorta, the
reach old age. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors had artery which transports blood away from the
two copies of a genotype that greatly increases the risk of heart, and in the carotid arteries, which run from chest to head. When
Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. Yet during this these insidious changes happen, major cardiac events aren’t far behind.
time, huma ns bega n living much longer tha n other A compromised cardiovascular system will do more than increase
mammals. Raichlen believes that’s primarily because we your heart attack risk, too. ‘We now know that cognitive decline with
were constantly running – for our food, from our food – ageing and disease are significantly due to decline in artery function
which minimised the chances of developing these diseases, and health,’ says Dr Douglas Seals, a professor of integrative physiology
despite having the high-risk genes. He also believes it’s no who studies vascular aging at the University of Colorado, US. ‘Your
coincidence that today, as our time spent running (or doing tendency to become more prone to diabetes with ageing is affected
any activity) plummets, our chronic disease risk rockets. and highly correlated with vascular health and function. Even kidney
disease is closely linked to the health of your arteries.’
Run regularly, and you may safeguard yourself from all of this,
according to Seals. Running not only maintains artery dilation and
elasticity, it actually restores youth and vigour to the vessels. Take
your first step, and all your muscles – quads, calves, glutes, even your
lats, shoulders, and biceps – demand more oxygen. To feed them, you
suck in air, your heart beats faster and it pumps that oxygenated blood
through the arteries and to every muscle fibre. This process is more
than just a delivery mechanism; it is silently keeping the arteries strong
and healthy. It means that no matter who you are – a fortysomething
VS. joining a running club or a retiree chasing your grandchildren around
the garden – you’re transforming your heart into a younger version
of itself. What’s more, scientific research shows that when your
arteries are healthy, everything outside the cardiovascular system
is usually in good shape, too.
That’s why Seals, who also co-directs the University of Colorado’s
Healthy Aging Project, counts exercise such as running as the
X factor for staying young. ‘It is the single most important thing – more
important than healthy diet, more important than reducing stress.’
Your heart doesn’t know the difference
between a bike ride that gets your pulse
up to 150bpm and a run that does the
same. But there are reasons why running
is the top form of exercise to keep the
THER E’S A NOTHER BA ROMETER to gauge
muscles and mind young. And they’re
our age, a single measurement that acts as a
best illustrated in this comprehensive
portal through which we can determine our
2017 international study: P O W E R ING health span: VO 2 max, or the maximum
YOUR IN T E R N A L amount of oxygen your body can use during
Researchers
examined more
you can slash your
risk of cardiovascu-
E NGINE exercise. You’ve probably heard of VO2 max
in the context of your training, and know
than 55,000 people lar-related death that the more often you push yourself – doing
WO R D S : W E S J U D D P H OTO G R A P H S : M I TC H M A N D E L
between the ages by 45-70 per cent intervals, in particular – the more your VO2
of 18 and 100, and and your chances max goes up. This is good for reasons besides nailing a marathon PB.
determined that of dying from cancer ‘The body somehow associates low maximal oxygen consumption and
regardless of how by 30-50 per cent. chronic disease,’ says Dr Frank Booth, a professor of physiology at the
old you are, whether Need more evi- University of Missouri who studies the relationship between fitness
you’re male or dence? Here’s the and disease. ‘Once your VO2 max falls below a certain value – and no
female, how much clincher: researchers one understands why – then chronic diseases skyrocket.’
booze you drink, or discovered that run- The good news is it doesn’t take much to keep VO2 max at an optimal
whether you’ve ners lived far longer level for health. Doing short intervals where you push yourself at 85-90
ever exercised than those who per cent of your maximum effort, once or twice a week, is enough to
before, if you start exercised regularly maintain a high number. ‘It is one of the more malleable characteristics
running just one to but didn’t run. So of ageing,’ says Booth, ‘and you want to fight like hell to keep your VO2
two hours per week, take that, cyclists. max from falling if you want to keep your health span.’

FOREVER YOUNG
Running is a
natural panacea.
And the more you
do it, the better it
works. The only
real overdose
risk is euphoria
(and blisters).

It’s the question and one of the world’s
researchers are asked leading experts on human
most often (mostly by performance and age.
those who want to know In their 2017 study on
the minimum they can running, epidemiologist
do and still reap the Dr Duck-chul Lee and
benefits). While there is cardiologist Dr Carl Lavie
nuance to that answer (for found that running just
example, the type and two and a half hours per
amount of running you week is enough to reap
need to improve vascular all its youth-promoting
health is different benefits. ‘Compared to
to what you need to not running, any running
increase VO2 max), the is good,’ says Lee. And
overwhelming consensus the good news for those
is – not that much. ‘I logging three-plus hours
think what people don’t a week is that, while you
realise is you get a huge don’t get exponentially
fraction of the benefits more benefits the
from relatively modest more you run, you
amounts of running per won’t actually be hurting
day – just a few miles,’ your health, as some
says Dr Michael Joyner, experts had warned.
YES, YOU CAN WOR K YOUR HEART navigation and executive functions like planning and decision-
and raise VO2 max on the bike or making,’ Raichlen explains. ‘We think those cognitive skills got linked
i n t he po ol , but what m a kes to exercise through evolutionary processes.’
HONING running so special, according to
YOUR scientists, lies within your head.
MIND As University of North Carolina
resea rchers put it, r unners
literally have a ‘younger- A G L A N C E AT T H E E L I T E S on a marathon
a p p e a r i n g b r a i n ’. I n 2 0 1 6 , start line tells you running carves lean
researchers at the University of Arizona also found that muscle. But its most significant impact isn’t
running can change the brain in many of the same ways as BUIL DING A ND aesthetic, but what it does internally, on a
activities requiring fine motor skills, such as racquet sports P R E S E R V ING cellular level. As it does for arteries, running
or playing an instrument. This was surprising, say lead
resea rchers Raichlen
S T R E NG T H restores and rejuvenates mitochondria, the
powerhouses of each cell; this means muscle
and Dr Gene Alexander, fibres can generate energy more efficiently.
because conventional logic That ’s key, because as you age, your
say s t hat r u n n i ng isn’t mitochondria become less effective at generating energy. ‘Essentially
mentally taxing – put one oxygen leaks across the inner membrane of the mitochondria,
foot in front of the other, requiring your muscles to use more oxygen,’ says Dr Justus Ortega,
try not to trip. ‘Running is director of the Biomechanics Lab at Humboldt State University in
When it comes to actually a pretty cognitively California. ‘What’s really interesting is that running seems to stimulate
heart health, brain dema nd i ng spor t ,’ says the repair of mitochondria, and allows them to generate energy as
benefits and overall Raichlen. ‘You just don’t efficiently as in younger adults.’ Ortega documented this in a recent
age-related disease realise it.’ The tree root in study that found older runners have better mitochondrial health.
prevention, runners the middle of the trail, the ‘Running lets your muscles behave like much more youthful
see positive results traffic light that’s about to muscles,’ says Ortega. ‘And if you’re able to keep your mitochondria
no matter what age turn red, that dog bounding more healthy by running, that allows you to be more active in all
they take up the towards you – these are all other aspects of your life, which can help stave off the things that we
sport. In fact, says challenges you have typically see with ageing: heart disease, diabetes, obesity.’
Dr Michael Joyner to navigate on a second-by- While running produces changes that make the body ‘younger’,
of the Mayo Clinic in second basis. it’s this ripple effect that is its key quality. Having the strength and
the US, you’ll see the Look back again to our energy to do anything you want is what gives running such immense
most benefit from forebears, and you find the value. We’re desperate to find elixirs that will give us just that, but
running between evolutionary explanation. the sport you love has been providing it all along. ‘Running is not just
roughly 45-60 years ‘As hunter-gatherers, we about muscle efficiency or benefits to your bones or heart,’ says Ortega,
old, when lifestyle- moved quickly around the a runner for 25 years. ‘What I found incredibly rewarding was the
related diseases landscape, but we’d also social and emotional benefits of meeting people, and the opportunity
really emerge have to remember where to see places that I probably would never have otherwise seen. You
and accelerate. we were going, use spatial couldn’t put enough pills together to make that happen.’

FOREVER YOUNG
From heart to muscles, to the brain and immune system, running

at any age and for almost any amount of time turns the body
into a more efficient, youthful version of itself. ‘If you could
put the effects into a pill, it would be a multibillion-dollar
pharmaceutical company,’ says Dr David Raichlen
Runners
have a higher Aerobic
concentration and exercise restores
greater volume of elasticity to arteries,
grey matter, which allowing them to
means better memory behave years younger.
and quicker recall, This helps reduce
and they generally the risk of kidney
feel sharper. Run disease, diabetes and
through complex neurodegenerative
environments – diseases.
busy cities, rocky
trails – and you also
strengthen the brain
in ways that positively
affect planning,
multitasking,
self-awareness and
motor control.
More than a stat for
fitness nerds. As
you age, your VO2
max naturally drops,
which increases risks
of chronic illnesses.
One of the best ways
to keep VO2 max
high is pushing your
Noticed you don’t get heart and lungs with
colds and flu as often running intervals.
as non-runner friends?
Not a coincidence.
Regular running is
linked to a stronger
immune system,
and it may even
prevent age-related
deterioration.
As you heft your

body weight with
each step, you’re
preserving muscle
Running, whether it’s via a and bone strength –
club or at a local race, can help you create essential a huge component
social connections. That’s more important than of staying young.
ever, with experts citing loneliness and isolation as
a major concern in our modern world.

WHOLE
LATKE
LOVE! Power your next run
with these delicious, nutritious
potato pancakes

GRATE FOR ENERGY
FLAVOUR
POTATO LATKES
FAVES
For a nutrient boost,
swap half the potatoes
With more complex carbohydrates and muscle-fuelling potassium for one of these veg
than spaghetti, potatoes make an excellent alternative to your usual
plate of pasta. And because latkes, a traditional Eastern European treat,
are made with eggs and oil, their glycaemic index is lower than that of
a plain spud. This means the carbs take longer to hit your bloodstream
and provide even, lasting energy for your runs.
PREP TIME 1 hour the potatoes and the onion. it’s shimmering. Drop some BRUSSELS
SERVINGS 4 Place in a colander lined of the potato mixture into SPROUTS
with a clean kitchen towel the hot oil and flatten into ADD 225g, trimmed
INGREDIENTS and sprinkle with salt. Let a disc that’s about 1cm thick. BENEFIT Sprouts add
potatoes, scrubbed stand 30 minutes. Using Cook until golden, flipping nuttiness and vitamin C.
medium onion, peeled the towel, squeeze as much once (about 2 minutes
and halved liquid as possible from the per side). Repeat with the
sea salt flakes potatoes and onion. Place remaining potato mixture,
large egg, lightly beaten the drained mixture in a frying several at once,
plain flour large bowl. Add the egg but not crowding the pan.
olive oil, for frying and flour to the potato Remove to a paper towel-
mixture and stir thoroughly. lined plate and sprinkle
MAKE IT Using a food Heat the oil in a large pan with salt. Serve with sauces
processor or grater, grate over medium-high heat until (see Get Saucy, below). SWEET POTATO
ADD 225g, peeled
BENEFIT The sweet
spuds add beta-carotene,
to help reduce muscle
damage.
GET SAUCY
Drizzle one of these to add a sweet, savoury or smoky taste hit
BEETROOT
ADD 225g (2 medium)
BENEFIT Their nitrates
can improve endurance.
Apple sauce Gruyère sauce Shallot sauce

PREP TIME 35 minutes PREP TIME20 minutes T O TA L T I M E 30 minutes
SERVINGS 4 SERVINGS 4 SERVINGS 4 CELERY ROOT
ADD 1 celery root, peeled
INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS BENEFIT Adds calcium
P H OTO G R A P H Y: M I TC H M A N D E L , G E T T Y I M AG E S ( S I D E BA R )
apple, peeled, seeded unsalted butter olive oil and potassium.

and chopped plain flour shallots, sliced
pear, peeled, seeded whole milk sea salt flakes
and chopped shredded
WO R D S : R U N N E R ’ S WO R L D T E S T K I TC H E N .
honey or maple syrup Gruyère cheese M A K E I T In a saucepan over

ground cinnamon medium-low heat, warm
MAKE IT In a saucepan olive oil. Add the shallots
MAKE IT In a saucepan over medium heat, melt and salt, and stir to coat.
combine the apple, pear, the butter. Stir in flour and Cook, stirring often, until
honey, cinnamon and 2 tbsp cook for 1 minute. Whisk the shallots are caramelised: CARROT AND
water. Stir, cover and cook in milk. Increase heat to soft and browned. And PARSNIP
gently, stirring occasionally, medium-high and simmer. make sure you pay proper A D D 2 carrots and 1
until the fruit is very soft Reduce heat. Simmer until attention: you may need medium parsnip, peeled
and broken down, (15-20 thickened. Remove from to add a splash of water B E N E F I T Sweetness,
minutes). Add salt and cool. heat and stir in cheese. if they start to burn. fibre and vitamin C.

YOU PROBABLY WORK SOME MUSCLES HARDER THAN OTHERS WHEN YOU RUN (THANKS,
QUADS). THIS IMBALANCE IS HOLDING YOU BACK. LEARN HOW TO MAKE EACH MUSCLE
GROUP AN EQUAL PLAYER TO PREVENT INJURY AND BOOST YOUR PERFORMANCE
MIRRO
BALANCING ACT

XQ all
of us r u n ners wa nt
to improve – and we
certainly want to avoid
i nju r ies. Sy m met r y
– or a lack thereof –
plays a crucial role in both.
‘If a runner is asymmetrical, one
part of the body may have to work
harder than the other to compensate
for wea kness. That doesn’t mean
you’re definitely due for an injury, but
it does increase the likelihood,’ says
Joe Holder, a Nike+ Run Club coach
and trainer. ‘Runners have some of
the highest incidences of injuries and
a lot of that has to do with not properly
fixing muscular imbalances.’
Take, for example, runners who are
quad-dominant, meaning they rely
heavily on the quadriceps for force.
Many of us fall into this category and
if you are constantly working those
muscles – instead of equally recruiting
their counterparts, the glutes and
hamstrings – you’re likely to end up
with a quad strain, IT band syndrome
or knee pain, says Reavy.
Even if your imba la nces don’t
manifest as injuries, that doesn’t mean
they aren’t limiting your performance.
Imagine an eight-minute-per-mile
YOU’VE HEARD THE WORD ‘SYMMETRY’ BEFORE : When you run, your body is moving runner with an asymmetry in her hip
it’s a mathematical principle that in three planes of motion, explains flexors. That asymmetry could cause
denotes exact equality on two sides. physiotherapist David Reavy. ‘You’re the glutes to power down, says Reavy,
A butterfly’s wings, for example, or a going forward and back in the sagittal freezing the runner at that eight-
snowflake. You probably first heard plane, and your body is also twisting, minute pace because she can’t tap
about the concept from a primary which is movement in the transverse into more glute strength to push the
school teacher many years ago, and plane,’ he says. ‘Meanwhile, the feet accelerator. ‘When more muscles are
it’s fairly likely you haven’t thought move in the frontal plane.’ The huge brought to the party, you don’t fatigue
about it since, even for a second. But benefit of balanced body symmetry as quickly because your whole body
it’s well worth your consideration is that there’s an equilibrium of work absorbs force, rather than placing it
when it comes to running, because and energy in those three planes – all on a certain area,’ he adds.
an asymmetrical body could be the your muscles are all working together The trick is to pinpoint those areas
source of a nagg ing or recurring as one unit, says Reavy. of inefficiency.
injury, or the reason that PB remains Sadly, none of us w ill ever be
agonisingly out of reach, however perfectly symmetrical because, well,
hard you’re training and how carefully we’re not robots. Even the g reat
you’re eating. Usain Bolt made headlines last year
‘ Eva luat ing a nd work ing on for his asymmetrical gait (his right
symmetry is one of the top tips I would leg is half an inch shorter than his
give new and veteran runners alike,’ left, owing to scoliosis, a condition themselves
says track legend Michael Johnson, that leads to curvature of the spine). known under extreme
four-time Olympic gold medal-winner Still, ‘Of all the athletes that we work circumstances, such as
and founder of the Michael Johnson with, runners can potentially yield when you’re running a
Performance training programmes. the most performance and injury- marathon or blasting
‘It can lead to efficiency, which is prevention benefits from symmetry,’ through a sprint, says Walker. But if
very important for both sprinters and s a y s L a n c e Wa l ke r, t h e g lo b a l you wait until a race to recognise and
distance runners. The more efficiently director of performance at Michael attempt to correct them, it’ll be too late.
you run, the faster you can cover Johnson Performance. In short: if ‘If you haven’t planned your training
distance and the less fatigued you you can identify – and correct – your so that your weakest link doesn’t break
will be because you’ve eliminated or asymmetries, you’ll tap into big stores under extreme conditions, you’ve set
minimised wasted motion.’ of running potential. yourself up for failure,’ says Walker.

BALANCING ACT
THE TEST
‘Dumping more volume, or miles, on rate,’ he says. ‘But when you drive a THESE MOVES HELP YOU EVALUATE
your system without levelling up in car, you don’t look at how far it’s gone, YOUR BODY SYMMETRY. TEST
strength, stability, mobility, flexibility how fast, and how much fuel it used YOURSELF EVERY EIGHT WEEKS
and balance means asymmetries are without glancing at the tyre pressure, AND ADDRESS ANY WEAKNESSES
just going to expose themselves at the too. Analysing symmetry gives you a
worst possible time, leading to a less- clearer picture of what’s going on.’
than-optimum performance,’ he adds.
In-line lunge
Unsurprisingly, pain is the biggest
tip-off that there’s an imbalance in
your body. But it may not be where A Start in a narrow
you think. ‘Eighty per cent of the time lunge, right heel
when you feel an injury, it’s referred aligned with left
pain, which is when it’s felt somewhere foot. Hold a towel
other than the actual source,’ says . Just down your spine,
personal trainer Kira Stokes. ‘Pay a s e v e r y r u n n e r ’s right elbow pointed
special attention to one-sided pain or gait is different, our up and left hand at
tightness – that’s a clear indicator.’ imba la nces un ravel your lower back.
Your pelvis is a prime example, says in unique ways. ‘It’s about getting B Lower into lunge.
Reavy. ‘The hip and foot are dependent to know your own body and having PAY ATTENTION TO
on the pelvis, and the knee depends on people you trust take an objective, Front knee. If it
the hip and the foot.’ So if you feel knee quantifiable look to help you identify moves away or
pain, the root cause could be a pelvic where you can improve,’ says Walker. toward the midline,
imbalance, he says. Id e a l l y, y o u ’l l f i r s t m a k e a n it could mean hip/
Paying closer attention to how your appointment with a physiotherapist. glute imbalance.
C LOT H I N G : G A P F I T ( M E D I U M I M PAC T S P O R T S B R A ) , A D I DA S ( T E C H F I T S H O R T T I G H T ) , AT H L E T I C P R O P U L S I O N L A B S ( WO M E N ’ S T E C H LO O M P H A N TO M R U N N I N G S H O E S )
body feels during strength training Research their speciality areas and,
can help you zero in on problems. ‘If ideally, talk to them first to make sure
you’re doing a glute-specific exercise, they have experience working with
do you feel your glutes working? There runners and that they are ‘trained to Deep overhead squat
a re prima r y mover identify muscular and
muscles and secondary skeletal imbalances’, A Start with feet
mover muscles; if you’re
doing a squat correctly,
‘RUNNERS says Reavy. ‘They can
tell you what your
more than shoulder-
width apart. Hold
your glutes should HAVE SOME OF alignment looks like, a towel overhead.
THE HIGHEST
take the primary load,’ examine flexibility and B Sit into a deep
WO R D S : A S H L E Y M AT E O. P H OTO G R A P H Y: M AT T R A I N E Y. H A I R & M A K E U P : CO L L E E N KO B R I C K . S T Y L I N G : A R GY KO U T S OT H A N AS I S .
s a y s R e a v y. ‘ Th a t ’s tell you what muscles squat, towel aligned

somet hing you ca n
clearly feel.’ INCIDENCES OF are and aren’t firing.’
From there, they, or a
over your feet.
PAY ATTENTION TO
Your phone can be a INJURIES AND A personal trainer, can Knees and heels.
LOT OF THAT HAS

helpful tool, too. Ask a prescribe exercises to If your knees cave
running buddy to take improve your specific in, it may be hip
photos and videos of
you at the beginning, TO DO WITH NOT bodily weaknesses and
imbalances.
weakness. If your
heels come off the
in the middle and at the
end of a run. ‘Analyse
FIXING MUSCULAR If you rea lly don’t
want to go down the
ground, your calves
IMBALANCES’
may be tight.
them and ask yourself: physiotherapy route,
What’s happening to you ca n ta ke more
my knees when my foot genera l reba la nci ng
strikes? Are they going in or out? And act ion. Holder recom mends t hat Hurdle step-over
how high is my kick? Are my arms runners incorporate microcycles of
crossing the front of my body? Those one-sided strength work (think single- A Stand in front of
things can be clues to whether your leg squats and glute bridges), plus a hurdle or step,
body is out of alignment,’ says Stokes. exercises that work multiple planes of feet together,
There’s even wea rable foot-bed motion at once to ensure the body is holding a towel
technolog y that can tell you how equally challenged. directly overhead.
symmetrical your stride is: athletes That’s where the routines on these B Lift your knee to
at Michael Johnson Performance pages come in. The first will help step over the hurdle
use RPM2 ($499/£360 plus shipping, you establish your baseline w it h and bring your heel
rpm2.com), a footbed-measurement six easy screening moves that bring to the floor. Step
device that provides data related to asymmetries to light (The Test, right). back to start. Repeat
deficiencies in gait, range of motion, The second is loaded with symmetry- on the other side.
force, and power. Less expensive promoting strength moves, which you PAY ATTENTION TO
devices, such as Stryd ($199/£145 plus should bring into regular workouts Your front leg. If
shipping, stryd.com), are also available to stay in peak performance mode you kick the leg
and Walker believes there’s more (The Solution , p50). Do the exercises out, you could be
symmetry-promoting technology to three times a week, and you’ll soon lacking hip mobility
come. ‘Right now, we’re only really be running stronger and faster, and or strength.
measuring time, distance and heart pushing beyond your current limits.

THE SOLUTION
DO THESE PREHAB MOVES THREE TIMES A WEEK; DO THE REPS FOR
EACH MOVE, REST 60 SECS AND DO THE CIRCUIT TWICE MORE
Triceps press-ups PAY ATTENTION TO

Bum and shoulders.
A Start at the top If you find you are
of a press-up ‘worming’ up bum
position, elbows first, you core may
tucked in by be weak. If your
your sides. shoulder blades
B Perform a aren’t moving in
press-up, keeping sync, there may
your elbows be an imbalance
tucked and body in your postural
in a straight line. muscles.
Spine rotation your left shoulder

upwards. Repeat
A Start on all on other side.
fours, spine PAY ATTENTION TO
neutral. Place your Rotation. If you
left hand behind can rotate further
your head. on one side, that
B Rotate your left may indicate
elbow towards that there is an
your right forearm. imbalance in
C Reverse the core mobility
motion, rotating and flexibility. Single-
leg tap
WORKS
Hamstrings
and glutes, and
improves stability
A From a standing
position, lift your
left foot and hinge
forward at the
hips, keeping them
Same-side PAY ATTENTION TO square, until you
bird dog Your positioning can tap your
and ability to left fingertips
A Start on all perform the move. to the floor.
fours, with a If you’re leaning
neutral spine. too far to one B Return to starting
B Extend your side, or you can’t position without
right arm and leg, do the exercise, letting your left
keeping your hips you may have foot touch the
square. Hold for a instability in floor. Do 10-12
few secs. Repeat your pelvis reps. Repeat on
on opposite side. and core. opposite side.

BALANCING ACT
Single-leg
squat
WORKS Hips,
quads, glutes
A Stand on your
left foot, right
foot lifted slightly
off the floor.
B Lower into a
squat, right foot
lifted (reach arms
out for balance).
Press through your
left heel to return
to standing. Do
10-12 reps; switch
sides and repeat.
Single-leg
glute bridge
WORKS Glutes, core
A Lie face up, feet

by your bum. Raise
right leg straight,
sole of your foot
to the ceiling.
B Squeeze your
glutes to lift your
hips as high as you
can. Hold for two
secs, then lower
until hovering just
above the floor. Do
10-12 reps; switch
sides and repeat.

A Lie on one B Squeeze A Lie on one B With heels
Side-lying side, legs your thighs
Clamshell side; stack together,
leg lifts stacked. With and lift your WORKS your legs, raise your left
bottom arm legs. Hold two Hip abductors knees at 90 knee towards
WORKS Core, hips and glutes,
and glute medius, extended, rest secs; lower degrees. Rest the ceiling.
and improves
and improves your head on legs to hover your head in Return to
hip rotation
hip stability your shoulder; above floor. your right start. Do
place your Do 10-12 reps; hand; place 10-12 reps.
top hand on switch sides your left hand Repeat on
the floor. and repeat. on the floor. opposite side.

BALANCING ACT
‘OF ALL THE ATHLETES WE WORK

WITH, RUNNERS CAN POTENTIALLY
YIELD THE MOST PERFORMANCE
AND INJURY-PREVENTION BENEFITS
FROM SYMMETRY’
Compound
bird dog
WORKS Core
and improves
stability
A Start on all
fours, spine in a
neutral position,
right arm and
left leg lifted and
extended.
B Pulse your arm

and leg up an
inch and down
an inch, twice.
C Bend your right

elbow and your
left knee under
your torso until
they touch.
D Return your right

arm and left leg to
the start. Moving
at the same time,
guide your arm
and leg straight
out to the sides,
to about two and
eight on a clock.
E Return to start.
Do 10-12 reps
of the entire
sequence. Switch
sides and repeat
with the opposite
arm and leg.

SPRING / SUMMER SHOE GUIDE 2018
MEN’S page 77
WOMEN’S
Most shoes come

in men’s and
women’s versions.
Use the colour
code to find out
which is pictured
in our reviews.
page 73
SPRING / SUMMER 2018
SHOE GUIDE
30 NEW MODELS TESTED IN THE LAB AND ON THE ROAD
page 75
page 71

RW SHOE FINDER THE SHOE FINDER HELPS YOU PINPOINT SUITABLE MODELS BASED ON YOUR RUNNING HISTORY AND OTHER SHOES
YOU LIKE. FOR MORE DETAILS ON FIT AND PERFORMANCE, SEE OUR REVIEWS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.
S TA R T
H ERE
DO YOU KNOW THE TYPE OF SHOE THAT WORKS WELL
FOR YOUR SIZE, STRIDE AND PREFERRED RIDE?
Proceed directly to the grid below. The Put yourself into a runner group using the
reviewed shoes are arranged in terms of Runner Group table on the right. When
YES cushioning, weight, sole height, flexibility
and stability features, as measured in the
NO you’ve decided on a colour-coded group
on the bottom of the table, locate it on
RW Shoe Lab in Oregon, US. You will find the grid below. Shoes in that encircled
the lighter, less supportive shoes in the group tend to work well for runners like
bottom left and the highly cushioned, you. Start your search with shoes that fall
more stable shoes in the top right. well within your group, but feel free to
Shoes in the middle provide a balance consider models along the border or in a
of performance and protection features, neighbouring group. With a little care you
and can work well for many runners. will find the running shoe that suits you.
SHOES IN THIS REGION ARE LIGHT, FLEXIBLE AND WELL-CUSHIONED

WITHOUT STABILITY AND SUPPORT FEATURES. MORE
E
Hoka One One Cavu
p73
Mizuno Wave Rider 21 361˚ Meraki
p75 p71
Hoka One One Mach

p78
C
LESS WEIGHT
361˚ Spinject
p72
Brooks Ravenna 9
p70
Saucony Liberty ISO

p75
On Cloudflyer 2
p71
Adidas Ultraboost X
p74
New Balance Fresh Foam Zante 4
A p76
On Running Cloud X
New Balance Fresh Foam Lazr Hyposkin
p76
Asics Amplica
B
p76 p78
SHOES IN THIS REGION OFFER A FIRM, CLOSE-TO-THE-GROUND RIDE

WITH LITTLE WEIGHT AND FEW RESTRICTIONS ON FOOT MOTION. LESS

WE ANALYSED DATA FROM MORE THAN THREE MILLION USERS OF THE RW ONLINE SHOE FINDER TO SORT RUNNERS
RUNNER GROUPS INTO SEVEN GROUPS. RUNNERS IN EACH GROUP HAVE SIMILAR SHOE NEEDS BASED ON A FEW KEY VARIABLES.
BODY SIZE BMI < 23 BMI 23–27 BMI > 27

Body Mass Index is calculated from your weight and height, Examples: Examples: Examples:
and offers a fairly reliable indication of body type. Under 160 lb for 5’10” man 161-188 lb for 5’10” man Over 189 lb for 5’10” man
BMI = Weight (pounds) / (Height [inches]) 2 x 703. Under 134 lb for 5’4” woman 135-157 lb for 5’4” woman Over 158 lb for 5’4” woman
Or use the calculator at runnersworld.com/bmi
Generally, the higher your BMI, the more shoe you need.
RUNNING EXPERIENCE More than Fewer than More than Fewer than More than Fewer than
This includes how long you’ve been running and how 20 miles 20 miles 15 miles 15 miles 10 miles 10 miles
much you run. Find your level here by estimating per week per week per week per week per week per week
your average miles per week over the past year.
The more you run, the more efficient you tend to
become and, generally, the less shoe you need.
INJURY EXPERIENCE No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No

During normal training, do you tend to develop problems in your joints, bones
and connective tissue?
Those with higher incidence of injuries tend to need shoes
with more support.
Note: Shoes cannot cure injuries, and the causes of problems
vary greatly. If you’re battling persistent injuries, you should
see a medical professional.
GROUPS A B C B D E D F G
SHOES IN THIS REGION COMBINE MAXIMUM CUSHIONING AND SUPPORT

CUSHION WITH PLENTY OF PROTECTIVE MATERIAL BETWEEN YOU AND THE GROUND.
New Balance 1080 v8

p72
Adidas Ultraboost 4
Adidas Pureboost Reigning Champ p72
p75
Saucony Triumph ISO 4

p77
Asics Gel Nimbus 20
p71
Under Armour Hovr Sonic Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18

p70 p74
G Brooks Levitate
MORE WEIGHT
p78
Salomon Sonic RA Pro Hoka One One Elevon
D
pXX p76
Salomon Sonic RA
p70
Brooks Transcend 5
p77
New Balance 890 v6

pXX
Salomon Sonic RA Max

F
p72 Adidas Alphabounce
p77
Asics GT2000 v6
Saucony Guide ISO p74
p73
SHOES IN THIS REGION COMBINE FIRM CUSHIONING AND AN ABUNDANCE

CUSHION OF STABILITY FEATURES, PROVIDING CONTROL AND PROTECTION.

Brooks Ravenna 9 £110 Under Armour Hovr Sonic £100 Salomon Sonic RA £120
This is one of the top sellers in the Brooks A bit of a curate’s egg, this one. Designed One of those pleasant shoes that prompts
range. The update features more durable to be a mass-appeal, utility model for little comment and is all the better for it.
outsole rubber, fewer seams, a revamped all distances, there’s no doubt it’s well- It was rated highly by our testers, who
stability feature to provide slightly more cushioned, has a durable outsole, a simple thoroughly enjoyed wearing it but were
support with less weight, and more modern last (outline) that will handle both long unsure why – a range of runners, from big
aesthetics, all of which combined to ensure runs as well as fast, short sessions, and a to super-slim, just found it comfortable and
this was one of the top-rated shoes that rock-solid heel fit. However, some testers non-intrusive. In our book, if you don’t really
didn’t actually win an award. Testers found complained about a lack of support around notice a shoe while it’s on that's normally
it was highly versatile and reported fantastic the ankle, the mesh upper was far too open, a sign that the brand has done its job
levels of comfort, speed and reliability on and the white, gold and marble aesthetics of correctly. It’s also very durable: a couple of
everything from speed sessions through to the women’s model were universally derided ultrarunners clocked some serious mileage
20-mile runs. A very well-executed update as ‘too 1990s’. All easily fixable problems for in them and reported barely any wear to the
to an already impressive shoe. the next version, though. outsole or midsole.
HEEL CUSHIONING HEEL CUSHIONING HEEL CUSHIONING

FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING FOREFOOT CUSHIONING FOREFOOT CUSHIONING

FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILITY

LESS MORE LESS MORE LESS MORE
WEIGHT: HEIGHT: WEIGHT: HEIGHT: WEIGHT: HEIGHT:

M 277g M 11 mm (Heel/Toe drop) M 288g M 8.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) M 273g M 10 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
W 222g W 9.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 247g W 7 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 229g W 10 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
SWEAT- LAB-APPROVED
We receive multiple pairs of the measure of how smoothly it moves
latest models of shoes from leading in transition from heel to toe),
TESTED manufacturers. We distribute those

shoes to more than 200 runners
all over the UK. Testers spend one
Under the direction of Martyn
Shorten, PhD, the Runner’s World
Shoe Lab in Portland, Oregon,
height, and weight. When the wear-
test and the lab-test results are in,
we pore over the reports and crunch
month testing the shoes in the wet performs six extensive mechanical the data down to the info you see
and dry over different types of tests on each shoe to measure here, to sort out the good from the
session on the road and track, features such as cushioning (to see bad, and work out which models suit
to evaluate the experience. how soft or firm it is), flexibility (a the type of runner you are.

On Cloudflyer 2 £135
Another year, another cracking shoe from
the rapidly growing Swiss brand. The best
way to sum up this gem of a shoe is that
it closely resembles in its performance
the Saucony Kinvara – which is to say it
hits the middle spot in the Venn diagram
of flexibility, comfort and speed. The high
price will turn out to be better value for
money than you think, since every one of
our testers found it did the job just as well
for speed sessions as it did for longer, slower
runs. A multi-faceted, highly reliable option
for all except wide-footed runners.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS MORE
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
M 281g M 13 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
W 235g W 10.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
361˚ Meraki £120 ASICS GEL NIMBUS 20 £150

This Chinese brand is one of a number This shoe is King Of The Hill on planet Asics. For 20 years it’s been a plush, comfortable,
of companies who are disrupting the premium neutral cushioning shoe with a slim fit. Asics took a slight risk by making a few
traditional order of the running shoe market changes to a shoe that has a fiercely loyal
right now. 361˚’s offering is a little variable, following, but they’ve paid off in spades.
though. This shoe is well-suited for bigger HEEL CUSHIONING A new gel designed to provide more
FIRM SOFT
runners, the durability and comforting cushioning as your feet fatigue was well
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
sense of heft (despite the low weight) all FIRM SOFT received, as was the fit around the midfoot:
helped to make long runs a niggle-free Asics has tweaked the design so you don’t
FLEXIBILITY
and comfortable experience time after LESS MORE have to pull the laces super tight in order
time. However, both lab and wear testers to get a secure fit, and finally a new 3D
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
reported a lack of responsiveness, meaning M 315g M 10 mm (Heel/Toe drop) printed mesh upper was noticeably better
it felt sluggish on tempo-paced runs and W 266g W 12 mm (Heel/Toe drop) at moving with, rather than holding in, your
faster. Solid and reliable, but not adaptable. foot. Everyone who wore this shoe loved it.
‘COMFORTABLE FROM THE VERY FIRST RUN.

HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
THEY HELPED WITH A SORE KNEE, AS WELL AS

FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
MORE
AGE-RELATED ACHES AND PAINS.’
W 240g W 9 mm (Heel/Toe drop) CATHERINE WILSON – 52 YEARS OLD, 5FT 5IN, 9ST 4LB, BUSINESS CONSULTANT, WEEKLY MILEAGE: 30
APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO UK 071

Salomon Sonic RA Max £120

Despite the impressively low weight
for a shoe with such heft, these feel like a
couple of pillowy tanks for your feet. The
massive wodge of midsole cushioning and
excellent outsole traction (as you would
expect from offroad specialists) allowed our
testers to bounce, crunch, waddle, pound
and skip their way over anything in their
path without worrying about where to place
their feet. The toebox is wide and the
heel fit snug. On the downside, the sub-
quality tongue rubbed anyone not
wearing thick socks.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
361˚ Spinject £100 New Balance 1080 v8 £125 LESS MORE
If 361˚ carries on making shoes like this, The big fella’s back in town. Somehow the
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
it won’t be long before it’s winning both latest update to New Balance’s premium M 266g M 12.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
awards and a bigger market share. The cushioning shoe has pulled off the trick of W 223g W 12 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
Spinject is a lightweight, neutral shoe that producing something that feels reassuringly
avoided offending any of our testers, who hefty and stable to bigger runners – no
praised the cushioning, support and midfoot surprise given its relatively hefty weight
lockdown given by the mesh upper, and – yet nimble and lightweight to quicker
particularly the flexible forefoot, which runners, who reported it a great option for
enabled faster runners to get up on their long runs. Both testers and the lab reported
toes and push off quicker. The amount of it had quite an inflexible ride despite deeper
technology for the price is excellent, and outsole grooves in this update, but the
fans of Brooks, Asics and Saucony should supreme fit and comfort make it a reliable
think about checking this brand out. option for all runs except speedwork.
HEEL CUSHIONING HEEL CUSHIONING

FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT
Adidas Ultraboost 4 £150
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT Since Adidas submitted the women-only
FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILITY
Ultraboost X alongside this shoe we only
LESS MORE LESS MORE tested the men’s version of the updated
standard Ultraboost. And it’s a case of ‘same
WEIGHT: HEIGHT: WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
M 277g M 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) M 314g M 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) old, same old’, but in a good way. It has the
W 230g W 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 276g W 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) same great combination of bounce, support,
responsiveness and comfort as version 3,
but the upper has been tweaked to make it a
little stiffer in the midsection, while the heel
counter has also been beefed up for a more
rigid grip. But what we’d really like to see
next is a slightly lighter version of this shoe,
so it could be used for all types of runs.
WEIGHT
Some runners care a lot about
weight, and research shows that
you expend more aerobic energy HEAVIEST – 346g HEEL CUSHIONING
with heavier shoes. For context, the FIRM SOFT
heaviest shoe in this guide is 346g for FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
men (Adidas Alphabounce) and 279g FIRM SOFT
for women (Asics GT2000 V6). The FLEXIBILITY

LESS MORE
lightest is 218g for men and 184g for
women (Hoka One One Cavu). LIGHTEST – 218g
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:

Saucony Guide ISO £120
Fans of the Guide take note: this is really the
Guide version 11, but Saucony has changed
the name because this latest shoe contains
its ISOFIT technology, which is essentially
an extra inner wrap in the midfoot which
provides a snugger, more adaptive fit and
disperses pressure from the tight lacing.
Elsewhere, this remains the same, gently
supportive, durable, non-threatening shoe
it has always been, suitable for neutral
runners and mild overpronators alike.
Will perform best on distances of between
10 miles and a marathon.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS MORE
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
W 251g W 7 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
Salomon Sonic RA Pro £120 HOKA ONE ONE CAVU £100

Part of a new range of three road shoes (one There may be some cheaper shoes in this guide, but for the sheer joy this gave our
for speed, one for everyday use, one with testers, the price represents outstanding value. Designed as a multi-purpose shoe for
maximal cushioning), this one is a decent running, gym and general mooching around,
effort from a brand that specialises in the Cavu manages its varied workload
offroad footwear. Although probably priced HEEL CUSHIONING with aplomb. It might look hefty, but it
FIRM SOFT
a little too steeply for what it offers, it gets was the lightest shoe that we tested: the
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
the basics right – ie, decent breathability, FIRM SOFT combination of soft heel cushioning
durability, excellent heel fit and a good and a firmer ride under the toes for a
FLEXIBILITY
lockdown in the midfoot area. While heavier LESS MORE better push-off was applauded; the mesh
testers loved the abundant cushioning, was extremely breathable, yet rugged.
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
lighter runners found it spongy as the lack M 218g M 6 mm (Heel/Toe drop) And it’s clear that Hoka has finally decided
of flexibility reported by the RW lab did not W 184g W 6 mm (Heel/Toe drop) that 21st century aesthetics are a thing
translate into a fast heel to toe transition. devoutly to be wished for.
‘THE CAVU IS SURPRISINGLY LIGHTWEIGHT CONSIDERING

HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
HOW BULKY IT LOOKS, AND IT ACTUALLY RUNS

FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
MORE
REMARKABLY SIMILARLY TO THE NIKE PEGASUS.’
W 209g W 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) MARK BURLEY – 31 YEARS OLD, 5FT 10IN, 10ST 3LB, ACTUARY, WEEKLY MILEAGE: 50
APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD CO.UK 073

New Balance 890 v6 £105

After a three-year hiatus, the 890 is back
with a totally overhauled spec. Designed
to be one of the fastest shoes in the New
Balance range, it achieves its aim. The
6mm heel drop was low enough to give a
feeling of speed, while still being suitable
for everyday use. The unusual configuration
of outsole grooves and a high toe-spring led
to high responsiveness ratings, which faster
runners loved. However, the cushioning
needs to be improved in the heel section,
as heavier-landing runners reported slight
discomfort, and even bruising.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
Asics GT2000 v6 £120 Adidas Ultraboost X £91 LESS MORE
This was unlucky not to win the award Adidas has now had a few goes at producing
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
for Best Update; the GT2000 has been women-specific running shoes, with none of M 272g M 6 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
substantially changed and not only were their previous attempts proving successful. W 230g W 6 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
those updates a success, fans of the shoe This is the second iteration of the women-
actually noticed and called out the changes. only Ultraboost and while, as ever, the
A new, more breathable mesh; a higher Boost midsole material wowed everyone
toe spring which resulted in a quicker toe who put it on their feet (and boasted the
off; a snugger heel fit; a wider toe box to highest heel cushioning tested in the lab),
allow your toes to splay more naturally the high ‘floating arch’ (with a gap between
upon landing, and less ‘blocky’ pronation the upper and midsole) once again caused
support on the medial side all contributed to discomfort, while the deliberately tight
what is an excellent high-mileage option for mesh upper was too tight, meaning the
moderate overpronators. shoes are only suitable for shorter runs.

FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18 £120
FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT By now a byword for support and
premium-level comfort, the Adrenaline just
LESS MORE LESS MORE keeps on rolling from version to version,
picking up admirers along the way. It’s
M 318g M 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 264g W 12.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) avowedly a long-run shoe: high-mileage
W 279g W 9 mm (Heel/Toe drop) runners can use it as an everyday training
model. But for everyone else it does its best
work from 10 miles and up. And it provides
subtle overpronation support, which you
won’t notice if you don’t need it. The only
changes from the awesome version 17 are
a more modern upper aesthetic and more
flexible outsole grooves.
DROP
A fancy machine called a digital
contact sensor measures the ‘stack
height’ in the heel and the forefoot. DROP: 5MM HEEL CUSHIONING
The ‘drop’ is how much your toes drop FIRM SOFT
below your heel. The least amount of FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
drop in this guide is 5mm for women FIRM SOFT
(New Balance Fresh Foam Lazr). The FLEXIBILITY

LESS MORE
most amount of drop is 13.4 mm for
men (Mizuno Wave Rider 21). DROP: 13.4MM
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:

Mizuno Wave Rider 21 £115
There’s little new to say about this very
popular shoe, which is the premium neutral
cushioning model in the Mizuno stable.
Version 20 saw substantial updates that
were so impressive that it won our Editor’s
Choice award this time last year. Mizuno has
wisely decided to stick with that essential
DNA, so fans of number 20 will find 21 just
as smooth, responsive, quick in transition
from heel to toe and slim-fitted. It’s a super-
reliable, high-mileage option for neutral
runners who like a slightly firm ride and
want one shoe for all their sessions.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS MORE
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
Saucony Liberty ISO £137.90 ADIDAS PUREBOOST REIGNING CHAMP £115

This is fairly light for a shoe that provides These men-only shoes are an excellent example of a shoe brand getting a successful
such hefty medial support. Moderate-to- fashion collaboration right – in this case Adidas teaming up with Canadian leisurewear
severe overpronators will love the feeling brand Reigning Champ. The feedback was
of freedom they get – hence the name. The that testers loved the aesthetics of the
Liberty ISO is built like a minimal shoe, but HEEL CUSHIONING low-key knitted upper just as much as they
FIRM SOFT
with added structure where it’s needed loved the bounce from the Boost midsole
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
most. Feedback was polarised between FIRM SOFT cushioning, the snug heel fit, the quick
speed demons, who loved the low-slung toe heel-toe transition and the gentle arch
FLEXIBILITY
drop and high responsiveness levels, and LESS MORE support. A hit both on the roads and in
others who felt like fish out of water without the pub, it seems. At the time of going
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
more shoe to give them a reassuring feeling M 298 g M 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) to press, a UK release date had not
on the run. However, the overpronation been announced so keep your eye on
support was praised by everyone. adidas.co.uk for further updates.
‘THE BEST BIT ABOUT THE SHOE WAS THE SUPPORT IT

HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
OFFERED MY ARCH AND THE SOFT SOLE THAT MADE IT FEEL

FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
MORE
LIKE I WAS RUNNING ON A SOFTER SURFACE THAN I WAS.’
W 245g W 4.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) JOE REID – 18 YEARS OLD, 5FT 8IN, 10ST 3LB, SALES ASSISTANT, WEEKLY MILEAGE: 15

New Balance Fresh Foam Zante 4 £100

This is fast becoming one of New Balance’s
most popular models – and one of its most
reliable. You know what you’ll get with the
Zante: a shoe that’s light and responsive
enough to do faster runs in, but robust
enough to withstand the rigours of regular
mid-level mileage (five to 13 miles). The fit
has been tweaked, and our runners loved
the way it softly gripped and controlled the
foot but still allowed it to move naturally.
One problem NB needs to fix – almost
everyone complained about the leaky
mesh and wet feet during winter testing.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
New Balance Fresh Foam On Running Cloud X £125 LESS MORE
Lazr Hyposkin £95 Since their launch six years ago, Swiss brand
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
This shoe is designed to be a sleek, general- On has barely put a foot wrong (cymbal M 244g M 5 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
purpose speedster with an incredible fit and clash), quickly gaining a loyal and growing W 211g W 5 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
semi-leisurewear aesthetics. In fact, New following for their shoes, which feature
Balance has done such a good job of making distinctive hollow cushioning pods on the
it a quick shoe that the only people who outsole. This shoe, however, hits a rare duff
got on with it were experienced lightweight note. The company’s first attempt at a shoe
runners – which is fine but not the market for both running and gym, our testers found
NB is aiming at. Elsewhere, the bootie it neither responsive enough for regular
construction inner got mixed reviews and runs, nor stable enough for gym work, with
the fit was way too snug. But with a few the heel drop on the men’s model deemed
tweaks this shoe could have a decent too steep for such a slim shoe. The fit of
future as a performance model. the upper, though, was superb.

FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT
Hoka One One Elevon £120
FIRM SOFT FIRM SOFT This new model immediately takes
residence in the Hoka stable as its premium
LESS MORE LESS MORE neutral-cushioned road shoe. The outsole
is remarkably durable, with pairs that had
M 274g M 6 mm (Heel/Toe drop) M 222g M 11 mm (Heel/Toe drop) done 150 miles showing hardly any signs of
W 233g W 5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 185g W 8.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) wear. The lab rated it as the least flexible
shoe on test, and this was borne out by
testers who found it a stiff-but-fast ride.
Whether or not you like this depends on
whether you’re after comfort or speed. It’s
hefty enough to stand the rigours of high
mileage, but the sweet spot for the Elevon
is between 10K and half marathon.
CUSHION
The lab takes cushioning
measurements in the heel and
forefoot, then averages the scores LEAST CUSHIONED HEEL CUSHIONING
to give you an idea of the overall FIRM SOFT
cushioning. The cushioning scores in FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
this guide are on a scale of 1 to 100, FIRM SOFT
with the least cushioned coming in at 5 FLEXIBILITY

LESS MORE
(On Cloud X) and the most cushioned
coming in at 99 (Adidas Ultraboost X). MOST CUSHIONED
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:

Brooks Transcend 5 £140
Bounce, bounce and more bounce. In
keeping with its predecessors, this is a
maximally cushioned, neutral road shoe
aimed at being your best friend on long
runs. It proved to be that and more for
several testers who just used it for every
type of run with no quibbles. Despite the
weight and dimensions, it feels light and
responsive, and there are ‘guide rails’ –
horizontal plastic strips running along the
outside of the shoe – to give subtle support
to mild overpronators. The only downside
was that in the wet the grip was variable.
HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS MORE
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
Adidas Alphabounce £90 SAUCONY TRIUMPH ISO 4 £140

Sometimes when a brand releases a multi- Saucony’s heavy duty neutral long run shoe has had a complete overhaul with a series
purpose shoe, its running functionality is of well thought-out changes. The heel section has been decoupled to disperse impact
somewhat lacking. Happily, that wasn’t the forces better; the vamp (the section behind
case here. Two things in particular pleased the toes) has been made less baggy, the
our testers: the super-snug, sock-like inner HEEL CUSHIONING fit around the top of the foot improved;
FIRM SOFT
(which takes a little getting into but fits like the outsole grooves have been deepened;
FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
the proverbial glove), and the bounce, as FIRM SOFT the midsole made plusher by the addition
befits the name. Considering the chunky of more of Saucony’s premium cushioning
FLEXIBILITY
weight, it didn’t feel like a heavy shoe on LESS MORE foam, Everun. This last change has actually
the foot, but on the downside the plastic added weight to the shoe compared to the
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
overlays on the midfoot and heel, designed M 320g M 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop) previous version, but high responsiveness
to help with lateral movements in the gym, W 269g W 9 mm (Heel/Toe drop) and overall comfort meant that this wasn’t
did feel constrictive to some lighter runners. noticed at all. A Triumph indeed.
‘LOVED THESE. I THOUGHT THEY PROVIDED

HEEL CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
EXCELLENT COMFORT AND STABILITY, A SMOOTH

FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
FIRM SOFT
FLEXIBILITY
LESS
WEIGHT: HEIGHT:
MORE
RIDE AND EXCELLENT TRACTION IN ALL CONDITIONS.’
W 282g W 10 mm (Heel/Toe drop) TONY GRIFFITHS – 47 YEARS OLD, 6FT 2IN, 15ST 4LB, HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGER, WEEKLY MILEAGE: 18
APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK

ORLD 077
Hoka One One Mach £120 Asics Amplica £60 Brooks Levitate £140
Part of Hoka’s new three-strong ‘Fly’ Looking at the price tag, this would have This is Brooks’s biggest shoe launch in a
collection, this replaces the popular to be a pretty bad shoe to qualify as poor few years. Seven years in development,
Clayton model if you’re after a shoe that’s value for money. Fortunately for Asics, the key technology is an entirely new
firmly focused on distances from 5K to half it’s not. It feels like a budget version of type of midsole cushioning foam (‘DNA
marathon. The midsole is tuned to be softer the Saucony Liberty ISO: quite low to the Amp’), which provides, says Brooks, the
in the heel for comfort and harder in the ground; lightweight, and narrow in the best energy return on the market. But the
forefoot to aid propulsion and toe-off; seams midfoot and heel. The midfoot section feels feedback found that, if anything, Brooks
and overlays have been kept to a minimum a little clunky in transition, and also needs a has overdone it on the cushioning. Our
and the midfoot wrap is simply provided by bit more support to secure the foot – testers testers found it to be overly soft and
a thicker, closer mesh than elsewhere. The experienced some lateral sliding when padded which, while comfy, gave a sluggish
mix of low-slung heel drop and bounce was cornering – but for the price this is a solid ride. This and the relatively high weight
irresistible to testers, who felt they could let offering. A good everyday training option means it’s best kept for those who prize
rip without worrying about lack of stability. for efficient and thrifty runners. comfort over performance.
HEEL CUSHIONING HEEL CUSHIONING HEEL CUSHIONING

FOREFOOT CUSHIONING FOREFOOT CUSHIONING FOREFOOT CUSHIONING
WO R D S : K E R RY M CCA R T H Y P H OTO G R A P H S : B E T H C R U TC H F I E L D A N D PAV E L D O R N A K

FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILITY

LESS MORE LESS MORE LESS MORE
WEIGHT: HEIGHT: WEIGHT: HEIGHT: WEIGHT: HEIGHT:

M 231g M 5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) M 248g M 6 mm (Heel/Toe drop) M 324g M 9 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
W 190g W 5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 196g W 7.5 mm (Heel/Toe drop) W 260g W 8 mm (Heel/Toe drop)
SHOE AWARD
CATEGORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE BEST UPDATE BEST DEBUT BEST BUY
Some shoes stand out
from the crowd and they The best shoe, The best new The best new The best value
deserve recognition regardless of version of an shoe tested for option for those
price or category existing model this guide on a budget

GOING THE
DISTANCE
WHEN THE MARATHON MISSION MILES RAMP UP, FUEL
YOUR RUNNING BODY TO RUN, RECOVER AND REPEAT
They call it ‘monster March’. If, like your body needs amino acids, which come
our Mission Marathoners (see Up from protein. The right source and amount
To Speed, opposite), you’re training of protein supplementation post training
for a spring 26.2, this is the month when the gives your body the nutrients to help begin
mileage maxes out and your body needs all the repair, maintenance and recovery of
the support it can get to keep performing muscle tissue.’
without breaking down. Absolutely crucial As with most things in marathon
to this is getting the right fuel to your training, time is a key factor, too: ‘Post
hard-working muscles so they can repair, exercise, for runners there is a window
rebuild and be ready for your next run. of between 30 and 120 minutes that is
‘There are many elements to consider optimal to rehydrate, fuel and recover,’ says
post training,’ says leading Performance Carter.’ This is the key timeframe when the
Nutritionist Jennie Carter, ‘but to speed up nutrients you take in will have the biggest
your recovery process and prevent injury beneficial impact; and when it comes to
or weakened performance when you next protein intake, the clock is really ticking.
run, the key is to rehydrate, replenish lost ‘The latest research suggests that protein
glycogen and minerals, and also to fuel intake – ideally 20g – can be most effective
muscle recovery. When you train, you suffer if taken within 30 minutes of exercise,’
says Carter. ‘And replenishment of muscle
▲
micro trauma to muscle tissue. To repair,

RW / / PROMOTION
glycogen is also essential within this

timeframe.’ UP TO SPEED
The trouble is, when you drag Mission Marathoners share progress
your weary limbs through the front and lesons learned as the big day looms
door after a tough 20-miler, you don’t
have the time or the energy to prep a
perfectly balanced recovery meal, even SPEED DEMONS
if you could stomach it. Which is where
sports nutrition products such as Vifit NAME: LILY BRIDGWOOD (RIGHT)
Sport come in. ‘Sports nutrition is a ‘I’ve had an IT band setback, but I’m working
great option for convenient delivery of with physios and getting back on schedule.
the required macro and micro nutrients I’ve learned the value of strength training and
recovery the hard way, but I’ve not lost faith!’
to help begin the recovery process
immediately after sport,’ says Carter.
‘They can provide your body with the
required carbohydrates, protein and BREAKING 4
minerals to optimise recovery and can
easily be taken on the go.’ NAME: JO HUMPHREY
But it’s not just the convenience ‘I’m loving the training – I’m on track and
that’s key here, you also benefit from confident. The biggest adjustment for me has
a formulation designed to speed the been slowing the pace down on long runs,
necessary nutrients through your system which is something I am still working on!’
to get to where you need them, fast. ‘They
are easy to digest and absorb, so available
to the body faster than wholefood during FINISH LINE
these essential post-training moments.’
If you’re on a marathon mission, the NAME: PAUL MEE
right recovery fuel is a key part of a ‘Training is going well and I’m confident I’ll make
winning strategy, as it has been for our that finish line. The varied sessions in the plan
Misison Marathoners. Keep up with have noticeably increased the strength in my
their progress at #missionmarathon. legs, but the winter weather was a challenge!’
BENEFITS OF
BOUNCING BACK VIFIT SPORT
Speed Demon Becs
Gentry’s recovery tips RECOVERY DRINK
With 20g of protein plus vitamin D,
‘Once my heart rate potassium, magnesium and calcium, Vifit
has calmed down, I Sport High Protein Recovery Drinks
rewarm in an Epsom are scientifically engineered to
Salt bath, then stretch effectively support your muscles’
tight areas. Taking in postrun recovery. Made with only
good protein quickly natural flavourings, they taste great
is super important for at room temperature or chilled, and
me, but after long or come in three delicious flavours:
fast runs I struggle to Banana Honey, Chocolate Mocha
eat a big meal so I have and Guarana.
a drink that delivers
protein which will be
absorbed quickly. A RECOVERY BARS
couple of hours after Packing the same recovery-supporting
running I feel ready nutritional punch of protein and key
for a meal – poached vitamins and minerals to aid muscle
eggs and avocado on function and fuel recovery when you
rye toast, or a grilled need it most, Vifit Sport High Protein
salmon fillet salad.’ Recovery Bars are
available in Lemon
Yoghurt, Cranberry
or Peach Yoghurt.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT HOW VIFIT SPORT CAN SUPPORT YOUR RECOVERY AND HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS AT WWW.VIFITSPORT.COM
A warm-up that’s worth it ..........p84
Heavy duty workouts ................p86
Beginners: Ace a 5K ...................p87
Mantras to live by ......................p88
Glute-boosting workout ............p90
DIY energy bites recipe .............p93 REACH your PERSONAL BEST
P H OTO G R A P H : J O S H CA M P B E L L /AU R O R A I L L U S T R AT I O N : R YA N S N O O K
WEIGHT TO GO
You probably know that strength
training is a great way to improve
your performance. But you may be
less clear about how to balance
resistance work with your running.
We give you some pointers.

A WARM-UP
IT’S HARD ENOUGH TO overcome Researchers split a group of 36
the lure of a cosy bed for athletes into three groups: those who
an early morning run, or to did a 20-minute bicycling warm-up
squeeze in a four-miler before performing weighted lunges,
THAT’S WORTH IT after work. But on top of it, runners

constantly hear that they should tack
on a 20-minute warm-up, too. That’s
not happening: a recent poll of
those who only did a cooldown, and
those who did neither. Everyone was
given a pain threshold test on the
two days following, to determine
Sure, you could just run slowly Runner’s World Instagram followers muscle soreness, and guess what?
for your first mile, but this confirmed that most – 75 per cent The group who warmed up had the
– forgo a proper pre-run routine. So highest pain threshold and reported
routine has way more payoff does doing one actually benefit your relatively ache-free muscles.
run that much? There’s a big difference between
It certainly looks that way, that bicycling warm-up and simply
according to a study published in taking it slow the first mile into your
the Journal of Human Kinetics. run, too, says Katie Dundas, a doctor

TRAINING
A DYNAMIC WARM-UP, GET A HEAD START 5 Minutes Before a Run…

EVEN ONE THAT LASTS
JUST FIVE MINUTES,
PROVIDES THE STRETCH
NEEDED TO RUN
STRONGER AND HELP
PREVENT INJURY
QUAD + PIRIFORMIS WALK FRANKENSTEIN WALK
TARGETS Quads, glutes, piriformis TARGETS Hamstrings
of physical therapy. ‘Both cycling
and running keep blood moving to
Grab one foot behind you, pull toward your Start standing with feet together.
bigger muscles in the legs, which is
bum. Release, step forward; switch legs. Extend right leg straight out in front of
important in a warm-up, but the
After 30 secs, cradle right leg at the ankle you as you bring left hand to tap right
cycling also provides a dynamic
and knee, pull up to chest. Release, step toes. Lower leg and step forward; repeat
stretch to the hamstrings and
forward; switch legs. Repeat for 30 secs. on opposite side. Continue for 30 secs.
quadriceps,’ she says. ‘A light jog
doesn’t offer that same stretch
and response movement.’
A dynamic warm-up, even one
that lasts just five minutes, provides
the stretch needed to run stronger
and help prevent injury.
So if there’s no question that a
warm-up gives you bonus benefits,
the real question becomes: ‘How
long do I need to do it for?’
And it’s a good-news answer:
warming up for just 10 minutes
may work as well as a session
HIP OPENER LEG CROSSOVER + SCORPION
lasting 20 minutes or more, so long
TARGETS Deep hip external rotators TARGETS Lower back, hamstrings, hips
as that time is spent on focused,
dynamic movement. A recent study
in the Journal of Strength and From standing, bend left knee and lift leg Lie face-up, legs straight and arms out.
Conditioning Research found that to hip level, then rotate out to 90 degrees. Lift right leg up and across body, tapping
when scientists analysed velocity, (Place left hand under knee to stabilise.) foot on floor. Return to start; repeat on
WO R D S : J E S S I CA D U N H A M ; P H OTO G R A P H : J O R DA N L U T E S ; I L L U S T R AT I O N S : C H A R L I E L AY TO N
heart rate, oxygen intake and rate Bring leg back to front; lower foot and other side. After 30 secs, flip over to lie face
of perceived exertion in endurance switch sides. Repeat for 30 secs. down and repeat. Continue for 30 secs.
runners, they noted that there
were no significant differences
in most categories between the
two protocols.
In fact, Dundas says, you can
halve that time, if really necessary.
‘An abbreviated version of five
minutes of dynamic stretching still
provides what you need to help
prevent injury.’
That may be the most important
reason to warm up. As we age,
muscle elasticity decreases, and
Dundas says warming up properly ARM CIRCLES INCHWORM
expands your range of motion to TARGETS Chest, deltoids, upper back TARGETS Core, deltoids, hamstrings
help counteract those deficits.
Perform these six dynamic moves
from Dundas at the start of every Stand with feet shoulder-width apart From standing, bend forward at the waist
run, doing each for 30 seconds and lift arms out to shoulder height, to touch your toes, then walk hands out to
to one minute. palms down. Make small circles; after a plank. Hold for two seconds; walk feet
Then consider your running 30 seconds, switch direction. Continue to meet hands. Roll up to starting position.
engine officially revved. for another 30 secs. Repeat for one minute.

LIFT
SMARTER
How to balance the fine
line between strength
gains and excessive pain
YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW

that lower-body strength
training can make you
faster, but also that a
hard session in the gym can trash
your legs for tomorrow’s run. If you’ve
ever rationalised skipping it to prep
for the next day’s mileage, you may
have a point. According to a recent
review of 132 studies, it takes a
full day or two more to recover from
resistance training than it does a
high-intensity run.
That doesn’t mean you should bail
on strength work – just manage it
better. Research shows that
properly scheduling resistance
training can lop seconds – even
minutes – off your PB.
To get it right, you need to
understand how your body reacts to
moving heavy stuff. Picture pushing
an empty trolley 50ft. Pretty easy.
That’s running, and your body is the Above: targeted The key to balancing both greater risk of injury because
trolley – it moves its own weight resistance training activities is timing. You don’t want muscle fatigue was causing poor
can take seconds–
rather effortlessly. Now slide the to run at 80 per cent of your running form.
even minutes –
trolley under a fridge and push it off your PB maximum effort right after heavy According to Doma, the ideal
just five feet – a lot more difficult. lifting, because there’s a lot more strength schedule is to start the
That’s mechanical loading; it’s why mechanical load being applied to week with low weight and intensity
10 heavy squats hurt more than your neuromuscular system, so to avoid shocking the body. Then
1,000 foot strikes. your muscles fatigue more than prioritise. Runners should only
The reason strength training they would in a typical running strength-train twice a week, to
makes you faster is that it lowers the session, says Doma. ensure full recovery before a tough
amount of energy required to hit Simply put, you won’t be ready run, he says. Lastly, realise that it’s
a certain pace, explains Kenji Doma, to perform at the same level if you OK to run on sore legs. If they feel
a sports and exercise scientist run the next day. Proof: in a study, tired, Doma recommends moving at
at James Cook University in runners experiencing delayed- 70 per cent or less of your maximum
Queensland, Australia, and author onset muscle soreness (DOMS) effort (seven out of 10 in your rate
of the review. Your brain alters its after resistance training did a 3km of perceived exertion).
neural recruitment pattern, calling time trial. The researchers found Want to put everything into a
WO R D S : DA N R O E P H OTO G R A P H : J O S H CA M P B E L L /AU R O R A
up the most fatigue-resistant muscle that, on average, the runners ran real-life training week? Your wish is
fibres, so you use less energy. nine per cent slower and were at Doma’s command (see below).
RUN + OFF
LIFT
PLAN Light resistance
training, with
Tempo run (run
at an 8-out-
Easy run, heavy
resistance
Off Tempo run Easy run Long run
a focus on of-10 effort for training with

upper body approximately a focus on
20 minutes) lower body

TRAINING
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS FROM

AN EASYGOING COACH
BY JEFF GALLOWAY
1. AVOID A interested in trying to

SLOWDOWN push a little harder next
If your first race involved time. To race faster,
a too-fast start, then you you must run faster in
probably crashed at the training. Try this: once
end, which can be very a week, run a series of
demoralising. To decrease 400-metre repeats (one
the likelihood of a similar lap around most outdoor
flameout happening tracks), walking two to
again, try taking more three minutes between
frequent walk breaks each. The first week, run
from the get-go. This will four repeats at the pace
keep your overall pace you held in your first
slower and preserve your 5K. Each week, add two
leg muscles so you can be repeats and do them all
the passer (instead of the a few seconds faster
passee) in the final mile than the previous week’s.
of the race. Finish a week before
your goal race with 10
2. RUN IT ALL to 12 × 400m repeats.
Many racers (especially
newbies) finish just as fast 4. BRING A FRIEND
or faster while using a Your first race can be
run-walk strategy. Even nerve-wracking, but now
so, the idea of running a you know what happens
5K without any walk on race day – and that
breaks may appeal to you. you can finish. You’ll
To work up to that, once a almost certainly enjoy
week, devote a workout your second one more,
SECOND CHANCE to non-stop running. Slow

your pace and gradually
increase the distance by
adding an additional
but to guarantee it, try
signing up with a friend.
You can chat, take walk
breaks together, and
How to make your next 5K better than your first quarter-mile to half-mile cross the line as a team.
each week, hitting your If your friend has not run
longest non-stop run of a 5K before, you can
RUNNERS RIGHTLY celebrate the milestone of finishing their first three miles one week mentor him or her to
race, but lining up to do it again is just as important. If your first before your race. a good experience.
5K was a success, you may feel more motivated to train so you
I L L U S T R AT I O N S : R A M I N I E M I ( M A I N ) , JAY W R I G H T
can enjoy the experience again and again (and accumulate a 3. FINISH FASTER
collection of race T-shirts and other swag). But if your debut didn’t go well, If you felt like a million
the upside is you can learn more from a bad run than a great one. Either dollars at the end of
way, pick one of these goals to make your second 5K a race to remember. your first 5K, you may be
THE PROBLEM Beat It walk breaks early and often.

While you don’t have to race, it If you begin to struggle, take a
My first 5K went so
can be great fun if you do it right. 30-sec walk break. You are likely
poorly that I’m not sure I
So sign up for another and run it to finish strong, pass people, and
ever want to run another.
differently: start slower, and take look forward to 5K number three.

YOU
CAN SAY
THAT
AGAIN
How tweaking your train
of thought can help you
achieve peak performance
KIMBERLY ROMANELLO felt like recreational cyclists who learned to Swap ‘I’ For ‘You’
she didn’t have any fuel use motivational self-talk statements
left in the tank. Scene: could cycle 18 per cent longer Using the word ‘I’ can stress you out instead of
Boston, US, April 17, 2017, than they’d been able to before helping you regulate your feelings and behaviour,
mile 22 of her first-ever marathon. implementing this strategy. They according to a study in the Journal of Personality
Her head hurt, her feet ached, sweat also had a lower rate of perceived and Social Psychology. Make your words more
pooled down her back. Gazing exertion than those who didn’t effective by talking to yourself like you’re someone
into the sign-wielding crowd, her engage in this kind of positive else, Wiersma says. Take it a step further by
breathing laboured, she paused self-talk. Put into running terms: a bringing someone you care about or admire into
for a moment. few happy thoughts could help you focus. ‘Imagine someone who is powerful saying
‘I had a minute there when I was push your usual 30-minute run to your mantra,’ he suggests. ‘Hear their voice. It’ll
doubting everything and why I had 35 minutes with ease. take a simple technique to the next level.’
signed up in the first place,’ reflects So, yes, mantras can actually
the 30-year-old. ‘And that’s when my make a big difference. But not
running mantras came into play.’ just any old saying will get the job
A subset of self-talk, a mantra is a done. The language you use in that
single word or short statement short and sweet pep talk makes
repeated frequently to aid a major impact. ‘Your mind can be
concentration or help accomplish an your weapon or your weakness,’
objective. Romanello’s go-tos are says Lenny Wiersma, a professor
common for runners: a simple ‘You of sports psychology who’s
got this’ or ‘Run with your heart.’ worked with all kinds of athletes,
Shutting down her inner uncertainty ranging from UFC fighters to ultra
wasn’t easy, but shifting her focus marathoners. ‘It’s a weapon when
to these positive statements we’re utilising it to draw on banked
ultimately helped her finish her first energy, allowing us to dig a little
marathon in just under five and a deeper and enjoy an experience
half hours. more. It’s a weakness if we aren’t
‘Thoughts affect feelings, and aware that what we are saying can
feelings affect performance,’ negatively change our perception of
explains Jim Afremow, a sports difficulty or distract us.’ Say It Out Loud
psychology expert and author of For example, instead of focusing
The Champion’s Mind. ‘Change on what’s going wrong mid-stride, Starting to fatigue? Bring
your thinking, and you’ll change home in on positive statements. your mantras to life by
your performance.’ Swap out something like ‘I hate voicing them – even quietly.
If that sounds almost too easy, hills’ for ‘You can crush hills.’ When Trust us, the weird stares
know that there’s plenty of research mile nine of a half marathon feels are worth it. One study
to back it up. According to a study in impossible, ditch the ‘I’m rubbish found that basketball players
the journal Medicine & Science in at this distance’ thoughts for an passed the ball faster when
Sports & Exercise, motivational affirming ‘You’re crushing this they motivated themselves
self-talk can reduce perception of distance’ mantra. As Afremow points out loud, and that the same
effort and increase endurance, out, ‘You’re the one who’s capable strategy worked for any task
which may lead to a leg-up on of changing the script to your based on speed, strength,
the competition. In the study, running story.’ or power.
088 RUNNER’SWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

BODY+MIND
From the popular sayings that pepper your

Instagram feed to the clever phrases scrawled
across message Ts, you don’t have to look far
for self-talk inspo, but these five expert tips will
help you craft a watertight running motto.
Use The Immersion

STEEP HILL
Technique
Once you settle on what your go-to
CAN THIS motivational phrases are, amp up their
impact by surrounding yourself with
the sayings from morning to night,
PRONOUN VERB NOUN
especially in the weeks and days
leading up to a race or competition.
Try embedding them in your email
signature or on your phone’s home
screen. Share them on your social
media. Then, repeat your running
mantras to yourself periodically
LAST MILE while spending three to five minutes
visualising yourself as the runner you
want to be. ‘It’ll help you to reinforce
the way you want to think, feel, and
run,’ Afremow says.
THIS
PRONOUN VERB NOUN
Edit Yourself
LONG RUN Swearing can boost strength
and stamina, according
to a 2017 study from the
University of Keele. It
ARE A found that participants on
an exercise bike who said
PRONOUN NOUN a swear word increased
their power by an average
WO R D S : E M I LY A B BAT E ; I L L U S T R AT I O N S : R YA N S N O O K
of 24 watts compared to
when they uttered a neutral
word. But be aware of how
expletives make you feel,
especially on repeat. It can
Match Your Mantra To The Moment be a powerful tactic for
some, he adds, but others
Have different running mantras that you can use at different points of may be better off avoiding
your race or distance so they don’t lose their power, Wiersma suggests. obscenities altogether.
So, one for kilometre two of a 10K, but another for kilometre eight. ‘This
way, it won’t become background noise,’ he says. ‘Reserve those chosen
few mantras for when you really need to dig deep.’
APRIL 2018 RUNNER’SWORLD.CO.UK 089

NO GLUTES,
NO GLORY
Having a weak backside
can slow your run and
lead to injuries. Here’s how
you build a stronger bum
WANT TO KNOW one of the

main reasons runners end
up injured? Look at your
backside, if you can.
Under-utilised gluteal muscles are
to blame for a large percentage of
injuries, says Nirav Pandya, assistant
professor of orthopaedic surgery at
the University of California San
Francisco Medical Center. And it’s a
weakness that often occurs because
runners are too focused on building
strong quads and hamstrings.
That’s a problem, because the
work can’t stop at your legs. Your
glutes help centre your pelvis so that
your centre of gravity is in line with
your ankles, knees and hips. That
puts your body in a more powerful
position to generate speed.
Glute weakness is often
exacerbated when we sit all day;
those muscles don’t activate
while we are seated. ‘Plus, sitting
decreases blood flow, further
deconditioning the muscles,’ says
Pandya. So, first of all, he suggests
putting your glutes to work: get up
for five minutes every hour and,
twice a day, squeeze your behind
for three seconds and release,
repeating for eight to 12 reps.
If you’re not sure whether you’re
actually activating your glutes, hop
on a treadmill that’s positioned in
front of a mirror and watch your
trunk while you run. If it’s swaying
from side to side, it’s likely your bum
isn’t in on the action. Try staying
centred and you should feel your
glute muscles steadying your pelvis.
That’s the feeling you want. 1. V-LIFT 2. SINGLE-LEG 3. MONSTER WALK
To make that motion more natural, Lie face down on a HIP ABDUCTION Place a resistance band
glute-building exercises are key. stability ball. Position your Place a resistance band just above your ankles and
Ones that require hip motion or pelvis in the middle of around your thighs, below your calves. With
balancing on one leg, such as the ball, hands resting a few inches above your your legs far enough apart
the ones on this page, from John lightly on the floor, knees. Lower into a squat. to keep tension in the
Henwood, running coach at Mile legs straight, and feet Keeping your torso still, band, walk 20 steps
High Run Club in New York City, shoulder-width apart, step one foot back at a to the right (make sure
are best: they fire the glutes to legs out in a ‘V’ position. 45-degree angle. Return you pick up your back
help you stabilise and stay upright. Keeping your back flat, to the start and quickly foot, and don’t allow your
Do one set of 15-20 reps, two or squeeze those glutes to switch feet. That’s one rep. knees to collapse inward).
three days per week – and say lift your legs as high as you Repeat, alternating legs, Reverse to the left to
hello to a stronger stride. can. Lower and repeat. until you feel the effects. return to the start.

BODY+MIND
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
Choosing the right-size stability
WO R D S : L I S A H A N E Y. P H OTO G R A P H S : M AT T R A I N E Y.
4. SINGLE-LEG 5. HAMSTRING PRESS 6. BULGARIAN ball matters – if you’re using one

DEAD LIFT Lie face down, with your SPLIT SQUAT that’s too big or small, your body
Stand on your right foot, arms bent so that your Stand with your feet positioning could be wonky,
knee slightly bent, left foot hands are folded in front hip-width apart, a few making the move less effective.
hovering next to the right. of you, elbows pointed feet in front of a stability For the V-lift and Bulgarian split
With your back flat, hinge out. Hold a stability ball, hands clasped at the squat, choose a ball that has your
forward, reaching your ball between your shins chest. Place your right foot legs at a 90-degree angle when you
arms straight toward the and ankles, with your (shoelaces down) on top sit on it (your hips should be at the
floor, and raise your left legs bent to 90 degrees. of the ball. With weight on same height as your knees). You
leg straight behind you. Squeeze your glutes and your left foot, lower into may need a smaller ball for the
Return to the start, lift the ball straight up and a deep lunge. Push into Hamstring Press: one that you can
remaining on one foot. a few inches off floor. your left heel to stand. comfortably hold between your
Do reps; switch legs. Lower and repeat. Do reps; switch sides. legs so it stays put for every rep.

FUEL
SMALL BUT
PERFECTLY
FORMED
These little wonders are the
perfect fuel on runs lasting
Nutrition per ball:
more than 60 minutes 86 kcals, 3g protein,
4g fat (0g saturates),
9g carbs (5g total
sugars), 1g fibre
Makes 16 balls
Grab a handful, wrap them ready-to-eat soft or
WO R D S : A N I TA B E A N . P H OTO G R A P H : A D R I A N L AW R E N C E
in cling film or tin foil and Medjool dates (or use dried
pop them in your pocket. dates: soak in boiling water
Consume one about 30-40 for 10-15 minutes. Drain.) 1 Place the dates in a food your hands to make bite-
minutes into your run and ground almonds processor with the almonds, sized balls. Choose your
then every 15-20 minutes rolled oats oats, nut butter and cocoa coating, spread it on a
after that. These delicious almond or peanut powder, and process for large plate, then roll
morsels provide a healthy butter 2-3 minutes, until you have each ball around until
mix of carbohydrate and cocoa powder a very stiff paste. You may it’s nicely coated.
protein, along with iron, To coat: cocoa powder, need to scrape down the
B vitamins, zinc and sesame seeds, finely mixture from the sides of 3 Place in an airtight
magnesium. You can chopped pistachios, finely the bowl a few times. container and store them
substitute cashew chopped mixed nuts, in the fridge for up to a
nuts or hazelnuts for the desiccated coconut 2 Take a small amount of the week, or in the freezer
almonds, if you prefer. or chocolate chips mixture and roll it between for up to three months.

THE
RUNNER’S
WORLD
FAMILY
RUNNING
FESTIVAL
IS BACK! How far will you go? Pick up a lap band
for every 5K you complete!
Runner’s World Runstock is a family-friendly running festival

suitable for runners of all ages and abilities, from fun runner
to ultrarunner, and produced by Rat Race Adventure Sports.
Runstock features a 5K lapped offroad course and a glorious
summer-festival feel within the stunning grounds of Boughton House,
Northamptonshire. Run solo, with a team or even the whole family and
see how many lap bands you can collect in eight hours.
JUNE 9, 2018
RW / / EVENT
ENTER
FROM £49 *
UNTIL THE END
OF MARCH!
•FESTIVAL WEEKEND
•UNLIMITED 5K LAPS
•BESPOKE 50KM MEDAL**
•7 FUN-FILLED OBSTACLE ZONES
*BA SED O N A TE AM O F 1 0 * * W I TH U LTR A-ATTE MPT U PG R A D E
•CAMPING AVAILABLE
•WEEKEND KIDS’ ACTIVITIES
•POSTRACE PARTY/LIVE MUSIC
•LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
ENTER AT RUNSTOCK.CO.UK
RACE LET YOUR RUNNING LOOSE
OCEAN’S 13.1
IT’S SELF-EVIDENT THAT 13.1 MILES is a more achievable and less
gruelling undertaking than a full marathon. Perhaps this is why the most
recent research by Runner’s World revealed that the UK’s favourite race
distance is the half marathon.
The Plymouth Half, now But with halves springing up all over the country, organisers have a problem:
Britain’s Ocean City Half what can they do to make their event stand out from the pack? That was the
conundrum facing Nigel Rowe in late 2016, when his company won the local
Marathon, is a winner, council tender to stage Plymouth’s half marathon.
says Adrian Monti His first task was a major rebranding of the event. The Plymouth Half –
which had been the name of the race since it began in the 1980s – was retired
and replaced with ‘Britain’s Ocean City Half Marathon’. That name also tied in
GOOD CHOICE
Almost 3,000
runners turned
out for Britain’s
Ocean City Half
Marathon

BRITAIN’S OCEAN CITY HALF RACE
nicely with the way Plymouth’s to the city centre. This ensured
council has been showcasing ALL RISE excellent crowd support for much
the city to visitors since 2013. Where there’s a of the route.
But with little time for any hill, there’s a way Among those who received
rerouting, Nigel and his team an extra cheer were members of
decided to stick to the Plymouth Storm Plymouth, a local group
Half’s tried-and-tested course. Not formed on social media in 2015
that there’s too much wrong with it. to encourage novice runners.
This race certainly makes excellent Many of its hundreds of members
use of Plymouth’s most famous were out in force in their purple
landmarks. We began on the Hoe, tops. If I heard ‘There’s a storm
the lofty vantage point that’s a-comin’ bellowed in an authentic
dominated by the distinctive Devon twang once, I must have
red-and-white-striped Smeaton’s heard it a dozen times. It certainly
Tower, the lighthouse that dates did the trick; it also encouraged
back to the mid-18th century. As me up some of the lumpier parts
we waited for the off, I marvelled of the course.
at the commanding view over the But this race’s sting was in its tail,
bay below, Plymouth Sound. with one of the most brutal finishes
Also scanning the horizon, to a road race I can ever remember.
presumably looking for another The zigzag path I’d breezed down
– albeit tardy – Spanish Armada from the Hoe almost two hours
coming our way, was Sir Francis bombers targeting the city’s earlier had now turned into
Drake. An imposing statue of him, strategic Royal Navy base. But the something to fear on weary legs.
in front of his beloved bowling likes of the elegant 1930s Tinside I knew every step up this steep
green, marked the start line. Lido, the historic Plymouth Gin slope (in the final half mile, the
Once we were set loose, we Distillery (in business since 1793) Britain’s Ocean City course rose by 30m) was taking
Half Marathon,
snaked away and down from the and the modern National Marine Plymouth, Devon
me closer to the finish line, but it
Hoe. The early pace-setters led Aquarium all caught my eye as (2017 stats) really didn’t feel like it.
us past the Royal Citadel, a we passed them. Yet all that sweaty toil on this
First man Jim Cole,
17th-century fortress that’s still Another highlight was heading 1:12:22 challenging and mostly engaging
used by the military, before we through the sweeping Saltram First woman Emma course was almost forgotten as
Stepto, 1:20:27
reached The Barbican, the quaint estate. But before reaching the Last finisher 3:39:25 I began swapping tales afterwards
part of the old port. grounds around this National No. of finishers in the athletes’ village.
2,855
After negotiating the cobbles Trust-owned Georgian mansion, The race might have a new name
here, we skirted another well- there was a mile of steady climbing and fresher feel, but one seasoned
known landmark, the Mayflower to the highest point on the course. club runner seemed to sum it all
Steps. From this spot, almost The views from Saltram were up perfectly. ‘It’s still 13 miles with
400 years ago, the Pilgrim Fathers impressive, while the shade offered some tough hills,’ he said in a West
set sail to begin a new life on the along the forest trail through its Country burr as deliciously rich as
other side of the Atlantic. We parkland was equally welcome on a bag of Devon fudge. ‘That’s not
navigated a more modest course, a hot spring morning. Add to that going to change. All that will is that
taking the road bridge over the a deeply satisfying descent out of I’ll be back next year, another year
River Plym and heading out the grounds, and eight miles were Finishing stats older and even slower, but still
towards the suburbs. already in the bag. ● 1:00-1:29: 3% trying to run it even quicker.’
● 1:30-1:59: 37%
It’s no use pretending that Although I could have lived ● 2:00-2:29 41% Well said, that man, and he
Plymouth is awash with architectural without a couple of out-and-backs ● 3:00+: 19% definitely won’t be the only runner
gems to rival, say, Barcelona or along closed carriageways that coming back to the Ocean City.
Rome. During the Second World passed some soulless trading This year’s race changes months and will
War, large parts of the city were estates, I accepted it was a price be run on May 20. Visit runplymouth.
destroyed in the Blitz by German worth paying to keep the race tight co.uk/britainsoceancityhalf
Like this? Try... Three more races with a sense of history

CULLODEN RUN BOSWORTH HALF MARATHON HADRIAN’S WALL HALF MARATHON
You can fight your way along On this undulating course, you Here’s something the Romans
P H OTO G R A P H Y: R U P E R T F OW L E R
this challenging course around not only pass the spot where definitely did do for us – gave us
Culloden Battlefield in Scotland, King Richard III is believed to a good excuse for a race. Along a
the scene of the last full-scale have been killed in battle in route of mixed terrain, you’ll have
battle on British soil. Choose 1485, you’ll also see where ample opportunities to admire
from the 10K or 17.64km (the his successor, Henry VII, was the wonders of this UNESCO
year of the famous battle). unofficially crowned. World Heritage Site.
Culloden, near Inverness, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, Haltwhistle, Northumberland,
October 28, chss.org.uk May 13, bosworthhalf.com June 25, hadrianhalf.co.uk

THE BIG DEBATE
SHOULD ALL RACES HAVE TIME-RELATED START PENS?

RW POLL
What Is Your
Annual Budget
For Race Entries?
AMANDA OSGOOD
Hairdresser, runner for 9 years
NEIL DRING
Lawyer, runner for 48 years
49%
YES ‘At every race. I’m not elite by any

means but it’s so frustrating for
everyone, when slower runners start further up
NO ‘It would be a waste of time in all except
the really big city races with thousands of
runners. I think most people can get themselves
than they should. It’s not a question of hierarchy, in the right spot using a bit of common sense. 22% 22%
or a sign that faster runners are more important And people can cheat the pen system if they
than less speedy ones – it’s just common sense. want to anyway. Even the big races have different
You’d like to think that most people could be ideas about this. For example, the Yorkshire
7%
£100-£200
£50-£100
trusted to get themselves to the right spot on the Marathon has start pens but the Manchester £200+
start line according to their ability, but in my Marathon does not; it just has ‘suggested areas’
£50
experience this is not the case. Either they’ve no but nothing is enforced.
sense or etiquette but either way you spend a lot ‘If a race has fewer than a thousand runners
of your time in the opening miles zigzagging there’s no need, and I think it would ruin the ‘I must be over £200+
around people, which uses up energy. If you’ve atmosphere. I do smaller local races with my already – but that’s
trained for a PB and you’re on a knife-edge in mates to have fun. I wouldn’t want the formality. not difficult to do with
terms of whether you’ll achieve it, this could Even if everyone got in the correct pen, they’d be a few half marathon
entries and a couple
be the difference between doing it or not. doing so based on a finshing time they put down
of ultras.’
Sometimes you see people around and in front on a form months previously, and unless they’re a - Ian B
of you set off at a pace that you just know they highly experienced runner who runs an even pace
cannot sustain, and sure enough after a mile or and has trained properly, they are going to do ‘I do two “big” ones
two they’ve slowed right down. If you want to either a positive or negative split which is going of £35-50, three or
walk, go and start at the back. I think that it to affect things anyway. Start pens are really so £20-30, and about
would be an easy solution to make it a rule that based on the pace that everyone is going to be 7-10 local races.’
every race has to organise the runners. They going in the first mile. Maybe they should change - Christine V
don’t have to be big fancy pens like in the larger it to ‘first mile pace pens’. I think a better solution ‘I daren’t add it up.
races – a few strips of tape will do. Or even if would be to make chip timing compulsory. That I won’t be able to do
they just make an announcement on the tannoy way, any runners thinking about sneaking further this in 40 years, so
pre-race for runners to think about the best place up might relax knowing that whatever time they I’m making the most
to line up. Anything that would help an event cross the line doesn’t matter anyway. Timing of it while I can’
start more smoothly.’ chips are cheap and easy to use.’ - LuFcColin

RACE
RACE NUMBERS
GREATER MANCHESTER MARATHON
30,000
The vital statistics behind this fast, flat 26.2-miler
YOU SAID IT
Exe To Axe
A tough 22-miler with
1,500m of climb along
the Devon coast
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF SPECTATORS
STRENGTH TEST
2:37:03 2
‘Incredible challenge, and not to be
63
underestimated, especially the
climbs at Salcombe, Weston and
Branscombe. It will find out any
weaknesses you have.’
— DARRENM Members of Chorlton
Runners who ran in Female course record, set MARRIAGE PROPOSALS
ENJOY THE VIEW 2017. More than any last year by research student MADE ON IT IN 2017
‘Fantastic race along the beautiful other club! Georgie Bruinvels
87
Jurassic Coast with stunning
views, brutal climbs and a great
atmosphere, too. Only transport
150 ELEVEN
and sign-posting could have been
better this year.’
— HAGEN
Number of relay
THE PRICE IS RIGHT teams of four that
‘Fabulous low-key, friendly fell race. completed the race
This one has been on my to-do list The number of PERCENTAGE OF 2017 ENTRANTS WITH
for a few years and now I wish had portable toilets A MANCHESTER ADDRESS
54 8687
done it sooner. Bargain entry,
285
excellent organisation, fantastic
THE NUMBER OF
views, great camaraderie with
MINUTES IT TOOK
other competitors.’
COMEDIAN STEVE
— JOSHHARRIS2
COOGAN AND HIS
BROTHER KEVIN Finishers at last
COMMUNITY SPIRIT METRES OF ELEVATION TO COMPLETE IT year’s race. 4637
‘This was a race that captured the
GAIN, MAKING IT THE UK’S IN 2012. THEY completed the first
true spirit of the running community,
FLATTEST 26.2-MILER DID IT IN 4:45:55 event in 2012.
with everyone encouraging those
P H OTO G R A P H S B Y G E T T Y, G R E AT E R M A N C H E S T E R M A R AT H O N
who struggled towards the end to This year’s race is on April 8. Visit greatermanchestermarathon.com
make it over the line. The Exe to Axe
is about completing it, not your time.’
— TERRY BEWES
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
‘Everyone was really friendly
even though it’s a self-navigation
race. The aid stations were well
spaced and stocked with plentiful
water, jelly babies and smiles! The
satisfaction of just finishing a race
like this was huge. I’ll be back!’
— JENNY TRAYFORD
Devon, April 8, sidmouthrunningclub.co.uk

THE START LIST
Our selection of the best, fastest,
toughest, quirkiest and most
enjoyable UK races this month
Highworth 5 RW POLL
For the princely sum of 11 pounds
sterling you get an extremely How soon after
competent five-mile race, showers, taking up running
bag storage, cakes, pies, tea and did you do your
other refuelling staples – and, this first race?
year, the honour of taking part in
what doubles as the Wiltshire AA
49%
RIVER RUN
county championship 5-mile event.
We reckon that’s a real bargain,
whichever way you look at it. Less than six months Weybridge 10K
Wiltshire, April 8, Let’s hope it’s not going to be a case of the difficult second album for the
Weybridge 10K. The debut last year was a roaring success, with almost
22%
highworthrunningclub.co.uk
1,000 runners turning up to pound along the Thames and around Weybridge.
There’ll be pressure to come up with the goods on the second outing, but the
Less than one year organisers are confident, claiming it’ll be bigger and better. With more runners
Great Welsh Marathon already signed up at the time of going to press than took part last year, and
A popular race that normally sells part of the route set along the banks of the Thames, we’re sure it will be.
out, not least because there are just
500 places in an event that is both
PB-friendly and scenic – you’ll fly
22%
More than one year
Surrey, April 1, weybridgesports10k.co.uk
along the Millennial Coastal path,

enjoying views of Llanelli Beach, The Fox
the Loughor Estuary and the
Gower Peninsula. There’s also a half
marathon on offer if that’s more
7%
I’ve never done a race
TINY BUT MIGHTY
Balfron 10K
Ordinarily, ‘running round the
circumference of Guildford’ is
probably not the kind of sales pitch
your kind of thing. A great example of the type of road that would inspire you to pull on your
*Based on an RW online
Llanelli, April 15, poll of 397 votes race that is the bread and butter of running shoes – but if you knew
greatwelshmarathon.co.uk our event calendar: it’s been around you’d need your trail shoes, and that
for a while (since 2007), it has grown you’d be covering some of Surrey’s
incrementally to a respectable size most beautiful countryside, you’d
(around the 500 mark), entry fee is probably have a rethink. That’s just
reasonable (£18), it doesn’t try to what you get here, with 60km, 42km
impress with gimmicks, it gets the and 21km options to choose from. If
organisation right and everyone goes you ran this race in 2017, please note
home happy. There are a few fairly that the routes this year have been
hefty undulations (OK, hills then) to reversed.
keep you on your toes. Godalming, Surrey, April 21,
Stirling, Scotland, April 22, aat-events.com/race/fox-ultra
balfron10k.org.uk
Blenheim 7K
The perfect springtime family event
round the grounds of the palace.
As well as the main event, there’s
MONSTROUSLY MOUNTAINOUS a one-mile race for the under-15s, a
4km event for wheelchair racers and
those pushing kids in buggies. A
Ultra Tour Of Arran thousand or so entrants across the
Organisers Rat Race sum this one up perfectly: ‘They three distances mean there’s a buzzy
say Arran is Scotland in miniature. From dense forests in atmosphere – and the surroundings
the South to dramatic mountains in the North, the Isle of are pretty easy on the eye. Certainly
Arran delights at every turn. Packing a 50km ultra each a better option than another Sunday
day over a two-day event, you will rack up 100km with spent at a soft play centre...
serious vertical gain.’ Where do we sign up? Woodstock, Oxfordshire, April 29,
Firth Of Clyde, April 14-15, ratrace.com blenheim7k.co.uk

START LIST RACE
WE ASKED
REV YOUR ENGINES READERS:
HAVE YOU EVER
MISSED AN
White Horse Half Marathon IMPORTANT
Now well into its fourth decade, LIFE EVENT TO
this is an outrageously fast and SECRETLY RUN
competitive tear-’em-up between OR RACE?
club runners who turn up to take
advantage of the flat roads and ‘My ex-wife’s funeral.
wide cornering to blast themselves A few years back I
to a mouth-foaming standstill over was running with a
13.1 miles. It’s low on frills, high on few friends when a
REFUEL
funeral car went past.
pedigree and is proof that old-school
I made them stop
road racing is alive and well. running. “That was
Wantage, Oxford, April 8, very respectful of It’s a bumper month for
whitehorseharriers.uk/halfmarathon you” said my friend.
I replied, ‘’It’s the
eating and drinking
least I could do, I was on the run
QUAD TWANGER married to her for
The Oner 20 years!”’ Secret Gin Run
Sheffield Half Marathon As befits a race put on by a company – Phillip Cowie Another cracker from the quirky
If you’ve been doing your hill training, with the word ‘brutal’ in its name, this running tours company. This one
‘Took my wife to
then this is one you’ll want to sign is the kind of race to give a road watch me run the
sees you start at the Punch Tavern in
up for. It’s a thrilling event that starts runner nightmares. It’s 82 miles along Manchester half London’s Fleet Street and takes you
and finishes in the city centre. In the gorgeous but treacherous marathon for our on a 10K tour of places that are key
between, it takes competitors out to Jurassic Coast – a world heritage site wedding anniversary to the Smoke’s history of juniper-
the countryside and throws in a climb – in Dorset. It has the yin of some of last year.’ tinged booze. There are talks, games
of almost 300m, peaking at around the most spectacular scenery you’ll – Steve Parker and, of course, gin. Expect it to take
the 5.5-mile mark (the views of the ever see, coupled with the yang of around two hours.
Peak District from the top will make over 3,500m of climb, a 24-hour time ‘I once left my son’s London, April 7, secretlondonruns.com
birthday party right
all the panting and swearing well limit and the gulp-inducing stat that
in the middle to go
worth it). There are prizes for King only 50 per cent of runners normally for a run.’
and Queen of the Hill, but after make it to the finish line. Yeah, we – Amanda Gater The Chocolate Run
that it’s a long downhill section all thought that last bit might bring out Yes, all your dreams have come true.
the way to the finish. your inner competitive beast. ‘The wife’s birthday It’s a race over 5K or 10K in which
South Yorkshire, April 8, Portland, Dorset, April 7, for last year’s you help the Easter bunny hunt for
runforall.com brutalevents.co.uk Torremolinos Half.’ stolen chocolate that you then, er,
– David Chittock scoff yourself – before also getting
an Easter Egg at the finish line. As
organisers Dead Drop say: ‘It’s the
only fitness event where you go
home fatter.’
Bristol, Avon, April 1,
deaddroprunningevents.co.uk
Glenlivet 10K
The stunning Cairngorms National
Park scenery means this is definitely
one to take your time on as you lope
along on the roads through the
RW ONLINE incredible landscape of the normally
private Glenlivet Crown Estate.
RACE LISTINGS Castles, rivers and, of course,
Thirsty the odd wee dram all feature.
for more? Moray, Scotland, April 8,
Simply go to chssi.org.uk/glenlivet
runnersworld.
REALLY GREAT BRITAIN co.uk/events,
the UK’s most The Ciderthon
comprehensive A leisurely half marathon through
Maverick Original Somerset race database, the southwest countryside, during
There’s so much to look at here that you’ll hardly notice your quads and where you can which you sample different locally
hamstrings being systematically destroyed by the terrain and climbing search over made ciders after each mile. If
involved. It offers stunning views of the Bristol Channel, Wales, Blackdown 4,500 races you’re after some memories from
Hills, Exmoor and the Somerset Levels, heathland hilltops, valley woodlands, by location, the event, take your phone with you
deer and ancient oaks… and you can choose to enjoy all this over an 8km, terrain, – things might be a tad hazy after
17km or 22km distance. distance the halfway point.
Bridgewater, April 14, maverick-race.com and more. Wells, Somerset, April 29, ciderthon.com

DOWNLOAD YOUR ULTIMATE
RUNNING COMPANION
Subscribe to the digital edition of Runner’s World and SAVE UP TO 26%
on the cover price. Get great tips on race plans, sportswear,
nutrition and much more.
SUBSCRIBE NOW ON THE APPLE NEWSSTAND

GREAT REASONS TO GET
THE DIGITAL EDITION
Now you can enjoy your
favourite magazine wherever
and whenever you want.
With our digital editions for
iPad and iPhone, you can
stay up to date even when
you are on the move!
Get digital today

benefit from:
O Searchable content across
all your downloaded issues

O Your choice of viewing mode to
make reading as easy as possible

O Instant access to the latest issue
even when you’re away from home

O Interactive content with live links
to websites, emails and phone
numbers
NOW ON EVEN MORE DEVICES!

Events Apparel Event Supplies Training Online Retail Travel
AN EPIC ADVENTURE .co.uk

through Spain, France & Italy
Triathletesworld.co.uk is already attracting over
FOR CYCLISTS 35,000 triathletes every month - online you'll find:
WHO WANT MORE sHUNDREDSOFEVENTSSOMEOFWHICHTOENTERONLINE

sATHRIVINGFORUMWITHOVERTHREADSMEANING
than to get from WEHAVETHESECONDLARGESTTRIATHLONFORUMINTHE5+
A B
sANABUNDANCEOFARTICLESTOHELPYOUWITHRACING
motivation, nutrition and health
sREGULARLIVEWEBCHATSWITHTRIATHLONEXPERTS
sGUIDESTOTHEBESTEVENTSINTHE5+ANDEVENTSRATED
BYOURMEMBERS
)FYOUREPASSIONATEABOUTTRIATHLONMAKESUREYOUVISITTODAY
HANNIBAL EXPEDITION CYCLING TOUR

www.rideandseek.com
Visit triathletesworld.co.uk now

and be part of a growing community
www.walshpodiatry.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Runner’s Collection
RUNNING THE HIGHLANDS
Join the UK’s most experienced
provider of running holidays for
a luxury running/walking weekend in
the Scottish Highlands.
Stay full board for 2 nights at
Douneside House, Aberdeenshire;
recently awarded AA Hotel of the Year
(Scotland) and run or walk on some of
the country’s most fabulous trails with
our excellent guides. For runners and
non-runners!
7th – 9th September 2018.
£375pp (based on 2 sharing).
Also – why not join us on one of our
guided running trips with 3 star hotel
accommodation!!
• Run The 3 Dee Glens Weekends 8th –
10th June & 5th – 7th October 2018
• Run Up The Highlands 23rd – 29th
September 2018
Latest news! – Places now available on
our Training Weekend at the Balmoral
Castle Estate 2nd – 4th November 2018
www.runningthehighlands.com
07768 378012
ROGUE EXPEDITIONS RUNNING HOLIDAYS

WHERE WE GO
Morocco, Kenya, Patagonia, USA, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland &
South Africa
HOW IT WORKS
We find the most epic runs, the best sights & the most unique travel
experiences to create destination running holidays unlike any other. BUILD & FITNESS RUNNING BELT
Small groups ensure authentic experiences and new lifelong friends. The ideal choice for both men and women looking for the ultimate
WHO CAN GO exercise accessory. Whether it’s for running, walking, jogging,
You can! Our trips are (really!) designed to accommodate all levels, hiking, cycling or workouts in the gym. It is comfortable, safe, secure
from beginners to marathoners. and reliable, you will wonder how you ever trained without it.
Get trip dates & details: www.roguexpeditions.com www.buildandfitness.co.uk
I’M A RUNNER
MICHELLE ACKERLEY
THE ONE SHOW PRESENTER, 33, ON WHAT MAKES HER SMILE WHEN SHE’S RUNNING
MY RUNNING HAS HELPED WITH

MY TV WORK. When I work on
Crimewatch Roadshow, I often do
pieces where I wear heavy riot gear
‘When I’m or abseil or run about. A couple of
running, I love the police officers on the set have
it when been impressed by how easy I make
someone these things look, which made me
acknowledges feel all my running was worth it.
me as a runner’
I RECENTLY HELPED OUT ON A
PROJECT TO HELP RUNNERS WITH
IMPAIRED SIGHT. It was an initiative
by parkrun that won the National
Lottery’s best sports project award.
I was a sighted guide for a runner
with limited vision; ever since, it
has made me hyper-aware of what
I can see when I run.
I TAKE MY TRAINERS WHEN I GO

ABROAD. I used to do a travel show
and I remember once arriving in
Melbourne really jet-lagged. Rather
than heading for bed, I went for a
run and explored the city. Not only
did I find my bearings, I also got
a workout when I might have just
been trying to sleep.
WHEN I’M RUNNING, I LOVE IT WHEN

SOMEONE ACKNOWLEDGES ME AS A
RUNNER. They might give a cheeky
smile, a thumbs-up or just say ‘Well
done’ and it gives me a little boost.
I LOVE LISTENING TO GARAGE AND DJ

SETLISTS WHEN I RUN WITH MUSIC.
I also like euphoric classical music
that can really lift you.
I ENJOY BUYING NEW RUNNING GEAR

AS A TREAT. If I have had a good
session, I might find myself a new
top or colourful leggings. Even
buying a new pair of socks can feel
I N T E R V I E W: A D R I A N M O N T I . P H OTO G R A P H : DA N R O S S
special. How sad is that?

DOING CROSS-COUNTRY AT SCHOOL I TRY TO FIT IN THREE OR FOUR RUNS Michelle is a patron
PUT ME OFF RUNNING FOR YEARS. A WEEK AROUND WORK. I spend lots of Venture Arts, I LIKE GETTING THE RIGHT FUEL INSIDE
I remember sprinting off at the start of time travelling or in a TV studio, which helps learning ME BEFORE A RUN. I usually start
and five minutes later being totally so getting out for a run early in the disabled artists. my day with a vitamin drink or
exhausted; all my pals overtook me. morning or in the evening is often Visit venturearts.org a smoothie; if it’s winter I’ll have
I thought running wasn’t for me. just what I most want to do. to find out more. porridge an hour before I set out. In
Follow Michelle summer, I might have a big chicken
IT WAS AT UNIVERSITY THAT I FIRST ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO I BEGAN on Twitter: and avocado salad once I get back.
FELL IN LOVE WITH RUNNING. I was ENTERING RACES. My first event @MichAckerley
studying psychology at Manchester. was the Manchester 10K, on behalf and Instagram: ONE DAY I’M SURE I WILL RUN A
I realised I could run first and of the Venture Arts charity. The 10K michelle_ackerley MARATHON . But I know once I do
foremost to enjoy it rather than is my favourite distance, as it’s one, I’ll probably want to do more,
only racing against others. achievable on the training I can fit in. as other runners say it’s addictive.

Runner World UK - 2018-4, 30 Best New Shoes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Runner World UK - 2018-4, 30 Best New Shoes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

30 BEST NEW SHOES

FIND AND FIX UNLOCK YOUR

APRIL 2018 £4.70 9 771350 774187

REGULARS WARM-UPS HUMAN RACE FEATURES COACH GEAR RACE

008 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

WARM-UPS P34 Barkley Marathons Join us

P88 Mantra Power Talking to

P23 Going The Distance Kevin

Arctic ultramarathon P96 The Main Event Britain’s

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 009

SEND YOUR RAVE RUN PICS TO

ANDREA SULLIVAN Director

JANE WOLFSON Chief Agency

012 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

LOOKING TO INCREASE YOUR

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 013

perception. The synthetic fabric

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 015

risk of colon cancer. Purple potatoes its suitability for runners.

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 017

JOB TRAINING Percentage of UK

FIT THE ROLE

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 019

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 021

‘I BURST INTO TEARS and cried for

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 023

‘APART FROM THE Kevin’s new

024 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

KEEP PLANTING ONE FOOT

026 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 027

028 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

WE ASK, YOU ANSWER

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST VALUE IN

races, where the free race T-shirts

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 029

SOLE MATES TO FIND YOUR PACER AND GET

and knew that running looking to get healthier,

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 031

‘WHAT I REALLY WANT

032 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 033

034 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

WORDS: GEORGE PENDLE

‘THE RUNNERS COME FOR

036 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

from running seven marathons on

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 037

038 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

SOME RUNNERS FINISH Seven hours into t he race, t h ree

THE FIRST LOOP BUT SHAKE

THEY’RE NOT GOING BACK is now seriously unlikely.

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 039

‘I’D HAD THIS VISION THAT

040 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 041

ention ‘the wall’ to

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 043

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 045

046 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

APRIL 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 047

048 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK APRIL 2018

Big corporations have entered the anti-ageing market with gusto –