personal trainer Jason Anderson (www.movement3.co.uk). Other exercises can strengthen your legs and back - many cyclists suffer from back pain. "Do lunges and split squats, plus the superman for spinal mobility," says Anderson. "One-legged deadlifts mimic

. "No one gets through training without some aches and pains," says Lewis Maharam, medical director of the New York City Marathon. When you're feeling achy, try the standard treatment of rest, ice, compression and elevation. You may need to scale back

Getting through the second transition isn't just about changing your shoes. The bike ride often means a long time in an unnatural posture, putting you at risk of back pain as well as cramps in the shoulders, calves and thighs. Here's what you need

. There are a number of universal first steps you can take to try to reduce the pain. One common cause of shin pain is introducingspeedwork too fast or increasing your mileage too rapidly. In this case, simply ease back for a week or two (you might need a few

their PB after six miles and live to regret it when they fade painfully later. You could speed up with the aim of finishing 5-10 minutes faster than planned, but we’d only recommend it if your pre-marathon race times have suggested that your current goal

hours after the race and may linger for up to a week after the marathon. For the first 24 hours after the race, apply ice (wrapped in a cloth) frequently to any painful parts of your legs, keeping it on for about 12 minutes at a time. Elevate your feet

hours after the race and may linger for up to a week after the marathon. For the first 24 hours after the race, apply ice (wrapped in a cloth) frequently to any painful parts of your legs, keeping it on for about 12 minutes at a time. Elevate your feet

injury would never let me put a full effort into speedwork. Anyway, come 10 miles on race day, an agonising shot of pain tore up my right leg into my buttock and brought me to my knees. I had to pull out, limp a mile to the nearest Tube station

your focus on maintaining a steady pace. Dr Fletcher advises, "Once you're in the race, switch to auto-pilot and just do the job. Rhythmic breathing and counting strategies are useful for dissociation from any pain you're feeling.'In The Middle

more painful. How do you cope with the discomfort?Spedding: In any race, the greater your desire to succeed, the less you notice the pain. If you concentrate hard on your goal and on the way the race is going, you rise above the pain.Wilson: Yes, it can