for you to race over in the future. 8. Learn the hard-easy routineWhether you’re one of the world’s elite or a beginner, stick to the ‘hard-easy’ method of vigorous exercise followed by either a rest day or a recovery run. Even if you do feel fantastic

.Chris Courage joined Zoom Tri Club 12 months ago, after doing his first sprint triathlon: "I really enjoyed my first race, wanted to improve and thought that if I joined a club that would be a great help."Courage, like many novices, was apprehensive about

in the East Midlands attracts on average around 1,000 competitors – an indication of the excellence of this event. Many runners return to this race year after year, but it also attracts a healthy number of beginners and first-timers. The course starts at Berry

to rank them. NB: We have only included races with at least 25 responses and where a race appeared on more than one Top 10 chart (Scenery, PB Potential, Beginner-friendliness, Atmosphere), it was only included in the chart where it had the highest ranking.

-in-week-out, and repeating exactly the same runs and sessions on the same day of each week. While that may feel comfortable and familiar, it’s not actually the best way to improve. Mix up your training, try new sessions, enter races of wildly varying distances and you

less than a month to go until the official ballot closes on October 20 – and then it's a very quick six months until race day on April 22. But don't forget the scores of charities who may find you a place later on, as long as you guarantee to raise a

Finishing last in your first race guarantees that you’ll have a lot to look forward to in your running career. I know – in my first race, I finished just ahead of the ambulance.Okay, that’s not quite true. I wasn’t exactly dead last. I out-kicked my

minutes at a stretch.Band three: 1:50+This band covers beginners and those who have been over the distance once before, in around two hours, and would now like to try for something a little faster. The schedules assume that you have already got

,000 expert tips on nutrition, motivation, training and more.Whether you're a complete beginner or already have your sights set on a PB, this 300-page book can help you train and run better. The Complete Guide to Running is divided into 10 key chapters

, October 12) What the Great Eastern Run lacks in landmarks it makes up for in creativity, ambition and spirit. With enormous PB potential – due to the flat course – and a beginner-friendly nature, it’s a race all runners can enjoy. Keep an eye out