’Sullivan after winning a mile race. Concrete, he noticed, sent shock waves through his body and was a surefire route to long-term damage. There was only one way to sum it up: “I’m convinced that if you run on softer surfaces, your career will last longer.” The 35

not as nice! It's 20m long and it has a pillar in the middle. A massive concrete pillar. I live in fear of banging into it.It also seems to attrack some 'interesting' swimmers. People who work on their butterfly technique in narrow, busy lanes. People who make

with hazards above and beyond your neighbours' laissez-faire attitude to the poop scoop. With pollution, traffic, crowds and concrete, could you actually be doing yourself more harm than good? And how can you minimise the risks?The Risk: Air Pollution (Preview

to keep mud and water out, specialist trail shoes are designed to withstand all conditions. You’ll notice a lower heel designed to give your ankle more flexibility, and reduced cushioning, since trails are much softer than concrete.Clothing-wise, make sure

off your foot-plant, leading to sore muscles and injuries. Whenever possible, choose tarmac roads over concrete (concrete is harder), and always run against oncoming traffic. This makes you more visible to the driver (especially if you’re wearing light

to cope better with the abnormal forces running places on your body.ImpactAvoid hard-soled shoes and concrete as these will throw upwards any difference in leg length, tilting your pelvis. Instead, try to run on grass or a treadmill. Cross-train with low

-road forays into your regular road routines, even if it means driving out into the country. Do it at least once a week, and run for time only. Many of us work in offices, surrounded by glass and concrete, chattering machines and harried people. But you don

running on hard surfaces, such as concrete; and running in stiff shoes.Beginners are the most susceptible to shinsplints for a variety of reasons, but the most common is that they’re using leg muscles that haven’t been stressed in the same way before

endured for too long the weight of too much concrete, too many people. We weren’t made to live like this, and the city built upon a mistaken assumption is now sagging – a massive, impossible monument to failure.However, right now, Manhattan is 19 miles up

-Road Consider trading concrete for dirt this autumn. Running on trails reduces your risk of overuse injuries because the surface is more forgiving. “Autumn is a beautiful time of year to enjoy trails,” says Hadfield. Fartlek runs, which randomly alternate faster