the carb-loading low-down with these simple dos and don'ts.Rest and RecoveryBecome a better runner even after you've pulled off your trainers with these quick and easy recovery tips.Core StabilityA strong core will make you fitter and faster, as well

Weight 377gEvaluation Fila hasn’t yet had the success it wants in the serious running market. That’s partly because the Italian company is determined to establish a reputation for edgy style, which presumably makes some core runners dubious. It

introduced the Durham into the UK, a shoe that has been a US favourite for a year. There’s absolutely nothing fancy about it, as befits a shoe in Nike’s core Bowerman range; it’s simply designed to provide maximum stability with ample cushioning. (It also has

, wear testers who wore prior Max shoes were surprised by its lightness, smoothness and overall upper comfort. In short The Max has always been a big part of Nike’s line, but it was either too bulky or not stable enough for many core runners. Forget that

Weight 428gEvaluation Most shoes with EVA-based midsoles have a hard time standing up to bigger, heavier runners who pound the roads. For these runners, there are shoes such as the Icon III DMX, which doesn’t rely heavily on foam for its cushioning

of all sizes, it’s really not cushioned enough for the heaviest runners – that’s obvious when you compare its lighter, more responsive ride with that of the Hammer or, say, the Asics Gel MC+.Oddly, even though it’s not built on a motion-control shoe

Weight 435gEvaluation As is the way with Nike’s core Bowerman running range, changes to the Durham this year are minimal. It still has a heavy, full-length polyurethane midsole – which makes it particularly well suited to weighty runners looking

-absorbing foam – the more cushioned and durable Abzorb SBS. Instead of just using it in the core of the midsole, New Balance has placed a huge pad of Abzorb SBS in the forefoot to provide improved cushioning and midsole durability. Compared with its previous

Weight 362gEvaluation The Thielsen is from Nike’s ACG rather than its core running range and was designed with the trails around the firm’s Oregon HQ in mind. These trails are not unlike British off-road conditions, which is why this is a pretty

Weight 354gEvaluation Most of Nike’s rugged, winterised shoes are simply core models – like the Moto and Pegasus – with hard-wearing, water-resistant uppers and grippier outsoles. The Storm Current is a little different as it’s an all-new Storm