I've ticked most of the 'must-do' boxes in my 20 years of running, from 5Ks to marathons, a multi-day event and even a night run. But I've never raced a mile, attempted cross-country or donned fancy dress. Nor have I run a European city marathon or braved a fell race. "Many of us...

outside your comfort zone takes physical and mental energy, but the joy of hitting your fitness goals or getting faster makes it worthwhile."Image credit: David PlunkertOld Routine: Always run the same workoutsFresh Approach: Mix it up"The body adapts to a

. "You could treat it either just as a harder version of a training run, or as a full-out race in its own right." Many elites race tune-ups as simple fitness tests, to see whether they are on track to achieve their goals for their big races. Even more

and is a great way to fit training into your schedule.Many triathletes don't ride at lunchtime because they feel a ride needs to be long to be worthwhile, but that's not true. Others are discouraged by common, but easily sidestepped, challenges

days to log more miles or train for a race, so you’re more fit than you’ve been all year. But this otherwise ideal season is fleeting, and without the right focus, you could lose all you’ve gained as winter rolls around. So make the most of your summer

People are always calling me names. I’ve been labelled a hippie, a yuppie, cool, uncool… and even clueless. In addition to these, I’m part of the Television Generation. It’s true. Growing up, I spent time with Rowdy Yates, the Lone Ranger and Pancho and Cisco. I learned about tru...

© Getty ImagesIf you feel like you can't run any further once you've hit the 20-mile mark in a marathon – your legs have turned to lead and your mind to mush – you might have started out too fast. Fortunately, there is a simple way around this. A progression run means starting ou...

of running shoe that fits neatly into a similar ‘hybrid' category: performance trainers.They're light enough to slip on for a speed session on the track, but offer enough stability and cushioning to cope with all but the longest Sunday training runs. They

fitness. It doesn't matter too much what you do, as long as it doesn't aggravate the existing injury.The only problem with things like fast-paced walking is that I don't sweat. Working up a big sweat is so ingrained in me that I desperately need the feel

of Running Well (£14.99, amazon.co.uk). "Working backwards from your goal, incorporating all the other stuff in life you have to fit around your training – from kids to work – will help you identify what is realistic in your specific time frame." Get it down