are to be expected, but don't let them put you off your next cycle of training or another race. It's easy to recover, stay in great shape and be ready for the next challenge if you follow these simple tips from our expert coaches and athletes. Go for a spin"After a

."After setting himself the goal of losing weight, Steve joined a slimming club. He set realistic targets, and above all, made sure that he stuck to them."I found it easier to break up my weight loss aims into more manageable mini-targets. That way you

half a lifetime left. So if you choose to stay in the running game, you need to renew and review your goals." One way to do that is to set age-based time goals each year. Try to beat the best time you've run for each distance while in the 45-49 age

psychological pitfalls.Problem: You find it hard to stay motivated Keith's solution: Awareness trainingIt's very difficult to keep motivated to continue running if you aren't aware of how your running is going, your progress to date and what factors might

-run stretches and exercises – just run!When the goal of doubling is to enhance recovery, split your mileage for the day as evenly as possible. For example, if you had planned for an eight-miler, do two runs of four miles each. By splitting it evenly, you

/midwife is happy, carry on. Exercise has been found to benefit both mother and baby if you already have a reasonable level of fitness. From the evidence on the pregnant runners' club thread, staying active seems to contribute positively to a shorter, less painful

you slept – that's your goal, he says. While you may feel the need to sleep a little longer when training for a half-marathon or marathon, the key to full recovery is not just how many hours of sleep you get, but the quality of your sleep. "For

You put a lot of effort into your training, nutrition and race-day goals - don't sabotage it by neglecting your toenails. "Most toenail problems are easily avoided," says podiatrist Trevor Prior (premierpodiatry.com). "It's better to spend a little

in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Danish researchers studied the sports and leisure-time activities of 5,749 healthy pregnant women in the first and early second trimesters of their pregnancies. They discovered that physical activity during

You put a lot of effort into your training, nutrition and race-day goals – don’t sabotage it by neglecting your toenails. Keep an eye on them and take action if you spot something amiss. “Most toenail problems are easily avoided,” says podiatrist