improvements in their rankings. Here’s why:1 Hastings Half-Marathon, Sussex, MarchOne of the toughest half-marathon courses out there, but brilliantly organised, with excellent support and great value. The organiser even laid on a special train to get runners

Trust us: the T doesn't stand for torture. TRX is a revolutionary workout using straps and your own body weight to add resistance to dynamic stretches. It helps strengthen muscles, restore joint mobility and encourage good posture. "It's especially useful for injured runners in r...

into a seven per cent improvement, or 90 seconds for a 20-minute 5K. A moderately fit runner can increase VO2 max by as much as 25 per cent (to estimate yours, see 'What's your number?' below). Exercise physiologist Veronique Billat found

You need more than one-off snapshots of your fitness levels to assess your progress properly. Races and time trials are reasonable guides to how things are developing, but they vary too much to be really useful. Races also rely on maximal effort, which is greatly influenced by th...

If you're a typical runner, your brain - at least the part that controls your running - is your least-developed muscle. "Runners are usually much more aware of theirphysical state than their mental and emotional states, which is like trying to run with your eyes closed," says Rob...

an awareness of your body," she says. "You think about your breathing, the way that you're moving, and focus on your technique, how you're feeling and what feels good and what doesn't. Apply these principles in bed as well, and it'll improve your experience

speedwork sessions, my pace suddenly improved on my easy and medium-effort runs,” says Nick Troop, RUNNER’S WORLD Publisher.34. Give yourself permission to slow down “When I became aware that endurance was what I was after – not speed – I slowed down and ran

of exercises can have a dramatic effect on gait. It strengthens weak supporting muscles, corrects imbalanced muscle tightness and improves posture, all of which frees the lower body to work as it was designed to. No one would argue that a conditioning programme

Don't dismiss free weights as the preserve of oiled-up gym bunnies obsessed with six-packs and their reflection. Normal people can use them to burn calories and become stronger, which will help improve both technique and stamina for next season

Neck painTen neck massages over 10 weeks. Sound good? People with chronic neck pain reported a 55 per cent improvement after this regimen, according to a study in the Clinical Journal of Pain. They even scored 39 per cent better on the worst