and building core strength for good posture will help prevent injuries," says Pierce.Here's howAfter doing the envelope run (above), do two sets of the following: 30 seconds each of press-ups, squats and crunches; 60 seconds of planks and calf raises; 90

will lead to bulky muscles. But if you keep the weight low and the reps high, or find the right circuits class, you'll build strong muscles without adding bulk. "Strength training increases resistance to injury and enhances performance," says Lane. "Research

As you begin logging more bike miles, aches and pains can start cropping up. The usual culprits are poor riding position, imbalanced muscles, a weak core or just another birthday."With new riders, you can usually blame poor bike fit or equipment setup, or a training error," says ...

strength-training programme will not only make you stronger and faster but will also help you to remain injury-free.Here are the top five training benefits that can be yours in exchange for just two or three short strength-training sessions each week:1

sleep.  Reduce stress.Improve and accelerate recovery. As a preventative intervention, continued use of relaxation techniques can help to prevent injury.Active relaxation Of course there is a difference between having a lie-in until noon – under

yourself from a long-term injury. "If you don't log aches and pains, you're likely to forget about them until they become more serious," says Smythe. Prevent a long lay-off by logging any twinge. If it doesn't improve or feels worse next time you run

.Inspiration | Nutrition | Injury Prevention | Gear | TrainingINSPIRATIONMake all the excuses you want. Then get on with it You don't have time; you don't have the energy; it's too cold/hot/rainy; the dog ate your shoelaces. Uh-huh. Now go out and run. Online running coach

, times and notes. It also has the latest tips, advice and motivation from the pros, as well as a weekly dose of information on training, nutrition and injury prevention.Buy the Runner's World Training Diary now for just £9.99Eat this, Not That!Eat This

that they assist with the function of both, making an injury to either muscle group extremely disruptive to running. Both can be strained (or pulled) if they are overextended to the point that they rip slightly. A complete tear of the muscle is called a rupture

GETTY IMAGESMost runners know about injuries. They're almost part of the game. Run long enough or hard enough, and you'll probably come down with an ache that will temporarily sideline you.Fortunately, most running injuries are short-term. After a