Q It’s strange, but my right knee swells up, particularly on the lateral side, every 13 days. It lasts for three days before returning to normal. When swollen, the knee is tight and uncomfortable, but not painful. What’s going on?A This is certainly an unusual set of symptoms. ...

Q I have just had a rather severe bout of shingles. My doctor said that the condition may have actually been bought on by my running. I’m scared that if start to run again I risk a recurrence – something I definitely want to avoid. Should I be worried?A Shingles is an infection...

Q I’ve been running for five years with very few injuries, but recently I’ve been experiencing pain in both shins. The pain is on the inside of my legs, just off-centre. I tried resting for three weeks as suggested by my GP, but the problem returned as soon as I started training...

Q My road race performances have remained at a similar standard during the past couple of years, and I feel that I’m training pretty aimlessly. How can I change my training programme to get a good result this year?A I recommend you focus on one key race, and based on that, orga...

Q I’m a new runner and I’m very cautious about my diet. Is there a maximum amount of protein my body can absorb? I eat most of my daily protein (two cans of tuna) at dinner.A Your body has no problem absorbing virtually all the protein you eat in a meal, whether it’s 50g or 550g...

Q I have a problem that seems to affect me after finishing half-marathons: I feel queasy and don’t want to eat or drink. The feeling seems to pass if I lie down for an hour or so. As advised, I always try to take on water at each drinks station. Do your have any idea why this ha...

Q On a recent visit to a podiatrist I was given a stretching programme in which I was told to hold each stretch for up to 15 minutes. I was surprised by the length of these stretches, as I’ve always been told that you should do stretches in three sets of 30 seconds. The podiatri...

Q I started running two years ago and have increased my half-marathon pace from 9:30 miling to 7:30 miling. I have noticed recently that I’m using a longer, slower stride for both speedwork and general training, and my times have remained the same. Is this progress or a form of ...

Q I suspect that I’m training too hard on my easy days. How do I know what pace I’m supposed to run at on those days, and what is the best way to make sure that I slow down?A Good question. On your easy days, your pulse should rise no higher than 70 per cent of your maximum hea...

Q I’m planning to run a marathon, but I’m also trying, unsuccessfully, to lose weight. When I run, my appetite increases, and I find that I eat more and put on weight rather than lose it. What can you suggest?A Perhaps surprisingly, losing body fat and training to achieve faste...