occurs in a small percentage of long distance runners (around 7-30 per cent of marathon runners).What are the symptoms?After going for a blood test in 2005, 1500m World silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey discovered she had an iron deficiency. "I started

Kardong, Olympic marathoner and running authorThe Fear: Trail DangersThe Fix: Plan AheadHave you been watching 127 Hours by any chance? Getting in trouble on an out-of-the-way trail is a rare scenario, and self-amputation thankfully rarer still. However

, but this can backfire in a marathon. Women seem perfectly content to find a comfort zone and stay there. This makes them ideally suited for the marathon – the ultimate keep-your-cool and keep-your-pace distance. So why not be bold and set your sights on a

to do lengths in the pool,” says 2:45 marathon runner Kim Saddic. “The water enables me to stretch and relax. It feels therapeutic, like a massage, and refreshes me after running.”3. Keep your options openThe more flexible you are with your training

if there are any complications. Good luck! – Angie JacksonI ran during two pregnancies. If you've always been a runner, carry on. I ran three half-marathons when pregnant, finishing when I was six and a half months, as it got too uncomfortable. Just lower your

adapting to a regular (or increasing) training load. Long runs, hard sessions and races also leave your immune system dramatically lowered, so knowing what to eat, drink and do immediately after exercise is vital for staying fit and healthy too.Keep Moving

. But what I do have in common with Liz and Sonia (apart from our taste in sport and washboard tummies – I wish!) is that I too have been a pregnant runner. Unlike them I did not go on to win London Marathon records or win medals at the Sydney Olympics

an Olympic Marathon, "the words pain and suffering very rarely come up", says Rojas. "What comes up is 'I relaxed', 'I focused', 'I stayed calm'." But why seek that pain at all? "It's an amazing thing for people outside of running to get their heads

running, to a greater degree in the Marathons I run biannually. The clicking hip is on the right hand side and is definitely not the top of my IT band.  Days, weeks and months will often pass without issue and indeed I’ve covered a few 26.2 milers without

," explains marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe. You simply can't run your best without a strong core: the muscles in your abdominals, lower back and glutes. They provide the stability, power and endurance that runners need for powering up hills