's easy to lose track of your water intake and if you're in a hot climate you'll be sweating even when you're doing nothing. Stay hydrated, and conserve your energy and glycogen stores by drinking fluids that contain electrolytes and natural sugars

by bacteria, but by viruses and other irritants. These may include catarrh, environmental factors such as the dryness that can occur if you are running with your mouth open all the time, and so on. If these sore throats are happening particularly frequently

to run outside coincides with the peak time for allergens. Pollens from grasses, weeds, flowers or trees, which are carried along by water droplets in the air, land on your nose or throat or you breathe them in. While this has little or no effect on most

. “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 alternatives, the less likely you are to miss a run and feel

actually opens the window of possibilities for our marathoners," says US men’s Olympic distance coach Bob Larsen. "We’ll leave no stone unturned in our search for scientific approaches to running in the heat."The lessons learned by the marathon team

during pregnancy are rare, but if they do arise they may prevent you from carrying on with your training, no matter how committed and motivated you are to running. A frank and open discussion with your obstetrician – particularly

that can last up to 24 hours, effectively leaving an open window for bugs to multiply relatively unchecked. Periods of prolonged training can lead to long-term depression of immune function and this is associated with increased rates of infection

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