Clubs regularly attend races as a teamThe days when running clubs were the sole preserve of ultra-competitive elite racers hell-bent on crushing the opposition at all costs and putting in more hours than Geb or Paula are thankfully long
yourself accepting success," says Bishop. "While nobody likes a big-head, modesty in runners all too often leads to self-deprecation."Take your lead from athletes in post-race TV interviews, he suggests. "When someone says 'Nice race', reply with 'Thanks, I
race. "Consistency and knowing what works for you is key," he says.BAD HABIT: You never stretch It’s hard to squeeze in runs some days, never mind stretching. But tight muscles can contribute to shin splints, plantar fasciitis and muscle pulls, which
their running to the next level."PRE-STARTIt's now that the pre-race nerves kick in. But it's not just your incessant back-and-forth pacing that's sapping vital energy stores – sizing up the competition and playing your mile-by-mile strategy on a mental loop can
-littered trails. "On longer, hard runs, aim for a pace that's about 80 per cent of your race pace. When it comes to the speedier sessions – such as mile reps or intervals – aim for 110 per cent," says Frapwell. "As long as you're hitting faster than race pace, you
before and after a two-hour run. Comparing the pre- and post-run scans, they found evidence of more opiate binding of the happy hormone in the frontal and limbic regions of the brain, areas known to be involved in emotional processing and stress. "There
