. Enter races, but run them as long runs or as part of your long run. As long as you run at training pace, it’ll teach you to run in a race environment, practice taking drinks and getting used to standing on a start line.Q. I try to do speed work, but I
Q. I quite often 'refuel' with a coffee after a long run or ride. Is this doing me more harm than good, or is it an acceptable recovery drink?A. Restoring water and electrolyte balance is an essential part of the recovery process after any exercise
Q Until two years ago I ran three times a week on woodland trails, but have recently joined colleagues for lunchtime runs, mainly on pavements. Since then Ive experienced pain in both legs from just below my calf muscle to the Achilles tendon
Q I am a 50-year-old runner, and I’ve averaged 20-40 miles a week for the last 25 years. A year ago – just after completing some sit-ups – I starting getting severe back pain around my mid-spine, which extended around the chest and into the abdomen
Q I understand that haemoglobin levels increase following a stay at altitude. I am soon off to the Alps for a couple of months and wonder how my training will be affected. Will it make my blood thicken, potentially leading to heart attacks? I know
Q During a recent run, my left hamstring seemed to become quite tight. Im worried that Ive picked up a strain, but as Im training for the Flora London Marathon, Im reluctant to see a physio wholl just tell me to rest. At the moment I
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 Ive always been told that you should do stretches in three
Q. When I’m running I sometimes find it difficult to develop a smooth breathing pattern. Is there a proper way to breathe while running and are there exercises I can do to improve my breathing?A. When you begin exercising you will initially breathe
Q Im a new runner and Im 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
Q Since becoming a runner, Ive become very conscious of my diet. I am, however, confused over one fairly fundamental issue the recommendation that we should consume a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. I eat at least five
