comfort zone to gain speed and stamina increases motivation and confidence, making running fun again," says Hamilton. The Sign: You avoid challenges such as racesThe Solution: "Some runners shy away from competitive situations because they fear failure

Click to enlargeWhat are you doing on April 7 next year? Fancy spending the day running across Arctic ice floes in the world's, erm, coolest marathon?The winner of our Rave Run photography competition will win a luxury package to the fifth North

Clubs are the lifeblood of running... They drive the competitive landscape and provide the organisers, officials and marshals that are essential to so many races. They offer an access point to newcomers, and guidance, encouragement

to recover from the demands of the race season, reduces your chance of injury and rekindles your competitive zeal for the next season. It doesn't have to be a complete break from all exercise, but should involve a reduction in intensity and volume

of stepping up to a higher level of competition can help motivate you to higher levels of performance and enjoyment.Test yourselfIf you don't fancy the intensity of such competitions, you can try testing yourself in more challenging events. The Escape from

starting to run, or overcoming obstacles. It might be about your marathon build-up, or race-day. It might just be an account of a run on a clear, fresh day. The possibilities are endless.Each month's best stories will appear in the three magazines and win a

Winner: Fairlands Valley SpartansWhat makes a great running club? Being accessible to all ages and abilities? Being the pillar of the local running community, with success across a range of competitions and age groups? Stevenage's Fairland Valley

in speed over the final stages. “Our results show that competition provides the motivation to tell the brain to eat into a greater part of the fuel reserve that athletes have left at the end of a race,” says Dr Jo Corbett, senior lecturer in applied

?ShoesThe difference between parental pressure and competitive coachingSuitable racesThe likelihood of injury and the development of young bodiesThere were a number of questions that we will be putting to our experts, and we shall be bringing you the answers in a

years."There is no doubt competition is becoming increasingly intense. If an event we organise has World Championship-qualifying status, lots of entrants and fierce racing are guaranteed," he says. Vine agrees: "Twenty years ago, anyone who finished