sudden pain when the muscle is over-stretched – for example, when hurdling an obstacle or sprinting at the end of a race. It then hurts when you straighten the knee, and running will be slow, if not impossible.SignsThe professional can usually put a

.5” in height over the course of a 26.2 mile race – temporarily of course – so this is a sign of how much straining your back can be placed under during and after intense exercise.”The spinal twist increases circulation to spinal nerves, veins and tissues

Sooner or later, all triathletes hit the deck, and the result, more often than not, is road rash. Thankfully, such abrasions usually require only basic care, but it must be the right care. Dr Helen Iams has worked as Medical Director for races

atmosphere and, with nerves beginning to tingle, I set my alarm extra early for the second Valencia Triathlon. The raceAt 6.30am I made my way across the still-dark city, watching the last of the previous night's revellers amble home. The race hub was already

Marathon preparation means months of meticulous planning and diligent training to get you in peak condition. But if you don’t also have a precise plan for the race itself, you won’t get the best results from all that hard work. How should you warm

body with each exhalation. "We often perform better when there's no pressure," says Denham-Jones.Own goalStart every run - in both training and racing - with a goal in mind that you can control. This might be something like keeping your heart rate at a

Q: How can I avoid getting kicked in the face during the swim start?A: The swim start in a triathlon is a nerve-racking time for most triathletes. It is a mesmerising moment for spectators, as it looks like a majestic monster thrashing away in a

Well, I've done it! What a day...After a night's sleep interrupted by several wakenings to battle against the nerves, I woke at 6am for a good breakfast of oats, banana and toast with jam. It was going to be a long time before I ate again.I set off

between pain and discomfort on all levels. What many people describe as pain is actually severe discomfort. Pain is a nerve response to damage that is occurring, discomfort is not. Pain is designed to stop you in your tracks from continuing the same action

Q. Why did you get into running?A. My dad was a marathon runner. He didn’t try to push me into running but when he noticed I had started jogging to keep fit he suggested I try some races. My first proper race was the Scottish National U15 cross