to avoid becoming wetter than is totally necessary, keep your knees high to avoid tripping on unseen obstacles. You might even race ahead if you take the plunge and run through a puddle while everyone else tiptoes round it. Up and overA couple of simple

’s no shame in being last home. In fact many runners’ most memorable experiences involve coming in after everyone else has showered and put their feet up.I made the mistake of entering a race the day after my birthday celebrations one year. Prising my bleary

are between eight and 12 years old. Vice-president Nigel Rigg says that this is a deliberate strategy, and one that they plan to continue. "The club has a group initiative known as the Schools Partnership, where all the club coaches go round all the schools

, the route winds past Moorish Spain's most beautiful sights. A record 7,345 runners lined up last year, because Palma isn't just about race times – it's about getting everyone involved. Whether you opt for the marathon, half-marathon or 10K, there's a race

I decided way back in 1999 that if I was going to do a marathon, I wanted to do the London Marathon. My illustrious career as a Sunday League football player was coming to an end and it was clear that Arsenal had missed their chance to snatch me up

.Work-out Two: a lactate threshold session. After warming up, run 25 minutes at a speed 12 seconds per mile slower than race speed, then warm down.Work-out Three: 4-5 x 1200m at 5K race speed. Recovery time should be equal to or less than running time, gradually

suffering with a virus.My goal was simply just to finish this year (in under 5 hours). Aftermissing loads of training with illness I just wanted to get round and raiseas much money as I could for the Lymphoma Assocation as a close familymember had just been

to see the Runner's World support point at Mile 17 but I couldn't stop - I was two minutes down on my time and needed to push on. I always find the loop round Canary Wharf hard but came through in a good speed and decided I needed to "up the pace" if I

training so you peak in time for a race. What, when and why?Until the Soviet sports scientists got on board, athletes trained at the same intensity all year round. As well as being deeply boring, the constant pressure and physiological demand on the body

-Marathon (Argyll & Bute, August 5) With a number of runners located in London already signed up – as well as a race-hungry tourist from Canada – it’s clear the prospect of a lengthy round trip does nothing to deter runners from taking part in this 300-strong race