to complete my 'Marathon Major' set.Races planned and targets: Currently the Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series Ultra in South Devon in February. As that will be my first ultra I’ll just be happy to get round. And I'm still toying with the slightly scary idea

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

easy to maintain motivation at this time of the year, according to two-time Ironman 70.3 champion Emma-Kate Lidbury (eklidbury.co.uk). "People often overlook the mental aspect of training and racing. It can become very difficult to keep going

to accomplish them. The only limit is your own imagination...Getting Started If you’re a complete beginner, then first things first, wave goodbye to the idea that you need to have any racing ambitions before you get started. Lots of people take up running

motivation that the thought of lining up for a race underprepared. You might be raring to get out on the track for the summer athletics season, looking for a new-year PB, or focusing on an autumn marathon. Either way, now's the time to get planning

he'd picked up. The sick feeling was accompanied by dread.He realised he might not be able to race, but kept hydrated in the hope of a fast recovery. He racked his bike on the Friday and, although he still felt unwell on the morning of race day

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

-gone. With hundreds of clubs catering for the multifarious runners up and down the country, there's literally something for everyone, from beginner fun-runners to serious pace-setters. Indeed, it's possible to join a running club without ever racing, without being

people, you could take up line dancing. If you are an obsessive lifetime runner like me, though, all these suggestions are totally irrelevant. The most likely reason for the blues is that you are going round the same circles and not improving. Are you

and is completely reliant on his parents for round-the-clock care, so Mick pushes Phil around races – no mean feat considering Phil is now a young adult.Running has given Mick and Phil – and Phil’s mother Dawn – a new lease of life, but in return they’ve given back