hardest. Never give upI never doubted myself, but it was many years until I won another race. I was a slow developer, with not much natural speed. I was good at cross-country, but at the back of the school team, and I never got my colours, which rankled a

or twice per year.Why: Racing one hard marathon during spring and another in autumn allows time for adequate preparation and recovery.Goal: Marathon for fun and fitnessHow often: Three or four times per year.Why: If you’re not aiming to improve personal

that 12,500 of you have been running for over 10 years and that there’s a good chance that 42,500 of you will be lining up for a race this month.If you're a member and you haven't filled in your My Profile page, do it now! It makes you eligible for our

Many elite runners plan their racing calendars a year or more in advance. There are some right now who know that in order to be on the starting line of an Olympic final in Beijing in August 2008, they need to hit an A-standard qualifying time in a

, the Norland Trail Race, the Helen Windsor 10K, the Mytholmroyd Fell Race and the Calderdale Way Fell Relay, and will this year add a new one, the Halifax Town Centre 5K, to that list. New Balance commends all running clubs for their commitment

3 & 4 SEPTEMBER 2011 Scotland’s greatest race Keen distance runners are spoiled for choice these days but is there a race where you could combine a fantastic road racing experience with breathtaking natural beauty

Find out what happens when you cross the Virgin London Marathon finish line. We first published this interactive guide last year - but it's just as relevant in 2012

they tell you.Send us a pic of your favourite race T-shirt, along with the story behind it, your name, town and finishing time, and we'll publish them all here on the websiteLisa JacksonTHE SHIRT New York City Marathon, 2004Two years before the 2004 NYCM, my

Q I know that long runs should be run slower than race pace, but can you explain why. I want to race at eight minute/mile pace at next year’s Flora London Marathon, so surely I should train at that pace? Also, if I run a half-marathon in January

Q My road race performances have remained at a similar standard during the past couple of years, and I feel that I’m training pretty aimlessly. How can I change my training programme to get a good result this year?A I recommend you focus on one