If you want to become a better runner, there’s no real training substitute for running. Other sports just don’t cut the mustard when it comes to preparing your body for race day, right?Right. But in terms of boosting your fitness, balancing muscle
, how and why to stretch have left him more confused than ever. Can you help him out with some no-nonsense advice?"I am new to running and am just waiting to recover from my knee pain (having overdone it early on). I have read some articles online about
Training to run continuously for longer periods of time is a great way to measure your progress, but if you’re running at the same speed day in and day out, you’re likely to see your improvements plateau. Unfortunately for this week’s questioner
advice to help him succeed in pounding thestreets?"I have just started running outside (with a GPS watch), whereas previously all my running was on a treadmill. I've found it so much tougher outside, it's really depressing! Either I stick to my treadmill
for a beginner like me to keep going on these hills. Any advice please?" – West Country PlodderYour best answersJust bite the bulletI struggle with hills all the time, and I even started to run round them rather than go up them. This was cured when I
This week’s questioner needs your advice on kitting himself out on a rainy day – that way, he’ll have no excuse to forego a training run on account of the weather. How do you tog yourself out if the clouds are looming?"I'm not keen on running
to go through a permitting scheme, like UK Athletics. Your local county permit secretary will be a useful source of expertise and advice in applying for this."PM: "Even if you’re not running on roads, you’ll still need to identify all the relevant
the build-up to race-day. Who can you turn to for advice and reassurance? The RW forumites of course. They’ve hundreds of marathons-worth of experience between them, and we’ve picked their brains for these fail-safe tips to ensure your marathon debut goes
- what advice would you offer him as he prepares for his first half-marathon?"I’m a fairly new runner (aged 37) and a busy job and young family prevents me from having a rigid training schedule. I tend to start each run very steadily then decide whether
and philosophical were your answers to this week’s question that the traditional Reader to Reader advice-giving format just wouldn’t do them justice. Nevertheless, we’ve done our best to summarise the main points from the thread and we think you'll agree the result
