stage wondering if I could do well at the MdS. On paper I'm an okay runner. I was first lady at the 2006 North Pole Marathon, second lady at the Himalayan 100-mile stage race in 2005 and I have a respectable marathon PB of 3:14. But after developing bad

At the age of 18, Hollie Avil represented Great Britain at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Four years on, she’s trying to make the team again. We caught up with her in Sydney recently.How is your training going?I’ve been training on the Gold Coast

110% Juggler Knickers, £110Alison says: If, like me, you’re way too wimpy to plunge tired limbs into an ice bath after training, this new range of compression kit from 110% offers a great alternative.These wonderfully named Juggler Knickers come

to alison.hamlett@natmag-rodale.co.uk.Follow these links to check out some of the Q&As we've already featured on the site:Swim Q&AsBike Q&AsRun Q&AsLive Online Coaching ClinicWe’re also planning to start a live online coaching clinic on the first Monday

-start his plan to complete an Ironman triathlon in 2011, when he turns 40. "Joining the club was a real turning point," he says. "Even eight stone overweight, I could still run seven or eight miles. I was very slow but running gradually gave me more

. The first 12K were relatively flat, albeit stony; then we came to the dunes and stayed on them for most of the day. I actually managed some running today but I'm still only really keeping up with the walkers who aren't stopping at every checkpoint. You can

At just 17.5K, the final stage of the 26th Marathon des Sables was the shortest by far but still proved to be challenging. It was another hot day - although once the temperature rises above 40C it's hard to differentiate between simply hot

Stage 5: 42KToday was the marathon stage of the race. I managed to run the first half - I'd become bored with walking and wanted to test myself, but at the second checkpoint, at the 24K-mark, and with the temperature hovering around 50C, I took a

the money goes to charity. Two places are auctioned, but they can go for anything up to $60,000. What’s your goal in Hawaii?I would love to beat my time from 1987. At Ironman Switzerland last year I beat that time by 20 minutes so I’m hopeful that I can do

- this will make it easier to avoid bingeing on unhealthy treats.Carol Vorderman's Detox for Life (Virgin Books, £10.99) What's on the menu? Detox diets are designed to give your body a break from the toxins that may build up when you eat too many processed foods