and fun run options.The route takes runners out to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve to run through a kaleidoscope of landscapes and habitats, from sand dunes and quarries to salt marshes and reed beds. You'll arrive in the middle of breeding season - by July

-Marathon - and the famous seven-mile white sand beach that I'm lounging, sorry, tapering, on.Launched in 2000 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Running Club of Kingston, the Jamdammers Grand Prix Series features five races in all, each taking place in a different

-downs.Beaches Most beaches are poor places to run. Generally, the sand is too soft and causes uneven footing, which strains and stresses your leg muscles. Also, the beach is slanted, and just as on a cambered road, your legs are forced to work unevenly – one

. By training off-road on trails or sand, your legs will work harder to keep you moving, and you’ll put less stress on joints. You can even include races on different surfaces in your training to keep you focused on the long-term goal. Try the Blackpool Beach 10

and past two of Scotland's best-known landmarks?" gordo 96 100 17 ratings9 Merthyr Mawr Christmas Pudding Challenge 10K, GlamorganWhen? December 14Why? Scale Europe’s biggest sand dune, the Big Dipper, before tackling hills, moorland and a couple

.Jurassic Coast 3-Day Challenge 78.6When: March 25 Where: Dorset 2010 Rating: none (100% in 2009)Run this if you like... multi-day events; a mix of terrain from mud to sand; hills galore; exploring the Jurassic Coast; communal meals.Brighton Trail Marathon

a few road and track stretches, the 15-mile course is run on varying consistencies of sand which, combined with strong coastal winds, one small cliff climb and a hundred-odd steps at the turnaround point make for a more gutsy opponent than your

. "Interval workouts burn calories like lighter fluid," says Vindum. Head to a park, the playground or even the beach to do the workouts, and experiment with running on various surfaces (sand, grass, earth). Running outside, building strength and blasting

-thick tyres: to cruise over the sand, mud, hills and bogs that typify army training terrain. Pit a trail-blazing group of off-road runners ploughing against similar landscapes however, and it’s anyone’s guess how wet, dirty and utterly exhausted they’ll emerge

sky, the feel of the warm sand underneath you, the sound of the sea lapping on the shore… Taking all your senses away to a beautiful relaxing environment is a fantastic distraction from any training worries – studies have shown that this exercise can