This week, one RW member discovers the trouble with tootsies..."I recently changed my running shoes for a much roomier pair. However, two of my toes (next to the big toe on each foot) get numb each time I run, and the nails are getting blacker

and slide it into your backpack. I do leave a pair of shoes under my desk. – Craig LlewellynRoll up your work clothes in a backpackI keep a suit and work shoes in the office. When I want to run in, I run eight miles to the station with my shirt rolled up

on changing to a midfoot strike using the ChiRunning book. I'm now far less prone to injuries, and I'm running in lighter shoes with less support. My running seems to flow better, and I'm working with my body rather than against it. It's still a work

this BMI calculator.2. Does it really matter what kind of shoe I buy?Yes: the shoe that's right for you depends on your running style. If you buy the wrong shoe, there's every chance you'll endure any of a myriad of injuries, from shin splints to a

day one.We don't need gloves, helmets, bats or racquets. As runners, we don't have to pump up tyres, keep score with stubby pencils or memorise the vagaries of the LBW law. We just slip on our shoes and go. Easy, right?Well, not always. Sometimes your

of exercises you can do at home without any special equipment, and a lot more that you can do if you invest in a gym ball and some dumb-bells. But the best form of running-specific core training is probably to put on a pair of fell-shoes and gallop up and down

Get the right shoes and remember to stretchIf you've got the right shoes for your feet and gait, I'd say that the calf and shin problem will subside once your body gets used to running. Just make sure you're doing plenty of stretches after your sessions

will be micro damaged, and need a fortnight to repair.Carefully assess your shoes: they may be tired out, too. Be careful about racing too soon. You'll know if you've pulled a muscle if the muscle on one side hurts more than the other. If you escaped that, you

strength is important. Work on flexibility. Run whenever possible on soft surfaces to minimise impact. Try not to run on your heels, and make sure your shoes are correct and change them when necessary. Take a regular massage to increase circulation and aid

're feeling unmotivated, or you aren't sleeping that well. The cure-all is rest. Don't run for a day or two, and when you start up again, stick to easy runs until the bothersome signs disappear. Treat your feet Those beefy, well-cushioned shoes you wear