more than that. A review of 50 studies on tapering published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that levels of muscle glycogen, enzymes, antioxidants and hormones - all depleted by high mileage - return to optimal ranges during

race outfit, shoes, timing chip, number, bag and map to the start are set out the night before, so a treasure hunt isn't required in the morning.Eat a light, easily digestible meal, such as oatmeal or white toast and a banana, at least two hours before

increase injury risk," says Dr Evan Teplow, running injury specialist. He also advises running on soft surfaces and replacing your shoes every 500 miles. No guarantees, but lower odds of injury.Think Positive: "Good things come slow - especially

or even enhance performance. In fact, no measurable, significant benefit of stretching has ever been proven," he adds. And science backs him up. In reviews of the scientific literature on stretching in 1999 and 2002, published in the British Medical