of the hill.Don’t just hammer out the miles on roads or pavements. 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

scenery with this breathtakingly scenic offroad marathon. Panoramic views of Coniston Water and the surrounding peaks of the Old Man, Swirl How, Wetherlam and Dow Crags will make this a truly unforgettable race. Complete a circuit of Coniston Water along

corners and navigating safely in traffic. And you will also need to learn how to fix a puncture (it's easy with a few inexpensive tools).Consider The BikeIf you think running shoes are complicated, wait until you buy your first bike. You can spend anywhere

that you’ve got the right running shoes, the right running routes and the right running partners – well, you’re on the right track. But keeping it all going through the lovely autumn is the key to staying with it through the more challenging winter, says

in Clayton’s shoes. As anyone who has been running for years will tell you, there are times when going out for a run can be as appealing as a two-hour stint in the dentist’s chair.Come on, admit it. The running life can become one of unabated drudgery if you

is invaluable, especially on long runs. Visit our forums to ask about clubs and training partners near you.Do you have the right shoes?Don’t leave it until six weeks into your training schedule to discover that your shoes have been progressively injuring you

-side support was virtually non-existent but the marshals more than made up for this with waves, cheers, sweets and encouraging words, which were occasionally punctuated with mischievous comments along the lines of, "Say goodbye to your shoes on the next section

amount of time otherwise there is a risk of frostnip. And that doesn’t sound much like fun either. So, for my feet I’ve got snow shoes. I’m hoping not to have to use them as I’ve never run with them before and they look ridiculously big and awkward

in February with charity Love Runs taking place all over the UK near Valentine’s Day, plus 10K forumite favourites like the beautiful Longleat 10K or the Ashford & District 10K. Or give yourself a much bigger challenge, and go off-road over a longer distance

improvements, and to minimise injuries. You win by improving. You lose by getting hurt.2 Buy the right shoes Shoes are the biggest equipment expense for runners, so it’s important to get this right. Spend wisely by buying well-made shoes from a serious brand