into injury. Don't add more than two or three miles a week (or 10 per cent, whichever is greater).The surface you run on makes a huge difference to the impact your body absorbs. Try to do at least half your running on grass or off-road trails. Also, get your

.The most useful thing you can do in these weeks is to get your pace judgement right. Work out the pace you need to achieve your best possible race time. Practise this over a measured mile, in your racing shoes, so that you know what it feels like. The first

absorbed carbohydrate with an added kick of caffeine and antioxidants.BEST SHOE Saucony ProGrid Triumph 5This update of a long-running Saucony model is widely acclaimed as a great shoe. Its broad appeal is based on the combination of lightness and speed

. Getting StartedTeaming up with other runners is the best way to dip your toe in if you’re completely new to off-road running. The Fell Running Association website has links to clubs across the country – contact a local group for a network of people ready

)Bestwood Country Park 10K (Notts, October 9)Denmead 10K (Portsmouth, October 23)Bronte Way 8 (Keighley, October 9) Don’t let the fact that the Bronte Way 8 is classified as a fell race put you off – the off-road course is entirely runnable. If you do need

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. Search out a model that fits you properly

it's no surprise that the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise reports that harder running surfaces are more often associated with injuries. But not all off-road surfaces have the same benefits. "Different surfaces influence how

as the Concurve Lycra Cycling Shorts, £38) than bike in running shorts. If bike-short padding is too cumbersome for you, consider more lightly padded triathlon bike shorts.The shoes and socksGo for wool and nylon socks (eg Hilly Mono-Skin Off-Road and Running

to provide you with lots of grip on rough paths when hauling up hill, but thick enough to stop large stones and tree roots hurting your feet. Excellent all-round performance considering this is a more general off-road shoe. Lots of heel grip for descents

Closing Soon...Offerton 10K (Greater Manchester, July 6) Three-laps, of flat traffic-free running in Woodbank and Vernon Parks.--The Picnic (Surrey, July 2) Run this if you'd like to boast that you've run Britain's hardest marathon - this off-road