It's our favourite week of the year - Virgin London Marathon week! To celebrate, we've teamed up with Saucony to give you the chance to win a pair of Kinvara 3 running shoes.Rather than the usual competition page on the site, we've decided to tap

while, you’ll probably own a version of most of these items. But if you’re a beginner, this list should get you on the right track and help you enjoy years of safe, rewarding running. 1. The Right Running Shoes Why? A good running shoe is the single most

technique. Kitted OutAlthough your usual road shoes will be fine for suburban park paths, they won’t cut it in the mud slicks that some off-road races can become. With increased traction or large studs on the sole, toe bumpers and hard-wearing fabric

.5 million tonnes of textiles and 100 million pairs of shoes are thrown away every year in the UK. Most of them turn up in landfill sites, so give your worn-out kit a longer lease of life. Bank it Over half of the textiles Brits throw away could be recycled

and bladder packs.Small gaiters (garments worn over the shoe) will keep mud, sand and stones out of your shoes, but send a fresh pair of shoes and socks ahead to aid stations if you're able to – there are few things more miserable than running for miles

through their paces. On the one-lap course you'll scale hills, dive into a ravine and wriggle under camouflage netting, all while dodging rocks and muddy puddles.Trail shoes might be a good idea, and you'll need suitable kit – the GRIM 8 is not the place

: The RW Complete Guide to Stretching Get kitted outUse the New Year's sales as an excuse to kit yourself out in the right gear – appropriate running shoes, a technical top or two and gloves and hat for the wintery months ahead.If you're running in bog

for the rest of the running year, whether you’re a battle-hardened racer or pinning on your first ever race number. The summer track season kicks off around now, and marathon runners will be sweeping the cobwebs from their running shoes and easing back

huge range of terrain over the five-mile course, and free beer waiting at the water station for thirsty runners. Beginners still sporting shiny white running shoes may want to reconsider their footwear though, as this race will see them get seriously

should tell you all you need to know about the Offa’s Orror 20K. Pack sturdy shoes and get ready for 1,600ft of near-vertical climbing packed into the middle part of this seriously hilly course. Join a spirited field of few hundred other hardy runners