is to land closer to your centre of gravity, says Dicharry (who wasn't involved in the running study). A shorter, quicker stride helps. And once a week, run barefoot on grass. "You'll avoid landing heavily on your heels, "Dicharry says. "You'll naturally take

The best runners in a triathlon make it look easy; they seem to glide along, their muscles relaxed, their gait controlled and their speed constant. And fast. These are the triathletes who don't take running for granted, as many of us do

Q. Towards the end of a long run my heels begin to clip each other every few strides. What can I do to prevent this?A. This sounds like a technique and conditioning issue. Running technique is thought to be a natural activity, but natural doesn

developed his stride so that it stores more energy and then returns it to the muscles and tendons of the lower leg. It is a more efficient run in every respect.The received wisdomLet's clear up some misunderstandings about running technique:It is often said

aims to encourage athletes to land on their forefoot, creating a falling-forward style, which helps reduce braking forces and speeds you up. By contrast, landing on your heels (how most people run) encourages a leaning-back and over-striding style

When you incorporate hills into your triathlon training, you'll develop strategies for climbing efficiently, but you can also learn from the experts. Mark Hartell, winner of the 2008 Vasque Ultra-running Championships, always prepares himself mentally for a

and ITB stretches that will improve your flexibility and help prevent juries, or improve the condition of any that you have.Ralph HydesRalph Hydes is a running, duathlon and triathlon coach. He has helped many athletes reach international-level competition

, but trail running is enjoying a surge in popularity among multi-sport athletes. The current Under-23 World Triathlon Champion, Alistair Brownlee, is even harder to beat on the fells than in a triathlon, while the number of off-season trail races continues

. Get a grip If you remember nothing else, remember this: grip is everything. Without grip you can't run with confidence. Fortunately, most manufacturers realise this, so it's rare to find a trail shoe without a heavily studded rubber outsole with a wide