of it to die off, leaving areas of focal degeneration. In this case, the onset of pain may be more insidious and you may notice a swollen area of tendon 1-2in long, tapering at each end. Surgery may well be required.Self-treatmentYou can do a lot to both

’re starting out, machines are safer and easier to use than free weights. Begin with a simple programme of 15-20 minutes twice a week and build up slowly.6. Yoga and stretching(12 per cent; 36 minutes)The principle behind stretching is clear – get flexible

elaborate, faster work-outs in the spring. It’s a great way to start claiming – or reclaiming – some leg speed after a long period of mostly easy running.All coaches agree that a good warm-up is mandatory before fartlek or any kind of faster running: 10-15

weartesters quite liked it when cushioning wasn’t a huge issue, particularly for its grip on light woodland trails. It’s not cheap, though, and at 331g, it’s an ounce heavier than its predecessor.Puma Cellerator Inhale £79.99Weight 299gSizes 6-12Pros Light

: Saturday, May 18Halstead Marathon, Essex: Sunday, May 19 SummerLake Vyrnwy Marathon, Powys: Sunday June 2 Afford Rent-a-Car Potteries Marathon: Sunday, June 16 Blackpool Marathon: Sunday, June 23Isle of Man Marathon: Sunday, August 11 Longford BMW Cars

142 Experian Robin Hood Marathon (6) 2:35:43/2:54:15Britain’s second-best city marathon is quick and scenic 2002 date: September 153 Lochaber Team Strides Marathon (7) 2:32:20/3:03:20Quick, scenic and spacious – if remote 2002 date: April 284 New

burst you might choose a target that’s just 100m away and sprint to it flat out. Then for the next hard run you’ll see something 800m away and stride towards it at your 5K race pace.It’s entirely up to you how hard or easy you make the session. Unlike

weartesters quite liked it when cushioning wasn't a huge issue, particularly for its grip on light woodland trails. It's not cheap, though, and at 331g, it’s an ounce heavier than its predecessor.PUMA CELLERATOR INHALE £79.99Weight 299gSizes 6-12Pros Light

breaking down. It'll do it anyway. – SlowboyUse a scoring system to keep things in perspectiveMy advice is to rate pain on a scale of one to 10. Anything up to three or four and I'd train as normal providing it starts to go away within a week. Five to six

without them." Hereare the key core muscles you need to run. Here's how your core works for you on the road...1. SpeedAs you extend your stride or quicken the rate of your leg and foot turnover when you're trying to pick up the pace, the lower abs