Whatever level you’re performing at this summer - from the amateur enthusiast to medal-competing professionals - there’s a good chance that athlete’s foot could put you off your stride. One in four Brits may suffer from a fungal foot infection

established. You should certainly be trying to include some speed sessions in your training, even if it’s only some 100m strides. It may also help to train with somebody faster every now and then, to keep you from falling into one slow pace. Running

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

can be impaired, increasing its work. But, this ‘visceral pump’ can also be used to your advantage if you breathe in time with your stride frequency. On a steady run, breathe out on every other footfall for the same leg. You’ll know when you’ve got

running as they pull and lift the thigh muscles with each stride. Why is building core strength important?Chances are that – like most runners – you have overlooked your core stability in favour of piling on the miles, believing that running is the only

decreases, so your heart has to pump less blood faster to keep you cool, making you heat up more and making your heart beat even faster."The hours of training you put in make your body better at transporting oxygen to your muslces, so you stay below your

strides and keep your eyes a couple of metres ahead to spot protruding roots and rocks.Think Positive: "Stadiums are for spectators. We runners have nature and that is much better" Juha Vaatainen, European champion over 5K and 10KThe Fear: Fading with Age

– most easily for an afternoon or evening race – perhaps with some light strides at the end to top it off.The most important thing when starting to add doubles to your programme is acknowledging that, like any new training implementation, you have to give

. The invisible suddenly became visible. It was a miracle that brought me to tears. After that, every time I ran, I held that picture in my mind and thought of it being rocked to sleep by my strides. At last I could see the reason for all the itchy skin and hunger

. "Running will often involve some discomfort. The key is to recognise when discomfort turns into pain, and react accordingly. And if something is hurting so much that it’s affecting your stride, stop," says Maharam. "Otherwise, you can actually damage