Dark when you get up, dark when you get home from work: with winter holding us fully in its thrall, it's even harder to find the time and motivation to fit your training in. One solution is to incorporate it into your working day – whether it

For the multitude of people who find listening to music beneficial while training, there’s nothing more irritating than having your favourite track ruined by headphones that sound tinny or work themselves loose on the run. There are many different

- the pinnacle of years of running and months of hard training. Richard DonovanThe first person in the world to run a marathon at both the North and South Poles, Richard Donovan has also claimed gold at the Inca Trail Marathon, the South Pole Marathon

runs (or last long run) in training. If you still have concerns, then my advice would be to pace yourself carefully so you don't go off too fast. Otherwise you will really challenge your carbohydrate stores.Q. Are energy products such as chews and gels

. The heavy training load was sometimes a case of too much, too soon before a big race; and the low-carb diet left runners hungry and low in morale in the run-up to race day. Runners also found it tough to stuff themselves with enough carbs in the final three

on your energy foods forever. "You can train your gut by starting to eat smaller amounts before a run and building this up over time. You'll find your gut is surprisingly adaptable."

's affecting my training?A: The symptoms of hay fever are often intensified by high air pollution in towns and cities so if you can, try running away from central areas. Research has found that keeping 300 metres away from main roads can hugely decrease

ever when he finished 12th at last year's race; and that there's a two-year waiting list for prospective UK applicants.I wanted to find out more, so I read several books, talked to previous participants and trained hard (for me), running and walking

smell were somehow comforting; but the peace didn’t last. He stepped up into a blaze of sunlight and saw 10,000 people pressed close to the cinder track where the final was to be contested. After nine months of meticulous training with his coach Sam

previously meant a downgrade from my favoured half-marathon distance to the 10K this time around. I'd hadn't raced or timed myself over the distance before as I had never been that fond of it in training, but I felt excited about the challenge ahead as we set