but don’t for a minute think that this race is the poor relation of its British cousin. Wide Parisian boulevards easily accommodate the 30,000 runners who are treated to all the capital’s greatest sights, including the Bastille and the Bois de Boulogne

women – a quirk that should be ironed out as the race welcomes runners from all over Europe.Website www.marathon.lvEstoniaEstonia boasts all kinds of sporting events to tempt the competitive traveller, from firefighting competitions to kiiking, where

, and arranged an emergency contact for you all to ring if the plan goes awry.Race-day kit list Vest or shirt with race number pinned to it Race-day shoes with ChampionChip properly taped to it; socks Shorts and/or tights to run in Optional light gloves, gilet

the meals for the night before, breakfast on the day and your recovery immediately after and in the days following the big race.Go longYou can use your long training sessions to find out what works best and you can put it all to the test at some

questions about local facilities, travel or road surfaces.Set the swim sceneAll these resources are great, but sometimes you just want to deal with one very particular bugbear. For swimming, the most obvious race-specific preparation you can do is to train

.5-0.75g of protein per pound of bodyweight.AdminIf you’re travelling any distance to the Marathon, make a packing list and start gathering the clothes and items you need. Make sure your racing kit is washed and ready!WednesdayMindFocus on miles 14

one or two of your easy runs. This helps fight off the sluggish feeling that can occur during your taper. Three days before the race, run just two to three miles easy. Two days before the race, don’t run at all. On the day before the race, jog two

European Junior Duathlon Champion) and Kat Grimmett (8th in the 2009 European Championships).If you are willing to travel you can race all year round, but in the UK duathlons tend to take place in autumn and spring. But don't think that taking up duathlons

fibres within a working muscle or muscle group, and reduce the time it takes for a message to travel from brain to muscle to generate a contraction - all of which combined translates to a more efficient, powerful stride.According to Bandu, there are also

and music, and fields of up to 10,000 runners. Still, there are advantages in going small, too: you’ll probably find that a low-key event is easier in terms of travel and getting to the start, for instance.Races are usually advertised in local sports centres