all the hard work came to fruition in the race.2012 running resolutions: I'd like to try a few different types of races – I’m planning to do an ultra and I’d also like to do more adventure-type races. I would also like to run the Chicago Marathon

of its ability to help runners of all abilities and disciplines, from track and field events to cross-country and ultra-marathons. It has a large coaching staff, with 25 UKA-qualified coaches. "Friendliness is a theme for us," says Leigh. "We welcome

giving small amounts either; some were giving as much as £50. In the end, approximately  20 per cent of the total amount I raised came from complete strangers."Life ChangingFor seasoned ultra-marathon runner Bryon Powell, blogging about running allowed

or the increasingly popular ultras and others will be looking to run fast times! Whatever you decide on, make it ambitious but also work out achievable short-term goals and consider the following points, which we'll cover in the next few pages: •Planning•Conditioning•Consistency•Motivation

, and was told he would never walk again.And yet barely fourteen months later on April 26 2009, he found himself standing on the start line of the Flora London Marathon - having defied both the predictions and orders of his doctors - ready to fulfil his pledge

and the initial motivation may not be there quite so much.Q5. I try different strategies to mentally prepare myself for the marathon and normally I'm good but when it goes downhill - it does so quite fast. Can you suggest anything that may help me recover from a

-winning website - before moving up to the role of Publishing Director. He's a serious runner with limited talent. He's run more marathons that he cares to remember (mostly slowly), numerous ultras (slower still) and completed a host of multi-day adventure races

in the week to do the running he wanted, keep on top of his unpredictable working patterns and see his wife and three children, he knew he'd have to radically overhaul the way he trained. In 2004, he dipped inside the magic three-hour mark for the marathon

at the university where I work I put together a training group and the difference has been staggering. The competition motivates me, pushes me harder and has made training easier and more enjoyable,” says Dr Mark Hewison, a research scientist and ultra runner.30

. “But I enjoyed it so much that I moved on to training for marathons before completing events like the Marathon des Sables!”Luckily for her customers, desert ultras aren’t a requirement of her training regimes. “There’s no typical session for my clients