positive effect on all heart-disease factors, according to a German study of 12,000 people published recently. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels, blood pressure, heart rate and body weight were all improved by intense exercise. Among women in the study

careful attention to your intake.Before you start taking supplements, however, try getting more iron in your diet. To reach the recommended amount, which is 10 milligrams for men, 15 milligrams for women age 50 and under, and 10 milligrams for women over

Weight 437gEvaluation The Beast (and Ariel, the women’s model) is one of those enduring favourites that periodically gets a retouching. This update is a little more than that. Brooks has attempted to streamline this beefy monster without stripping

Weight 268g (equivalent to men’s 319g)Evaluation If you’re an occasional runner who doesn’t want an ordinary running shoe, the women-only Air Max Verona could work for you. It’s built on a proper running base, with rearfoot Max Air and forefoot Air

Weight 368gEvaluation The women-only Ryka brand appeared in the UK in 2001, and the Perpetua completed the trio of models that maked up its initial range. Unusually for a modest brand whose main focus is on fit, Ryka has packed the Perpetua

The numbers in brackets are last year's position; the times are last year's men's and women's winning timesIf we've been given an event's details, you'll find it in the Race Diary.Best seriesThe Yateley 10K series, staged on the Hampshire

-to-rate list of race series and multi-stage events. 1 Race For Life Series, from MayWith over 300,000 runners, many first-timers and £17.5 million raised, Cancer Research UK Race for Life is the best thing to happen in running over the last decade.2 Cancer

's men's World record, there have been five women's World records at the London Marathon, culminating in Paula Radcliffe's mixed race 2:15:25 in 2003. Radcliffe also owns the women's only record of 2:18:56 from 2002.

and shower protection, but won’t suffocate you if summer finally decides to turn up three months late – in many cases they’ll squash down enough to be stashed in a bum-bag if necessary. (All weights are for women’s size 12/medium unless otherwise stated

Eat This, Not That! is an extremely useful food manual from the editors of Men’s Health and Women’s Health. It analyses restaurant menus and supermarket products in superb detail, so that you’ll come away with a better knowledge of what to eat