As your big day approaches, a few final preparations will see you reach your goals – and the pub – in double-quick time… This summer will see more UK riders take on sportives than ever before, including thousands of first-timers. You’ve ticked off the training, sacrificed alcohol for water and grazed on a diet of […]
Endurance sport has you digging deeper than you thought possible, but rewards like no other. Train even harder with our top tips… Interval trainingWhether it’s running or cycling, interval training not only increases your speed, but also helps to simulate the sensations you’ll experience in racing. The more you feel these sensations, the more comfortable you […]
Racing over 13 miles is always a challenge, but this quintet of UK races will ease you in (relatively) gently… Run Jersey Half Marathon (Sunday 12 June 2016) Striding out for your first half marathon is the perfect way to see this glorious island. The route is a fast point-to-point, which kicks off at St […]
After the Christmas-Day excess, bolt yourself back into action via an event from this quirky quartet… TEIGNMOUTH BOXING DAY SWIM After spending the previous day planted to the sofa with Dr Who, a week’s worth of calories and mulled wine for company, what better way to sweep away the Christmas cobwebs than taking a dip […]
2015 has seen the growth of a new fitness market – the wrist-based heart rate monitor. But are they any good…? One of the fitness revolutions – okay, evolutions – of 2015 has been the rise of strapless heart rate monitors. Since Polar invented the first heart rate monitor (HRM) back in the 1970s, the […]
With some calorie-saving ideas, you can still enjoy the festive period without ruining your training… ‘And on the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… a year’s pass to Slimming World.’ Okay, I hope you’re sitting comfortably. According to the British Dietetic Association, the average Brit will pile on up to half-a-stone […]
It’s time to dress as the seasonal bearded one – not Noel Edmonds – and run for a good cause… ‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la… but not so jolly that your training drowns in a sea of brandy butter, pastry and mulled wine.’ Okay, our […]
A headtorch is a must for winter running. But does the Tikka+ curry favour with our tester? Over 30 years, Petzl has carved a strong reputation in outdoor sports, whether producing high-end mountaineering harnesses for climbers, providing mats for boulders or illuminating the activities of runners. We’ve used the Tikka+ for over a year now […]
With a few affordable investments and essential training tips, you can illuminate your winter running … For the past two years, I’ve headed from the urban sprawl of Bristol to the raw backdrop of Dartmoor for the Wild Night Run (wildnightrun.co.uk). The race takes place at the end of January (30th in 2016) and sees […]
Despite November starting unseasonably warm, it won’t last. Thankfully, our cold-weather tips will keep you training all winter. Gyms serve a purpose, providing a cosy backdrop to your winter training. But races don’t take place behind closed doors. Mother Nature is the host, and if you’ve any chance of challenging her – let alone beating her […]
The REFLECT360 cycling jacket is the world’s first to be designed using a 100% reflective outer-shell
James Witts reviews the Terraclaw, the latest all purpose running shoe from UK Based Inov-8. Inov-8 is a run-shoe manufacturer based in ‘England’s last wilderness’ – in other words, the Pennines. Those northern roots hint at Inov-8’s fell-running foundations where they’ve forged a reputation for functional, durable and lightweight shoes that’ll stand up to the […]
A great article by the BBC about what it takes to make your event tough
Official video of the most southerly Marathon in the British Isles, The Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon
September and October is packed with half-marathons around the country, including three of the biggest in the Great North Run, and the Bristol and Cardiff Half Marathons. Over 13 miles can seem a daunting prospect, especially for newcomers, but these race tips should ease the stress and have you running strong… CLOTHING You should lay […]
Red leaves, crisp blue skies but temperatures that haven’t plummeted so much that they leave frozen droplets of water dripping from your nose, you can see why for many autumn is the favourite season of the year to get outside and run. A scan around the country and there are numerous 10km, half marathons and […]