IN THIS ISSUE MARCH

2022

REGULARS WARM-UPS HUMAN RACE FEATURES COACH GEAR RACE

ISLAND HOPPING
56
Mallorca offers an astonishing
range of trail-running experiences.
Apparently, the island is also
known for its bustling night life

ON THE P17 How Running Beats Anxiety P32 Low-Carbon Footprints P56 Your Ticket To Runners’
It can even help those who have One man’s 2,073km race Paradise Mallorca is the perfect
COVER suffered for more than 10 years to save the earth destination for trail runners of all
levels. The weather is okay, too
Photography: P19 5 Simple Steps To Bulletproof P40 Power Up Your Glutes!
Luca Mara Knees A little resistance band Key moves and stretches P66 Stronger, Faster, Fitter Hit new
Runner:
Ingrid Björk (see aid will work wonders heights with this workout plan
p23 for more info) P50 The Rules Of Smarter Fuelling
P22 Is It Time To Rethink Race The right energy at the right time P80 On Test: We find the best
T-shirts? RW’s Sam thinks so will make you a better runner backpacks for every type of run

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 003

 46
WE’RE
HISTORY
LESSON
Running

FIRST FOR
in Prague

NEW GEAR
For news on the
latest shoes,
tech, apparel and
19
A WIN ON JOINTS
accessories, visit
runnersworld.com/
Look after
uk. Here’s what’s hot
your knees on the site right now

REGULARS COACH

P06 Rave Run Duncansby P68 Ask Jo Our resident Olympian,

Stacks, Caithness Jo Pavey, on dealing with the
mental side of injury A SHOE THING
P98 I’m A Runner Singer and
former Bros frontman Matt Goss P69 Rhythm & Grit Coach Cory on We speak to the
getting others to start running creators of the new,
female-specific
WARM-UPS P70 Cross Purposes Get the most Adidas Ultraboost 22.
Shell out for
nutrition, p77 from elliptical cross-training bit.ly/3K7C492
P11 Stretching: The Truth Extend
yourself with a pre-run routine P72 One Wheel Good An indoor bike
is a great way to boost fitness
P13 Fitness Fancy a parkrun PB? from the comfort of your home
Start off a little faster than usual
P74 Funky Fungi Four marvellous
P15 Nutrition A high-fat diet is bad mushroom recipes to try
for running – and for your hair
P77 Fast Food Rethink your zinc
to stay in the pink
HUMAN RACE SPRY AND DRY
P79 Master The Move Turkish get-up
P20 ‘Let The Future Take Care Of Our pick of top-class
Itself’ Luke Grenfell-Shaw on waterproof trousers,
living with cancer and going GEAR for when you need
further than he ever has a little extra weather
P84 Levelling Up We test protection.
P23 By The Numbers Freddie Xavi the Abbott Libre Sense bit.ly/3I10LlE
(10) ran 100km in 50 days Glucose Sport Biosensor

P24 It Takes All Kinds There are P85 Six Of The Best Base layers
many types of runner out there

P26 Your World Readers’ letters RACE

P28 Tonky Talk Paul gets the point P86 Race Lead The Southampton
Half Marathon was hot stuff
P29 The Flamingo Diaries Lisa BODY WARMERS
reconnects with her sport P89 Route Recce The Dartford Half
Best gilets and vests
RE P90 Still Going Strong The Cabbage to keep you snug
FEATURES Patch 10 is as robust as ever whether you’re
Raise your
game, p79 marathon training
P46 My Favourite Run Kate Carter P92 Dates For The Diary The start or doing a parkrun.
recalls her family history in Prague lines you need to be on this month bit.ly/3HOTVjk

004 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

RAVE RUN
DUNCANSBY
STACKS,
CAITHNESS

THE LOCATION
Just over a mile to the
south-east of John o’Groats, at
the most north-easterly point
of mainland Britain, this
clifftop trail offers epic views
of Duncansby Stacks –
60m-tall columns of red
sandstone dating back more
than 400 million years.

THE RUN
The desolate beauty
of this route makes it
a worthwhile detour for
anyone attempting the
legendary Land’s End to
John o’Groats run. As well
as the views of the stacks
and the North Sea beyond,
you can see a wide variety of
seabirds, including fulmars,
kittiwakes, guillemots,
razorbills, skuas and puffins.

RUNNER
Allie Bailey

PHOTOGRAPHER
Leo Francis

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 007

Andy Dixon
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EDITORIAL
JOE MACKIE Deputy Editor
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ART
DECLAN FAHY Creative Director
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PICTURES
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KIERAN ALGER, KIRSTI BUICK, JOHN
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SAMANTHA LEFAVE, ASHLEY MATEO, ADRIAN
MONTI, SAM MURPHY, KIM PEARSON, JAMES
POOLE, DAVID SMYTH, PAUL TONKINSON,
CORY WHARTON-MALCOLM
HEARST UK
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SEEMA KUMARI Digital Marketing & CRM ONE OF MY 2022 GOALS IS
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SIMPLY: ‘DO MORE RACES.’
I realised with a bit of shock
COMMUNICATIONS recently that it’s three years
BEN BOLTON Head of PR & Communications
CALUM FORBES PR & Communications since I last did an event.
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a pretty big blocker for much
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HEARST MAGAZINES
INTERNATIONAL To lay the groundwork, since the start of the
DEBI CHIRICHELLA President, Hearst Magazines year I’ve been focusing on the supplemental things
JONATHAN WRIGHT President, Hearst I’ve too often let fall by the wayside in my training,
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even though I know they’re beneficial. By a happy
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Director
CHLOE O’BRIEN Deputy Brands Director – strength and conditioning work, with simple
RW INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS
Australia, China, France, Germany, Hungary,
but effective glute moves (p40) or a knee-
Italy, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South strength workout (p19); cross-training, whether
Africa, Spain, Sweden, US on the elliptical cross trainer (p70) or indoor
bike (p72); stretching (p11); and hill training
Runner’s World UK is published in the UK by Hearst UK
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4AJ. Copyright ©, Hearst UK Limited, 2022. All rights reserved. tips from nutritionist Renee McGregor to keep
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MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 009
 13 15 17 19
FITNESS NUTRITION MIND + INJURY
HEALTH
WARM-UPS
The TIPS YOU NEED to GET UP to SPEED
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: R OWA N F E E . * S O U R C E : T H E J O U R N AL O F E N V I R O N M E N TAL R E S E AR C H AN D P U B L I C H E ALT H
STRETCHING:
THE ENDLESS DEBATE on whether you
should stretch before running has
taken another turn. A recently
THE TRUTH
published study suggests that both
dynamic and static stretching can
improve running economy and reduce
perception of effort. Researchers
recruited eight male distance runners
Should you stretch before a run? to run three running-until-exhaustion
Yes, actually, says a new study tests. Each test was preceded by
one of three stretching protocols:
static (holding various positions for
a sustained period), dynamic (active
movements that stretch muscles
through their range of motion) and no
stretching. Running economy improved
after both the dynamic and static
stretching compared with when they
did no stretching, while their perceived
rates of exertion were also significantly
lower after stretching. So what’s the
conclusion? ‘These results should
encourage recreational runners to
insert stretching during warm-up,
to optimise the running energy
costs, reducing the perception
of effort and making the training
sessions more enjoyable*.’
 WARM-UPS FITNESS
START STRONG
A speedy first
mile can pave the
way to a 5K PB

POSITIVE
S P LI T
YOUR
PA RK RUN
Following the idea
that it pays to run
the first mile of a
parkrun 3% to 6%
faster than race
pace, here’s what
that mile (1.61km)
should look like
in real terms:

Sub-30
Try to run the first
mile 17.4 to 34.8
secs faster than
average mile pace
(9:40min/mile).
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S . I L LU S T R AT I O N : B E N M O U N S E Y-WO O D. * S O U R C E S : J O U R NAL
O F ST R E N GT H AN D CO N D I T I O N I N G R E S E AR C H ; J O U R N A L O F S P O RT S A N A LY T I C S ; J O U R NA L O F AP P L I E D P H YS I O LO GY

Sub-25
Try to run the first
mile 14.4 to 28.8
Is it worth building a time buffer into races? secs faster than
average mile pace
(8:00min/mile).
THE NEG ATIVE SPLIT may be the holy grail for runners, that completing the first mile of a 5K race between
but is it really the best way for 99% of us to run a PB? 3% and 6% faster than average race pace yielded the
There’s another pacing strategy that may lead to a best results*. When it comes to a marathon, though, Sub-20
better result: the controlled fade. ‘This doesn’t mean there are consequences for not setting off at race Try to run the first
setting off at a ridiculous pace and hanging on for pace. Another study found that running the first mile 11.6 to 23.2
dear life, but expecting some tail-off in the second 5km segment 10% faster than race pace adds about secs faster than
half,’ says coach and 2:29 marathon runner Robbie 37 minutes to the average finish time, while starting average mile pace
Britton (robbiebritton.co.uk). It might be a tactic 10% slower adds about 29 minutes*. Most PBs came (6:27min/mile).
worth trying at your next parkrun. One study found from running the first 5km at goal race pace. 

5K
GET UP TO SPEED TAKE YOUR
Suffer at the start of all-out efforts? It’s time to
work on your oxygen kinetics (how quickly your
TEMPERATURE 10K
The best temperature for
15 o C

aerobic system gets going). Try adding some Marathon

running various distances
zero-to-max transitions in training. Subjects
TEMP

10 o C

has been established –

who did two weeks of sprint intervals (7 × 30
7.5 o C

and it’s a little chillier

seconds with long breaks) improved kinetics by
than you might think...
seven seconds*. You should warm up well, too
– including priming efforts (8/10 intensity) for
45 seconds – about 10 minutes before the gun.
DISTANCE

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 013

 WARM-UPS NUTRITION

COMB OVER
THE SCIENCE
Fat can chip
away at hair

ALL
H AI L T HE
HYDROGEL
Hydrogels – most

FAT AND
notably the Swedish
brand Maurten – are
now the fuel of choice

THINNING
Can a high-fat diet
accelerate hair loss?
A HIGH-FAT DIE T HAS BEEN LINKED
TO NUMEROUS HE ALTH CONDITIONS,
including heart disease, but
one area less talked about
is its association with hair loss
– something a new study looks
into. The research, published
in Nature, used a mouse model
to examine how a high-fat diet
or genetically induced obesity
can affect hair thinning and
loss. It found that obesity can
result in the depletion of hair
follicle stem cells (HFSCs)
through the creation of certain
inflammatory signals. These
P H OTO G R A P H Y: S T U D I O 3 3. * S O U R C E : M E D I C I N E & S C I E N C E I N S P O RT S & E X E R C I S E
better understand these results,
it’s worth brushing up on a bit
of hair science. Ordinarily,
HFSCs automatically renew
every hair follicle cycle. That’s
why our hair grows back after
among the world’s best
endurance runners, with
new research* confirming
their effectiveness. The
study, of 11 trained male
runners, found that
hydrogels enabled
participants to absorb
more carbohydrates,
with less GI distress, and
race faster than when
using a non-hydrogel or
a placebo. 5K time-trial
performance was 2.1%
faster with the hydrogel
than with the non-
hydrogel, while GI
problems were lower in
the hydrogel than
in some cases, baldness. with the non-hydrogel.
Interestingly, the study found
that changes in the hair and
skin of the mice occurred
after just four days on a high-
fat diet. The team also noticed

block hair follicle regeneration it’s cut. As we age, HFSCs start significant increases in oxidative
and, consequently, can result failing to renew themselves. stress, which is known to have
in the loss of hair follicles. To The result: thinning hair and, an affect on hair loss.
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: J O B E L AW R E N S O N . A D D I T I O N A L

HOW TO AVOID 1
Add toilet stops to Seek patterns in what

A MID-RACE
your training diary or when you’ve eaten

TOILET BREAK 2
Improve your
running form
A smoother, lighter
running style will help
We’ve all been there: halfway
Taper your fat Too much can cause
through a race, you get an
unwanted urge. All thoughts
3 and fibre intake stomach issues
of a PB go out the window as
Tweak your Experiment to find out
attention turns to the location 4 caffeine routine what works for you
of the nearest toilet. But it
doesn’t have to be this way.
Here are five ways to limit 5 Slow down
your fuelling
Have lots of little sips,
rather than large gulps
any mid-race surprises.

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 015

 WARM-UPS MIND+HEALTH

FITNESS TRUMPS
WEIGHT LOSS
For lasting health benefits, make
your motivation to run greater
fitness, not weight loss, says a
new study published in the journal
iScience. Over the past 40 years,
obesity levels have tripled, and
that’s led to an increasing focus
on weight loss, but new research
suggests focusing on improved
fitness leads to more lasting health
benefits. Gaining and losing weight
repeatedly has been associated
with many adverse health
outcomes – most of them heart-
related – whereas fitness gains can
prevent these types of issues. The
study researchers concluded that
MIND YOUR STEP
the current advice is wrong: rather Running could help
than nudging people towards keep spiralling
losing weight, they believe a pivot thoughts at bay
towards promoting fitness – even
over changing dietary choices
– would have the greatest effect.

THE TONIC FOR

CHRONIC ANXIETY
New research suggests exercise can help those
suffering from even long-term anxiety
E XERCISE HAS LONG BEEN TOUTED as a way to-high anxiety to a low anxiety level after the
to manage mild anxiety – but a new study 12-week programme. For those who exercised
suggests it can help even when the disorder at relatively low intensity, the chance of
is chronic. The research, conducted by improvement in terms of anxiety symptoms
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . I L L U S T R AT I O N : T H E P R O J E C T T W I N S . P H OTO G R A P H Y: J O B E

Gothenburg University and published in the rose by a factor of 3.62. The corresponding
Journal Of Affective Disorders, is based on factor for those who exercised at higher
L AW R E N S O N . * S O U R C E S : F R O N T I E R S I N P SYC H IAT RY ; S L E E P M E D I C I N E R E V I EW S

286 patients with anxiety syndrome, half intensity was 4.88. Maria Åberg, study lead,
of whom had lived with the disorder for at said, ‘The model involving 12 weeks of physical
least 10 years. They were all assigned either training, regardless of intensity, represents

60
a moderate or strenuous 12-week exercise an effective treatment that should be made
programme. Most individuals in the treatment available in primary healthcare more often
groups went from a baseline level of moderate- for people with anxiety issues.’

SKIP THE LATE SHIFT

Exercise promotes sleep, but not if you do it too close to
your bedtime, according to a new study*. Researchers found
that exercise that ended at least two hours before you hit
the hay aided sleep, whereas exercise that ended less than
The percentage by which two hours before bedtime had the opposite effect. Other
regular outdoor exercise can interesting findings were that high-intensity exercise,
regardless of timing, contributed to a slight decrease in
reduce your risk of developing the rapid-eye-movement (REM) stage of sleep commonly
anxiety, says a new study* associated with dreaming, and that cycling was found to
bring the biggest sleeping benefits. Sweet dreams.

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 017

 WARM-UPS INJURY

JOIN THE
RESISTANCE
How to injury-proof your knees
– using only a resistance band

WHEN IT COMES TO KNEE PAIN, the joint

itself is rarely the problem. Further
investigation will often reveal the real
culprit to be a lack of strength in the
hips, hammies and glutes. While some
knee issues may require more involved
solutions – including, in some cases,
surgery – we can go a long way in
bullet-proofing our knees with just one
piece of inexpensive kit: a resistance
band. ‘With all banded exercises,
never take the muscles you’re working
to complete exhaustion,’ advises
registered osteopath Sam Spriegel
(properformanceclinics.com). ‘Instead,
use the bands to activate and warm up
muscles either daily or before a run.
This will ensure your muscles fire
evenly, soft tissues have a good blood
supply and joints are lubricated with
LIMBER UP
synovial fluid – all things that will help Resistance band
to prevent knee injuries.’ Follow Spriegel’s training can lower
the risk of post-
resistance band workout below. workout knee pain
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N ; S A M S P R I E G E L . A R T WO R K: O L I V E R B U R S TO N . I L L U S T R AT I O N H A R V E Y S Y M O N S

A A
A
A A

B
B
B B
B

01/ CLAM SHELL 02/ GLUTE BRIDGE 03/ SINGLE-LEG 04/ MONSTER WALK 05/ BANDED MARCH
How: While lying on your How: Lying flat on your GLUTE BRIDGE How: Tie the band How: Put the band around
side, place the band back with knees bent, How: Repeat 02, but put above your knees and the forefoot of both feet
around both knees above place one band around one leg on the floor (A) squat down slightly (A). (A). March in place,
the kneecap (A). Keeping your knees and one and lift your pelvis and Walk forwards and driving knee and opposite
the bottom knee on the around your forefoot (A). other leg (B). backwards, maintaining arm upwards, to copy the
floor, lift the top knee Lift your pelvis off the Why: It’s an excellent tension in the band (B). running motion (B).
towards the ceiling (B). floor by squeezing your drill for the hip extensors, Keep your spine straight Why: People often forget
Why: Slow, controlled bum muscles gently (B). which help you run with and don’t slouch. to warm up their iliopsoas
movements activate Why: The move wakes more power. It uses one Why: This exercise helps and hip flexors when they
the external hip rotators, up the glute muscles leg at a time, replicating to activate the glutes run. These muscles are
which is especially gently and helps stabilise our running gait, and is and core before you run, incredibly important for
important for anyone with the pelvis. A great start useful if you have pain so it’s ideal if you have driving the rear leg
flat feet or knock knees. to any running workout. at the front of the knee. knee, hip and back pain. forwards in the gait cycle.
Reps: 2 × 20 on each side Reps: 2 × 20 Reps: 2 × 10 on each leg Reps: 2 × 1 minute Reps: 2 × 1 minute

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 019

 IT TAKES ALL KINDS p24 LIFTING YOUR SPIRITS p29

HUMAN( )RACE
NEWS, VIEWS, TRENDS and ORDINARY RUNNERS doing EXTRAORDINARY THINGS

‘LET THE
FUTURE
TAKE CARE
OF ITSELF’
A cancer diagnosis and
family tragedy have taught
Luke Grenfell-Shaw to make
the most of every moment

020 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 IN OCTOBER 2021, Luke Grenfell-
Shaw from Bristol won the Eden
Marathon, a race around Cornwall’s
Eden Project. The 27-year-old’s time
of 2:45:27 on the hilly, mostly off-road
course was impressive, but not an
achievement this magazine would
usually report given that the event
was on the small side, with just over
200 participants. But combined with
his other recent achievements, this
one really does seem remarkable.  getting ready to restart his journey,
Luke is a ‘can-liver’ – a word he
coined because he hates the term
‘cancer survivor’. It means he’s living
with cancer; a stage four, metastatic
variety that he says was ‘as bad as it
gets’ when he received the diagnosis
in June 2018. Only a month later, as
he began chemotherapy, his older
brother John fell to his death in an
accident on the Lake District hills.
‘I was essentially fighting for my life
at that time, just focusing on getting
through each day,’ he says. ‘My
parents had it worst in many ways.’ 
Yet rather than crushing him,
these trials, if anything, have driven
him on to a series of extraordinary
feats. Two months after starting
chemotherapy, he ran the Great Bristol
Half Marathon in 1:20:08. Straight
after that, he began a master’s degree
in water science at Oxford University
and graduated with a distinction. In
November 2018, to bid farewell to the
shoulder muscle he would soon lose
in an operation to remove his main
tumour, hampering his swimming
ability, he entered a half-Ironman
triathlon in Egypt and came second.  mentally, during the toughest times
At the time of writing, he’s sitting
on the front seat of a tandem near the
northern border of Pakistan, midway
through a big cycle from Bristol to
Beijing, which has so far raised over
£100,000. The funds will be shared
between five different charities,
WO R D S : DAV I D S M Y T H . P H OTO G R A P H Y: T H E E D E N P R O J E C T
including Teenage Cancer Trust
and Young Lives vs Cancer. He’s
been encouraging other ‘can-livers’
to come and join him on that second
seat, recording a podcast about his
journey and spreading a powerful
message about grabbing every day
with both hands. 
When we catch up with Luke,
he’s back in Bristol, waiting to pick
up the bike after a few repairs and
which began on New Year’s Day in
2020. But thanks to the pandemic,
it had to be carried out in multiple
legs. He’s keen to stress that he’s no
superman; he took the news of his
diagnosis as badly as anyone. 
‘That day, I was crying into the
sofa. It’s very difficult to communicate
what it felt like,’ he says. ‘My dad said,
“Let’s go for a run; you’ll feel better if
you do.” We went out over the downs
in Bristol and ended up looking out
at the suspension bridge, and he said,
“If you’re only going to live for three
more months,” – which seemed pretty
plausible at that point – “that’s awful,
but there’s very little you can do about
it; what you can do is make a choice
about how you spend that time.” Of
course I didn’t just jump up and say,
“You’re right, dad, I won’t be unhappy
any more!” It isn’t like that, but we
all have that choice about how we
use our time, and it becomes very
stark in that kind of situation.’  I do think my attitude has helped.’
He wants to share with others
who have cancer how much exercise
has helped him, both physically and
of his illness. ‘Running is my first
passion, more than cycling. It’s my
meditation; it’s helped me enormously
over the past three years,’ he says.
‘But if you’re stuck in a hospital bed,
walking down the corridor a few
times a day is just as valid as me
going for a run. It’s about being more
active than you’d otherwise be, and
H R
‘I REALISED
the positive feelings
that come from helping
I HAD TO
yourself when you’re
in a difficult situation.
Exercise is also a way to
JUST GET ON reassert your identity as
a human being, rather
WITH IT’ than a patient.’ 
Luke also became
a vegetarian after his
diagnosis. ‘That, and continuing
to run, was all about doing whatever
was in my power to try to give myself
the best possible chance of being one
of those bloody lucky people who live
a little bit longer. Ultimately, there’s
a huge amount of luck involved, but
 
As for the big bike ride, it’s
something he’d been dreaming of
doing for years, faintly pencilled in
for an unspecified time when he was
in a good position in his career, owned
Luke had dreamed a house and so on. ‘It was the day
of doing a big bike
I was diagnosed that I realised I had
ride for years, but
it wasn’t until after to just get on with it. Now, the original
his cancer diagnosis idea I had has grown and grown into
that he decided to something that stands for a lot more
do it. That’s when
– and that’s really exciting.’ 
he set out to cycle
from Bristol to When it’s time to say goodbye,
Beijing. I ask the traditional interviewer’s
wrapping-up question, and realise
how stupid it sounds as soon as it
comes out of my mouth: what’s next?
‘A lot of people kind of live in the
future – I used to. We tell ourselves
things like, “This job will be great
once I get promoted.” Something I’ve
learned the hard way is just to enjoy
today,’ he says. ‘Let the future take
care of itself.’ 
bristol2beijing.org
gofundme.com/f/ghcus-bristol2beijing
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 021
 Murphy’s Lore
BY SAM MURPHY

TO TEE, OR NOT TO TEE,

THAT IS THE QUESTION
want or need is costly to both us
and the environment – and it goes far
beyond the humble race T-shirt. It’s
THE estimated that £30 billion* worth of
unused clothing languishes in our
TAKEAWAY… wardrobes, while £140 million worth
– around 350,000 tonnes – goes to
If you have
landfill in the UK every year.
a favourite race
Some creative runners turn their
or know of a local
race T-shirts into quilts or tote bags;
event that gives
others, me included, simply turn them
participants
down at the finish line. But wouldn’t
finisher T-shirts,
it be better if event organisers gave
you could direct
us the chance to decide whether we
the organisers to
want one before they’re even made?
treesnottees.com
That’s what ultrarunner Jim
where they can
Mann, mindful of his overflowing
find out how to
T-shirt drawer and the growing
give runners the
environmental crisis, was thinking
choice of a T-shirt
when he launched Trees Not Tees
or a tree at no
two years ago. The company partners
extra operational
with race organisers to offer their

I
cost. And if you
entrants an alternative tick box to
have drawers
T-shirt size on the entry form, which
overflowing with
was redecorating the porch the other day in my ancient, says, ‘I don’t need another T-shirt,
race T-shirts or,
paint-splattered decorating gear. Just about visible on please plant a tree for me instead.’ 
indeed, any kind
the front of my tatty tee is the logo for the Great London The idea has taken root: Trees
of unwanted kit,

P H OTO G R A P H Y: P I E TA R I P O S T I . * S O U R C E : WAS T E & R E S O U R C E S AC T I O N P R O G R A M M E

Run in 1991 – one of the first races I ever did. I remember Not Tees worked with more than
check out ReRun.
wearing it with pride, but at some point, it was usurped 100 races in 2021 and has planted
Its website
(who wants to shout about a 10K when they’ve just run thousands of trees for runners across
(rerunclothing.org)
their first marathon?) and relegated to ‘wearing around four sites in Scotland, with planting
has details of how
the house’. It has survived only because it lives in a crate in the United States beginning this
to donate to them
with the dust sheets and paint brushes, rather than in year. The ingenuity of the scheme
and like-minded
a drawer, where it would have fallen prey to one of my ruthless clear-outs.  is that everyone wins: the race
organisations
That was the fate of the once-prized marathon T-shirt, along with countless organiser pays the same price to
around the UK
others over the years. As any lifelong runner knows, there’s only so much space plant a tree as they would for
that would be
– in your heart and wardrobe – for these tees. They’re more a memento than a T-shirt – without removing the
happy to take
a running garment: meaningful in the moment, but pushed further into the element of choice for participants.
sportswear for
past by each new addition. Sooner or later, they’re consigned either to the back For some runners, race T-shirts
either resale,
of the drawer, the charity shop or, like my only other vintage race T-shirt, the will always be part of the fabric
redonation or
bedwear department. (PS, they make good nightwear because even if the label of life – and that’s fine. But while
upcycling.
says ‘small’, they’re often big enough for the whole family to camp under. And, I can count my remaining collection
let’s face it, they’re usually too unhip to wear out in public anyway.) on one hand, the memories of my
All this begs the question: do we really need finisher T-shirts? If, after the races – both good and bad – live on,
first flush of pride and a smattering of wears, they end up as pyjamas, gardening regardless. After all, memories will
clothes or dusters, wouldn’t the world be better off without them? At ReRun, never end up in landfill.
the not-for-profit company that repurposes and resells running gear, 70%
of the donations received are race T-shirts – many have never been worn at
all. The manufacture and subsequent disposal of garments that we don’t truly runningforever.co.uk

022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 H R

YOU'RE
!
AMA ZING
BY THE NUMBERS

INGRID
BJÖRK
FREDDIE XAVI
10, LANCASHIRE, RAN 100KM AFTER BEST MATE’S CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Record-breaking
masters runner
WHEN 10-YEAR-OLD FREDDIE XAVI LEARNED that his friend Hughie Higginson had
been diagnosed with leukaemia, he wanted to do something to help. So he decided to
run 100km in 50 days to raise money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where
This month’s cover runner, Ingrid
Hughie is being treated. ‘There were loads of times when I had to go straight from school
Björk, 62, from Stockholm, is a late
to my football training, then get home at around 8-9pm and go out to do my 2km run,’ says
bloomer when it comes to running.
Freddie. ‘It was quite hard, but I knew what Hughie was having to go through and a 2km
She’s been doing it for 20 years, but
run in the cold and dark was nothing compared with that.’ Next up, Freddie is planning
only started to make strides when
an even more ambitious challenge – this time, with Hughie. ‘Together we’re going
she joined a running club three years
to run at every football ground in the country. It might take us a while because
ago. Remarkably, she set a new Nordic
Hughie’s in treatment for two more years, but we’re really looking forward TO DONATE, VISIT
V60 women’s marathon record of
to it. Sir Mo Farah said he would join us at Arsenal – that would be so cool!’ justgiving.com/
3:11:47 in the Stockholm Marathon last fundraising/
June. ‘I ran because I thought it was freddie-xavi

8:06
fun, but I didn’t really start training
until 2018,’ she says. ‘I’ve got older,
but with the club I’ve run more, done
quality training and become faster
and stronger. But I respect the body’s
signals and never force myself to do
a race that’s not okay for how the body
feels that day. In the future, I hope
to be able to stay healthy, continue to SPEED OF FREDDIE’S FASTEST 2KM. THAT’S RAPID
train and develop as a runner, and
run many more fun races.’

JOSS
NAYLOR
The 85-year-old
fell runner ran
3 £230,000 1
NUMBER OF BURNLEY
FOOTBALL CLUB PLAYERS Amount of money raised for Royal
Proud mum.
‘We’re so proud
WHO JOINED FREDDIE FOR A Manchester Children’s Hospital
parkrun as a bet of his selflessness
RUN: JIMMY DUNNE, ASHLEY
and how he’s been

ZERO
BARNES AND JAY RODRIGUEZ
there for his friend’
He’s better known for his heroics
in the hills, but ‘Iron’ Joss gave the

-2°C
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S ; L U CA M A R A

flat stuff a go recently, after being

challenged to do a parkrun. Eileen
NUMBER OF INJURIES. ‘I WAS STILL
Jones, the author of a book about
PLAYING FOOTBALL SO I WAS HOPING

100KM
parkrun, dared the Cumbrian sheep
I WOULDN’T HAVE ANY BAD TACKLES Temperature
farmer to give it a try when the
OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD MEAN I of his coldest run,
pair were speaking at the Kendal
COULDN’T COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE. on Christmas Day
Mountain Festival. Jones said to
THANKFULLY, IT WAS FINE’

92
him, ‘You’ve done everything there
Distance covered
is to do in the running world, bar
in 50 days
one: you’ve never done a parkrun –
how about it?’ Naylor, a legend of the
2021
50
fells, completed the free 5K event in NUMBER OF
Millom, Cumbria, in a time of 50:45. Year in which FOOTBALL GROUNDS
He says, ‘Anything that keeps people Freddie was IN ENGLAND THAT
moving is a great idea, and parkrun awarded a Pride FREDDIE INTENDS
is helping them to do it regularly.’ of Britain Young TO RUN IN SO HE
Hughie and
Number of days Fundraiser of the CAN RAISE EVEN
Freddie
it took Freddie Year award MORE FUNDS

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 023

IT TAKES ALL KINDS
We’ve all seen the club runner, the beginner and the speed
demon, but there are many other types of runner out there.
In fact, our sport has a welcome for just about everyone
01.
The buggy
runners
The buggy is by Maserati,
while the runners’ kit is by
whatever was in Vogue this
month. His hair is as shiny and
well groomed as the coat of
a pampered seal. She has a
ponytail that does not move,
because it has been told not
to. At parkruns, these two glide
by ordinary runners and do not
seem to breathe. The baby in
the buggy is for ballast and may
not be looked upon until a non-
disclosure agreement is signed,
for it is surprisingly plain. There
may be a dog attached to the
buggy by a string of pearls.
It has a short, reddish-brown
coat and the proud bearing
of a minor tyrant.
02.
The ultrarunners
These folk have run 25 miles
this morning but still they smile,
for they have run 25 miles.
They wear little gear because
there is not much of them to
cover – ultrarunners are made
from long strands of muscle
and tendons that sound like
the E string on a violin when
plucked. Ultrarunners have a
dog-eared first edition of Chris
McDougall’s Born To Run, which
they will insist on swearing upon
if ever called to give evidence in
court. If you tell an ultrarunner
you have run three marathons,
the response will be, ‘Today?’
024 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
RIPE AGE
This runner
has seen it
03.
all – twice The gnarly
veteran
The old hand runs in every
kind of weather and across
all centuries. His singlet
hangs forlornly from his bony
shoulders; it is made from flax
and was fashioned on a loom.
He wears canvas plimsolls
but no socks – they are an
affectation. His shorts are
of the scratchiest tweed and
he considers chafing God’s
way of telling you that you
are sweating too much. He is
wild of eye and hair, sharp of
elbow and raw of knee, and his
marathon PB is 2:30:25, but he
does not know that because
he tells time by the movement
of the sun. The faint writing on
the back of his singlet reads,
‘Eat my dust, Pheidippides.’
04.
The influencer
For the influencer, running
is not an end in itself. It is the
beginning of world domination,
or, at least, a small contract
with a nutrition-bar company.
A run is not a run unless it
is recorded in the form of an
unflattering selfie and perhaps
a photo of the time on their
GPS watch. There may also
be an image of a tree by a river
and a caption along the lines
of ‘Nature humbles me!’ The
influencer’s Instagram feed
often features spectacular
scenery overlaid with
inspiring messages such
as ‘Running calms my brain and
helps me focus my thoughts
on my next selfie.’ Influencers
often profess to being utterly
‘obsessed’ with whatever shoes,
top, shorts, leggings, hat, socks,
sunnies, earbuds, hair product
or laces they are using. Many
of them also enjoy running.
05.
The healthy,
happy couple
These two smell fantastic – like
good fabric softener – before,
during and after a run. They
warm up together, run together
and almost always finish races
together. On the rare occasion
when they do not, the one who
crosses the line first runs back
through the crowds calling,
‘Come on, babe! You got this!
I just got lucky today. You’re
still amazing in my eyes. Never
forget – oh, you’re done.’ The

INNER SELFIE
If it’s not on
Insta, did it
even happen?
WO R D S : J O H N CA R R O L L . I L L U S T R AT I O N S : FA B I O B U O N O CO R E AT S Y N E R GY A R T
happy, healthy couple do not
wear matching gear – they
would never be so gauche
(a word they love) – but each
has a favourite brand and
gently chides the other for
being adorably wrong. They
normally high five each other
at the end of a run, but during
lockdown they elbow-touched;
this was to show solidarity with
those who do not have the kind
of love they share, which is
pretty much everyone else.
06.
The tech
junkie
This character is
adorned with so much
cutting-edge tech that
Elon Musk sees him as a
threat. In winter, he (and it
almost always is a he) wears
a body-cooling compression
base layer and a body-warming
compression outer layer, and
has a compression hat that
quivers constantly and will one
day shoot upwards and kill a
bird. His GPS watch has the
usual bells and whistles
(they are louder than
yours, naturally), but is
so powerful it picks up
signals from Voyager 1,
which is more than 14.5
billion miles away. The shoes
the tech junkie wears have not
yet been invented.
GO IT ALONE
Watch out for
the one-man
wolf pack
H R
07.
The lone wolf
Dressed in his low-key but
expensive running kit, the lone
wolf prefers to run when you
don’t and where you won’t,
so you will rarely see him.
However, if you do spot him
one misty morning, do not
expect acknowledgment as he
passes: the lone runner does
not nod, raise a hand or smile.
If the lone wolf – who has never
considered the fact that wolves
are highly sociable pack animals
– falls while running, he will
not grunt in pain, nor will he
bleed. He will make his painful
way home and lick his wounds,
not realising that a torn achilles
does not respond to even the
most vigorous tongue basting.
No matter. This is nature’s way.
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 025
 YO U R
LETTER OF THE MONTH
WORLD SNAP CHAT

RUNNING IS FOR #MUDSWEATTEARS

EVERYBODY
Show us your muddiest running pic

When I picked the February issue off

the doormat and tore the packaging off,
I stopped in my tracks: it was really that
unusual to see a woman on the cover who
wasn’t a size eight. Running is definitely
for all of us – you only have to attend
a local parkrun or watch the London
Marathon to know that. It doesn’t matter
what your shape, size or background is,
we can all enjoy the challenge, the health
‘Just a little bit stuck’
benefits and the great outdoors. I often
– Catherine Morris Venables (left)
hear from women – other mums – that
they run, but they’re ‘not a proper runner’,
even if they’ve completed marathons
and train often. I know this is because
they feel they don’t look the part or they
don’t run fast enough. I always reply, ‘Of
course you’re a runner,’ but perhaps now
YES, YOU
that they can see themselves on the front REALLY ARE
of Runner’s World, they’ll finally believe it.  A RUNNER
– Jo Phillips

 
Well said, Jo. We felt it was important to kick off our Running Is For Every Body campaign
with a cover that proved people of all shapes, sizes, speeds and ethnicities can be runners.
No words for this one – and none needed
It’s one of the key messages we’re hoping to communicate – this year and beyond.
– Clare Rosemary Evans

A BIG PROBLEM WITH GEAR
I read the ‘Running Is For Every Body’
article in your February magazine and
it really struck a chord with me. When
I started running, it was so difficult to find
running attire that fit. My sports bra was
so tight that it left welts around my torso,
and I was wearing men’s extra-large tops
because women’s ones didn’t fit. After
I joined more running-related groups on
social media, I realised that there were
alternatives out there (all online) and
bought some clothes that fit. High street
stores and specialised running shops just
don’t cater for the larger lady. Despite
running for six years now, it’s only last
year that I actually started to consider
myself as a runner. I would always say,
‘I run, but I’m not a runner’, and then
my husband would try to persuade me
otherwise. I look in the mirror and I don’t ‘Mudrunner at Eastnor Castle’
like the body reflecting back at me; I’m – Nicholas Tyler

80%
THE POLL still not your typical-shaped runner, but
I enjoy running and the mental-health
Distance benefits it brings. Thank you for your
Do you prefer
article in Runner’s World; more stories
to train to
and photos with larger body shapes
distance
would be most welcome.
or time?
Based on a poll
– Denise Weaver
with 621 votes

BERRY CONFUSING
I’m a bit confused what to think about
whether berries can stave off dementia
following contradictory reports in the
‘After the Humberside cross-country’
January 2022 issue of Runner’s World.

20%
– Stuart Spencer
Page 13 has an interesting report about
research telling me that berries can help
Time
reduce my risk of dementia due to their Next month: #FancyThat Show us
high levels of flavonoids. But then I read a pic of your best fancy dress run

026 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 on page 47 that research linking
blueberries and reduced risk from
WE ASK, YOU ANSWER H R
dementia is not robust. It recommends
a well-balanced diet to help preserve

COMPLETE
cognitive health, which sounds sensible
to me. But the overall message is a bit
contradictory; it’s interesting to read
about different studies, but please can
RW take a more measured tone when THIS SENTENCE:
reporting single studies and give the
broader context of what we know about MY BEST RACE
how a good diet can boost our health.
– Samantha Sharp MEMORY IS…
‘Running through one

 
Fair point, Samantha. of the tunnels in the
We’re always keen to bring Great North Run in 1998
readers the latest sports and listening to everyone
nutrition findings, but we can see shouting, ‘Oggy oggy
that giving the broader context oggy, Oi oi oi!”’
would be useful. We will try to do – Katie Martin
this, space-permitting, in future.
‘Running across the finish ‘Turning the corner on ‘Running the Sweden
line with my son in my to the Mall at the London Sky Race 24 in 2014. It
THE SCHOOL RUN 100th marathon, where Marathon last year and was such a beautiful race
I’ve been running ‘seriously’ for just I was surrounded by all seeing the finish.’ through the midnight sun
over 10 years. I’m the headteacher of my family and friends. – Hannah Cole in northern Sweden.’
a London primary school, which brings Memories I’ll never forget.’ – Jenny Nilsson
its own set of challenges and stresses – Rob Smith ‘Running through the
– particularly in the past couple of years. Brandenburg Gate ‘Setting a 10K PB at
A friend of mine recommended ‘run ‘Mile 23 of the London towards the finish line at Tatton Hall and beating
commuting’ (school is only about 5km Marathon. Seeing my kids my first ever marathon my sports-science-degree
from where I live) and it’s the perfect way Kevin and his and husband cheering me in Berlin last year.’ husband at the same time!’
daughter
to combine exercise with your daily on was exactly the boost – Freddie Basil Gilbert – Alison Carys
routine. There is no way in winter that I needed at just the right Preston
I would get home, change and go out moment. So emotional!’ ‘Completing Manchester
running in the dark, but as I run to and – Katie Ward ‘Dragging my bum over Marathon in 2019 – just
from school, the job’s done! I have to say the finish line on my first six months after starting
that Runner’s World is such an inspiration. ‘The crowds and marathon, in my home to run. Then having to
You have a range of stories on such atmosphere at the NYC town of Brighton.’ explain to my partner why
a diverse range of topics. Whenever Marathon. London is fab, – Loraine Colvin I was crying because the
I feel like I need a running boost, a quick but NYC is a notch up.’ Bridgeman emotions just hit me.’
flick through the latest issue will inspire – Lynne M Drummond – Nigel Moscardini
me to get my trainers on. And it’s never
too late – I’ve been running parkruns
for the last eight years and I’ve just run
my fastest two since turning 50 this PUNKS MADE MY DAY all the commentary from running apps
year. Keep up the good work. I picked up running again in 2021 as and enjoy the music you’re listening to.
– Kevin Jones a means to get some headspace to grieve I’ve rediscovered songs and albums that
after losing both my parents last year, and I enjoyed while in my teens. I must thank
Teleri runs with to get fit again while gyms were closed Running Punks for being a supportive,

 
Good on you, Kevin. The Running Punks during lockdowns. My husband had no-pressure running club to get me
run commute still isn’t given talked positively about Running Punks through a difficult period in my life and
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S

the attention it deserves, (runningpunks.com) and I decided to see making it a bit better after every run.
but we’re hoping to change this with what the fuss was about. And I have to – Teleri Evans
our involvement in the RunSome say that they’ve changed my outlook on

  
campaign (runsome.org), which running and helped me with my mental We’ve heard lots of good
celebrates completing some or all health and motivation. The best thing things about Running
of your regular journeys on foot. I learned from them was to switch off Punks. Rock on, Teleri!

WHAT’S INSPIRED, IMPRESSED OR ANNOYED YOU LATELY ABOUT RUNNING OR RUNNERS? THE WRITER
OF THE WINNING EMAIL OR LETTER RECEIVES A PAIR OF SAUCONY TRIUMPH 19, WORTH £145
RUNNER’S WORLD, House of Hearst, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ
Email letters@runnersworld.co.uk Tweet @runnersworlduk Facebook runnersworlduk

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 027

 Tonky Talk
BY PAUL TONKINSON

TO THE ACUPUNCTURIST TO TRY

TO PINPOINT MY PROBLEMS
I got into my pants and lay face
down as he got down to business. The
acupuncture was a strange sensation,
RUNNING GAGS not painful, but progressively
by Rick Pearson disturbing. A feeling of heat then
a sharp pinch, needle in and away
A runner’s guide to the next location, slowly turning
to overtaking me into a human pin cushion.
Then he shuffled off, leaving
Rule 1: If you’re me feeling, it has to be said, relaxed.
a man, there’s It’s nice to get help, to surrender to
a possibility thousands of years of wisdom. I felt
that you may the needles doing their work. Then
not be quicker he pulled the curtains back, took
than the person the needles out and set to work. 
you’re trying to It was the relentlessness of it
overtake. This is that was so shocking. Dr Lu had
particularly true a laser-like ability to find the pockets
if the runner of stiffness and really dig in. He
ahead of you is prodded, rubbed, kneaded. I winced.
female. Please, ‘Hurts?’ ‘A bit.’ ‘You feel pain, tell
just be honest me.’ Everywhere he went I hurt. Dr

I
with yourself. Lu made agonising progress up my
vertebrae, then launched an assault
t’s happened again, another niggle, and after I’d been on Rule 2: Do not on my upper neck. I didn’t whimper,
the comeback trail. Ironic as it may seem, with all my recent overtake and more of a continual silent scream.
troubles, I’ve been planning to do some ultras. With that then slow down. For the last two minutes Dr
in mind, I’d been coming back gradually but, looking back, This is extremely Lu abandoned any semblance of
too intensely. It’s always the problem – running is too good. annoying and decorum and just slapped my body
When you can’t do it, you miss it, and when you can do it suggests you continuously – arms, back, legs, arse.
again you grab at it like a child let loose on a biscuit barrel. have not read I almost laughed, it was so painful,
As a token gesture to gradualism, I was running every the first rule. but there was an exhilaration to it.
other day, but as a gesture to my lunacy, was adding 10 The slaps intensified, then with
minutes every run. When you look at the wisdom to increase by no more than 10% Rule 3: When a final flourish like a concert pianist
a week, it makes for a very elongated return to fitness. I couldn’t wait, I had too overtaking, resist approaching the climax, he came to
much running to do. And then I did too much and could do no running at all.  the urge to offer a stop. Then he was off behind the
Within this self-destructive aspect of my mindset lies the idea that running false motivational curtain again. I lay prone for a second,
itself will fix things. But I’ve reached the stage where it doesn’t. In fact, I need advice. They’re like tenderised meat. I dressed and
to fix things in order to run. But I’m slow to learn. not ‘doing so well’ walked to the front of the clinic to
After two weeks of the every-other-day regime I was feeling very stiff and you’re not get the results. I already felt better.
behind my left knee. Nothing a 90-minute run won’t fix! The run itself was Mr Motivator. ‘Stretch,’ he said and went on to
I L LU S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I

fine, the stiffness in my legs eased. But in the morning, I couldn’t really walk. Unless you are, demonstrate. ‘So, can I run?’ ‘Yes,
A friend said what I needed was Dr Lu, an expert in acupuncture and in which case, you must!’ He laughed, running
Chinese massage. ‘Beware,’ she said. ‘It really hurts.’ I suggest you on the spot. ‘Exercise good!’
Two days later I was standing in front of Dr Lu, detailing the disaster that have taken
my body has hosted the past couple of years – the back pain, the calf, the groin compression
and now the leg. Dr Lu’s English was limited but to the point. ‘Mmm,’ he said, gear too far. Paul is a stand-up comedian and co-host
holding my pelvis. ‘Unbalanced.’ ‘It’s my knee,’ I replied. ‘It just feels unsteady.’  of the Running Commentary podcast. His
He held my knee. ‘Feel,’ he said. I felt my leg, it was vibrating.  book 26.2 Miles To Happiness is out now

028 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 H R
The Flamingo Diaries
BY LISA JACKSON

THE RUNNING COMMUNITY IS

ALWAYS THERE TO LIFT YOU UP
‘Don’t give up. I’ve done this
route before,’ I gasped. ‘This is the
worst bit.’ She didn’t reply, so we
continued onwards, marvelling
at the beauty of the South Downs.
After an official had playfully hung
WORDS TO GIVE my medal around my flamingo’s neck,
we headed for a well-deserved cuppa.
YOU WINGS ‘I remember you,’ said a woman
in the queue. ‘I did my first marathon
‘Community is with you here five years ago!’ A joyful
a consequence. reunion ensued as we caught up on
It results when all that had transpired since.
people come Walking to the car, I congratulated
together to Grace on her feat. ‘But I walked most
accomplish of it,’ she said, omitting the fact that
things that are I was the one who’d held her back.
important to ‘Yes, you did, but so did that
them and woman we just met when she ran her
succeed. People first marathon, and since then she’s
who are run a 50-mile ultra,’ I told her. ‘That
uninvolved could be you in five years’ time.’

W
cannot feel this We then spied the woman who’d
connection.’ been crying, complete with her
hen my husband Graham became terminally ill, it medal. ‘You made it!’ we yelled. ‘It
was tempting to sink into despair. I was worrying The words was hard, but I did,’ she grinned.
about the treatment and, scariest of all, how I would of Richard On the way home, I told Grace
face old age and its challenges without the man Cornuelle, how fortunate I felt to reconnect
who’d been by my side since I was 19. It was an American with the running community, and
horrible and I realised we couldn’t go on that way. political activist, how the runners we’d met that day
So we chose to live in hope, not fear. Key to this was perfectly sum had boosted my battered spirits.
our Positivity Book. We stuck in loving notes from up the very ‘I loved it, too. Thanks for inviting
friends and scraps of evidence to boost our hope special way that me,’ said Grace. ‘Also, I hadn’t
that Graham would live longer than the 18 months to five years predicted. running enables realised you were famous!’
Another important aspect was booking things into our diary to look forward us to connect ‘It’s my flamingo hat, not me,
to, such as trips abroad and running events. That is until lockdown meant we with like-minded that’s famous,’ I chuckled. ‘And the
had to rely on simple pleasures like woodland walks to keep our positivity up. people, binding great thing about running is that you
When races finally resumed, I signed us up for the 2021 Beachy Head 10K, us together with don’t have to be famous for people to
because Eastbourne’s white cliffs are one of the most soul-stirring sights in the invisible bonds. recognise you. Once you’ve shared
world. Sadly, Graham died seven weeks before the event, but I transferred the a few miles with a stranger they’ll
entry to his niece, Grace, who’d vowed to run the 2022 Brighton Marathon with never be a stranger again.’
I L LU S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I

me in his honour. And so I found myself accompanying Grace on her first 10K.
‘Are you the Lisa Jackson who writes for Runner’s World?’ asked a woman in
the loo queue. ‘Guilty as charged!’ I replied. And with that we struck up a chat Lisa is the author of two bestselling
about the pleasures and perils of the hilly course. After numerous selfies with running books, Running Made Easy and
our new friends, Grace and I headed to the start line. Being far from fit, I found Your Pace Or Mine? Her latest books –
the almost vertical start a real challenge. Near the crest of the hill, I noticed Travel Seekness and Travel Agents – both
a woman who was panting even more heavily than I was. Tears were streaming contain chapters about running and have
down her face and she looked as if she was about to faint. been released as audiobooks

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 029

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Environ
of
s e c ti o n
n c e , th e m id d le g e s t
p , Fra th e lo n
N e x t s to ey – an d
is ’s e p ic jo u rn
Ag

The fac e of a ma n wh o is
not ent irel y sur e
he has tho ugh t this one
thr oug h
mental
te d so le ly to
n ha d be en er ec
It’s as if th e sig ph an t ru nn er
ha us te d bu t tri um
we lco m e an ex

Agis Emmanouil’s
race to save the planet:
how one man ran over
2,000km to deliver his
symbolic message
about the climate crisis
 Last autumn, the
The 52-year-old Greek actor, runner and
environmental activist decided to run from
his home in Athens to reach Glasgow on

COP26 conference
foot at the same time the delegates arrived
in their motorcades, in an attempt to draw
attention to the climate crisis.

in Glasgow became a
Emmanouil has some form in this area,
having previously run 240km to protest
against the environmental impact of the

focal point for many

commercialisation of Greece’s Attica coast,
but this was taking his passion for running
and environmental activism to a new level.

who are passionate

He considered a 3,500km Balkan-central
Europe-Calais-London-Glasgow route, but
quickly came to his senses and plotted a

about the climate-

journey that involved taking a ship from
Patras in Greece to Italy and then running
from there to the west coast of France before

change crisis, but few

boarding a ship to the UK for the final leg.
He began on 11 August, from the sacred site
of Pnyx Hill, Athens, and finished in

were moved to
Glasgow on 5 November, running 2,073km,
powered, he says, by the desire to make a
statement about the climate-change crisis.

the same extent as

Here, he tells the story of his epic journey.

‘It’s 29 September, 7pm, France. I’m 50km

Agis Emmanouil.
past Dijon, 16km more to go to Venarey-les-
Laumes. I have run six days in a row. I’m
unstoppable. The temperature has fallen
but I am in a good state of mind. I slice
through an Eden of trees. The ground is
tilting downwards and I don’t take notice.

034 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 MAN ON A MISSION

I began each daily run in the

morning, but even by 10am the
Left: Agis’s journey began in Athens, but he
had a handy reminder of where he would finish heat was almost insufferable
I skid down a hillside and land in a pile again in Greece). In April, my left knee the Athenians their army had beaten the
of mud. There’s no signal on either of my started hurting like crazy. In May, my doctor Persians in battle. Pheidippides sacrificed
phones. A veil of darkness, literal and told me I should undergo an arthroscopy. himself to fill Athens with pride (he died
emotional, is settling over the place and Severe meniscus damage, apparently. Three after his exertions) and made history by
the cold is getting to my bones. I am trying weeks after the knee surgery, I got back on running the first marathon.
to breathe. I’ll be patient until dawn. This my feet and resumed training.’ There was not much of a crowd to send
too shall pass. My mind travels back to me off, which was no great surprise, as it
Pnyx Hill, Athens, where it all started, was very early in the morning. At 7am,
on 11 August. From Athens to Glasgow, Greece I took my first steps and the few people
for climate change. Athens to Patras, 11-15 August, 2021 who were there began to clap. People from
I took what many would see as the ‘I was eerily relaxed. I had already wasted the Ecological Alliance Forum followed
insane decision to embark on this journey gargantuan amounts of mental and me to Patras in an electric car, providing
while watching A Life On Our Planet, psychological energy trying to amass funds me with bottled water, holding my stuff,
narrated by Sir David Attenborough. “We and promote my campaign; as a result, shuttling and feeding me. The distance
made it to where we are because we are my mental well had dried up. But at last from Athens to Patras, where I boarded
the most intelligent creatures on the planet. I was on the sacred Pnyx Hill, where, in the ship to Italy, was 217.62km. 
But we need more than intelligence to keep 490 BC, Pheidippides had arrived on foot I began each daily run in the morning,
on; we need wisdom,” Attenborough said. from the battlefield at Lake Marathon to tell but even by 10am the heat was almost
Things are very simple – now, we need to insufferable. I had to run 90% of the
run, I added. I was touched profoundly. 217km Greece leg in temperatures of
I started feeling humanity was hopeless When you’re running more than 2,000km, there 40°C, without divvying up the kilometres
and that I needed to do something to draw are times when you look at a cow munching slowly between morning and afternoon/evening.
attention to climate change. I needed to hit on grass and you think, ‘Now that’s the sweet life’ On average, I covered 43.5km per day in E
people’s instincts. I thought that, unless
we overcome our fallible human nature,
nothing will change. Attenborough’s words
rang in my head. Running has always been
with us. We were made to run. Homo sapiens
ran to secure food. In Classical Greece,
messengers carried important messages
between city states by running. Today, we
need to run not only for health but also
because running is the least CO2-emitting
way of getting around. There would be a
symbolic meaning to running all the way
from my Athens home to Glasgow, where
the greatest climate conference of the
century, to date, would be taking place.
Running has been part of my life for a
long time. I ran my first marathon in 1996,
finishing in 5:50. A year later, I ran 4:13,
having trained between theatrical
performances. In 2000, I began training
more seriously and in 2001 I finished the
Athens Classic Marathon in 3:31. In 2015,
I completed my first 100km ultramarathon
and ran 10 more ultras after that. “Healthy
body, healthy mind”, as the saying goes
AS TO L D TO : S TAV D I M I T R O P O U LO S

and it sure found its way into my acting.

It was almost like I had expanded my
consciousness. I could see it in the eyes
and faces of the audience.  
In early 2021, I completed two major
ultramarathons, one in the mountains (the
100km Ursa Trail in Metsovo, Greece) and
another on the road (the 142km Immortals’
Race from Tripoli to Sparta to Kalamata, E
 ‘I come from Greece. I’m running to Greece before reaching Patras on 15 August
and boarding the ship for the 18-hour
Glasgow to protest against climate crossing to Ancona, on Italy’s east coast.’

change. Do you speak English?' Italy

Venice to Bardonecchia,
16 August to 13 September
‘I arrived in Ancona at 11am and immediately
started driving to Turin. Why did I bring
my car on a run against climate change?
Ideally, I wouldn’t have needed it, but
I was inexperienced, largely alone and
unsupported. Having my car in pre-selected
locations in all three countries I was about
to traverse would act as a psychological
buffer for me – I knew that if something
bad happened, if I could not find a hotel
at night or if I suffered a terrible injury,
I would survive. The following day, I left
my car at a car park and took the train to
Venice, my first starting point in a country
other than my own.
In Italy, I had some awesome cyclists
tagging along and taking care of me for the
Venice-Padua and Vicenza-Verona legs.
One was Alberto Fiorin, an acclaimed ultra
cyclist who had studied history but opted
to write his own by riding from Venice to
Beijing a couple of years ago. He gave me
pizza, water and safety. Another who was
instrumental for me in Italy was Giovani
Leone, a Sicilian architect. This artistic and
poetic man was the “general” of my Italian
leg, arranging my accommodation, even
walking alongside me through the alleys of
Venice at the Venetian pace of 9:00min/km
– so fast that I had to jog to keep up with
him! Italians were keen on my venture –
I appeared five times on RAI 1 and other TV
channels and spoke on Radio Popolare. But
in Verona, I was back on my own and half
the success in completing an ultramarathon
is down to support. Still, on 23 August,
I covered an almighty 70km from Verona
to Brescia. After Brescia, Bergamo was next
on the map. Life after the worst of the

(Left, top to bottom): Agis undergoes treatment for

periostitis in Italy; there was no time to admire even
the magnificent Villa Pisani in Veneto, northern Italy

2,073 km 51 69.24km 13km 3:50:55

T H E
R O U T E
B Y Time of fastest
N U M B E R S marathon run,
Shortest distance
from Coalburn
Total distance run Number of Longest distance covered in covered in a day,
to Glasgow on
days spent a single day, from Verona to from Manchester to
5 November
running Brescia, in 11:30, on 22 August   Walkden, in 2:01 on
31 October

036 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022


pandemic was back to normal in that
beautiful place, but as I was running a few
kilometres outside Bergamo, things took a
tragicomic turn when a lanky Italian man
approached me on a Vespa.
“Ciao. I come from Greece. I’m running
to Glasgow to protest against climate
change. Do you speak English?”
“A little. Come, I’m doing the support
for an Italian runner. He’s running a 10K
race. Come, I’ll get you some beer and some
watermelon.”
“Is it far from here?”
“No, no, no, near.”
“Famoso, famoso athlete, the one you
are supporting?”
 “So and so.”
He took me to the finish line of a local
running event, where the presenter
announced me in front of a small crowd.
I looked at the timer next to the presenter
and noticed that after 1:10:37 the ‘so-and-so
famoso’ runner hadn’t finished his 10K.
I looked for the Vespa man but maybe the
universe was punishing me for my hubris,
because the moment he saw my bemused
expression, he revved up and disappeared
into Bergamo. So I ran 56km that day
D I G I TA L M A N I P U L AT I O N : S C R ATC H I N P O S T.CO.U K
9:24 4°C 41°C
Time taken to run 58.66km
at an altitude of 1,195m from
Lowest
temperature run
Chambéry to La Tour-du-Pin in: November
on 19 September in the UK
(Above, left to right): With long-distance cyclist
Alberto Fiorin; Santhià station, between Milan and
Turin; with the three French cyclists who saved the day
instead of 51km and the pain in the leg that
had gone through an arthroscopy in May
came surging back.
This was my first serious injury. It was
impossible to run the next day, but after
resting for three days I walked for 10 hours
and 38 minutes to reach Milan. It was
unbearable for the nervous system of a
runner to endure walking for that long and
my quadriceps kept twitching, so I googled
for a physiotherapist in the city. A great
professional and human being, Stefano
Bason, charged me only a symbolic amount
for a few Tecar therapies [which use heat to
aid healing]. It was now early September.  all battles, being both the middle and the
My first severe periostitis [inflammation
around bone] hit me during the last 17 km of
a 45.74km day from Novara to Santhià. The
following day I could barely stand on my right
leg. Stefano had me undergo a magnetic
tomography, which showed periostitis
on my right leg. But not once did quitting
cross my mind, and a laser treatment and
Highest temperature run in:
August in Greece
MAN ON A MISSION
handfuls of Voltaren pills improved the
situation. I ran again on 11 September
– 24.34km from Santhià to Crescentino.
The following day I ran from Turin to Susa
and on 12 September, I reached my final
destination in Italy, Bardonecchia, but
Stefano had a less than celebratory message:
 “You will need nine months of recovery
if the damage is too severe.”
Silence.
“Okay, instead, you will be a highly
interesting experiment.” He would intently
watch my progress, he added.
France
Modane to Calais,
15 September to 19 October
‘I knew France would be the mother of
longest leg. I dispelled this cognitive funk
by hanging on to the thought that, once I
arrived in Paris, everything would change
in my favour. Loneliness was a frequent
challenge, though, strangely, after Lyon I did
some of my fastest and most energised runs.
On 18 September, I embarked on the
first leg of my French running journey, the E
540kg
Amount of CO2
emitted by a plane
flying from Athens
to Glasgow
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 037

Glasgow
Manchester
UK London
Abbeville
Paris
Dijon
France
Venice
Lyon
Italy
After months on the road, I no longer
needed to carry my 4kg backpack
containing water and food
30km from Modane to Saint-Jean-de-
Maurienne. It was an adventurous run, as
Google Maps sent me to France’s national
highway, from where I was soon ushered
to safety by a police car.
The 58.66km in nine hours and 38 minutes
from Chambéry to La-Tour-du-Pin was also
interesting: Google Maps sent me on to the
old national highway – another police car
came alongside and I was informed I was
breaking the law.
Later, with a wooden stick in hand, as
I had heard dogs barking in the distance,
I cut through a trail that led me to the town
of Bourgoin-Jallieu, where I climbed up
a steep hill. I cast my eyes over a stunning
landscape. It was a town out of a fairy tale
– the houses sitting on a seemingly eternal
meadow, a silver lake zigzagging through it.
Forced out of my trance by the thought
of the day’s remaining 30km, I was soon
joined by an English-speaking Frenchwoman
who was jogging around the fine town of
Novalaise and who ran companionably with
me for 3km. By the end of that day, I had
developed a periostitis-type pain in my
lower left leg. My plan dictated that I run
from La-Tour-du-Pin to Lyon the following
038 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
Greece
Patras
L' Amiral Athens
day, but I couldn’t make it. About 20km
from Lyon I keeled over from exhaustion
and pain. Once again I gulped down
Voltaren pills, then rested for two days.  United Kingdom
I had covered about 500km in 15 days, with
only two days off, but it’s amazing what a
little rest can do. I was finding my footing
and pace. The drop in temperature, the fact
I had lost a few pounds and the thought
of Glasgow inching ever closer gave me
a Superman-like sense of confidence.
Fast forward to 7pm on 29 September:
50km past Dijon, I was crossing a dense
forest in the darkness. What a ride I was
on! This flashback from the near past both
shocked and inspired me. I strutted forward,
then heard what sounded like the grunt of a
wild boar. I felt strangely energised by it.
After running the final 16km to Venarey-
les-Laumes, I arrived at the railway station at
10.30pm, found shelter under a glass awning
at the entrance and waited for morning.
I had run 66km and was thirsty, but had
also never been so happy in my whole life.
At 5am, I scurried into the now-open
building and warmed myself by a radiator.  On 28 October, the cold was piercing.
When I reached Paris on 8 October, I was
put up in The Foyer Hellénique Châtenay
Malabry, a dormitory owned by the Greek
Orthodox Church. The priest, father
Panagiotis, cooked youvetsi [a Greek stew]
for me. It was delicious and seemed to be
great fuel because, on 12 October, I ran
the fastest, most effortless marathon of
the whole journey so far – from Saint-
Denis in Paris to Creil in a pain-free 4:50
to complete this first leg of the final push
up through France to Calais.
Despite living off pizza and Nutella for
four days – unadvisable, but it was a diet
of necessity – I managed to run 204km.
But as I reached the town of Nouvion on
17 October, I was running out of water.
I saw three kids, each around 10 years old,
and turned to Google Translate.
“Hi. I am coming from Greece. I am
running for climate change.”
“Wow, really?”
A chat and selfies followed, but when
I asked where I could buy water, they told
me everything was closed. As I moved
forward, I heard the sound of bicycle
wheels. The kids were riding behind me.
One of them unfurled a tiny palm.
“Here, take this money.”
“No, please. I have money.”
A couple of minutes later, I greeted the
kids for a second time as they pedalled past
and gave me a big bottle filled with water.
Tears of gratitude welled up in my eyes.
Those kids saved me from dehydration
or a major breakdown that day. How would
I have run the last 14km to Abbeville without
water, having already done 41km? Those
little cyclists were, for me, a dues ex machina.’
Dartford to Glasgow,
21 October to 5 November
‘At last I had reached the UK. I powered
through the last 8km from Dartford to
London accompanied by Theodoris Alatas,
a restless Greek living in London.
In Tamworth, I unleashed my story on
a mother and daughter. It was reflexive at
that point; I just needed to speak to people.
They seemed highly invested – we shared
the same rebellious opinions. After a
collective selfie, the mother hugged
me and the daughter gave me a lucky
charm, a bracelet with white and turquoise
energy rocks, telling me, “It will give you
strength and mental stamina to make
I L LU S T R AT I O N : H A R V E Y SY M O N S
your dream come true.”
At 9pm I was in Rugby. All the pubs were
open and I was reminded of home. In France,
everything was dead by 9pm. I ate a pizza
and crashed in my bed at a small hotel.
That day, I had to run 36.5km from Holmes
Chapel village to Manchester, to finish

outside Old Trafford, home of Manchester
United. I did the last 10km in 54:00. Just
another 200km more to Carlisle and then
the last 120km to Glasgow.  second. So, after months on the road, I no
Two days later, on 30 October, I decided
to aim for 60km, to make up for some of
the time lost with injuries and days off. The
weather forecast had mentioned rain and
soon the streets of Oxenholme had become
more like rivers. There was no way I was
doing 60km. After five hours and 16 minutes
– and 32km – I made it to Lancaster.
Two days later, two cars were ready to
escort me on the final push to Scotland. An
old friend, Rosie, drove the first, and Myrto
(Left, from top): Agis runs past Old Trafford; a selfie
outside the town of Moffat, Scotland; the end of a
very long journey; (below) Philip Braat, Lord Provost
of Glasgow, places an olive wreath on Agis’s head
MAN ON A MISSION
Vounatsou, another friend of mine, sent
by World Human Forum to assist me
throughout my final kilometres, drove the
longer needed to carry my 4kg backpack
containing water and food.
The final day, 5 November, involved
exactly 42.2km from Coalburn to Glasgow
McLennan Arch, my finishing point. With
only 24km run the day before and 21km the
day before that, I felt buoyed. When the
spirit is willing, the flesh is not weak; of
that, I was now certain. How else can I
explain that I almost dipped below 3:50 in
this final marathon, my fourth-fastest time
ever? Three other runners joined me for the
last 3km and near McLennan Arch I saw
about 40 people clapping and cheering.
Among those present to congratulate me
when I finally crossed the imaginary finish
line of my run from Athens were the Lord
Provost of Glasgow, Philip Braat, news
reporters, members of the WWF, Greek
member of the European Parliament Maria
Spyraki and former member of the Scottish
parliament Hugh O’Donnell (who had been
particularly encouraging throughout my
journey). I donned an Olympics-style olive
wreath, along with a kilt (to honour my host
country). But at that moment, I felt neither
happy nor proud. I felt more like a person who
had come back from the dead and all I wanted
to do was go home and say, “I’m alive.”
I learned that world leaders had promised
to protect the Earth’s forests and cut methane
emissions – a good start, but not enough. In
Glasgow, it was £300 for a room; hoteliers
profiting off the climate-change conference
when they really should be lowering their
prices for an event with such profound
environmental implications. We need to
move to another phase of evolution to tackle
colossal problems such as global warming.
Now, we need to run.
Looking back, my journey from Athens
to Glasgow was the most fatiguing and
transcendental experience of my life. Never
have I felt more connected to everyone and
everything on this planet. Only when you
stretch your physical, psychological and
mental limits do you achieve a state of
theosis, an elevated state of consciousness
that will open your eyes to what is happening
around you, the destruction of the Earth
included. Perhaps pain is liberating.
Now for the future. I intend to try to
coordinate a pan-European movement
of runners and actors who will combine
running with performing to spread the
message against climate change. The global
running movement is stronger than ever,
so think what would happen if the millions
of runners across the world joined forces.
Now we need to run.’
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 039
WANT TO RUN FASTER, STRONGER AND HEALTHIER?

Coach Erin Carson

leads runner Hannah
Shell through a series
of glute exercises
and hip stretches

Photography by Matt Nager

040 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

IT’S
TIME
TO
WORK
YOUR
BUTT!
Words by Kiera Carter
E

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 041

 Carson designs
strength-training
programmes for In short, these muscles can
runners, cyclists help you run, and run fast.
and triathletes Research shows that runners

HOW TO BUILD POWERFUL GLUTES

can go harder when their
backsides are built up. In fact,
a small Medicine & Science in
Sports & Exercise study found
the glutes of pro sprinters
were 45% larger than those
of a sub-elite group.
The glutes are also vital
for injury prevention. ‘Any
weakness in the glutes will
propagate fur ther down the
kinetic chain and manifest
itself as runner’s knee or
achilles tendinitis,’ says
Grosicki. The glutes keep
the pelvis neutral – as in, not
ahead of your torso and not
popped out behind you. So,
without strong gluteal muscles,
you’ll have improper pelvic
positioning, which leads to
improper foot placement, says
Grosicki, meaning you’ll land
too far forward or too far back.
Do this thousands of times over
the course of a run and you can
easily pick up an injury.
Here’s the tricky part: sitting
for hours on end tightens your
hip flexors, which makes it
harder to activate your glutes
when you need them most – on
a run and during your strength
workouts. (Lower back pain
during a run or squat is a sign
the glutes aren’t doing their
job well.) This means a truly
effective glutes-targeting
strategy is a well-rounded one.
Yes, it needs to strengthen your
backside with relevant lower
body exercises, but it should
also make it easier to recruit
those muscles in the first place.
That’s exactly what the
moves on the next pages are
designed to do. Incorporate
them into your workout routine
to amp up your glutes for
maximum running power.

See if your glutes are turning up to the starting line by doing this single-leg bridge test from
TEST corrective-movement specialist Tony Ambler-Wright. Lying on the floor with your arms

FOR across your chest, place your feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Extend your left leg straight
ahead, parallel with the right thigh, and raise your bum off the floor. ‘There should be an

WEAK imaginary line connecting your knee, hip and shoulder,’ says Ambler-Wright. If your left
hip drops or you can’t hold for 30 seconds, you need to strengthen the glutes. Test the right
GLUTES side, too. ‘You should feel it in your glutes, not your quads or hamstrings,’ says Ambler-Wright.
Even if you succeed in holding the position for more than 30 seconds, it’s not a free pass.
Further strengthening your glutes will help you run faster and avoid injury.

042 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 BUM DEAL

‘Strength training for runners is all about maximising reward and minimising risk,’ says strength coach Erin Carson, founder of the
online training group ECFIT Performance Strength, which offers strength training for endurance athletes. That means swapping
out classics such as the back squat – which compresses the spine, Carson says – for glutes-activating moves that also improve
stability and better reflect the motion of running. Do the exercises here twice a week, focusing on endurance in one workout
(2 to 3 sets of 15 reps, at a weight that feels hard by rep 14) and strength in the other (3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps, at a weight that
feels hard by the end), and master the motions without weight before adding load.

Using a hex bar for the
deadlift reduces pres-
sure on your lower back
compared to a standard
3 Standing in front of a bench and
barbell, Carson says.
STEP-UP
holding weights by your sides, step
on to the bench with your left foot
and drive your right thigh towards
your torso, knee bent at a 90-degree
angle. Slowly and with control, return
to the start. Repeat with the other
foot and continue to alternate sides.

HEX BAR DEADLIFT

1 Step inside the centre of the hex bar, feet about hip-
width apart. Bend at the waist and knees to grab
the handles. Stand up in one motion, squeezing your
glutes at the top. Slowly lower back to the ground.

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT

2 Stand with a mid-shin-height step or bench behind

you (to make it harder, use a higher platform).
Holding a kettlebell at your chest, place your left foot
on the bench so you feel slight tension in your rear
quad, hips facing straight ahead. Raise the kettlebell
above your head and bend your right knee to 90
degrees, so your left knee is almost touching the
floor, and push back up to stand, only using your
right foot for balance. Switch sides after each set.
E

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 043

 TWO-TIME IRONMAN world champion Mirinda Carfrae – who has never had an injury
that stopped her from training – in part credits mobility for her success. ‘I don’t need extra
WHY HIP MOBILITY IS KEY TO STRONG GLUTES
muscle, I need the muscle that I have to work,’ she says. Enter: mobility, or how much a joint
can move without restriction. If you want your glutes to fire, you need mobile hips. ‘Tightness
in the front inhibits function on the back,’ says Carson, who trains Carfrae. ‘Your quads switch
on and take over.’ Perform these mobility moves before a strength session or run.

90-90

2
Shell trains in
Carson’s studio in Sit on the floor with your feet on the
Boulder, Colorado ground and your arms behind you,
holding up your torso. Now move
both knees to the left, laying them
to the side to create a 90-degree
angle with both knees. Repeat on
the right. Do 10 on each side.

MULTI-PLANAR LUNGE SEQUENCE

1 Lunge following an imaginary clock

and hit each time of the day with the
landing leg: left leg hit ting 12 to 7;
right leg hitting 12 to 5. (You’ll need
to open your hips as you move back
– that’s fine.) Do 2 sets of 3 lunges
in each position.

GOOD ‘Piriformis syndrome often feels like a deep aching pain

VIBRATIONS PAIN in the back of the glutes,’ says Cameron Yuen, a senior

IN THE physiotherapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York.

How it happens: The sciatic nerve, which runs from your

Carfrae uses a massage gun, the
Hypervolt 2, to promote recovery,
especially on the lower body and
glutes. ‘I use it a couple of times
a week for 15 minutes,’ she says.
(£299, hyperice.com)
ARSE? lower back to your feet, forms a cross with the piriformis
muscle in your buttock, so when the latter is irritated –
say, from overtraining – it compresses the nerve, creating
a pain in the backside. You’ll feel it when you sit or bend your hip, Yuen says.
What to do: Perform movements that reduce compression on the nerve
(eg, sciatic flossing – moves you do seated or lying down that help to increase
mobility) and strengthen (eg, glute bridges) so the piriformis doesn’t get
overworked, Yuen says. You should also see a physio to rule out back issues.
 F E AT BU RU EM NDAEMA EL

‘Lifting
‘I loved running half marathons, but around mile
nine, I’d feel excruciating pain around my knee and
hip. When it sidelined me in a race I was actually
excited, as I knew it was time to see a professional.
My physio told me that I had IT-band syndrome

helped because my glutes were weak. I committed to

strength training two or three times a week –
deadlifts, squats – and took time off running. My
first run back was amazing – I felt so fast and happy.
My race times have improved because I no longer

me love need to stop to shake things out. Strength training

gave running back to me and made it more fun.’
— Maria Terry, 31

running
again’
P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S (CA R F R A E ); C O U R T E SY O F H Y P E R I C E ( H Y P E R VO L D) ; M E L A N I A R I C K S /CO U R T E SY O F M A R I A S Y LV E S T E R T E R R Y

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 045

 ‘I’M RUNNING THROUGH HISTORY,
UNPEELING LAYERS LIKE ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS
WITH ACETATE PAGES OVERLAYING A BASE IMAGE’
Running on the streets of Prague takes Kate Carter on a
journey through the history of the city – and her own family

ILLUSTRATIONS: MARCIN WOLSKI

046 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 E

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 047

MY
LEGS ARE HEAVY, contrarily tired from too much sitting. Outside my
hotel is an ugly monster of an intersection – a two-lane highway with
a major road crossing above it, all tangled into a flyover out of town.
It takes a few minutes to navigate the crossings, with views only
of speeding cars and thoughts only of self-preservation. It’s hardly
the most enchanting start to a run.
But crossings navigated, I’m immediately on the south bank of the
Vltava River in Prague, running west towards the Old Town. I’m
running through history, unpeeling layers like one of those children’s
books with acetate pages overlaying a base image. Prague is best
described as an onion of a city: layers densely packed together, the
modern brutalism of my starting point soon whipped away for elegant
early 20th-century design, before that too is overturned by the 19th,
18th and 17th centuries. As I run, it’s like someone has a film
in a projector and is playing it backwards, at very high speed.
And I, too, am going backwards – running through my family
history. Prague is tiny, so connections are everywhere. My mum was
born here, though she grew up mostly in the UK. My grandparents,
always a huge part of my life, were born here, met here, married here
– and fled from here when the Nazis invaded.
Both had Jewish families, though as far as
I know, neither have ever set foot in a synagogue.
‘PRAGUE IS
Not, of course, that it mattered to the Nazis.
Growing up, certain traditions were sacred.
My sister and I spent every Friday night at our
grandparents’ flat, tucked up with an array
of stuffed animals. Every Sunday we went for
A DENSELY
a family lunch and if that didn’t involve Svíčková
(thinly sliced beef served with a creamy sauce,
WOVEN
and Czech dumplings) followed by fruit
dumplings for pudding, then it wasn’t a real
FABRIC OF
lunch. I was clearly carb-loading for a marathon
that I wouldn’t run for another 30 years. 
THREADS’
On Sunday afternoons, my grandad watched
Ski Sunday. Whenever I hear the iconic theme
tune, I’m instantly transported to their sitting
room – he in the comfy chair, me and my sister watching with half an
eye as we silently drew or played a card game with the other. At that
moment in time, I had no idea what role skiing had played in their
history – nor in my very existence, I suppose.  grandfather at their wedding in 1938, you’ll reveal mine in 2006,
Anyone who has been to Prague will know about the famous
Astronomical Clock with its marching figures that adorn the front of
the Old Town Hall. That’s where my grandparents got married in
1938. But storm clouds weren’t so much looming as rushing in
a torrent across Europe. The Germans had invaded the Sudetenland,
and Chamberlain came back to Britain proudly declaring, ‘Peace for
our time’.  Early in 1939, like many others, my grandparents tried to
escape. Somehow, they got forged exit visas – papers that wouldn’t
have passed a cursory inspection – and boarded a train.  spectacular view of the Old Town: the twin Gothic spires of Týnský
That night, the train stopped at a hotel for a scheduled overnight
stay. The tension must have been unbearable for them – they were
still in German territory, after all. Soldiers could turn up at any
minute. But my grandad fell into a polite conversation with the
hotelier and they discovered a mutual love of skiing. My grandparents
then went to bed. And in the night, the Nazis came.
048 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
Sitting together in their hotel room, my grandparents listened
helplessly to the hammering on doors along the corridor. There was
nothing to do but wait; there was nowhere for them to go. And yet,
somehow, the dreaded knock never came. The next morning, they
summoned the courage to venture downstairs. The train was waiting;
there was no one else around. They got on, made it to France, and
then England. They never found out what happened, but their best
guess was that, having warmed to the fellow skiing enthusiast, the
hotelier had risked a tiny act of rebellion and left them off the ledger,
or told the Nazis that there was no one in their room. 
That moment – a chance encounter that may well have saved their
lives – is something I think about often, but particularly when I’m in
Prague. When I run at home, I find I often look inwards. Familiarity
can blunt even the most scenic of routes, so I try to deliberately
unfocus from the detail and lose myself in an inner world, looking for
that elusive rhythm. Passers-by at home are street furniture, but in
Prague, I look outwards. I find myself scanning everyone as I run,
trying to guess their history – what strange coincidence or
serendipitous moment might connect their stories with mine? And
I think, too, about those who didn’t escape. My grandfather’s sister
died in Auschwitz, and his mother in Jägala concentration camp in
Estonia. Much of my closeness to my grandparents growing up was
because I had such a small family. So few of us were left. 
As I run through Prague’s streets, memories flood back of the first
time I visited the city in 1993. It wasn’t long after the Velvet Revolution
and the lifting of the Iron Curtain – and it was a very, very different
world for a teenager from London. As I see my reflection flash past in
shop windows, it reminds me that they didn’t have much to offer back
then, though I remember one startlingly vivid display of 1980s
fashion. It was October, bone-shakingly cold, and
the whole city was shrouded in dense fog. We
stayed with cousins who took us out of town to
a castle with a view, but all we could see
was milk-white blank space.  Prague is always
cinematic, but that trip was set up for a spy
thriller, with distorted shadows and villains
looming in and out of focus. I can also remember
a distinct lack of fruit and vegetables, and
a rather pervasive smell of body odour.
Since then I’ve returned many times. I’ve run
races here as part of the RunCzech series; I’ve
come to watch athletics; and I got married here
in 2006. My grandparents returned after the
war, but when the threat from Russia grew more
pressing, they settled permanently in England.
My grandad died just after the Velvet Revolution
– he never had the opportunity to go back. My granny, though, went
back many times and was there at my wedding. It’s like that picture
book again – if you peel away the acetate sheet of her and my
in exactly the same spot at the Old Town Hall. Prague is a densely
woven fabric of overlapping threads. 
And so, when I run here, I weave through all these threads. I loop
up on to the elegant Čech Bridge and head across the river. Reaching
the other side, there’s a steep climb up a series of steps to Letná Park,
a flat plateau atop the hilly riverbank. If you keep running there,
towards the centre, albeit on the opposite bank, there’s a point where
the trees part and the view opens up. You’re greeted with the most
Chrám (Týn Church); the bridges spanning the river, which from
here look as if you could hop from one to the next; the medieval
Charles Bridge, with its statues of saints. If I trace the roads out into
the suburbs, I can find where my grandmother’s family house used to
be and the cafe where she and her friend used to sit and gossip. It’s
magical; it’s the best view of the city – and a map of my history, too.
 M Y FAVO U R I T E R U N
Kate Carter traces
her family story on
foot in Prague

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050 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
 E N E R GY S U P P L I E R S

WORDS
RENEE MCGREGOR

Follow these golden rules to fuel your

runs and put PBs on the menu
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 051

hen Eliud Kipchoge achieved what many
had dismissed as impossible and broke the
two-hour marathon his carbon-plated
footwear got a lot of attention, but without
the right fuelling he may as well have stayed
in his slippers back at the hotel. Technology
has very visibly influenced sports apparel
and footwear in recent years, but there have
also been major advances and a real focus
on sports nutrition and just how integral
it is to good performance.  athletes, including
Whether you’re gunning for a sub-
two marathon or something a little less
game-changing, nutrition can make or
break a race, especially when you hit bigger
distances. But while most of us are well
aware of the role nutrition plays in pre-run
fuelling and post-run recovery, we’re not
always so clued up on how central what we
consume on the run is to how we perform.
Ensuring that you make the right
nutritional choices not just around your
training, but also during long and/or hard
runs will not only help you maintain your
training effort day after day, thus resulting
in progression, it will also sustain motivation
and boost adaptation from your training. In
addition, studies have shown that timing of
nutrition has a key role to play in hormonal
balance, bone health and maintaining your
immune system. So a well-fuelled runner is
a healthy, happy runner.
Filling your tank
First, a recap on how your body gets its fuel:
carbohydrate is the key source for exercise
and gets broken down into glucose (the
body’s preferred currency), which is
then used to provide energy.
Carbohydrate is stored as
glycogen within the liver and
muscles. The glycogen in muscles
is the most readily available energy
on the run, as it releases more
quickly than other sources.
However, this storage facility
is limited. If the muscles are
inadequately fuelled, it will
lead to fatigue, poor performance
and potentially put you at a much
greater risk of injury.
To give you some context, it takes
around 500g of carbohydrate to have
052 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
completely full muscle glycogen stores, with an additional 80g in
liver glycogen, which is mainly used to maintain energy supply to
the brain. When muscle glycogen is at full capacity, you can run
at around around 65% to 75% of your maximal heart rate for one
to two hours. The quicker you go, the faster you’ll burn through
your stores. So if your routine involves training most days, your
glycogen stores will always be slightly depleted. 
This helps to explain the importance of planning your
carbohydrate intake around and during training sessions. The
Renee McGregor amount you require will be dependent on the frequency, duration
is a leading sports and intensity of your training sessions, but you should be aware
dietitian with over 20 that running uses up a great deal of energy. 
years of experience To meet your needs, it’s important to understand the
working in clinical difference in the available types of carbohydrate. Over the years,
and performance carbohydrates have been classified in many ways; the most
nutrition. She's common types are simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates,
worked with which deliver a slower, more sustained supply of energy, include
everyday and elite pasta, rice, oats, couscous, potatoes, bread and cereals. Simple,
which are absorbed more quickly, include fruit and sugar, honey,
supporting Olympic, molasses, etc. Runners need a mix of both – ideally complex
Paralympic and carbohydrates at mealtimes and more simple options immediately
Commonwealth before, during and after exercise, depending on the type of
teams. She is the session you’ve put your body through. 
author of Training During hard training sessions such as intervals, hill reps or
Food, Fast Fuel and tempo work, when you’re performing at a higher intensity, your
Orthorexia: When glycogen stores could become depleted in as little as 45 minutes.
Healthy Eating Goes On longer runs at a more moderate to low intensity, stores will
Bad. When not become depleted at around the 90- to 120-minute mark. In both
helping others to fuel scenarios, you need to plan for in-run fuelling to avoid hitting
their ambitions, the empty. What you have eaten before the session won’t be sufficient.
ultramarathoner can How much do you need to top up your energy in-run? The
be found running in recommended amount of fuel to take in on the run is 30g to
the mountains and 60g of carbohydrate per hour for runs of up to two hours. For
chasing the trails in anything over two hours, you should be aiming for 60g to 90g
pursuit of her own. of carbohydrate an hour. This should ideally be in the form
of glucose and fructose. While the body can only absorb a
maximum of around 60g of glucose per hour, it can also absorb
30g of fructose, raising your potential carb intake to 90g. There
are some new studies emerging that suggest
the upper limit could be increased to 120g in
some athletes who train their guts, but so far
the study sample sizes have been small and
only done in men running at altitude. 
The hydration equation
Energy is obviously critical, but there
are several other considerations worth
paying attention to when chasing peak
performance. Staying properly hydrated
and balancing fluid losses from sweat
on the run is also a key factor. Becoming
dehydrated will affect your body in
many ways; most fundamentally it
impairs the body’s ability to regulate heat.
This is important because a rise in body
temperature will lead to an elevated
heart rate, which in turn makes your
perceived exertion at a given training
intensity feel much harder; plus you
will fatigue more quickly. Your mental
function is also reduced, with negative
 E N E R GY S U P P L I E R S

implications for decision-making, concentration and motor control,
which is needed for skill-based movements, particularly in trail
or mountain running. Additionally, there’s the issue of associated
stomach discomfort. If you’re dehydrated, any food you’ve
consumed before or during your run will sit in your stomach
for longer, potentially leading to gastric problems.
All the above factors will harm your performance, and it
doesn’t take much to feel the negative impact: just 2% dehydration
(a loss of 1.2L in a 60kg runner) can become an issue. However,
the good news is that this can all be combatted providing
you learn to hydrate appropriately around your training
– and this includes those precious rest days. HARD SESSIONS,
then overloading their system either
just before going on a run or during one. 
Water isn’t your only – or always your
best – hydration option. If it’s hot, or you’re
someone who has very salty sweat, you’ll
also benefit from electrolytes, which means
taking on a sports drink. Not sure if your
sweat is salty? It will sting your eyes,
you’ll be able to taste it and it will leave a
white residue on your clothes and
body. Most branded energy drinks
have sodium (Na) and potassium

CAN DEPLETE YOUR

There are no specific guidelines for fluid intake (K) salts added. The concentration
because it depends on the type and the intensity of is normally 10mmol to 20mmol

ENERGY STORES IN
exercise. It also varies within individuals due to: genetics of sodium and around 2mmol to
(some people sweat more than others); body size (larger 5mmol of potassium. These salts
athletes have a tendency to sweat more than smaller ones); help to draw fluid into your body,
fitness (fitter people sweat earlier in exercise and in larger
volumes); environment (sweat losses are higher in hot,
humid conditions); and exercise intensity (sweat losses
JUST 45 MINUTES reducing the risk of dehydration.
Something to be mindful of
is that as running distances start
will increase as the intensity increases).  to increase into ultra territory, sodium
So how can you make sure you’re getting enough fluid? The requirements become much higher. In
simple answer is by checking your urine colour. Ideally, it should general, most runners will need somewhere
be the colour of pale straw. If it looks darker, especially before a in the region of 700mg to 900mg of sodium
training session, then drink. Get into the habit of monitoring your per litre of fluid during their runs. Standard
thirst levels and drink throughout the day. One common mistake sports drinks only provide 180mg to 360mg
many people make is not drinking enough throughout the day and of sodium in 500ml. You must also keep in
mind that, as with fluid loss, sodium loss E

HOW TO FUEL DIFFERENT RUNS

Sufficient fuelling Aim to take on
in the 24 to 36 energy 20 to 30
01 hours prior to these minutes in. With
sessions will ensure gels, always make
HIGH- that you start with sure you consume
full glycogen stores. them over a period
INTENSITY RUNS However, when of five minutes to
you’re working at allow for better
(such as intervals, tempo
this intensity, you absorption. Make
or hills for up to 60 minutes) can deplete your sure you’re well
stores within just hydrated, too. With
45 minutes. sports drinks, you’ll
benefit from sipping
In this situation, throughout the run,
the best option maybe after each
for fuelling is one repeat or hill, or
of the following: in the minutes
>> Gels, such as just before and
Torq, SIS, Veloforte immediately after
or Maurten the tempo effort.
>> Sports drinks,
such as Lucozade,
Gatorade or SIS
Go Energy

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 053

varies from person to person. Those at
the top end of the sodium-loss scale may
require around 1,500mg of sodium per litre
of fluid. It may be beneficial to have a sweat
test that can provide you with more insight
into your personal losses, but remember:
this is still a ballpark figure and will be
influenced by distances, environments
and, in female runners, the timing of
your menstrual cycle.
of body weight (you get about 40mg in a cup of coffee and 11mg
in a cup of tea) about an hour before training or competing.
In longer events, consider a fuelling aid with caffeine 40 to
60 minutes from the finish, as this has been shown to help
with reducing a person’s perceived exertion.
There is some evidence to suggest that cutting caffeine out
completely for 10 days and then reintroducing it before a race
can have enhanced effects. That said, you have to weigh up
if the withdrawal symptoms are worth it. My advice to athletes
is that if you habitually drink caffeine, then it’s best not to

PRACTISE WITH change anything immediately before an event.

Perk runs
Caffeine has long been used
by many elite athletes as a
performance enhancer, but as
YOUR RACE-DAY Fine-tuned fuelling
CHOICES SO YOUR
There’s no ‘set menu’ for in-run fuelling. In order to make
the right choices, you need to consider the terrain, distance

GUT CAN ADAPT

with everything, what works for
one person doesn’t necessarily
work for another. People are
either caffeine responders or
non-responders. If you’re someone who can
drink a cup of coffee late at night and still
sleep like a baby, you are a non-responder.
If the opposite is true and you’ll be up all
night, tossing and turning after a post-
dinner espresso, you are a responder.
Unsurprisingly, caffeine works best as
a performance enhancer in responders,
and the suggested dose is 1mg to 3mg/kg
and time on your feet, as these all have implications for your
energy requirements. For race-day nutrition, it will also
depend on the type of event – supported or unsupported;
at altitude or in the desert; on roads or trails; single-day
or multi-day – and how long each of those days will be.
Those running on trails or mixed terrain often prefer using
real food during training and races. This works in these events as
the terrain brings natural fluctuations in pace, which means that
food may be better tolerated in comparison with someone doing
a flat-out road run, where all blood flow has been directed away
from the stomach and into the working muscles. 
In all situations, it’s important to practise with your race-day
choices through training to allow your gut to adapt. On that note,

HOW TO FUEL DIFFERENT RUNS

Start thinking Consider what
about fuelling 20 fuelling you want
02 minutes into the for race day. While
run. This may be ensuring you can
LONGER, in the form of: maintain pace and

P H OTO G R A P H Y: J O B E L AW R E N S O N ; J O R DA N S I E M E N S /S K Y N E S H E R / K L AU S V E D F E LT;
>> Gels, such supporting recovery
MODERATE-INTENSITY as Torq, SIS, are key reasons for
Veloforte or in-run fuelling in
RUNS Maurten training, another

G E T T Y I M AG E S . D I G I TA L M A N I P U L AT I O N : S C R ATC H I N P O S T.CO.U K
>> Sports drinks, important one is
(on the road, up to 3 hours)
such as Maurten, training your gut, so
SIS Beta Fuel or that you can go into
Tailwind the event confident
>> Gel blocks, with your nutrition
such as Veloforte, strategy. You want
Clif Bloks or to be aiming for
sweets such 60g to 90g of carbs
as Jelly Babies per hour; fluid
or Haribo needs will range
>> Electrolyte from 100ml
tablets or drinks to 250ml every
>> Caffeine 20 minutes,
gels, shots depending on
or gum the weather and
your individual
sweat losses.

054 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 E N E R GY S U P P L I E R S

remember that fruit and dried fruit have FUEL TAKEAWAY specifically with the ultra market in mind,
a high fructose content, so be mindful of Some key fuelling principles Tailwind’s products offer almost double
how much you consume because this can 01 Don’t try nutritional needs, the concentration of sodium compared with
potentially cause digestive issues. anything new on but are providing standard sports drinks such as Lucozade or
With an array of sports fuel products race day. This is the body with the Gatorade. Many runners have reported that
available, how do you choose? Are they why you practise fuel it needs to the result is not only more palatable, but
all the same? The short answer is no. In in training. respond to the also reduces instances of GI distress.
general, most sports products, regardless of stimulus of training, Maurten has pushed the envelope even
whether they’re gels, jellies or drinks, will 02 Always have which is going to further by creating a product that utilises
be formulated on the understanding that a contingency. help you with a high concentration of carbohydrate but
the body requires carbohydrate for in-run While you can adaptation and suspends it in a hydrogel – a biopolymer
fuelling. However, some will be based have an element of progression. matrix used to hold carbohydrate and
purely on glucose, while others, thanks to control over your enable smoother transportation through
recent technological advances, will be a mix food choice, don’t 04 Make it the stomach to the intestine, where the
of glucose and fructose, which enhances forget that external individual. carbohydrates are then absorbed. Again,
energy uptake due to more receptor sites factors can still Take on board many runners have found the neutral
within the body. A glucose/fructose mix influence, such as the fundamental taste and formula to be highly palatable
can also help avoid overconsumption and weather conditions, principles and then and kinder on the gut. Maurten products
then poor absorption of glucose, which hormonal changes work out what you are becoming increasingly popular among
can result in digestive issues. In addition, (particularly in like and what works the world’s elite marathon runners.
we’ve seen some companies introduce female athletes), for you. There’s Elsewhere, there’s also a move towards
maltodextrin to the mix, which is nerves and nothing worse than more natural products that are based on
carbohydrate from starch that undergoes adrenaline. trying to consume fruit and fruit juice rather than sugar
intense processing to make it much more something you can’t mixes. While these have a place and can
readily absorbed by the body.  03 Remember that stand the taste of, often be more palatable, care needs to
Many companies have also picked up on intra-run fuelling so go for what is be taken that they do actually deliver the
the need for higher sodium concentrations helps. It ensures practical and easy energy requirements and don’t overload the
when running ultra distances. Tailwind that you’re not only to source, and that system with fructose, which can be much
Nutrition is a perfect example. Designed meeting your you can tolerate. more difficult to tolerate in high amounts.

Again, starting to importance of swear by pork pies,

fuel early is key, but finding the method pizza, porridge
03 in this situation, and options that pots, Spanish
especially when we best work for you. omelettes or
VERY LONG consider the likely I know some elites soya puddings.
types of races and who can stomach Some commonly
TRAIL terrains involved, gels in races that tolerated and
there’s more room last beyond 16 effective real food
RUNS for real food instead hours and others fuel options include:
of (or alongside) who prefer tucking >> Boiled salted
(over 3 hours,
sports nutrition into salty potatoes potatoes (cold)
on varied terrain) products. A lot of throughout 100 >> Noodle soup
athletes who run miles. In these very >> Scotch pancakes
these longer long races, staying >> Peanut M&M’s
distances find they on top of hydration >> Pretzels
need to split their and sodium losses >> Wraps with
fuelling up. They is critical. And in Marmite/peanut
may focus on solid terms of energy, butter and banana/
fuel for the first part aim for 90g of cream cheese
of the run, then carbs per hour, and >> Cereal bars
move towards gels experiment to see >> Salted peanuts
and jellies, and if you can consume
finish with liquid even more without
and caffeine. any negative
However, I cannot consequences.
stress enough the I know runners who

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 055

Away from the holiday crowds, the Balearic
island of Mallorca is a trail-running jewel
 WORDS:
JAMES POOLE
PHOTOGRAPHY:
JAMES CARNEGIE

Seize the Deià and

run epic coastal
E
trails on Mallorca’s
northern coastline
For adventurous
soles itching
to hit the off-
road immersed
in mojo-firing
landscapes,

there are some fine options for a long weekend’s trail running
without leaving the UK. On a good day, it’s hard to beat the
Lakes, Peaks or Highlands. But good days can be hard to
come by. After a couple of years of clipped wings, and a
winter of cold mornings and soggy toes, it's time for a slice
of Mediterranean paradise where blue skies meet epic trails.
Mallorca – the largest of the Balearic Islands – has also
established itself as a go-to destination for both cyclists
and triathletes. If you know where to look, the island has
an incredible network of trails that will satisfy everyone
from the casual off-roader to the most hardcore trail runner.
Mallorca’s coastline tends to grab all the attention, so it may
come as a surprise to learn of the imposing geographic feature
of the Serra de Tramuntana, a mountain range forming the
northern backbone of the island. While there are trail running
possibilities in the south, the truly special experiences are
Umbrellas by to be had on the north-west of the island and include the
Víctor Balaguer
spectacular Ruta de Pedra en Sec – the GR221 Dry Stone Route.
in Sóller

058 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

R U N N E R S ’ PA R A D I S E : M A L LO R C A

James and running

partner Ann
McNestry tackle
rocky paths on the
route to La Trapa

James Poole is a globe-

trotting ultrarunner,
adventurer and member
of The North Face
Explorer Team. Over
the past decade, he’s
run all over the world,
competing in some of the
most prestigious races,
including UTMB, UTMB
Gaoligong, Gobi 400
Ultra, Western States
and many more. In recent
years, his passion has
turned to self-supported
running adventures,
exploring the world’s
best trails from the
Balearic Islands to the
mountains of Nepal. E

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 059

 R U N N E R S ’ PA R A D I S E : M A L LO R C A

GRANDE DESIGNS
THE LITTLE-KNOWN GRANDE RANDONNÉE (GR) 221
Dry Stone Route makes for an amazing 140km
multi-day run for experienced runners, but can
also be broken down into 11 shorter stages for
those who want something easier on the legs.
The centuries-old pilgrimage route passes
through picturesque Mallorquin villages, climbs
high up into the mountains and offers stunning
views across the whole island. The going can be
undeniably tough in places, with variable trail
marking and some sections of near-vertical
scrambling. However, the latter stages towards
Pollença have been recently repaired and the
route finding is refreshingly straightforward.
The variety of the trails is mirrored by the
flora and fauna. Oak and pine forests make
way for silver olive trees and citrus groves,
where ripe oranges dangle temptingly behind
fenced-off fincas. Pampas grass and gorse
bushes line the trails on the high sections,
a potentially painful ‘pointer’ to stay on the
paths. At 140km in length, the route guarantees
runners a taste of the ‘real’ Mallorca – a world
away from the nightclubs and bars with which
the island has become synonymous.
A point to note: the GR221 is signposted
in most villages and towns, but is 92% on
private property and, from time to time,
sections can be closed off by disgruntled
landowners. Plan accordingly and carry maps
should you need to follow an alternate route.

Cafe
Escorca /
Sa Calobra

3 9 ° 42
2 ' 37
7.288
8 8'' N
Torrent
de Pareis
Port de
Pollença CHASING THE DRAGON
Alcúdia
2 ° 59'' 42.53288 '' E
SITUATED ON THE WEST side of the island, Sant Elm
1,436 m
Puig Major Santuari is a pretty beachside location and a perfect place
de Lluc
Cúber sa Pobla to run a short section of the Ruta de Pedra en
Sóller
Muro
Sec. Starting on the beach, the route meanders
Inca through the quaint village before rapidly
Alaró Santa Margalida

Valldemossa Binissalem
Artà
Capdepera
gaining height through dense pine forests.
Before long, you’ll emerge high above your
La
Santa Maria del Camí Sineu starting point and follow a single-track trail to
Son Servera
Trapa Petra
Sant Llorenç
des Cardassar the La Trapa lookout over La Isla Dragonera –
Mallorca
an uninhabited island off the coast, which is
I L L U S T R AT I O N : G E T T Y I M AG E S

Andratx
Palma
Calvià
Manacor
protected as a natural park. Return via the same
Sant
Elm route for an 8km intro to the GR221 with 400m
Port
Porreres
of ascent/descent. For those wanting something
d’Andratx Llucmajor
longer, start at the Port d’Andraxt and follow the
Felantix

GR221 trail that leads to Sant Elm and on to La

Campos Trapa. Out and back from Port d’Andraxt clocks
you around 20km with 1,000m of ascent/descent
and some fairly technical trail running, too.
Santanyl

060 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 The GR221
dry stone
route provides
140km of trail- ALL ABOUT THE BASE
running heaven
IF YOU’RE GOING TO BASE yourself in one place in
Mallorca for a long weekend, you can’t choose
better than Valldemossa or Sóller. Both offer an
authentic Mallorquin experience with easy access
to some excellent trails, and plenty of restaurants,
bars and cafes to rest and recharge weary legs.
For those opting for Valldemossa, the best routes
are signposted in the centre of the town and head
out on the GR221. Look for yellow and red markers,
and signposts that show destinations and estimated
times to hike the trail – often with illustrated maps.
Trails head north towards Deià and west towards
Esporles and Banyalbufar. Valldemossa sits at the
base of two mountains – Mola de sa Comuna
(714m) and Es Caragolí (945m) – so expect calf-
burning climbs whichever route you choose.
The route west towards Banyalbufar climbs
inland through oak and pine forests before passing
through the village of Esporles. Those wanting a
bigger day can continue to Banyalbufar for a round
trip distance of 36km with 1,000m of ascent/
descent. Turning back at Esporles keeps the run at
around 16km with roughly 500m of ascent/descent.
The route north towards Deià is the tougher of
the two options, but also heads up, initially, through
pretty oak and pine woodland. This section of the
GR221 has been the site of land-ownership issues,
so make sure you stay on designated paths. The
trail meanders up above 900m and follows some
epic ridge lines with views down to the cliffs below.
This section is exposed and can be cold and windy,
so take some extra layers. Turn around at Col de
Son Gallard for a 14km route or drop down (750m
vertical loss) to Deià for a 25km round trip. If you
go long, be mindful that if the buses aren’t running,
you’ll have to run back up from Deià.

Distant views
of Mallorca’s
capital, Palma

A typical
Mallorquin
village
E

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 061

 Sweating
the details
How to get there
A large choice of carriers cover
flights from most UK airports to
Mallorca’s capital, Palma.

When to go
Mallorca is a year-round
destination, but temperatures
rocket in July and August.
April/May and September/
October offer the best running
weather and most of the
restaurants and cafes are open.

Accommodation
Runners visiting in the spring
and autumn will have plenty of
options. Campsites are few and
far between and, given the low
cost of budget accommodation,
leaving the tent at home might
be the best option. Sóller and
Valldemossa offer great access
to the Tramuntana mountains.

Getting around
There’s a cheap and punctual
bus network across the island
and a train runs between Palma
in the south and Sóller in the
north. Services are less frequent
in the winter months, so check
timetables. Taxis are a good
option for point-to-point routes.
Fuel and refuel
After a day out on the trails,
there are numerous traditional
Mallorquin dishes to delight the
taste buds. Arroz brut (that’s
dirty rice) is a hearty, soupy,
spicy rice dish that includes
seasonal veg and a mix of
game, chicken and pork. Paella
and other fresh seafood are all
widely available and delicious.
Organised trips
In 2017, James Poole set
a fastest known time for a
crossing of the island on the
GR221. In 2019, in an effort to
share the route with more
people, he guided groups of
runners across the island over
four days and will be offering
similar trips during May 2022.
For more details, see
@jamesdpoole on instagram
THE VALLEY OF GOLD Taking a break
high above
the Cúber
THE OLD TOWN OF SÓLLER is another great place Reservoir
to begin your trail adventures. As a larger town,
it offers a wider range of après-run activities.
The town is situated in the Valley of Gold – so
called because of the orange trees that grow
there. Be sure to take a ride on the old electric
tram that runs between the town and the port.
For those looking to hit the trails hard, you
can head east towards the ancient monastery
at Lluc. Look for the yellow and red signs by
the cathedral and head north-west towards
Fornalutx. As ever, the trail heads upwards,
but in this case on a recently renovated cobble
path. After 800m of climbing and 11km,
you’ll come across the Cúber reservoir and
dam, which can make for a great BYO picnic
lunch spot before returning to Sóller. From
here, the trail climbs up to the highest point
on the GR221 and provides views of Puig
Major (1,436m) and its sci-fi-domed military
installation. Continue on to the Santuari de
Lluc, where you can return back to Sóller or
grab a taxi after a well-deserved dinner. A one-
way trip is 28km with 1,500m of vertical gain.

062 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 R U N N E R S ’ PA R A D I S E : M A L LO R C A

Tackling the
26 hairpin bends
of the infamous
HEAD OF THE SNAKE
Sa Colobra
THE CAT 1 ROAD CLIMB of Sa Calobra is a favourite
among visiting cyclists. At 10km in length and
with 700m of elevation gain/loss, it may also
appeal to runners looking for a big climb. Be
warned: buses only run during the summer,
so if you run down, there may only be one way
back up. An alternative is to follow the Torrent
de Pareis – a limestone slot canyon with huge
boulders and towering cliffs.
The start point for both the road and trail
runs is the Cafe Escorca. The route is mostly
bare and rocky for much of its length, with
much climbing over boulders and some running
on a dry, gravelly streambed. It spits you out
in a small cove next to the popular restaurants
and bars at the bottom of Sa Calobra. The
trail is only 5km long (700m of descent), but
don’t let that fool you, scrambling over huge
boulders means slow progress in parts.

LIKE THE WIND

JUTTING OUT INTO THE BALEARIC SEA, Cap de
Formentor is on the most north-easterly part of
the island and its rocky terrain hides a number
of secluded bays and beaches. Deceivingly long,
the 13km road leads out from the picturesque
Port de Pollença and ends at the lighthouse and
the Mirador del Mal Pas, with views across to
Menorca. The route is signposted and fairly
straightforward, but can also be very windy
– so windy, in fact, that Mallorquins call the
cape the meeting point of the winds. It’s also
one of the most photographed spots on the
island, so don’t expect to be alone at sunrise.

Cap de
Formentor is the
northernmost
point of Mallorca

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 063

 Why you should run for the hills ..... p66
The emotional impact of injury....... p68
Elliptical sessions to aid recovery ... p70
Indoor rides can help you run ......... p72
Four mighty mushroom dishes ....... p74
All you need to know about zinc..... p77
74
Do the Turkish get-up right............ p79
REACH your PERSONAL BEST

69
CARE TO
SHARE?
Keen to spread the
running gospel with
your nearest and
dearest but unsure
where to start?
These are the
tips you need.
I L LU S T R AT I O N : A DA M N I C K E L AT S Y N E R GY A R T

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 065

 TRAINING
HEAD FOR
HEIGHTS
Don’t be scared of hills –
they can improve your
power, technique and
running economy
YOU’LL HEAR MANY CLICHES about
hill sessions – that they’re
‘speedwork in disguise’,
or ‘all the gym work you’ll
ever need’. Not quite, but there are
considerable benefits to adding more
gradients to your training mix. Many
runners feel they’re stuck in one gear
– not because of any cardiovascular
limitations but because they struggle
to generate more speed. Hills are a
great way to increase intensity
without the need to run faster. This
is where the appealing ‘speedwork
in disguise’ concept stems from.
Gravity requires more energy –
and, therefore, strength – to run at
a consistent pace. This is generated by
the lower leg and hip muscles, with
a focus on the posterior chain. With
066 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
the right gradient and intensity,
hills can boost the elasticity of your
muscles, tendons and ligaments.
They can also improve your neural
system, meaning you’re able to recruit
more fast-twitch muscle fibres.  caution. Likewise, while downhill
Then there’s technique – with
uphill running, most runners adopt
a higher cadence, a midfoot to
forefoot strike and reduced vertical
oscillation. Downhill running helps
improve stride length and cadence,
and conditions your quads through
powerful eccentric contractions.
All of this means that hills play a
significant role in improving your
overall running economy.  try to shorten your stride, staying tall
The other obvious benefit is that
runners who regularly complete
hill sessions are less likely see every
UPWARDLY bump in the road on race day as
MOBILE a challenge akin to climbing K2. 
Hill sessions can
A warning: if you’re carrying
work wonders
for your power a niggle, particularly in the calf or
and speed achilles area, approach hills with
running brings major benefits, be
wary if you regularly suffer from
knee issues. If you’re new to hill
training, start small. Even just
doing an easy or steady run over
a more undulating route can be a
P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S
good place to begin. 
Technique 
During your hill sessions, you should
in the hips with an upright posture,
driving your elbows and maintaining
a strong core. The steeper the hill,
 HILLS ARE A
GREAT WAY
TO INCREASE
INTENSITY
the more attention you should pay
to shortening your stride.  Example session: Warm up, then do 4
Run light on the balls of your
feet using elastic energy in your
calves and achilles, and the power
in your hamstrings and glutes, to
drive up. Practise running through
the crest of a hill rather than easing
off when you get to the top.
Many runners tend to overstride
when they’re running downhill.
This can cause your legs to break
your momentum, creating a huge
load on your quads. Allow gravity
to pull you down but try to maintain
a quick cadence, ‘pulling’ your
standing leg from the ground as
opposed to lengthening your stride.  Example session: 6 sets of 3 minutes
Gradient
Steep gradients of 12% to 15% increase
muscular load and develop power
but require a lot of energy, so you
may be able to run fast only for short
periods. Moderate gradients of 6% to
Tom Craggs is 10% will allow for faster paces and
road running may be more suited to longer efforts
manager for of between one and four minutes. If
England Athletics you’re going to include fast downhill
running, you might want to start with
gradients of 4% to 6% to learn the
best technique without battering
your body too much.  Example session: 3 × 8 to 12 minutes of
Surface
If power and activating fast-twitch
muscle fibres are your goals, do
your hill work on a firm surface. For
longer sessions, where the focus is
on your cardiovascular system, softer
trail surfaces can be more forgiving.
Of course, if you’re training for a
mountain or fell race, technical,
rocky terrain will better prepare you
for the specific demands of race day.   
HILL W O RK O UTS
FOR EVERY GOAL
How you use hills depends on your goal, so here are a few sessions to
get you thinking. Include an easy warm-up and cool-down for each
1/ HILL SPRINTS Example session: Complete 15 to 20 sets
Best for: Building power, speed and of the 30-sec uphill efforts. As you’ll go
recruitment of fast-twitch muscles.  further up than you recover down, you’ll
How: Run these at maximum intensity, gradually ‘ladder’ your way up the hill.
focusing on making each footstrike When to include: An excellent sharp
as good as it can be. and fast session for the winter months. 
to 8 sets of 8 to 10-sec sprints on a hill 5/ HILLY THRESHOLD
with a gradient of 10% to 15%. Take full Best for: A natural introduction to the
recovery between sets (around 2 mins).  world of hill training.
When to include: Hill sprints can be How: Simply doing your threshold or
used throughout your running year, but tempo runs over an undulating rather
they can be particularly effective in the than flat route can be a great way to
off season, laying a foundation for faster gradually adapt your body to hill work.
running on the flat later in your training. Example session: A run of 45 to 60
mins with 25 mins at 85% to 90% of
2/ LONG HILL INTERVALS your max HR over an undulating route.
Best for: Increasing VO2 max and When to include: Throughout the year.
aerobic power. 
How: In this session, you should aim 6/ HILL SANDWICH SESSION
to get your heart rate up to around Best for: Building speed endurance
95% of maximum. To achieve this, and preparing you for race day. 
do longer efforts of 2 to 4 mins on How: Mixing short, fast hills around
a gradient of 6% to 10%.  race-pace efforts on the flat will
generate high levels of fatigue before
uphill, with a slow 2:30 to 3:00 you really test yourself at your goal
jog-back recovery.  race pace at the end of the session. 
When to include: Can be effective just Example session: 8 mins at 10K to
before 6 to 8 weeks of specific training 10-mile effort on the flat; 2 mins’ rest;
for events from 1500m to 5K.   10 × 50 secs fast hills with jog-back recs;
2 mins’ rest; 4 × 2 mins at 5K to 10K effort
3/ CONTINUOUS THRESHOLD HILLS on the flat with 60-sec jog recoveries.  
Best for: Building strength endurance. When to include: Great during
How: Run uphill for 45 to 60 seconds at cross-country season or a specific
an effort where you’d only be able to period of 5K or 10K training. 
speak three to four words. Turn and run
downhill, maintaining the effort. Repeat 7/ LYDIARD CIRCUITS
up and down for the full block of time. Best for: Building strength to prepare
You’ll run up at a controlled, steady you for intervals on the flat.
speed and down quite fast, with your How: Find a hilly loop and run the uphill
heart rate at 85% to 90% maximum. with a pronounced bounding movement
– imagine springing up the hill for 20 to
repeating up and down at the above 30 seconds, fully straightening your
effort – 90 to 120 secs’ rest in between. rear leg as you go. Jog a flat section of
When to include: This is a good session recovery at the top for 60 to 90 secs.
to include in the early stages of your Run back downhill with fast but relaxed
marathon training. strides, focusing on quick cadence,
then run easy back to the start of the
4/ LADDER HILLS ascent again to form your circuit.
Best for: Mimicking speed endurance. Example session: Complete the
How: After a good warm-up, run uphill loop above continuously – start with
for 30 secs at a hard 3K to 5K effort, 20 minutes and aim to build on this
turn and jog back for 30 secs, before over several weeks. 
turning and running another 30 secs When to include: Towards the end of
hard uphill again. Keep repeating.  a foundation or base period of training.
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 067
 YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
BY OUR RESIDENT OLYMPIAN

BY JO PAVEY What can I do about tight,

sore hamstrings?
Stretch them: focus on
dynamic movements before
working out and do static
stretches afterwards (see
below). Don’t overstretch;
this can exacerbate muscle
imbalances that frequently
cause the problem. Runners
Jo’s tip: often have tight quads and
Aqua hip flexors, which cause the
running pelvis to tilt forward. This
leads to over-lengthened
and weak hamstrings, and
the lower back muscles tend
to tighten. To help correct
When you’re imbalances, stretch your
injured, aqua- quads, hip flexors and
running sessions lower back muscles often.
in the deep end Weak glutes can also lead
of a pool, using to overworked hamstrings,
a flotation belt, so try to activate these
are great for muscles with single-leg
maintaining and double-leg bridges.
fitness (if your
injury allows Lying hamstring
it). Example stretch with band:
sessions: 01/ Lie on the floor with
your legs in front of you.
• 10-min
02/ Loop a resistance band
POOL – YOUR warm-up /
or towel around the ball of
RESOURCE 10 × 3 mins
Aqua running can
one foot.
brisk, with
help you stay fit
1-min easy 03/ Raise your leg by

P L E AS E N OT E : J O PAV E Y I S U N A B L E TO R E S P O N D D I R E C T LY TO Q U E R I E S . P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S
while injured
recoveries / pulling the towel or band
10-min towards you; keep your knee
warm-down straight.

04/ When you feel a

I’m out injured for a few
months. How can I cope
with the emotional impact?
The impact of being injured can be lessened
considerably by having a positive mindset,
finding other ways to exercise and taking
action to speed your recovery. See if there’s
a type of cross-training that you can do
without aggravating your injury. You can
emulate interval workouts and tempo runs
in the pool (see my tip, right), on a bike
or on another cross-training machine.
Just think of it as your normal training
schedule with a different type of aerobic
activity. Maintaining this routine will help
you mentally while your body heals.
Try to see a physiotherapist to formulate
a plan for your rehabilitation. This will help
• 10-min
warm-up / 2 x
stretch in your hamstring,
hold for up to 30 seconds. 
(10 × 45 secs
fast, with 15-sec
recoveries),
How do I know whether or
3 mins easy jog
between each
not to run if I have a cold? 
When you get a cold, it’s
set / 10-min
to make you feel more in control, as you’ll normally sensible to take at
warm-down
know you’re doing what is necessary to least some time off running,
aid your recovery. Take it one day at a time to reduce stress on your
• 10-min
and you’ll get there. You can also keep up immune system and help
warm-up /
the social side of running; go along to your get you back to full health.
15-min tempo
group or club to catch up for a chat. It’s But if you think you’re not
effort, 3-min
important to remember that all runners, too bad, consider the neck
recovery / 5 x
at some point, suffer disruption to their rule – symptoms above the
60 secs hard,
training through injury or illness. Visualise neck, such as sniffles and a
with 1-min easy
the time when you’re back running and this runny nose, may not require
recovery /
phase is behind you. Use your time out to time off. Discomfort around
10-min
think how much you’ll appreciate running the neck and below (such
warm-down
all the more when you’re back and view it as a sore throat, cough or
as a learning opportunity that can make you general body aches) means
a better runner, physically and mentally. you need to rest. 

068 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022


A FRESH TAKE ON
MAXIMISING YOUR
RUNNING ENJOYMENT
BY CORY WHARTON-MALCOLM
SHARE THE ROAD
Encouraging others to take up running
can enrich your life as well as theirs
I STARTED RUNNING many
moons ago because a dear
friend inspired me to do so.
I had no idea where those first few
steps would eventually take me, so,
Sam, if you are reading this, thank
you for showing me that running
genuinely enriches lives. After the
gift of running was shared with me,
I wanted to share it with others,
too. First, I started off by getting my
mum (Lyn) and little sister (Janeen)
to start running, enter races and begin
collecting medals of their own. Shortly
after that, they took the baton from
me and started getting their friends
to run and sign up for races. That’s
I L LU S T R AT I O N S : A DA M N I C K E L AT S Y N E R GY A R T
the thing about running – people see
the positive impact it has on your life
and they want to share a piece of that
positive pie with others. If you would
like to introduce some friends and
family to running, here are a few
tips and tricks that I picked up on the
way. This isn’t a complete list, so tell
me, what’s missing? What have you
said to friends and family to get them
running? Or what would it take to get
you running for the first time?
TRAINING
01
Remember
what it was
like to be a beginner
Can you recall what
it was like when you Cory is the
started? How hard it founder of the about running is to invite them to
was to run your first Track Mafia a race where you’ll be running or
mile and first race? running crew and cheering on a friend. I was amazed
Think about that when a Nike Run Club and overwhelmed when I watched
speaking to people. Head Coach. the London Marathon – runners of
Let them know that with Instagram: all shapes and sizes, and from different
hard work, perseverance @bitbeefy, backgrounds, being celebrated for
and a little luck, they too will @trackmafia_ their achievements, regardless of pace.
soon find that running becomes
easier. But don’t patronise them, or
use a lot of running terminology they 04 Share the road with them
Be willing to walk, jog and run
aren’t going to understand unless with them, as it was you who inspired
you’re willing to explain it to them. them to become a runner. You should
Be the friend you either had when run at their pace without making them
you started out, or wish you’d had.  feel bad about running a little slower
than you normally do. When the time
02
Get to know the person is right, challenge them to push a little,
you’re running with but not break themselves. 
Work out how they react to different
styles of feedback. Do they want tough
love? Or do they want to be showered
with compliments and positive
05 Make things fun
Running can be tough, but you
can make things a little easier by
reinforcement? Do they want to talk adding some fun to a session.
while running, as it helps to take You could start off or finish in a
their mind off things, or do they location you know your friend
want silence? Do they want or family member would like.
music? Water? Set them I would often finish a run
up for success by helping and head to a great food spot,
them set smart goals or a bar. Or I would use
to give their running it as a way to explore
some direction.  a new city or a part of a
familiar city I had never
03 Invite them
to races and
been to. I would also
sometimes turn running
introduce them into a game that anyone
to the energy could play – making it
of running more like a treasure
communities hunt than a run – which
One of the best ways meant that, regardless of
to get people excited pace, everyone had fun.
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 069

CROSS PURPOSES
Swapping out some runs for the elliptical
cross trainer can help you recover better
If you’ve ever followed
a race training plan,
you’ll know it’s not just
about running; it’s about
running strategically. That’s why
nearly every plan includes easy
runs, long runs, speedwork, tempo
runs, recovery runs – it’s enough
running to fill at least five or six
days a week, and it can eventually
do a number on your body.
The reason training plans call
for so much running is the rule of
specificity. ‘Whatever you want to
get good at, you have to do that type
of activity to a high degree,’ explains
Ian Klein, a specialist in exercise
070 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
Speed up your
recovery with
elliptical sessions
physiology, cross-training and injury
prevention at Ohio University, US.
Translation: to be a better runner,
you must run more. Each specific
running workout has a purpose –
from developing fast-twitch muscle
fibres for speed to building your
endurance to helping your tendons,
ligaments, joints and bones adapt
to the stress of running – which is
why it’s important to include all of
them in a training plan.
That said, there’s a little flexibility
when it comes to the recovery run.
This low-intensity activity, which is
generally done at less than 70% of
your maximum heart rate, is crucial
for maintaining the base of your
aerobic fitness and developing oxygen
efficiency in the muscles, says Klein.
But if you’re injury-prone, dealing
with any small niggles or joint pain,
or even if you’re just approaching
burnout, it’s one workout that you
can take off the road or treadmill
and complete on another piece of
equipment: the elliptical.
How is using the elliptical
different from running?
The machine was literally invented to
mimic the motions of running without
nearly the same kind of impact forces
that are caused by running – so
you’re going to get a more running-
specific cross-training workout than
you would by exercising on a bike or
swimming in a pool. But ‘running’ on
the elliptical ‘decreases the weight-
bearing and muscle-pounding that
running produces because it’s a much
lower-impact exercise,’ says exercise
physiologist Todd Buckingham.
What the elliptical does is ‘take
out the eccentric contraction, that
moment when you land and prevent
your body from collapsing’, says
Klein. That’s an integral part
of running, so you do need that
training; but if you get too much
of it, he adds, your muscles can
fatigue and break down under all
that stress, which can lead to injury.
The elliptical also cuts out the
WO R D S : A S H L E Y M AT E O ; CA I T L I N G I D D I N G S . P H OTO G R A P H Y: T R E VO R R A A B
push-off phase of the gait cycle
because your feet never leave the
pedals. That’s not necessarily a bad
thing, says Juan Delgado, director of
Sports Science at the NY Sports
Science Lab in New York, US. When
you’re running, the tibialis anterior
muscles (which are responsible for
dorsiflexion of the feet) are almost
never under maximum tension –
which makes them more susceptible
to overuse and makes you much more
prone to shin splints and stress
reactions, Delgado says. But when
you’re maintaining constant contact
with the elliptical pedal, ‘these
muscles will have better isokinetic and
isometric contractions and can reach
maximum tension while becoming
 TRAINING

stronger without the impact of the

lift-off/heel strike motion’, he says.
B ES T HOM E
Plus, the cross trainer is more of
a complete workout, equally recruiting
C R OSS TR AI NERS
the upper and lower body with its
Like most home fitness equipment, ellipticals range from basic models to gym-quality machines.
pendulum motion. ‘By using your body
As with treadmills, to some extent you get what you pay for. Although you can get a good workout
weight as resistance, it becomes an
from lower-priced models with fewer settings, having more options will keep your training session
excellent way to prepare your body
interesting and challenging. The top machines offer a broad range of adjustable resistance – often
for the rigours of regular running,
with more than 20 levels. They also include more adjustability, including auto-controlled incline
since the muscles engaged in
height and stride length. Although some models cost as little as £200, they tend to break down
running can become stronger and
more quickly. A higher-quality elliptical will provide a quieter, smoother ride. Just be
more accustomed to carrying your
sure to consider your space and budget when shopping. 
body weight without the impact of
hitting the floor constantly, reducing
1 / Schwinn 2 / ProForm 3 / NordicTrack
your injury risk,’ says Delgado.
470i Elliptical Carbon HIIT L6 SpaceSaver
Cross Trainer Get a high- SE7i
How can you use the machine
This machine is intensity session The console
to benefit your training?
solid and syncs on this compact of this machine
It’s a low-impact activity, so it’ll feel
with apps. vertical trainer. folds up for
easier than a run of similar intensity. £849, fitness- £999, proformfitness. easier storage.
‘To combat this, use the elliptical for superstore.co.uk £999, nordictrack.
co.uk
one-and-a-half to two times the co.uk
duration of your run,’ says Buckingham.
For example, a half-hour run would
be equivalent to a 45-minute to 1

one-hour elliptical session.

Spending time on the cross trainer
can be helpful on recovery days, too,
especially if you have a tough time
sticking to a recovery pace (or less
than 70% of your maximum heart
rate). It’s actually pretty hard to get
your heart rate up on the elliptical
(without maxing out resistance),
which means you’ll stay in the easy, 2
low-intensity zone you need to be in
to get the benefits of that workout.
It can also improve blood flow
to the muscles without causing the
muscle fibre damage that running
does, so could help speed up recovery
time between hard running sessions
and allow you to complete these days
at a higher intensity, leading to greater
performance gains, says Buckingham.
That’s why you should always do
your key workouts – speedwork, tempo 3
runs and race-pace runs – as running
efforts, says Klein. No matter how
closely the elliptical was designed to
mimic running, anyone who has ever
stepped on one knows it’s not a perfect
substitute. Consider it a valuable tool
in your arsenal, especially on days you
need to slow it down or recover, but
not as a replacement for running. 

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 071

ONE
WHEEL
GOOD
Why indoor cycling is
a great cross-training
option for runners
When Tony Chin, 50,
had back surgery in 2017,
he had already stopped
training for races, thanks to
an arthritic back and knees. Craving
the cheers of a crowd and the thrill of
a racing clock, he talked to his doctor
about a training plan that would help
his back heal and prep him for a return
to the road that would last for years Try swapping
to come. The solution? An indoor bike. recovery runs
As a big fan of low-impact cross- for indoor cycling
training, Chin’s doctor had him
running just twice a week – once on
a track and a weekend long run – and

WO R D S : S A M A N T H A L E FAV E . P H OTO G R A P H Y: B RYA N BA N D U CC I

pedalling through five workouts on
a Peloton while training for the 2019
California International Marathon.
‘Indoor cycling helped me replicate
the same cardio workout I needed
from running in a low-impact way,’
Chin says. Come race day, he crossed
the finish line 15 minutes faster than
in the five other marathons he had
completed. ‘I could ride at any time
of the day, lost 11kg and now feel
better than I have in years.’
Chin isn’t the only one swapping his
running shoes for cycling shoes. In the
six months that followed March 2020,
year-to-date sales of at-home fitness
equipment increased to nearly 300%
of those from the prior 15 months,
according to data research and
analytics firm M Science, and Peloton
reported a membership increase of
1.6 million since May 2020. Here’s
how you, too, can grab your slice
of the indoor action. 
Why runners should ride inside
As Chin learned, hopping in the saddle
boosts your aerobic fitness without the
impact of running, explains Meghan
Kennihan, a certified personal trainer
and run and cycling coach based in
America. It also works complementary
muscle groups – more quads and glutes
‘HOPPING IN in cycling; hamstrings and calves
THE SADDLE in running – so you build muscular
strength and fix imbalances, which
BOOSTS YOUR reduces your overall risk of injury.
AEROBIC Of course, you can get all of those
benefits from an outdoor ride, but you
FITNESS eliminate some risk by bringing things
WITHOUT THE inside. ‘[A lot of] things can happen
when you’re outside; your head has to
IMPACT OF be on a swivel looking for cars, people
RUNNING’ and dogs. Riding indoors removes all
of that,’ says Matt Wilpers, certified
personal trainer and a Peloton Bike
and Tread instructor.
Taking a virtual class is a bit like

072 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 TRAINING

THE BEST
INDOO R
BIK ES
Best community
running on the treadmill: it puts all low,’ Wilpers says. ‘When you do Peloton Bike+
your metrics in front of you. Having that, you’re putting more work on Enjoy live and
on-demand
that allows trainers to get granular your cardiovascular system, which
workouts with
with athletes. ‘It’s basically like having is what you want to develop on the Peloton’s
someone in a laboratory with all the bike, versus muscular strain and All-Access
variables isolated,’ Wilpers says. ‘When stress.’ If you did the opposite, you’d Membership. 
that happens, we can get really specific build more biomechanical efficiencies £1,995 + £39/month
membership,
with training, giving us the ability to for cycling, which is not the end goal. onepeloton.co.uk
get very specific results.’ And if there’s The exception: injury-prone runners
a leaderboard (à la Peloton’s popular such as Chin. Given his arthritic back
class structure or Apple’s Fitness+ and knees, the emphasis on indoor
Burn Bar), there’s a burst of extra cycling – and choosing the right
motivation to compete. classes throughout his training –
Plus, as everyone around you allowed him to get aggressive on the Best class library
battles for your time and attention, bike in a way he couldn’t on the road, Echelon Fitness
there’s the convenience of being able which in turn improved his running EX-7s
Live and
to squeeze in a more intense workout while minimising the risk of further on-demand
in a shorter period. Unlike riding injury. Peloton’s Power Zone and workouts,
outdoors, ‘you don’t have to wait for Heart Rate Zone rides, for example, including
a hill, you just change the tension’, helped him maintain a sustainable strength
Kennihan says. ‘You don’t have to heart rate similar to his running, training, yoga
and meditation.
slow down for traffic lights or coast while the HIIT and Climb classes £1,999 + £39/month
on a downhill. You can do short sprints built strength and power to help membership,
in or out of the saddle to spike your him tick the miles off faster. echelonfit.uk
heart rate and build speed.’ Because indoor cycling workouts
are lower impact but can be higher
How to rework your routine intensity, start slow and build up your
To best incorporate riding into a endurance. If you’re used to running Best for data
running plan, Wilpers operates by one for an hour, don’t jump right in with Wattbike Atom
golden rule: all your quality workouts a 60-minute cycling session. Instead, Improve your
technique and
should be in your sport of choice. So start with a 30-minute ride to see how
power output by
if you’re training for a race, you need it feels. You’ll need to give your body using the analysis
to clock those important workouts and mind time to adjust to the new tool in the free app.
– the speed sessions, the long runs – modality. Over time, you can make £1,999, wattbike.com
on your feet, rather than in the saddle. small increases to your ride duration
Wilpers says those moments aren’t the same way you build up your weekly
just improving your fitness, they’re mileage when training for a race.
also building the biomechanics of Keep in mind this really only applies
running fast. So cycling should be if you’re in training for a specific event
supplemental, helping you to build or goal. If you’re simply running and Best on
up volume and base-work at a low riding to avoid injury and maintain a budget
intensity. An easy strategy is to replace both your physical and mental health, ProForm Studio
recovery runs and easy runs with Kennihan says your main focus should Bike Pro 22
Includes one-
indoor cycling sessions. be fun. ‘What kind of rides do you
month iFit Family
But few rides should be arduous enjoy? Hills? Intervals? Mix it up membership
climbs up virtual mountains. ‘I always and find the rides that are the most for live and
tell runners: cadence high, resistance exciting for you.’ on-demand
workouts.
£1,199,
proformfitness.co.uk

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 073

FUNKY FUNGI
Try four different types of mushrooms in these
meat-free dishes. Take your pick…

Oyster burrito
Serve up this iron-rich dish before a run to improve
blood supply to your muscles and boost your performance

350 cals / 9g fat / 17g protein /

56g carbs / serves 4
2 red onions, sliced • 3 peppers
(red, yellow and green), sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1kg
oyster mushrooms, torn into
strips • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 tsp
smoked paprika • 1 tbsp soya
sauce • 4 wholemeal tortillas
• 200g salsa (optional) • 200g
guacamole (optional)  and guacamole if using.
1 / Sauté the onions, peppers,
garlic and mushrooms in the oil
in a pan until the mushrooms
are soft. Sprinkle over the
paprika, splash in the soya
sauce and cool for 2 mins.
2 / Now for the fun bit: building
your burrito. Load your tortilla
with a generous helping of the
mushroom and pepper mix.
Add a dollop each of salsa
Then wrap that bad boy up
and dig in. Cutlery optional;
napkins strongly advised.
ENERGY-
SUSTAINING

IMMUNE-
BOOSTING

Cremini rotolo
Packed with antioxidants and vitamins, this dish builds up
your defences and protects your body from oxidative stress

WO R D S : E L L I E H O P L E Y; T E D L A N E . P H OTO G R A P H Y: LO U I S A PA R RY. F O O D
331 cals / 11g fat / 30g
protein / 74g carbs / 1 / Preheat your oven to 180°C.

serves 4
2 large onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 300g button mushrooms,
sliced • 1L vegetable stock
• 1 tsp salt • 4 large white
potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp soya cream • 2 tsp
smoked paprika • 1kg cremini
mushrooms, sliced • 500g
long-stem broccoli
S T Y L I N G : TA M A R A VO S . A D D I T I O N A L P H OTO G R A P H Y: L E V I B R OW N
Sweat an onion and a garlic
clove in ½ tbsp of oil in a pan on
a medium heat. Once cooked,
stir in the button mushrooms.
Pour in the stock and season.
Once reduced, set aside.
2 / Mix the potatoes with the
cream and paprika. Layer on to
an oven tray lined with baking
parchment. Cook for 30 mins. 
3 / Fry the creminis, onions and
garlic in the remaining oil. 
4 / Once cooked, spread this
mix on the potato sheet. Roll
up, slice, then serve with the
mushroom sauce and a side
of steamed broccoli.

074 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 FUEL

FIBRE-RICH
Shiitake and sticky rice
Shiitake ’shrooms clock up double the fibre of the white
button variety. This makes for a seriously satiating meal

601 cals / 20g fat / 20g protein

/ 86g carbs / serves 4
75ml mirin • 150ml rice
vinegar • 30g sugar
• 375g sushi rice, rinsed
• 2 red onions, diced • 1
red chilli, diced • 1 tbsp
olive oil • 1kg shiitake
mushrooms, de-stemmed
• 200ml teriyaki sauce
• 500g pak choi, chopped
• 150g cashews, crushed
1 / Boil the mirin, vinegar
and sugar in a small pan
before setting aside.
2 / Combine the rice and
400ml water. Simmer until
the water has evaporated.
Once cooked, combine
with the syrup you made
in step 1 and allow to cool.
3 / Fry the onions and chilli
in the oil. Add the shiitake
caps and cook until tender. 
4 / Pour in the teriyaki sauce.
Cook for 5 mins before adding
the pak choi and cashews. 
5 / Stir for 1 or 2 mins. Serve
the teriyaki mix with the sticky
rice and eat with chopsticks
(if you’re feeling dexterous).

Maitake on toast
Maitake mushrooms contain powerful antioxidants that look
after your liver – the perfect breakfast for the morning after

177 cals / 4g fat / 9g protein /

27g carbs / serves 4
1 shallot, sliced • 1 tbsp
olive oil • 500g maitake
mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Pinch of smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 4 slices of sourdough,
toasted • 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
RECOVERY-
1 / In a pan over a medium
heat, fry the shallot in the olive
oil. Once softened, add your
mushrooms and the paprika. 
2 / Cook the mushrooms until
almost all of their water has
evaporated, then pour in the
sherry vinegar – this ensures
you get an earthy mushroom
flavour in your topping.
3 / It’s assembly time. Pile
the mushrooms high on the
toasted sourdough, finishing
with a sprinkling of capers
and parsley, and you’re good
to go. Serve with a bloody

AIDING mary for full post-booze

back-to-life impact.

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 075

 NUTRITION ADVICE FOR
HEALTHY, HUNGRY RUNNERS

BY KIM PEARSON

THE RUNNER’S Best Crab

5.9mg

GUIDE TO ZINC
zinc-rich
foods 

Fish & shellfish
The mineral is vital for health and performance.
So how can you be sure you’re getting enough?
Oysters
90mg
Why is zinc How can I up my intake?
important? Ensure you’re eating foods naturally Sardines Mussels
Zinc is an essential nutrient, rich in zinc or consider a supplement 1.3mg  2.7mg
meaning your body can’t if you’re not able to include enough in
produce it, so you have to get it your diet. The current recommended
through your diet or supplementation. daily intake of zinc in the UK is 7mg
Zinc is vital for wound healing, protein per day for women and 9.5mg for men.
synthesis, growth and development, A food-first approach to nutrition is Pumpkin
seeds
and immune function. It’s required always recommended before reaching 10.3mg Cashews

Nuts & seeds

for the maintenance of cell-membrane for supplements, so add zinc-rich
5.8mg
activity, enzyme activity, cellular foods to your diet (see right). 
respiration and DNA reproduction.
Studies show that 25% of the world’s
Can I supplement zinc?
population is affected by zinc
If you’re deficient, a supplement may
deficiency, but that level could be
be the best way to increase your levels.
much higher among athletes. This
It’s worth noting that there are several Pork
Beef
is partly due to dietary choices, 3.2mg
forms of zinc supplements, with some 6.6mg
but you also lose zinc when you
better absorbed than others. Studies
sweat. In athletes, deficiency can
P H OTO G R A P H Y: DA N M AT T H E W S ; M I C H A E L H E D G E ; LO U I S A PA R RY; R O B W H I T E ; L U C K Y I F S H A R P ; S T U D I O 33 ; G E T T Y I M AG E S

show that absorption of zinc citrate

lead to fatigue, decreased endurance
and gluconate is 60% or higher,
and an increased risk of osteoporosis. 
whereas zinc oxide is just below 50%,

Meat
with several subjects obtaining little
How can I tell if I’m deficient? 
or no absorption from this form. 
There is no clear sign, but being more
It’s also important to note that
prone to colds and infections, as well
taking high doses of zinc reduces
as slow wound healing, are among the
the amount of copper the body can
indications that your training and
absorb, which can lead to anaemia Turkey
performance may be suffering. 2.0mg
and weakening of the bones. It’s
Symptoms of deficiency also include,
not advisable to take high levels Lentils
but are not limited to, decreased
of zinc for extended periods unless 1.3mg
appetite, altered sense of smell/taste,
advised by an expert. 
skin issues and fertility challenges.
Legumes

The best way to find out for sure is to

take some tests that are monitored by
Kim Pearson is a nutritionist with more than
a nutritionist or medical professional. 
10 years’ experience. Web: kim-pearson.com;
Twitter and Instagram: @kimmypearson
Chickpeas
3.4mg
( A M O U N T P E R 1 00 G )

TOP CYTOPLAN ZINC CITRATE TONIC DAYTIME HIGH-DOSE BIOCARE NUTRISORB ZINC
£11.30 for 60 capsules, cytoplan.co.uk IMMUNITY DRINK £10.69 for 30ml, biocare.co.uk
THREE One-a-day capsules with 30mg of zinc £22 for 30 drinks, tonichealth.co      If you prefer to add your
ZINC citrate. A good option if your These water-soluble tablets contain supplements to water or food,
nutritionist has identified 25mg of zinc, 1,500mg this handy dropper is a great
SUPPS TO a deficiency, or your diet of vitamin C and 30mcg way to get 7.5mg of zinc once
TRY doesn’t contain enough of vitamin D. Good for a day. You can also drop it
zinc-rich foods.  post-run hydration.  straight under the tongue.

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 077

 TRAINING

TURKISH
Keep your
eye on
the weight
throughout

GET-UP
Put the kettle on for
this peerless, functional
whole-body move

THE TURKISH get-up is one 2

of the best functional
moves you can do. You’ll 3
need mobility, stability Extend
and strength as you move through your left arm
out to the side
a series of twists, lunges and sit-ups
for balance
– all completed with a weight locked
Engage
out overhead – working your entire Squeeze
your abs
body in just one movement. ‘This your glutes to
to press
lift your hips
move is functional in that it’s up
essentially one you perform daily:
getting up from lying down,’ says
Harry Grosvenor, head coach at
Virgin Active UK. ‘It challenges
the core, but you’ll also feel your
shoulders, quads and hamstrings
working,’ he adds.

How to do it
1/ Lie on your back with a kettlebell in 5 4
your right hand in front of your shoulder.
2/ Bend your right leg and place your
foot flat on the floor. Extend your left
arm and leg to the side at 90- and 45-
degree angles respectively and press Lock out
the kettlebell upwards. the elbow
at the top
3/ Rise on to your left forearm and push
into the palm of the left hand to sit up.
4/ Then push through your right heel
and lift your hips until your right thigh
is parallel to the floor.
5/ In one fluid motion (easier said than
done), lift your torso and slide your left
leg directly behind you.
WO R D S : K I R S T I B U I C K . P H OTO G R A P H Y: KAT W I R S I N G

6/ Swivel your left shin to the left so that

your foot is straight behind you; raise your
torso to come into a half-kneeling lunge.
7/ Drive through your right heel to stand,
moving your feet to hip-width apart. Now
reverse it to complete the rep. Work up
to 2 or 3 sets of 5 reps on each side. 6

7
 GIVE YOURSELF THE EDGE
BEST FOR:
SHORT
BEST FOR: COMMUTES
CUSTOMISABLE
CAPACITY

202 2
BEST RUNNING
BACKPACKS

RUCK
STARS
We tested a host of
the latest running
backpacks to find
the ideal options for
every kind of run

WHETHER IT’S EASY DAYS on

country trails, run-commuting
to work or literally running
errands, a good backpack means
running freedom. When you can
carry all you need on your back,
01 02
OMM Ultra 20 Raidlight Activ 12L
your only limit is the fitness in
your legs. If that doesn’t stretch £75, theomm.com £54.99, sportsshoes.com
to epic wilderness runs, a pack
BUILT FOR TRAINING AND RACING, the Ultra DESPITE A SMALLER 12-litre capacity – and some
can get you to the office or help
20’s medium 20-litre capacity carries larger loads diminutive front pockets – this vest-backpack is
you conquer modern life’s little
up to 12kg. Equally adept on long days on the trail deceptively spacey and a solid option for running
tasks on two feet. Thankfully,
or commuter hops into work, the combination of daily errands. The main zippered pouch handles a
the days of putting up with the
EVA padded shoulder harnesses, cushioned waist 15-inch laptop and its wide opening makes it easier
bounce and jiggle of regular
straps, full-length back padding and adjustable to get bigger items into the central reservoir. It’s
rucksacks are long gone. These
chest straps lock it firm to your body for excellent excellent for stashing rolled up clothes, shoes and
days, bags come tailored to fit
comfort, even when it’s full. The main compartment towels. Wide, adjustable straps on the shoulder
every runner and every run.
happily takes a 15-inch laptop (or a two-litre water harness help avoid unpleasant pressure, but the
From minimal ultra vests up to
bladder) and a change of clothes, while a zippered single height-adjustable sternum strap isn’t quite
laptop-lugging rucksacks, we’ve
top section and two waist pockets beef up storage as good against the dreaded bounce and jiggle as
tested the best to help you bag
capacity should you need it. Big rubber zip pulls a double. The lack of soft flask pockets also makes
WO R D S : K I E R A N A LG E R

the perfect run-friendly pack.

make it easy to use with cold fingers and gloves. it less suited to longer runs. 
Weight: 375g Weight: 315g
Capacity: 20L Capacity: 12L
Soft flask compatible: No Soft flask compatible: No
Bladder friendly: Yes, not included  Bladder friendly: Yes, not included 
Waterproof: Yes Waterproof: Yes

080 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 Gear
PACK IT IN

BEST FOR:
LOW-LIGHT BEST FOR:
SAFETY LONG
TRAIL RUNS

03 04
Proviz Reflect360 Explorer 30L Montane Gecko VP 20+
£64.99, provizsports.com £120, montane.com

THIS PACK DELIVERS big on both safety and THE BODY-HUGGING GECKO combines a
storage, making it ideal for early morning and late- backpack-style 20-litre capacity with race vest
evening run-commutes. The laptop compartment comfort. The zippered main compartment
easily holds a 15-inch computer with room to spare. swallows a 15-inch laptop, while two zippered
Its reflective back panel and shoulder straps light shoulder strap pockets and stretch-mesh side
you up like a 90s raver under oncoming lights. The pockets deliver easy-access storage options. Bottle
pack’s durability also gets a boost from anti-rip holders on the front straps make it a great race
fabric that makes it feel impenetrable and provides option, too. For fit, height adjustable chest straps,
a barrier against light rain. When the heavens shoulder adjusters and a substantial ‘waist’ strap
really open, there’s a waterproof cover to slip over just below the chest help it hold steady even
it. Adjustable chest, waist and shoulder straps on steep descents or at racier paces. Other neat
make it easy to achieve a tailored fit, while handy little touches include a key clip, removable
pulls on every zip are ideal if you’re a fumbler. whistle and back bungee for securing extras.
Weight: 850g Weight: 335g
Capacity: 30L Capacity: 20L
Soft flask compatible: No Soft flask compatible: Yes, included
Bladder friendly: Yes, not included  Bladder friendly: No 
Waterproof: Yes  Waterproof: Partially

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 081

 BEST FOR:
RACING
ULTRAS

BEST FOR:
HEAVY-
PACKING
RUN
COMMUTES

05 06
Camelbak Octane 25L  Salomon S/Lab Active Skin 8
£130, camelbak.com £80, salomon.com

THIS LARGER-CAPACITY run-commute-friendly RUNNING SHORT OR LONG, this close-fitting,

pack still manages to feel compact and fast. The
two-litre bladder is removable, so when carrying kit
trumps hydration there’s ample space for a 15-inch
laptop and your other essentials. A 360-degree
opening and a row of small internal compartments
make it easy to organise your kit for speedy
‘superhero’ changes. Adjustable sternum straps and
a hip belt help reduce bounce, while the padded
back smooths out lumps and bumps. The rear stash
pouch is also great for jackets, socks and underwear.
When the British weather strikes, the integrated
rain cover provides a back-up waterproof barrier.
Weight: 610g
Capacity: 25L
Soft flask compatible: Yes, not included
Bladder friendly: Yes, included
Waterproof: Yes
minimal race vest is made for moving fast and light
carrying the bare essentials. The zippered back
compartment can take a 1.5-litre hydration bladder
or a jacket, trousers and base layer, plus there are
back bungee cords for attaching extra kit. Two
front stash pockets are ideal for gels, snacks, a head
torch and gloves. There’s also one phone-sized
zippered pocket and two 500ml soft flask chest
pockets. The height adjustable anti-jiggle bungee
system helps cut bounce and the Skin’s light fabric
saves weight, but is somewhat vulnerable to snags.
It’s also not waterproof, but it is fast drying. 
Weight: 210g
Capacity: 8L
Soft flask compatible: Yes, included
Bladder-friendly: Yes, not included
Waterproof: No

What to 1/ SPACE RACE 2/ CUSTOM FIT 3/ GOOD HYDRATIONS

look for Running packs range
from minimal vests built
The details for racing right up to
to sweat rucksack-style options that’ll
when you’re
hold a laptop, change of clothes
hunting a pack 
or your weekly groceries. Run
commuters should opt for at
least 15-litre capacity.  packing in the bag.  you’re using it for long runs.
Adjustable shoulder,
waist and sternum
straps help you tailor
your own perfect, bounce-free
fit for every run – particularly
useful if you regularly change
the weight of what you’re
Most packs provide
accessible pockets for
soft flasks or bottles.
Chest is best but occasionally
these are on the side. Check if
it’ll accommodate a hydration
bladder too – particularly if

082 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 Gear
PACK IT IN

BEST FOR:
LONG
TRAINING
RUNS

BEST FOR:
THOSE ON A

07 08
BUDGET

Inov-8 Adventure Lite 15 Evadict Mixed Ultra Trail Bag 15L

£80, inov-8.com £49.99, decathlon.com

THIS 15-LITRE PACK can take a 15-inch laptop in a ROBUST, WELL MADE and designed for ultra
pinch. But it’s at its best carrying your essentials on racing, Decathlon’s largest-capacity 15-litre vest
all-day trail adventures and days where your load boasts more pockets than a snooker hall. There
doesn’t include a computer. The pack’s durability are eight in the front and seven in the back, all
is excellent, thanks to stretch rip-stop nylon, while aimed at making it easier to find stuff fast when
the weatherproof main compartment also protects you’re deep into a long run and your brain’s
your cargo from the elements. Hydration options turned to jelly. The main compartment’s side
include slots for two 500ml soft flasks plus a entry is great for reaching all your gear without
removable two-litre bladder. Seven additional emptying the pack. And the waterproof zippered
pockets – two zippered – increase organisation pocket keeps your phone safe. There’s also ample,
options, while side adjustments, compression easy-access storage up front for food, a built-in
straps and dual adjustable sternum straps help you whistle and a trio of height-adjustable straps
get a good fit. The back pad was the best we tested. for a relatively unshakeable fit. 
Weight: 390g Weight: 472g
Capacity: 15L Capacity: 15L
Soft flask compatible: Yes, not included Soft flask compatible: Yes, not included
Bladder friendly: Yes, not included  Bladder friendly: Yes, included 
Waterproof: Yes  Waterproof: Yes

4/ PICK POCKETS 5/ ZIP IT 6/ ADDED EXTRAS 7/ FIND THE PROOF

When it comes to faff-
free access, the more
sections the better. Split
main compartments are good for
laptop storage, stretch pockets
are excellent for gels or rolled
up jackets, while a waterproof
pocket is useful for tech.
Zippered pockets stop
stuff falling out, but
open stretch-mesh
pockets are good for grabbing
stuff on the move. If you’re going
for zippered, strong zip pulls
make access easier for frosty
– or gloved – fingers.
Some packs give
you the option to
beef up the capacity
and capability, with attachment
points available for extra
pouches, whistles and any
other accessories you may
deem essential.
Look for fabrics that
fend off the changeable
British weather and the
knocks and scrapes incurred
on regular runs. Waterproofing
will keep your essentials dry,
rip-stop fabrics will prevent
tears and ensure good durability.  

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 083

Gear
ON TEST
What is it? It’s a wearable sensor
and partner mobile app that offers
continuous, real-time monitoring
of your blood glucose levels. They
are designed to help you optimise
the type and timing of your fuel to
aid performance in endurance sports.  page shows your blood glucose
How does it work? The sensor
contains a thin, flexible filament that’s
inserted just under the skin. The idea
of piercing your skin might not be to
everyone’s taste, but application is
painless – it’s done via a handheld
applicator, a bit like a stationery
stamp. You push it down with a click
and when you remove the applicator,
the sensor (about the size of £2 coin
but slightly thicker) stays stuck – it’s
recommended you attach it to the back
of your upper arm. We’d advise using
the supplied ‘performance patch’ on
top to add another layer of protection
and adhesion. Each sensor lasts 14 days,
so it needs to stay in place through a lot
of workouts and showers. (It’s worth
bearing in mind that it’ll be easily
visible when you’re wearing T-shirts or
sleeveless dresses in warmer weather.)
Once the sensor is in place, you pair it
via Bluetooth with the Supersapiens
mobile app and you’re good to go.
084 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
Using the Supersapiens app
The well-designed app is divided
into three main sections. The ‘live’
level at the moment, in milligrams
per decilitre (mg/dL). Below this
is a line graph that tracks your
glucose levels over previous hours
and days. It’s fascinating to clearly
see the effect of eating and drinking
different things. For example, one
breakfast that I’d previously considered
benign – raisin wheats and oat milk –
sent my levels shooting up out of the
‘off-hours target range’.
We’ve often heard the advice to
avoid ‘fast’ carbs that cause spikes
in your blood sugar, followed by
crashes. Well, now you can see them
as they happen and avoid them in
future by changing the trigger foods.
The live reading was also very useful
on long runs, as it helps you to ensure
you take on fuel before your blood
glucose levels drop so low that they
start affecting your energy.
The ‘Insights’ section gives you
a more macro view of your glucose
levels – your total daily exposure,
LEVELLING UP
This clever bit of wearable tech allows
you to track your blood glucose levels
in real time, says Andy Dixon
average levels, variability (the stability
or instability of your levels) and zones.
You can also manually add events
(such as meals and workouts)
to see how they affect your levels.
Finally, the app contains
learning resources about fuelling
and performance nutrition, as
well as experiments that you can
do yourself – such as comparing
fasted and well-fuelled workouts.
Abbott Libre
→ RW verdict / Even without a race
Sense Glucose
coming up, wearing this clever device
Sport Biosensor
for a couple of weeks will teach you
+ Supersapiens
how what you consume affects
app
Around £125 your blood sugar, taking a lot of the
per month for guesswork out of finding the best
WO R D S : A N DY D I XO N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: R OWA N F E E
two sensors nutrition for energy and recovery.
(subscription); But it’s of most value to those training
around £471 for for a marathon or ultra, as it can help
seven biosensors perfect your in-run fuelling strategy.
(flat fee; 14-week On the downside, it’s not cheap and
training the sensors don’t last for more than
programme); 14 days. While it’s unobtrusive, we’re
supersapiens. not sure you’d want to wear one
com throughout a full marathon training
schedule. For serious runners looking
to make performance gains, this
could be a worthwhile investment.
●●●●○
 Gear
SIX OF THE BEST

TOUCHING LAYER MANAGER

Give yourself a
winter base lift

BASE
You’ll run cosy through the cold
with these high-performance
base layers next to your skin
WO R D S : J O E M AC K I E . A R T WO R K: P E T E R C R OW T H E R AT D E B U T A R T. A D D I T I O N A L P H OTO G R A P H Y: P H I L I P H AY N E S

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Neck Base Layer Base Layer (men’s) / (women’s) / £85, (men’s) / £75, (unisex) / £70, (women’s) / £119.99,
(women’s) / £64.95, £95, iffleyroad.com artilect.studio soarrunning.com loomilife.com smartwool.co.uk
megmeister.com You deserve a little A groundbreaking The merino and silk This new British Light and stretchy
A go-to among luxury in the cold construction blend is beautifully brand is driven by a yet wonderfully
team RW when and the Malvern process – spinning soft on the skin, as passion for running warm, the merino
the mercury drops, feels a treat against merino fibres along well as being warm and the outdoors sport yarn blends
Megmeister’s base your skin. Made a high-performance and fast-wicking. – and you can feel wool with synthetic
layers provide in the UK from an filament – means All seams are flat- the love in these fabrics to deliver
serious warmth, ultra-soft Italian the Nuyarn fabric locked to minimise layers. Superfine top performance
super-fast moisture- merino wool, it’ll used by outdoor chafing and the top merino ‘beta spun’ and durability.
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great ventilation. from the first step, amplifies merino that still moves elastane delivers uses 3D body-
Ergonomic design, but if you or the wool’s natural really well with your warm, breathable, mapping for a
with a four-way conditions warm properties to make body. Like all the seamless, itch-free custom-fit feel and
stretch fabric, up, it wicks sweat it even lighter, more natural-fabric tops comfort, along with superb freedom of
allows impressive away and regulates breathable and here, it’s also anti- terrific durability and movement, while
ease of movement, body temperature. quicker to dry. We bacterial, which odour resistance mesh ventilation
while the seam-free Construction is can testify that it helps to keep the over time. You’ll in gender-specific
material means entirely seam-free, performed superbly wretched post-run find yourself zones enhances
there’s nothing to too, so there’s no in a wide variety whiffs at bay – reaching for this heat management
rub against skin. risk of chafing. of conditions.   always a bonus.   one again and again. and breathability.

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 085

 RACE LET YOUR RUNNING LOOSE

The 2021
Southampton Half
Marathon marked a
return to racing for many
runners and they made
the most of the
opportunity

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT BY THE SEA

High temperatures turn up the heat on John Carroll at the Southampton Half Marathon

THE DAY BEFORE the Southampton Half Marathon, I saw a
six-foot elf playing football near race HQ. Naturally, I took
this to be an omen, but portending what I did not know. On
race day, I found out: a six-foot elf (or even a human dressed as such)
playing football by race HQ means the weather on the day is going
to be unusually hot for the time of year. Runners, be on the lookout!
The weather forecast provides a similar function, of course, and so
did the walk to the race start in Guildhall Square, in the centre of the
city. The sun was already making short work of the early morning
chill and the assembled runners had not, for the most part, bothered
with tops to keep themselves warm before they set off. This was one
of the first city events post-lockdown and I heard several waggish
remarks of the ‘so much for social distancing’ variety as we lined up
for the 9am mass start, but few people were bothered: most simply
seemed excited to be running with others again.
The beginning through the city centre was a little messy, as we had
not been lined up according to predicted finish time – faster runners
were forced into a lot of weaving and tutting as they strove for their
desired pace. My running partner and I were in no such hurry.
As we turned down to Southampton’s docks, the route was lined
with traffic cones to ensure we stayed on one side of the road – the
side without the cars speeding by. Some runners felt unbound by such
pettifoggery and ran outside the cones. This led to the extraordinary
sight of a marshal sprinting along the course, waving and bellowing

086 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022

 SOUTHAMPTON HALF MARATHON
Sunday morning,
when people
presumably had
much better
things to do
– was a huge
asset when
things got tough.
The marshals,
too, were sharp-
eyed enough to
pick out runners’
names on their
race numbers
and offer
personalised
encouragement.
We recrossed
Itchen Bridge
and our next
landmark was
St Mary’s
Stadium, home
of Southampton
at the heedless runners: ‘Inside! FC. It was smaller than I had
Get inside! Insiiiiiddddee!’ expected, but this was also my first
‘That guy’s going to go sub-1:40 THE RUNDOWN time in a football stadium in the UK,
if he’s not careful,’ I thought. Southampton
so what do I know?
From there, and with runners now Half Marathon Just after we left the stadium, at
comfortably spaced out, the course (2021 results) about 12km/7.5 miles, I turned to my
First man: William
took us on to Itchen Bridge. I imagine Cork, 1:12:21 partner and told her to go ahead; I was
the view out over Southampton First woman: Claire going to ask her to leave me a pack
McErlean, 1:25:55
Water and the Solent is normally Last finisher: 2:59:18 of cigarettes and a rifle, and to tell
spectacular, but race day was turning No. of starters/ Ma I loved her, but I didn’t have the
finishers: 1,852/1,835
into one of those hazy, humid affairs energy. We were not moving quickly
that gives everything in the distance but I was having a tough time in the
a pale, smeared appearance, like a heat – I was grabbing two cartons of
Turner seascape, but free. water at a time, one to drink, one to
After a section along the shoreline, dump over my head and down my
we moved into residential areas, back – and feeling the pressure to
where the locals – bless them – stood match a pace was one burden too many.
in their gardens cheering, offering Finishing stats: We crossed the Itchen again, the
slices of orange and, most welcome ● <1:29 4% crowds getting bigger as the city
of all, spraying us with garden hoses. ● 1:30-1:59 30% woke up, and soon moved into lovely
● 2:00-2:29 43%
From one house there came a cascade ● 2:30-2:59 23% Riverside Park. By this stage, I had
of big, glossy soap bubbles: of no decided that my best chance of
practical use, but a treat to witness. finishing was to run-walk and I was
Indeed, the crowd support – on a hot by no means alone in my thinking.
Like this? Try... three other coastal half marathons
BRIGHTON HALF MARATHON BLACKPOOL HALF MARATHON
A great way to kick-start your A one-lap course along the
race year and an opportunity to promenade offers a good chance
see how your spring-marathon for a PB. You start with your back
training is going. The route is flat to Blackpool Tower, but that,
and fast (wind permitting) and of course, gives you something
the support is always excellent.   to aim for on the way home.
Brighton, February 2023 (tbc), Blackpool, 24 April,
brightonhalfmarathon.com runblackpoolfestival.com
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 087
RACE
‘No sun for weeks and now this,’ said
one runner as she walked by. ‘I know,’
I said, impressed by my wry wit.
Once out of the park, we crossed the
Itchen once more. At 16km/10 miles,
I am usually feeling fine, but the next
two kilometres were straight uphill.
I wanted to gird my loins for the
challenge but that sounded painful,
so I just got on with it as best I could.
About halfway up, a woman was
holding out a container of jelly babies,
so I reached in, somehow found the
digital dexterity to grab one without
tipping the container out of her hand,
and popped the sugary morsel into
my mouth. Seconds later, it popped
back out and fell on the ground.
For five long seconds, I stared at it,
wondering if I should pick it up and
eat it. Then, sense prevailing, I went
back and asked for another.
Finally, as we neared the sun, the
hill evened out and then, so slowly,
tipped downwards into Southampton
Common and on to the last section.
Every runner in the finishers’ chute
was treated to a glorious pounding of
the advertising hoardings by the large
crowd. The support made my heart
swell, which surprised me, as my lungs
were taking up most of the space in
there. My partner had finished five
minutes earlier and was only too
pleased to remind me of that fact for
hours – and months – afterwards.
Dramatic bridge crossings,
cheerleaders, a ukulele band, lovely
parks and exceptional support when
it mattered most – the Southampton
Half has a lot to recommend it. The
beginning could do with a rethink
and that hill is fearsome, but if you
position yourself wisely and save some
juice for the long ascent, you’ll be just
fine. Unless you see a six-foot elf.
The next Southampton Half takes place
on 24 April. southamptonmarathon.co.uk
ANTRIM COAST HALF MARATHON
This is one of the fastest routes
in the UK and Ireland. Yalemzerf
Yehualaw set a women’s course
record of 1:03:43 last year, while
the men’s course record of 1:00:27
was set by Mo Farah in 2020.
Antrim, 28 August,
antrimcoasthalfmarathon.com
 Dartford
RACE

Bluewater
ROUTE RECCE Shopping
11 Centre

DARTFORD HALF
MARATHON
10
A2
A2
Race director Liam Burke
guides you along a hilly
course that loops through 2
Lane End
town and country Darenth
3
‘THIS IS THE OLDEST
M25
CONTINUOUS HALF Green Street
MARATHON IN KENT, Green
stretching way back to 1977,’ says Sutton
Burke. ‘The debut event was won at Hone
by Steve Ovett (three years before
he took gold at the Moscow
Olympics) and though he planned
it as a training run, he later
admitted he’d decided he might &RXUVH3URLJOH
as well carry on – and finished in 80 7
65:38. The race still attracts good 60
A225 South
club runners and those of all 40
Darenth
abilities in a field of about 1,000 20
participants. It’s an undulating
0m
course with some challenging PLOHV 2 4 6 8 10 12 5
hills, through lovely Kent
countryside on the outskirts of
Dartford. Our biggest worry is
2 MILE 2 10 MILE 10
WO R D S : A D R I A N M O N T I . I L LU S T R AT I O N : H A R V E Y SY M O N S . P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S ; A L A M Y; S H U T T E R S TO C K

After a flattish start, you pass

that, on race day, the Dartford
under the A2 and then the M25,
Crossing is closed due to an
which was the longest ring road in
accident and traffic is diverted,
Europe when it was completed
which would be quite a challenge.
in 1986. You will also pass the
We have been staging it for
Papermakers Arms pub, whose
five years, having taken over
name is a nod to the town’s past;
from Dartford Harriers, who
set it up 45 years ago.’
in 1588, its paper mill produced
Britain’s first commercially
available writing paper. 
The 2022 race is on 13 March.
dartfordhalfmarathon.co.uk
3 MILE 3
Ready yourself for the first of
four climbs on this course, with
this first being a short, sharp hill
that passes several popular
fishing lakes. You’re now leaving
the urban setting behind as you
enter the more picturesque
Darent Valley.
START
Runners gather beside the
running track in the town’s
Central Park, where the River
Darent flows past. Among
the town’s claims to fame is
that Mick Jagger and Keith
Richards grew up here.   native patch.
5 MILE 5
About a mile of steady climb –
with more than 50m of elevation
– awaits you on Rabbits Road.
At its high point, you can see the
Queen Elizabeth ll Bridge – the
Dartford Crossing – which spans
the Thames above the town.
7 MILE 7
As you approach the third tough
hill, you’re running along leafy
lanes and surrounded by farmland.
The skies above this valley are
teeming with all types of birds,
so, with luck,
you might
even spot
a Dartford
warbler in its
Following some satisfying
downhill, there’s a final push
up the gruesome-sounding
Gore Road, where you’ll
ascend almost 50m.
11 MILE 11
Here you’re rewarded with
another downhill, which offers
a fine view of Dartford FC’s
Princes Park ground. It’s one
of the most eco-friendly
in the country – the pitch is
below ground level to reduce
noise and light pollution.
FINISH
You return to the park and run
around the distinctive blue
running track. This is home to
Dartford Harriers, who still
help to stage this race. After
collecting your bespoke medal,
enjoy some much-deserved
refreshments in the clubhouse.
 STILL GOING STRONG: CABBAGE PATCH 10
PBs, environmental creds and prizes: this race makes other 10-milers green with envy

H O W D I D I T S TA R T ?
1

THE RACE WAS SET UP

in 1982 by Frank Dupree,
landlord of The Cabbage
Patch pub in Twickenham, and
his clubmate at the Stragglers
running club, Malcolm Ellis.
The inaugural race had 370
finishers and it has grown
steadily: 1,342 runners ran the
10-mile course in 2021. The pub
remains the beating heart of the
event – the start and finish lines
are just down the road and it’s
where runners converge for the
prize ceremony and general
merriment. The prizes for the
winners are generous (£1,000
each), while age-category
winners receive £75, plus a head
of cabbage (of course).

2
W H AT I S I T L I K E ?

IT’S A FLAT AND FAST route in 1 / Sarah Astin,

winner of the 2021
Twickenham and Richmond that women’s race
spends plenty of time along the 2 / Battling it out
Thames. The sections by the 3 / 2021 men’s
river are especially memorable winner Paulos
Surafel, with race
because the race is run in mid- director Kevin Price
October, when autumn’s colours
are at their most vibrant.

WHO RUNS IT?

YOU’LL MOST LIKELY spot a runner

in a Cabbage Patch T-shirt on
any run in Richmond Park or
Bushy Park, which clues Steph Twell was victorious in 2013,
you in to the fact that this 2014 and 2019. Other well-known
is a much-loved event competitors include Sonia
among south-west O’Sullivan and Mara Yamauchi.
Londoners. As well
as recreational runners,
the Cabbage Patch 10
attracts plenty of big
names. In 1993, British THREE REASONS TO RUN
marathoner Richard
Nerurkar finished in 46:02, GOOD PB POTENTIAL: The only
which remains a British uphills you’ll have to deal with
record over 10 miles. Mo along the way are the slight
3
Farah won it in 2005, while bumps on the Kingston and

Richmond bridges. This race is
otherwise almost completely flat
– it’d be hard to find a better event
for a speedy 10 miles.
THE SURROUNDINGS: This
part of London differs from the
rest of the city. It feels urban and
rural, and mixes the best of both
environments: plenty of scenery
to enjoy during the race and loads
of places to relax afterwards.
THE COMMUNITY: Races
somehow feel more special when
they’re organised by locals and run
for the benefit of local charities.
No multinational company gets
its pockets lined by this event;
instead, funds are raised for a
blood cancer charity and a local
school for children with learning
difficulties and additional needs.
ANYTHING NEW?
IN RECENT YEARS, the organisers
have become increasingly aware
of the environmental impact of
the event. Runners are encouraged
to walk, cycle or take public
transport when travelling to
the race. Chunky metal medals
imported from Asia have been
replaced by wooden medals made
locally and water for the runners is
now distributed in recyclable paper
cups instead of single-use plastic
bottles. All suppliers are local and
rather than getting a standard
goody bag at the end, runners can
choose what they’d like, so waste
is kept to a minimum.
WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S
6
CABBAGE PATCH 10 RACE
4
W H AT T H E Y S AY
THE RACE DIRECTOR
‘This is a brilliant community event.
We get lots of people involved in it
from the Twickenham, Teddington,
Kingston and Richmond areas.
We will always be restricted to
1,600 runners but have plans to
evolve the race. We want to invest
more in the environmental impact
– it’s a smaller race but people
respect it, so I think we can use
it to set a good example.’
– Kevin Price
THE STALWART
‘It’s really fun because it’s based at
The Cabbage Patch pub. After the
race, we go back to the pub for the
prize-giving. The organisers also get
an excellent calibre of runners at
the event; they have internationals
taking part, which is amazing. It’s
5 a high-quality race, even though
it’s also a local one. The organisers
4 / Stragglers
runner Eliza
approach local pubs and cafes to
Hawthorn, ask if they’ll allow runners to use
second in 2021 their toilet facilities on the morning
5 / Taking it of the race. I’ve never seen that
to the streets
6 / The
done anywhere else.’
Cabbage – Jacky Balfour
Patch 10 is
a race for
all abilities
7 / Paulos
Surafel on his
way to victory WHO KNEW?
THE CABBAGE PATCH PUB is just
down the road from Twickenham,
the home of English rugby. The
2015 Rugby World Cup was
held in England, so matches at
Twickenham in October that year
meant that the Cabbage Patch 10
couldn’t take place.
WAY B A C K W H E N
1982: MICHAEL JACKSON’S Thriller
is released and becomes the
bestselling album of all time.
Chariots Of Fire wins four Academy
Awards, including Best Picture.
Britain and Argentina fight the
74-day Falklands war.
The 2022 race will take place in October
(date tbc): cabbagepatch10.com
7
MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 091
 RACE START LIST

THE START LIST

Our selection of the best, fastest,
toughest, quirkiest and most
enjoyable UK races this month

INDUSTRIAL ACTION

Wrexham 20 Mile
We love ending on a proper athletics
track, and this event offers a start,
middle and finish on the rubber. The ANY MINE OR PACE
20-miler is two loops of the route to
Wrexham Industrial Estate, and we
promise it’s not as bad as ‘industrial
The Cousin Jack Classic VI
A ‘Cousin Jack’ is a colloquial term for a Cornish emigrant in the 19th and
estate’ suggests. There’s some lovely
20th centuries, many of whom ended up in mines across the Americas.
countryside to run through before
Fittingly, this race to commemorate them takes place on St Piran’s Day,
you get there – all the more time
which celebrates the patron saint of both Cornwall and tin miners. The
to prep for the big finish, hopefully
RW POLL race runs from St Just to St Ives (28.7km), with an ultra option to double
with a gut-busting Roger Bannister-
the distance by running both legs. The exceptionally difficult coastline route
style plunge for the line at the end.
What are you involves a lot of ascents and descents, and passes several old tin mines that
Wrexham, Denbighshire, 6 March,
mostly thinking would have been full of hard-working Cornish folk in years gone by.
runwales.com
about when you St Just, Cornwall, 5 March, bysvykenevents.vpweb.co.uk
race?

ON STABLE GROUND

Paddock Wood Half

41%
Pace calculations
is an 860-mile crossing of Britain
from top to bottom. Digs and food
are provided, so all you have to do is
will be waiting for you in the pub
afterwards – especially considering
it’s St Patrick’s Day. Sláinte!
run 50 miles a day for 17 days. We’ve Belfast, Co. Antrim, 17 March,
If you’re a springtime marathoner or
a half marathon PB hunter, get your
diary open and scribble in this event
because it’s perfect for you. The
33%
The finish line
never done it, but we imagine it’s not
easy. Who knows, though? Maybe
it gets really easy after 500 miles...
aisling-events.com

John o’Groats, Caithness, 18 March-

race began in 1989 and follows
a fast and flat route into the Kent
countryside from the town of
Paddock Wood. It starts and ends
21%
Trying to stay
3 April, ultrarunningltd.co.uk
FOOTBALL FRENZY

beside the train station and there

positive Wolves 10K at
GAME FOR A LAUGH Molineux Stadium

are trains to and from London every
half-hour or so. No faffing with
arranging lifts or parking means
all the more headspace to focus on
Beating friends/
that PB or final pre-marathon race.
Paddock Wood, Kent, 13 March,
paddockwoodhalfmarathon.co.uk
GOING THE DISTANCE
JOGLE
You can tell your grandkids any of
your running stories, but here’s one
they’ll actually care about. The John
o’Groats to Land’s End (JOGLE) run
5%
SPAR Craic 10K
frenemies The concept of ‘craic’ is difficult
Based on a poll for non-Irish people to grasp. On
with 560 votes a basic level, it is synonymous with
‘fun’, but in reality it’s more complex.
For example, even though running
is fun, it doesn’t generally involve
much craic for the simple fact that
craic requires a degree of human
interaction and running is often
done solo. You could have a bit of
craic with a fellow runner, or with
some spectators along the route
from City Hall to Ormeau Park in
Belfast, but it’s most likely the craic
This inaugural event is aimed at
runners of all abilities, so it could WO R D S : S T E P H E N G L E N N O N . P H OTO G R A P H Y: K E N W H A L L E Y
be a great way for parkrunners
to make the transition to longer
distances. Or maybe you’re like
us and are just a bit obsessed
with the idea of finishing races in
football stadiums. Wolverhampton
Wanderers’ Molineux is a wonderful
old ground, built in 1889 and soaked
in English football history. Be sure
to have at least one friend or family
member at the finish line chanting
your name loudly enough for it to
reverberate around the stands.
Wolverhampton, Staffordshire,
27 March, wolves10k.com

092 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022


DEVILISHLY FUN
Hell in the Woods
Wait, come back! It’s not as bad
as it sounds! Hell isn’t this muddy,
for one thing, and it’s certainly
not as pretty. This 15-miler in a
hilly wood in Northumberland is
a real challenge across a variety
of terrain, so hose down those trail
shoes and get ready for them to be
well and truly caked in mud (again).
The race’s route twists and turns
constantly, so you’ll switch from
views of The Cheviots away to the
north to thick woodland to damp
riversides in a matter of moments,
all while ascending an impressive
750m of elevation.
Thrunton, Northumberland, 6 March,
hellinthewoods.run
GO DOWN IN HISTORY
Jurassic Coast Challenge
A three-day event running east
along the Jurassic Coast from
Charmouth, with roughly a
marathon’s worth of distance each
day, is unquestionably a mammoth
undertaking. But the organisers
have designed this challenge to be
doable, even if you’re new to
multi-day events. The route is well
marked, there are food and drink
checkpoints every 10km or so,
transport to and from the start and
finish lines is included, and there
are earlier start times for walkers
and more leisurely runners.
Charmouth, Dorset, 25-27 March,
votwo.co.uk
NO REST FOR THE WICKED
‘Grimnificent’ Seven
Here’s an ambitious series of events
for you – an entire week of running
a marathon or half every day. The
races take place at a selection of
tranquil and scenic reservoirs in
Yorkshire, and if you don’t feel up
to the task of a marathon a day,
you can pick and choose the
events you want to make sure you
have sufficient recovery time.
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, 14-20
March, itsgrimupnorthrunning.co.uk
SIMPLE BUT STRENUOUS
D33 Ultra
The organisers of this event make
it sound so simple: ‘Turn up at the
Duthie Park car park in Aberdeen
and register and run the first
section of the Deeside Way to
Banchory, check in with marshal,
turn round and run back.’ And,
well, that is pretty much it, but
doing that simple task will require
covering 52km over a variety of
different terrains – which will
include mud if there’s been rain in
the preceding days. But with no
navigation required and a generally
flat surface, this is a pretty good
entry-level event for any ultra-
curious marathoners out there.
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, 12 March,
deesidewayultra.webnode.com
HOME ADVANTAGE
Carlisle Half
Marathon & 10K
Another football stadium finish
here, this time in Carlisle United’s
Brunton Park. The race calendar is
still suffering from a lack of city-
centre events thanks to Covid, and
while Carlisle isn’t quite big enough
to host an entirely urban event, it
does a great job of finding a route
that weaves through the heart of
the town. The half heads out to the
countryside when the 10K loops
back towards the stadium, and
with a largely flat road course, you
never know – a PB could happen.
Carlisle, Cumbria, 13 March,
carlislehalf.co.uk
ALL RACES
GOING AHEAD
AT TIME OF
GOING TO
PRESS

RW ONLINE
RACE
STEEP LEARNING CURVE LISTINGS
Thirsty for
The World’s Steepest more? Go to
Street Run runnersworld.
The Welsh street in question has a com/uk and
max gradient of 37.45%. It’ll feel like click Events for VIEW FROM THE TOP
running up a cliff through treacle the UK’s most
with a sack of spuds on your back, comprehensive Endurancelife Sussex
but at least it comes at the start, so race database, Trail runners and walkers in the south-east and beyond will be very familiar
the climb will be over early into the where you can with the stunning beauty of the Seven Sisters. They’ll also know all about
6.2km route. You’ll get nice views as search over the constant up-and-down inclines along those gorgeous white cliffs, which
you coast down to finish at Harlech 4,500 races makes them perfect for a typically challenging Endurancelife event. There’s
Castle, knowing that you’ve nailed by location, a 10K, half, marathon and ultra – all of which start and end just outside
the steepest road race in the world. terrain, Eastbourne and include a painful amount of ascending – but the views
Harlech, Merionethshire, 26 March, distance on offer will certainly make it all worth it.
alwaysaimhighevents.com and more. Eastbourne, East Sussex, 19 March, endurancelife.com

MARCH 2022 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 093

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

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 Events Apparel Event Supplies Training Online Retail Travel

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MARATHON

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22 MAY 2022
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chesterhalfmarathon.co.uk

MATT
THE SINGER AND FORMER BROS FRONTMAN, 53, ON LISTENING TO THE
WIND AND WHY HE DOESN’T WEAR SEQUINNED UNDERWEAR
I’M THE RUNNER YOU
DON’T WANT TO MEET.
I’m focused when I run,
but I’m a friendly chap,
so I say good evening to people I see,
and I’ll often chat with neighbours. If
anything, I’m too friendly, but because
I run at night in a baseball cap – or a
beanie if I want to sweat – I probably
look like I’m a burglar. I think people
cross the road to avoid me.
I RUN TO CLEAR MY MIND. I take
my phone but try not to look at it,
because running is a way to get myself
out, clear the day and get through
frustrations. I don’t listen to music –
running’s a time when I can get away
from music. I just listen to the wind,
and if I’m feeling super optimistic,
I’ll say a mantra as I run. So if there’s
something I want to achieve, I’ll say,
‘I will do this!’ It’s very powerful.
I LIKE FORM-FITTING RUNNING
WEAR. I don’t care about brands, but
I don’t like baggy stuff because I like
to sweat. Also, I don’t want it falling
down – we’ve all learned from that
mistake! I don’t want it pulling
anywhere and I don’t like anything
to chafe. That’s why I don’t wear
sequinned underwear when I run.
That’s a big mistake. I wear Adidas
trainers with 3D-rendered
soles because they’re
supportive.
098 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MARCH 2022
I'M A RUNNER
GOSS
I WAS ATHLETIC AT SCHOOL.
I started running at 11. I was in the
cross-country team and I competed
in 100m, 800m and 1500m. I always
ended up on the podium because I’d
see someone in front of me and make
it my mission to catch them. As I got
closer, I knew I’d pass them. I came
to love that feeling of knowing I could
always get to that person. If I could
see you, then I would get to you.
I’M ALWAYS GLAD I’VE RUN.
There’ll be days when I think, ‘I’m
Matt Goss’s album, I DO SLOW RUNS WITH
going to nail this!’ and there’ll be days
The Beautiful MY FRENCH BULLDOG.
when it’s more difficult. Doing four
Unknown, will be His name’s Reggie and he’s
or five shows a week in Vegas is tiring,
released on three years old. He goes
so there are times when I don’t want
25 March absolutely nuts, zooming around. I call
to run. I have to dig deep, but I always
it ‘the zoomies’ and when I know he’s
come back thinking, ‘Thank God I did
about to get them, I say, ‘Right, let’s
that!’ I couldn’t do the shows without
go for a run!’ He loves to run around,
being fit, and I love the endorphins
so I try to take him whenever it’s cool
I get from running – and the sense of
enough. I have to make sure it’s not
achievement I have when I get home.
too hot, otherwise he’ll overheat.
‘Running is
I GO FOR MIDNIGHT RUNS.
about finding I’m a night owl and I like
your own rhythm, to run when it’s super dark.
In Las Vegas, I live in a gated
whatever that community with a golf course
A R T WO R K: P E T E R C R OW T H E R AT D E B U T A R T. P H OTO G R A P H Y: G E T T Y I M AG E S
rhythm is’ and a lake. I’ll run four miles
WO R D S : S A M A N T H A R E A . I L L U S T R AT I O N : PA D DY M I L L S AT S Y N E R GY A R T.
out to the lake, then sit under
a lamp post and listen to the frogs. It
sounds like someone’s being murdered,
but I think it’s a mating call. I’ve come
to like the noise. I’m into
astronomy, so I’ll rest,
taking in nature and RUNNING DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
looking at the stars. ABOUT SPEED. It’s about finding your
After about 15 minutes, own rhythm, whatever that rhythm is.
I’ll run back. For me, running’s not competitive
– I’m not into beating personal bests.
It’s about pumping blood around my
body and making sure my body’s
moving. I like to have an explosive
strength about me. That’s why I run
and box and do things that allow me
to move quickly in different directions.
I feel extremely youthful for my age.