Hello!
issue 148 || April 2022
A few years ago,
I wrote a feature
for this magazine
made up of advice
from women
who had run
marathons. I
wanted everyone’s
experience – athletes, trailblazers, and
the woman next door. I sent a million
emails, and sat back and waited. The day I
received one back from Kathrine Switzer, I
almost fell off my chair.
Along with Kathrine, I sought out wise
words from Susie Chan, Charlotte Purdue,
Jada Sezer, Joyce Smith and Mel Bound
among many others. The advice ranged
from the general ‘Don’t worry about
anyone else’ to the more specific ‘Don’t cut
your toenails the night before the race’, and
there were about 4,000 more words in-
between. It was, in my opinion, probably
the best bunch of advice that any woman
contemplating her first marathon could
have. If you’ve signed up to an autumn
marathon, I implore you to seek out that
issue (April 2020) to have it as your bible.
In among all those pearls of wisdom,
one piece of advice rang out like a bell for
me, and I’ve repeated it often. It was from
Lisa Jackson, who writes for this very
magazine (thank you, Lisa). What she said
read anyWHERE AT any time!
Women’s Running is your community: a supportive place for all people who identify as women who love to run. Each issue is packed with advice on
training, nutrition and kit, alongside inspirational real-life runners’ stories. Whether you’re considering your first ever run or you regularly take part
in races, Women’s Running will help you run better. Running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other: it’s about who we are.
went to the heart of our insecurities: it was Thi…jumped we...
s monthlogs
for those of us nervously contemplating
our first marathon; who don’t quite believe On our very own obstacle
we have what it takes. course on page 70
Go and watch the London Marathon,
she said. Watch the finish line. Not the bit
at two hours, but the bit at five, six, seven
hours. Look at those people finishing their
marathons and then say to yourself that
you don’t look like a marathon runner.
Because these runners, they look like us –
they’re normal people who have trained
like crazy and given their all in the most
gargantuan effort, and they step over that
finish line, and they laugh and they weep.
…did our drills
On page 44. Bum kicks, high knees,
When we see those runners we realise, A-walks, oh my!
in that moment, that we can do this too,
and that we deserve to cross that finish line
as much as anybody.
So do that. And while you’re waiting for
YouTube to come up with the goods, turn
to page 32 and find out how you – yes,
you – can run your very own marathon.
Happy running!
…lifted weights
To strengthen our bones on page 82
Esther Newman Editor
join us!
womensrunning.co.uk
Download the Women’s Running app and buy a @womensrunninguk
single issue for just £3.99. Or subscribe from just womensrunningmagazineuk
£2.99. Search Women’s Running in the app store.
@Womensrunninguk
bit.ly/WRpod
WITH YOU EVERY STEP
 Contents issue 148 || April 2022

On the
cover How to... lifestyle
Kit ASICS
Photography Joseph Branston
Hair and makeup Jyn San
RUN 32 8 Headlines
Menstruation education needs a boost

10 New gear
24 Juicy HOKAs steal the show
Warrior
Love Island star and
ultrarunner Priya Gopaldas A 11 How do I…
look after my muscles?

MARATHON
on chasing her
running goals 12 Health
How periods affect our physical activity
32
13 Why I run
How to run a Everything you need to know, from pre-race training and
Lia Fyles, founder of London Landmarks Half
nutrition to race-day dos and don’ts and recovery tips too
marathon
How to squeeze everything 14 Fuel
you can out of the big day

44
The true power of turmeric, plus vegan protein

44 15 Life coach
No injuries What do you get if you cross a comedian and
Go pro and do your a run coach?
The drills you need to do pre-run drills to
before every run, from bum pump performance
kicks to B-walks 16 My best run
The bonnie hills of Scotland, with Kate Clarke
50
19 Debate
Base training Should we race at home or abroad?
How to give your marathon
the bulletproof start 20 Clinic
it deserves Banishing media tibial stress syndrome –
that’s shin splints to you and me
66
Find your
perfect bra coach
Where to go for the largest
stock online and get some 44 Running drills
invaluable fitting advice In part 3 of our Running Skills series, we go pro

70
and perfect our warm-ups for max power
70
50 Base training plan
Forget PBs! Got a marathon in mind but it’s too early to train?
Hop over some natural Embrace nature’s
obstacles and
No matter, get your base training sorted first
obstacles and find
leave PBs behind
new highs 54 How I train
Skyrunner, Hillary Allen
76
Hips & Glutes
Eight moves to strengthen kit
your hips and bum
55 Essential kit
95 New season, new reason
WIN! 64 Tech
Bag your pick of ASICS kit,
worth £300 Our monthly gadget pick

4 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022

 "I don’t think I
76
Strengthen yo
would have
ur h
and the musc ips
around them
les done Love Island
in the first
place without
having run
long distances"
bootcamp
70 Natural obstacle running

24
Jump stiles, wade through bogs… there’s a lot
of fun to be had when you ditch the road races
and head to the great outdoors

76 Hip strength workout

Forget the calves and hammies; the hips are How ultrarunning and Love
where your stride begins so give them some TLC Island boosted warrior
Priya’s mental strength
80 Perfect form: Knee care
We tackle the side lying quad stretch
32 How to run a marathon
The ultimate guide to bagging the iconic
BALANCE distance – from start to finish (and after that too!)

82 Strong bones 66 In focus: Boobydoo

Get the skinny on what lies beneath. How All you need to know about bras and more
running, ageing, diet and hormones affect your
bones and tips for boosting skeletal health
regulars
88 Recipes for runners
Snacks to fuel your run and make your 30 Running mates
hormones happy too – from Fitrwoman Meet the Women's Running tribe

91 Life on a plate 92 Support network

Triathlete Kimberley Morrison on how Crème The answers to your running questions
Eggs aren’t just for Easter…
95 Win! £300 of ASICS kit…

55
…and YOU get to choose your runner bundle
features
96 Diary
24 Warrior: Priya Gopaldas Now’s the time to sign up for autumn races
From the villa to the trails of Sri Lanka, the Love Tech, tuck, tops
and trainers, and
Island star, medical student and ultrarunner 98 Footnotes more besides
chats trolls, body image and getting in the zone Cross country queen, Penny Forse

Get a spring in
your step with 88
BECOME A
MEMBER For More than
a magazine
just £9.99 subscription.
Yummy recipes
every 3 monthS See p22
for details
to harmonise
your hormones

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022|| Women’s Running || 5

 theteam
Editor Esther Newman
senior art editor Alex Duce
designer Alvin Weetman
issue 148 || April 2022
fitness editor Tina Chantrey
sub editor Rachel Ifans

We couldn’t have Digital Editor Holly Taylor

Digital ASSISTANT Kate Sellers

done it without… Contributors

Laura Briggs, Emma Kirk-Odunubi,
Jen Benson, Lisa Jackson, Liz Hollis,
Anita Bean, Dr Juliet McGrattan, Lucy
Emma Kirk- Lucy Waterlow, Laura Fountain, Louise Pyne,
Odunubi Waterlow Anna Harding, Anne-Marie Lategan
Emma is a sports Lucy is a journalist Advertising MANAGER
scientist & strength who started running Megan Gibbings 01225 489984
coach who has aged 10, inspired by megan.gibbings@anthem.co.uk
been in the running her marathon-mad Advertising APPRENTICE
industry for over dad and elite athlete Ella Bywater
15 years and, with sister. She’s the ella.bywater@anthem.co.uk
her partner, set up Bulletproof Athletic ghostwriter of bestselling books Run Mummy
Licensing Regina Erak
(bulletproofathletic.com) to empower Run, Nell McAndrew’s Guide to Running, regina.erak@globalworks.co.uk
runners to achieve their goals. An avid and Mimi Anderson’s Beyond Impossible
runner and an experienced gait analyst, and Limitless. She’s recently qualified as a Head Of Marketing Verity Travers
Emma is keen to use her knowledge to British Athletics coach to help others love Creative Director Jenny Cook
educate on injury prevention and running running as much as she does. This issue,
form. This issue, she explains how we can all she looks at the benefits of obstacle races Managing Director Simon Lewis
avoid shin splints in Clinic on page 20. on page 70.
CEO Jon Bickley
Cover & Warrior photography
Joseph Branston
Thanks to ASICS
Images © Getty Images
Print
William Gibbons & Sons Ltd
+44 (0) 1902 730011
Distributed by
Marketforce (UK) Ltd
161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP
+44 (0) 330 390 6555

Anna Laura
Harding Briggs
Anna has a passion Laura is an ultra-
for all kinds of runner who chooses
running, from social to mainly run in • Podcast of the Year
chatty runs with minimalist shoes, and • Diversity & Inclusion
friends, to road is fuelled by a vegan
Award 2021
marathon racing and diet. She wears the
epic ultra marathons in the mountains. She brightest colours while out running, so nobody
loves setting big running goals and isn’t will ever miss her! Laura runs long distances
afraid to make mistakes along the way as mainly because she likes to eat lots on the
she learns to improve. She’s also one of the trails – we should all be more like Laura. This Anthem Publishing
presenting team on The Running Channel issue, she investigated what lies beneath to Piccadilly House,
find out what we can all be doing to strengthen London Road,
on YouTube. This issue, Anna drills down into
Bath BA1 6PL
vital running warm-ups on page 44. our bones on page 82.
+44 (0) 1225 489 984

All paper used in this publication comes

from responsibly managed forests

All content copyright Anthem Publishing Ltd 2022. All rights

reserved. While we make every effort to ensure the factual
content of Women's Running magazine is correct, we cannot
take any responsibility nor be held accountable for any factual
errors printed. Please make every effort to check quoted
prices and product specifications with manufacturers prior
to purchase. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or resold without prior consent of
Anthem Publishing Ltd. Women's Running magazine recognises
all copyrights contained within the issue. Where possible, we
acknowledge the copyright holder.

6 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 lifestyle
Headlines || People || Food || Kit || Health || Opinion

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 7

lifestyle || Headlines

HEADLINES
The people, campaigns, research and updates
making an impact in our running
community this month

PUT PERIOD
EDUCATION ON
THE TIMETABLE
A new study proves the link between period
education and physical activity in girls E
<BAF
L6?8
8AFGEH4? 6 F46G<BAF GB <@CE
H > F 6 ; B B ?46
87H64G<BA <A EBFF G;
8 
BI8
G <F 47
@8AFGE
IB64G8
H4? 87
H64G<B
7 G;<F A 9BE

he organisation Period education in schools is caused by There is a

menstrual educ
need to addr
ation provided
ess
in
“Definitely not enou
this topic in scho
gh education arou
ol, it is very limite
Ma
atten
nd
d...it’s
tion” .
F;BH?7
58 46;<
:<E?F
8I87 G;
4A7 5B
EBH:;
LF

needs more

T Education UK has called for

to kin g tim
ols to help empower girls a big topic that e av

inadequate teacher education, scho

manage their
preventing a
menstrual cycle
nega
ol
tive
perfo
impa
rman
ct on
ce.
, th e re
yo un g
gu la rit
pe op le
“Too often it is
a
ai la bl e
y of te
ar e fir
fo r de
ac hi ng
st ta ug
liv er y,
an d lo
ht .
pa rti cu
we rin g
la rly to
th e ag
in cr ea
se
health and scho n”
e at wh
one-off lesso ich

action to improve menstrual resources, confidence and time, and $% 

&'( ( 
Pr ov id
in g re
re la tin so ur
Reported g to em ce s fo r te ac

education for both girls and boys across results in reduced attendance, of responses by
female teachers teaching Biology
of the menstrual
# 
m en st
ru al cy
ot io na
cle .
l, so cia
he rs to
l an d de liv er
in fo rm
Teacher responses cycle
ph ys ica
l as pe at io n
Taught about ct s of
“As a woman, I menstrual
th e

the UK, insisting that resources and performance and participation in feel quite
confident
being able to
Only

'
products
Pr ov id
in g tra
ex pe ctOnly
at io n
in in g su
pp or t
to te ac
de ve lo fo r te he rs , wi
ac he rs

training need to be made available to all physical activity by girls. The study Almost one in
(23%) were
four
not
ing
teach this.”
Reported teach
the benefits
ing
of
(
pm en t
th ro ug
h e- lea
to re ce
ive on
rn in g an
th th e
lin e pr
m in im
of es sio
um
comfortable teach ise when
d/ or we
bi na r. na l
t the exerc Taught awareness
information abou “As a male I do menstruating
. of Irregular

teachers, as well as the development of insists that social and emotional menstrual cycle

“[the] leadershi
p
it
not feel
confident on
this topic”
De ve lo
mens trual cycle
pi ng
s to en
pe er su
sc ho ol symptoms
co ur ag
pp or t
e op en
gr ou ps
fo r yo
team don’t see F co nv er un g pe
op le wi
54E E<8E sa tio ns
as important”
peer support groups for young people dimensions must be considered in CE8 I8AG<A :
<A6 E84 F87 78? <I8 EL
Re fra m
in g th e nae &
. th in

 !  co ns tru er confi denc rra tiv

R* %   35% - teach ct in clu e, ad dr

within schools to encourage open menstrual cycle education, to empower  ! 
!  %
 PR
pa re nt
resources s.
di ng
am on gs
t
es sin g
hi st or
te ac he
rs ,
ica l so
st ud en
cie ta l
ts an
  40% - lack of time
d

conversations around periods. girls to manage their cycle and seek help Teachers perceived
the menstrual
cycle
), pupil
tion in PE (88% 9% - parents
affected participa
Period Education UK’s study found where needed. Read the new findings confidence (88%
(82%) and attitu
), school atten
de and behaviour
dance

(82%).

the lack of informative menstrual cycle at periodeducation.org.

Raising awareness of RED-S

38%
Pippa Woolven, a Team GB distance runner, is on a
mission to raise awareness of the condition known as
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S.
Previously known as the Female Athlete Triad,
RED-S is a condition where runners – both male and
female runners are affected – suffer from low energy
due to reduced calorie intake. Those affected also
tend to suffer increased illness, and women with
RED-S stop having periods, a condition known The number of
as amenorrhea.
Woolven suffered from RED-S for years and she
Brits more likely
has set up Project RED-S to provide resources for to apply for a job
athletes and their support teams. The project helps
others identify the warning signs, implement effective
that has exercise
strategies and achieve balance in their lives. If you benefits. This rises to
think you’re suffering from RED-S, or know someone
who may need help, find out more at RED-S.com 53% among Gen Z 
(according to flexible office
space specialists Workthere,
8 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 workthere.com)

FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS
JOIN RUNNERS TO TACKLE
WOMEN’S SAFETY
emale officers from the Metropolitan
F Police have joined forces with
runners in Merton as part of
the Met’s ongoing work to help women and
girls be safe, and feel safe, in public places.
Earlier this year, the Met launched a
walk-and-talk scheme where women joined
police officers on foot patrol to share their
experiences and concerns about safety
in public places. At the beginning, 25
neighbourhood officers buddied up with
local women in south London and then
the scheme was rolled out more widely
across the capital.
Following the success of that scheme,
five female officers have now joined an
all-women running club in south west
London, with the aim of finding out more
about their experiences and concerns around
women’s safety. Caroline Dunleavy, who
runs the Common Runners group, said:  smartsurvey.co.uk/PublicFeedbackVAWG/
STRENGTH WORK
LOWERS RISK OF DEATH
New research from Tohoku University Graduate School of
Medicine in Japan, published in the British Journal of
Sports Medicine, shows that just 30 to 60 minutes of
muscle strengthening activity every week is linked to a
lower risk of death from all causes, including heart
disease, diabetes and cancer. When combined with
aerobic activities, muscle strengthening reduced the risk
of death from any cause by a massive 40 per cent. Doing
both also reduced the risk of death from heart disease by
46 per cent and from cancer by 28 per cent.
Gardening, lifting children, pushing wheelchairs, and
even housework can all contribute to your minutes, as
well as more targeted exercise like weights, yoga, Pilates
or bodyweight exercises. We’re doing press-ups, planks
and tricep dips during our coffee break every day!
womensrunning.co.uk
This month
we love...
SensoryRetreats
DivineGlowSelf-
HeatingFaceMask
£15(boxof3),
sensoryretreats.com
Each cloth mask heats up when
placed on the face. About as
“This morning, we had a very muddy relaxing as you can get! 
8K run. We discussed women’s safety and
wider issues along with questions about
policing. It’s important to increase visibility
and see the women officers as people
and not just police. It is a great, positive
initiative and will really do some good.”
Inspector Sarah Dobinson added: 
“It has been an invaluable experience to
get out running with women in the local
community and listening to their lived
experiences around women’s safety.
We’ve bonded over our shared hobby and
we’re excited to take their thoughts Blockhead
and suggestions forward to see what the VitaminGum
Met and our partners can do to make £12for6,blockhead.store
a difference.” A new way to get your daily
vitamin hit, this cold-pressed gum
The Met would love to hear feedback is supercharged with vitamins.
from communities and partners on this Carry them with you and you’ll
plan. Share your opinion online at:  never forget your vits again.
NuasanActiveBody
Moisturiser
€24.95,nuasan.com
This moisturiser is enriched
with magnesium and arnica to
recharge tired muscles, as well
as macadamia, oat and macro-
algae to hydrate and nourish.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 9
lifestyle || New gear || How do I...?

NEW GEAR
We can’t take our eyes off those juicy HOKAs - can you?

All that glisters

Glitter all the way to the finish line with these
Designed by Sports 7/8 leggings. They come in a
range of stand-out designs, but we love the flashes
of gold on this pair. We also love the high waistband,
soft fabric and two large thigh pockets (plus
essential rear zip pocket). They take the gold
medal for lovely leggings this issue!
£39.99, designedbysports.co.uk

Three times the fun with the new X3

The new HOKA ONE ONE Carbon X3 has a more designed upper
which moulds to and supports your feet. It also has a more
energised midsole for enhanced cushioning and bounce-off and
the same carbon fibre plate and meta-rocker as the previous
version (the X2), designed to push you forwards faster. A great
combo of comfort, security and speed.
£160, hoka.com

Sunset vibes
Bring a pop of summer
sun to your workouts
with the Arc’teryx Taema
tank. It excels in
moisture management,
banishes body odour,
repels water and sits GORE blimey guvnor
softly on the skin for Protect your core with the GORE Windstopper
ultimate comfort. baselayer, created with thermo-stretch fabric. The
£45, arcteryx.com ultra-thin Windstopper membrane on the front, Get yourself seen
sleeves, shoulder and kidney areas provides super Stay safe all year round with the rechargeable LED running
protection from the weather, and the micropores are lights from Freetrain. A front and rear light make you visible
large enough to allow sweat to escape… no more for half a mile and are housed in a sleek micro-light design,
chill, no more overheating. so you don’t notice they’re clipped on. They’re easy to clip to
£89.99, gorewear.com a vest, waistband or backpack and last for an impressive 10
hours in between charges. £19.99, freetrain.co.uk

You’ve got to
roll with it
Whatever your training intensity,
STAR vibrator massage will help
invigorate and refresh tired
BUY muscles. The HYPER VOLT VYPER
3 roller is powerful and can be
used to warm up muscles before
a run as well as helping them
recover afterwards. Three speeds
provide increasing volumes of
vibration so you can work on a
Hope rises like a Fenix whole muscle, rather than just
Garmin has done it again with the new Fenix 7 launch! It’s a rugged multisport pinpointing a small area, and you
watch that contains all the features and functions you could ever dream of. It can pair with the Hyperice app if
tracks your stats, will navigate you home and has a new touchscreen interface you want to follow guided
that works in tandem with the buttons. You get a visual race predictor to guide sessions. Exceptional relief post
your training, workout suggestions based on your training status, and the new workout that will keep you on
PacePro feature which keeps you on pace with grade-adjusted guidance as track with your training.
you’re racing. The ultimate wrist-based coaching. £599, garmin.com £189, hyperice.com

10 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk


Look after my muscles to
keep running healthy and happy?
Running is a high impact sport that puts a great deal of stress on
your muscles. How can you limit damage and injury?
uscular aches and
“
M pains, soreness,
tightness and
muscle injuries
are common in runners,”
says physiotherapist Sammy
Margo, from Deep Heat and
Deep Freeze (deep-heat.co.uk/
deepfreeze.co.uk). “Muscular
pain and injuries occur when the
trauma you are inflicting on your
legs exceeds the rate at which
you can recover.”
A muscle strain, or pulled
muscle, occurs when a muscle
is overstretched or torn. This
usually occurs because of
fatigue, overuse or improper
use of a muscle. “Strains can
happen in any muscle, but in
runners, they are most common
in your hamstring, which is the
muscle behind your thigh, and
lower back,” says Sammy.
Two common injuries in
runners, while not directly
muscle injuries, can be
aggravated by tight muscles
in the calves and feet. Firstly,
plantar fasciitis, which is pain
on the bottom of the foot near
the heel that occurs when
the plantar fascia ligament
becomes irritated and inflamed.
And secondly, Achilles’
tendonitis, which is an overuse
injury of the band of tissue that
womensrunning.co.uk
how do i...
connects calf muscles at the back
of the lower leg to your heel bone.
“Some muscular damage
is inevitable when you run,
but you can reduce the risk of
it happening,” says Sammy.
“Strong muscles, as well as strong
ligaments and tendons guard
against impact, and result in
consistency in the way in which
your legs and feet both bend and
hit the ground. Be sure to get
professional advice on a good pair
of running shoes
and consider
running socks.” || Strong muslces
Sammy
advises that
and strong
you warm up by ligaments and
slowly jogging or
walking for the tendons guard
first five minutes
of your run to
against impact||
improve your
circulation. “Whether to stretch or
not as part of a pre-run warm-up
is the subject of debate,” adds
Sammy. Static stretching, such
as bending over and touching
your toes for 40 seconds, does
not appear to help and is not
generally recommended. Dynamic
stretching – for example, a lunge
which mimics the movement
of your hip when running – will
reduce internal resistance while
running and improve the efficiency
of your stride. “Be sure to research
appropriate lunges for running or
take advice from a professional
trainer,” she adds.
“After your run, stretches are
important,” says Sammy. “Aim
for a few 15-30 second stretches
on each of the major muscles
including calves and thighs.”
Never push the stretch to the point
of discomfort. It’s also important
to re-hydrate – water is fine – and
if you have run a long distance,
re-fuel with
a snack such
as toast with
nut butter
and a banana
or granola/
porridge
with fruit and
yogurt.
“Consider
using one of
the Deep Heat/ Freeze ranges,”
says Sammy. “Deep Heat Muscle
Massage Roll-on Lotion is handy
and combines massage with heat
therapy to help ease tight, knotted
muscles before or after exercise.
Research from a university in
Singapore found that application
of Deep Heat cream increased the
time to exhaustion in volunteers
exercising on a static bike.”
After your run, it’s important to
focus on your recovery process.
APRIL 2022
“If you sustain a muscle
injury, treat it with rest, ice,
compression and elevation
(raising the injured area),” says
Sammy. “While a bag of frozen
peas or ice pack can be used,
Deep Freeze Cold patches are
great for minor injuries like a
muscular strain or pull that
suddenly occur while you’re
out on a run. Then, cooling your
muscles with a product such
as Mentholatum Deep Freeze
Glide-On Gel helps fight post
run inflammation and can speed
muscle recovery by reducing
how sore you feel.”
If you’ve sustained an injury,
Sammy advises you stop running
until the injury has healed and
switch to a low-impact form of
exercise that doesn’t aggravate
the injury, such as swimming.
Some of Sammy’s top tips
include knowing your limits.
Avoid doing too much too soon,
she says. Never increase the
length and intensity of your run
by more than 10 per cent from
one week to the next. Alternate
running with other activities like
swimming to exercise different
muscles and, however rushed
you are, never skip your warm-
up or cool down. Tight or stiff
muscles around a joint will make
the area more prone to injury.
|| Women’s Running || 11
 Lifestyle || Health || Why I run
HEALTH
The latest nutrition, beauty and health headlines.
Because running doesn’t end at your feet
PERIODS AND
PERFORMANCE
esearch from WUKA
R (wuka.co.uk), which
provides reusable and
leak-proof period wear, shows
that whether it’s leakage, cramps
or general wellbeing, 80 per cent
of women who exercise say that
their periods impact their
workout schedule.
Academic research reveals
that, during ovulation (day
14 of the menstrual cycle),
3 REFRESHING DRINKS
bestfor
bestfor
magnesium
OHMGWater
£23.99, ohmgwater.com
Sparkling water with ionic
magnesium and natural fruit
extracts, but absolutely no calories,
sugars or sweeteners. Magnesium
is an essential nutrient for muscle
and nerve function, metabolism
and energy production so a great
choice for those in training.
12 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
women are at their strongest
and during the luteal phase (day
14-21 of the menstrual cycle),
bodies are not primed for high
intensity training. WUKA’s own
research reveals that the majority
of women plan workouts around
their period. Unsurprisingly, two
in three women say they avoid
swimming during their period
and although one in six of us fear
that exercise while menstruating
protein
GlebeFarmPureOaty
£10.74 for 6, glebefarmfoods.co.uk
Ideal as a mixer for protein powder,
in smoothies, with cereal or as a
standalone drink, Pure Oaty is made
from gluten-free oats and is creamy
enough to make a barista-style
coffee. The ingredients list is
simple; just water, gluten free oats,
sunflower oil and salt.
is harmful, the majority (64 per
cent) say that exercising while
they’re on their period actually
improves mental wellbeing.
Looking at how menstruating
and exercising can impact
convenience, 70 per cent of
women fear they’ll leak while
they’re on. For the one in four
who’ve actually experienced an
unexpected period leak during a
workout, 29 per cent claimed the
accident made them feel ashamed
and over two thirds said it was
embarrassing. Period-proof
underwear provides women with
a sustainable alternative to the
200,000 tonnes of waste from
single use menstrual products.
bestf r
postrao
ce
AthleticBrewingCo
£10.99 for six,
uk.athleticbrewing.com
A refreshing and tasty drink option for
post-race celebrations that lets you
keep a clear head in the aftermath!
These alcohol-free craft beers use
natural ingredients such as barley,
hops and yeast, and the Upside Down
variety is also gluten free.
Natural body care
Runk products are made from
natural ingredients that are kind to
the skin and specially formulated
for runners. Whether it’s the
gentle organic vegan runner’s
lip balm, the sports massage
balm for recovery, or the runner’s
bath salts, they’re all made from
essential oils and designed to
allow you to train at your best and
recover quickly, so you’re ready for
your next session. If your running
buddy has a birthday coming up, a
Runk gift box could be the perfect
surprise on her special day.
Gift boxes from £19.95, runk.co
Find your flow
Made with the highest quality
adaptogens from around the
world, London Nootropics offers
a range of coffee blends to help
you ace your day, from Mojo, for
endurance and vitality, to Zen,
for when you want to feel alert,
calm and focused, and Grind, for
mental clarity and focus. The ideal
pre- or post-run drink depending
on what’s on your schedule.
£15, londonnootropics.com
Mythbuster
You have to run
all the time
This is a common
assumption about running that
seems to have grown in
popularity, but one that is
completely untrue. Whether
you’re tackling a tough uphill
section, stopping to take in
vital nutrition or hydration, or
having a stretch or a break,
taking walking breaks during a
run does not mean you’re not a
real runner. It simply means
you’re a switched-on runner
with the tools to get to the
finish feeling happy and strong.
The best trail runners in the
world, after all, will walk on
sections that are too
demanding for them, or when
they’re refuelling. You know
your body, and only YOU should
decide what is best for it.
 There’s no better pic
than a woman loving
life in a race bib
Why i run
How did you get into running? landmarks. I’m very fortunate to live in
Prior to my role as LLHM race director, I used
to manage the teams of Tommy’s runners
taking part in events. Cheering
Lia Fyles central London and I adore running along
the South Bank or around the Royal Parks.

How do you fit in

them on was always hugely For Lia Fyles, the race director of the London
inspirational and inspired me Landmarks Half Marathon, running is an important training?
to get my first pair of running part of her life, both inside and outside of work At Tommy’s, we’re able to take
trainers, but I didn’t take a 1.5-hour health break at
part in an organised race until after launching the About lia lunch time which is a brilliant wellbeing perk, so I
inaugural LLHM. Having worked at often run at lunch or after work. I am definitely not
Tommy’s pregnancy an early morning runner.
What do you remember charity (tommys.
org) for six years, in
about your first race? December 2014 Lia
What’s your favourite piece of kit?
Getting injured! My first race was the Cancer took on the challenge My LLHM yellow sweatband. This is the LLHM
Research UK Winter Run in 2019 and I ended up of launching a new community symbol that LLHM runners wear to let
major race event
walking the second half and freezing right through. for Tommy’s and the other runners know that they belong to the LLHM
Luckily, the fabulous team at Human Race were on rest of the charity family. It’s lovely seeing a fellow ‘yellow’ out and
hand at the end with a foil blanket and a cup of hot sector. This resulted about; we always wave to each other and often stop
in the creation of the
chocolate to warm me up. London Landmarks for a little chat.
Half Marathon. After
Which race are you most proud of? delivering the inaugural What has running taught you?
event in 2018, Lia
It has to be the inaugural LLHM. This race was so decided it was about That I can do things I never thought I could. When
incredibly special as it took years of hard work to time she ran a race I completed my first 10K race I never dreamed that
get off the ground and it was an incredibly proud herself and she hasn’t I would be able to run a marathon, but I learnt that
looked back.
and emotional moment launching a new event to by adding a kilometre a week and with
benefit not only Tommy’s but the entire charity grit, determination and effort,
sector. I feel very proud it was indeed possible. I was
that, since the race’s so proud to run the Virtual
creation, the LLHM has London Marathon in 2020 to
now raised over £25m mark my 40th birthday, and
for so many I finally got to run the actual
good causes. race in 2021.

Where’s your best Roads or trails?

place to run? Roads all the way. Early
Unsurprisingly maybe, mornings, rugged terrain, mud
it’s around London’s and hills are not my cup of tea.

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 13

lifestyle || Fuel || Life coach
EAT WELL
Will adaptogens
help to boost

FUEL
A double dose of turmeric-flavoured health news, a trio of vegan
my training?

protein sources and two sweet treats to fuel and recover

THE BEST…
3ofthebest
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SPICE
Plant-based
protein powders
Four
Sigmatic
Plant-Based
Protein
Turmeric
A sprinkling of
Powder this vibrant golden-hued
Containing spice has anti-inflammatory
mushrooms and benefits that could help to
adaptogens, this plant-based Adaptogens are a group of herbs
organic protein formula repairs minimise DOMS and keep and mushrooms that are thought
muscles post-workout while joints healthy. Curcumin, to help support your body’s
supporting immunity, boosting the bioactive compound found physical and mental needs. They
brain power, relieving stress and can help you respond better to
lifting energy. The list goes on! in turmeric, helps to reduce inflammation and stress and fatigue and their
£38, Planet Organic stores counteracts free radicals that can damage cells. Add a properties have long been valued
teaspoon of the spice to curries, soups and stews or take by medicine practitioners. In fact,
Bodyhero they’ve been used in traditional
PlantProtein it in supplement form for a more concentrated dose. Chinese medicine and Indian
This ready-to-go Ayurveda for centuries.
shake delivers 20g Adaptogens can be a useful
of protein from aid for both mental and physical
yellow split peas stress, so if you’re training
and zero nasties to for an endurance event and
help you fuel up on DUELFUEL Peanut Butter clocking up lots of miles, it might
the move. £2.95,
bodyhero.com
& Chocolate Flapjack and STAR be worth adding them to your
recovery routine.
Chocolate Brownie
We love a brand that solves a problem,
BUY Some examples of adaptogens
MONATVegan include turmeric which is loaded
Protein and DUELFUEL does just that. The with antioxidant ingredients such
A scoop of this brand’s performance flapjack is as curcumin which can relieve
vegan powder designed to be eaten before exercise joint pain; ginger which has been
delivers 20g to provide the energy we need to fuel shown to help alleviate DOMS;
of high quality us through workouts, while the and maca root which can help
protein to support muscle recovery brownie gives the body sustain energy levels. Of course,
growth and maintenance. The they are all found in food, but
the nutrients it needs to rebuild
formula also includes a blend of supplement versions provide a
mushrooms for an extra boost. and repair. The perfect pair! more concentrated and sometimes
£77, monatglobal.com £19.90 for a box of six, more convenient hit.
duelfuel.com

MEAL MATHS
This tasty meal combines carbs and protein to help you refuel after training

Pasta Sausage Broccoli Parmesan cheese It's a banger!

14 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk


life coach
Laura Fountain is a running coach, a personal trainer, a marathon runner
and the author of The Lazy Runner and Tricurious. She is running a new
Marathon Squad for spring: lazygirlrunning.com/marathon-squad
Follow Laura @lazygirlrunning
All joking aside…
hree years ago, in what feels like
T another world that no longer exists, I
stood on a stage at the Edinburgh
Festival and told some jokes. I was
there for the semi-final of a competition
called ‘So You Think You’re Funny’, because,
yes, I did – and still do – think I was funny.
Since then, I’ve often thought how, if I hadn’t
been a running coach, I would never have
had the confidence to stand in front of more
than 100 people for seven minutes and try to
make them laugh.
|| It would surprise the runners
I coach to find I’m an introvert||
Let’s rewind eight years. I’d gone along to a
show in London which was part of a course
teaching stand-up comedy. Some of the
previous students and tutors told some jokes
and then spoke about the course. At the end
of an eight-week course, they said, we’d be the
ones standing on stage at a graduation show,
performing in front of family and friends.
The thought of that terrified me and I didn’t
sign up… at least not for another seven years.
It would probably surprise the runners I
coach, and those who follow me on social
A running group is a far less scary
audience than one at a comedy gig!
womensrunning.co.uk
This month’s
wise women
media, to find out that I’m very much an
introvert. I did everything I could to avoid
reading aloud in class back in school and
certain social situations still fill me with
dread. And when I became a coach, having
the eyes of a group of runners on me as I AdvicefromStrangers:
talked about running was quite a challenge. EverythingIknowfrom
However, I was passionate about running, peopleIdon’tknow
Rachel Parris
and over time I became more and more £18.99, Hodder Studio
knowledgeable about it. That passion and A hilarious look at how to survive
expertise grew and gave me the confidence the modern world.
to invite people I didn’t know to come
running with me.
Each time I led a new group,
they would ask me questions
and each time I knew what to
say it gave me more faith that, actually, I did
know what I was talking about. Sometimes,
when I didn’t know the answer, I went away
and researched ready for the following week.
In the same way that I had slowly built up
my fitness when I first started running, my
confidence at leading a group grew too. And
that’s how being a running coach led to me
standing on stage and performing at the WriteItAllDown:
Edinburgh festival. There were no jokes about HowtoPutYourLife
running though, because I still take that far onthePage
too seriously. Cathy Rentzenbrink
£14.99, Bluebird
A handbook for writing your life story
with advice from seasoned authors.
TheGirlThatLovesToRun
Nikki Love
£9.99, Chasing
Extraordinary Publications
The story of running 63 marathons,
retold for kids.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 15
Lifestyle || My best run || Debate
MYBESTRUN
Peaton Hill, Scotland
Kate Clarke, a mum of two and military wife, recently relocated to Scotland
where she’s discovered some beautiful hills to train on
The thought of moving to Scotland
in the middle of January 2022 did
not fill me with enthusiasm for a lot of
running, but luckily, I managed to find the
stunning Peaton Hill to encourage me. The
trail starts at Peaton Hill Nature Reserve and
runs up Peaton Hill and along the peninsula
down to Kilcreggan (approximately seven
miles in total).
The route is sandwiched between the
most spectacular views of Gare Loch, Loch
Long and the Firth of Clyde and lends itself
16 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
|| The route lends
itself to beginner
trail running||
to beginner trail running, allowing me to
really slow down and admire the exceptional
views on the way (look out for the quirky
Christmas scene a mile or so in).
The route is popular with both walkers
and runners alike and I always get a cheery
“Hello!” whatever the weather. I haven’t
managed to complete more than a couple of
miles with my four-legged companion so far,
but as the weather improves, I’m looking
forward to finding out what the rest
of the route has in store.
Events
BMW Berlin
Marathon
If you thought your chances
of getting a place in the Berlin
Marathon, the fastest marathon
major in the world, were zero, you
can still take part via a sports tour
company such as Destination Sport
Experiences. It’s one of the world’s
most popular marathons due to its
fast course, but also because it’s
such a fantastic and interesting
place to visit and explore. Places
sell out every year, but DSE can
cover all your needs including a
guaranteed race number and a
hotel room by the start line. One
thing is for sure, as the course
that holds the world record for the
fastest marathon time, this is a
good place to attempt a PB!
£128.70 deposit, payment plan
available, 25 September 2022,
destinationsportexperiences.com
Big Feat Events
Big Sky Marathon
and Ultra
As one of four trail running events
that make up the Classic Element
Series, the Big Sky event gives
you two distances to choose from:
marathon or a 62K ultramarathon.
The races start just after sunrise
from Hyde Common in the New
Forest National Park in Hampshire,
with just big blue sky and views
stretching across the horizon to
wake you up. You’ll navigate wide
open plains and winding forest
trails, cross rivers and waterways,
rolling fields and even towering
sand dunes. The best trail running in
the Meon Valley you could hope for.
From £45, 25 September 2022,
bigfeatevents.com
womensrunning.co.uk
 g e ] k g ^ Y j Y f \jmfkg^Yj&
O]n][ o ` ] j] o ]n]Z]]f
Z j Y l]
Alklae]lg[]d] ` ] j] o ] j]_gaf_&
\ l g o
Yf\dggcY`]Y o ] n ] Y [`a]n]\$
o ` Y l
L ae]lgk`Yj] ae ] ^ g j f ] o [ ` Ydd]f_]k$
]\&L
dgn]\Yf\d]Yjf 9 f \ l ae ] l g e Yc]l`]
cal&
f]o_gYdk$f]o ] p l _ ] f]jYlagfg^
g j l` ] f
ja_`l[`ga[]^ h ] j la k ] Yf\l`]Z]kl
k ag f $ ] p
jmff]jk&HYk Y f \ [ g mflaf_&
( q ] Y j k
ZjYf\k$^gj,
]j&
D]lkjmflg_]l`

E9C=L@=JA?@L;@GA;=OAL@GMJ=PH=JLK
JMFF=JKF==<&;GE
 Kick start your
performance
Get off to a running start with this great-tasting

20%
caffeine gum. Effective in under 15 minutes, each
piece delivers 100mg of fast-release caffeine to boost
energy and concentration. Packed in convenient

OFF
pocket size blisters, Kick-Start Gum is an essential
for all runners looking to increase their performance.
Informed-sport accredited OFFER CODE:
Tamper-evident packaging WR-KMA
Unbeatable quality and excellent value £9.99 NOW £7.99
40 pieces
FREE delivery on all UK orders

www.healthspanelite.co.uk Proud partners and

official suppliers to:

FREEPHONE 0800 80 30 123

Follow us on: @healthspan.elite @healthspanelite

Quote code WR-KMA when ordering at checkout. Free delivery on Healthspan Elite® orders delivered to UK addresses.
Offer valid until 24/05/22 at www.healthspanelite.co.uk and only when purchasing Healthspan Elite products.
Single use only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or subscription.
 Should I travel to an
international marathon or stick
to a local race?
2022 marks the return – hopefully – of pre-pandemic travel opportunities, and the option
of travelling abroad to race again. Should you stay or should you go?
Marie Howarth is the sales
manager at Destination
Sport Experiences
(destinationsportexperiences.com)
No matter whether you’re a
beginner at running or you’ve
been racing for years, there is
nothing like the exhilaration of taking
part in a race abroad.
International marathons, for example,
have an electrifying buzz and thrill
about them, and the experience of taking
part is totally unforgettable. There’s no
better way to see the sights of a city like
Florence, Athens or Paris than to run the
closed roads among like-minded people
while locals cheer you on like a celebrity.
I know first-hand how amazing international marathons
can be, having run the Berlin Marathon seven times. No
other course has seen so many world record finishes and to
participate in Berlin during that hype is truly special.
If you’re put off by the idea of having to plan and
organise your travel, hotel, and race logistics, there is
|| There’s no better way to see the
sights than to run the closed roads
among like-minded people||
a simple solution. There are plenty of specialist active
travel companies like Destination Sport Experiences who
handle everything for you – and even guarantee entry for
marathons that are hard to get into or for which the ballot
or general entry is already closed.
Not only can you buy a trip that organises everything for
you as part of an all-inclusive package so that you can relax
and focus on enjoying the race, but there is also an added
social element (if you want it) as you can mingle with other
clients of the tour operator and enjoy a co-ordinated warm-
up before the race and a fun celebration afterwards. I say go
for it and see where your trainers take you!
womensrunning.co.uk
Iain Hamilton, race director
and founder, Outlaw Triathlon
Series (outlawtriathlon.com)
There are lots of benefits to
racing at home. Primarily, there
are fewer things to consider so it’s
probably less stressful and you can focus
on your performance while also saving
on cost and annual leave.
The hotels, food and language will all
be familiar. Also, travel arrangements
should be straightforward, you don’t
need to think about travel restrictions or
insurance, and you may even be able to
sleep in your own bed the night before.
I also feel that it’s easier for your
family and friends to support you and feel part of your
achievement if you race on home soil. At Outlaw events,
we let children run down the finishing chute with you and
give you a free photo to remember the occasion.
While the British weather may not always be
predictable, you’ll be training in the right conditions
|| Racing at home means you
can focus on performance while
saving on cost and annual leave||
and be well prepared for race day, including having the
right clothing and equipment with you and spares ‘just in
case’. Also, there’s always the option of visiting the course
beforehand for a recce if it’s close to home.
With it being cheaper to race in the UK, it may free up
some budget for you to have some coaching, new gear or
save towards a family holiday instead. International racing
is a fantastic experience, but sometimes going abroad
makes you appreciate the relative ease of a home-based
race. I may be biased, but there are thousands of events
across Britain, and they are generally well organised with a
high standard of competition.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 19
lifestyle || Clinic

INJURY CLINIC
With Em m a K irk-O du n ub i
THE INJURY
Shin splints (medial tibial
stress syndrome – or MTSS)
Area affected: Shin and calf
Time off running:
Between 1 and 6 weeks
Recovery period:
Up to 8 weeks
who is EMMA?
Emma is a sports scientist & strength
coach who has been in the running
industry for over 15 years. Along with her
What is shin splints? partner, she set up Bulletproof Athletic
Shin pain, also called shin splints, has (www.bulletproofathletic.com) to
been found to occur in up to 20% of empower runners to achieve their goals.
running injuries for novice runners
(as found in the British Journal of from in the first place. If you can
Sport Medicine 2020). Located on the eliminate the cause, there is less
front of the lower leg, the shin can be likelihood of it happening again.
a nasty source of discomfort for many.
An uncomfortable sharp stabbing • Intensity change. A main cause for
pain during the run can shin pain is an increase in training
also present as load. We’re
a constant dull || Common shin pain talking here about
ache after the run. an increase in
Shin pain is an
is medial tibial stress the volume of
umbrella term for syndrome; exercise- your runs or the
any discomforts on
the shin. The most
induced pain along distance jumping
up too quickly.
common, which we the lower end of the Check in your
are going to discuss medial tibia || training diary and
here, is medial tibial see if this could
stress syndrome (MTSS). MTSS is be you. Making smaller adjustments
exercise-induced pain along the lower to your volume can really reduce your
end of the medial tibia (inner shin chances of injury.
bone). Pain can be reproduced by
pressing along the inner shin over a • Strength work. Another cause of
3-5cm area. shin pain can be strength related –
or the lack of it. Running requires a
What causes it? lot of repetitive power from the calf
One of the most important things to and shin muscles to propel us out of
work out is where your pain came the ground. Think about it: your body

on the ground while

How can I prevent shin splints? imagining pulling your big
toe joint towards the back
Add these strength and stretch movements every week to help bulletproof
your body against shin pain flare-ups of your heel. The arch of
your foot will naturally
• Tibialis anterior raises. beginning with 10-12 reps, Repeat this 12-15 times. shorten as you do so. Hold
Leaning with your back then increase it weekly by This will encourage you to this position for 10-15
against a wall, walk your up to 20 reps per set. use your big toe joint while seconds, then take a short
feet out about half a metre giving your calves some 10-15 second rest. Repeat
from the wall. Keeping your • Eccentric calf raises strength. A progression for for three to four sets.
legs straight, raise your with big toe focus. Place this would be to perform it
toes off the ground while a tennis ball between your from a step. • Foam rolling calves
keeping your heels on heels. Go into a calf raise, and feet. Roll for two to
the ground. This engages keeping the ball between • Foot doming. Perform three minutes under the
the shin muscle and will your heels. Lower back this strength movement feet and calves to help
help increase lower leg down to the floor for a out of footwear. The focus reduce muscular tension in
strength. Do three sets count of five seconds. is keeping the foot planted those areas.

20 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 will take well over 5,000 steps over
a 5K run. Each step will require you
to absorb three or four times your
bodyweight in force and then rely
on the strength in your feet and
calves to push and drive you on.
Therefore, not having run-specific
strength work in your weekly
sessions is likely to be a strong
factor in shin injuries.
• Running shoes. When was the
last time you looked at how old
your shoes are? Shoes last 400-500
miles before the cushioning begins
to break down and not support the
foot in shock absorption. So yes, go
and treat yourself to a new pair and
ensure you get a gait analysis when
doing so. Being in the right running
shoes is vital to avoiding shin issues.
If the shoes you wear are bad, it can
cause your running biomechanics
to be affected and increase your
injury chance. No second guessing:
get to a store and have an expert
look at how you run.
How do I treat it?
If the pain comes on during/after
a run, as soon as you get back
home, get some ice on those shins
to help reduce the inflammation.
After you’ve done this, your focus
can then be on foam rolling and
stretching the calf and feet. Using
a mini foam roller or lacrosse ball
on the feet and calves will help to
reduce the pressure and discomfort
coming from the shin.
Keep calf and foot
muscles supple
womensrunning.co.uk
Is it MTSS or
something else?
Do you have shin pain but
you’re not sure if it’s MTSS? Here’s
what else it could be. Remember:
seek medical advice to help
find a diagnosis
• Stress fractures. If the pain is
specific to one isolated point on
the shin bone with no pain above
or below, this could be a symptom
of fracture. Best get an X-ray to see
if this is the issue.
• Tibialis posterior tendinopathy.
If the pain moves down towards
the underside of the foot/arch, this
could be a symptom of TPT. If this
is the case, your focus should be
on strengthening through the foot
and arch and seeking advice from
a podiatrist to help further.
• Bone bruising. This injury
comes from direct impact and will
not get worse over time. You’ll feel
a dull ache throughout the shin
which can also cause lumps and
bumps throughout it.
Don’t forget that pain is a
sign that the body needs some
help, so if running is causing you
pain in the shins, it’s important
to stop until you have consulted
a physiotherapist or osteopath in
order to decide a plan of action.
Can I still train?
If running is off the cards for
a while due to shin pain, there
is still a lot of exercise you can
safely do. Cycling is a great
cardiovascular activity to keep
pushing up the heart rate, and
swimming is ideal if you need
to be totally off your feet. Other
avenues worth exploring are
anti-gravity treadmills or aqua
jogging sessions.
Shin pain will not stop you from
running forever but it is important
to catch it early. By performing
the preventative measures on the
left, you’ll be able bounce back
and become a stronger and wiser
runner from it.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 21
 become a For just
member £9.99 every
3 monthS
You will get the print magazine delivered
direct to your door every month in a
recyclable paper wrap, as well as a whole
host of extra benefits at no extra cost.

Why become a member?

Save 33% off the magazine 15% saving on all This Mum Runs
cover price of £4.99, delivered merchandise
to your door every month
25% saving at Sundried Activewear

Get unlimited access to the

Women’s Running digital One month free with Move
magazine archive back to GB’s Move at Home
2O12, plus all new issues as
they get published
2O% saving on Running Reborn
membership
Receive The Edit email
each week 15% saving at Runners Need

1O% saving on all Women’s

Running and Anthem 50% off Eat Better, Run Faster course
Publishing single issues and
merchandise, plus 10% off
additional subscriptions
25% saving on Girls Run the World
membership

Free exclusive recipes

and videos 15% off Monkey Sox
running socks

JOIN WOMEN’S RUNNING PLUS TODAY

Scan this qr code
OR go to womensrunning.co.uk/MAR22WRP
OR call 01371 853609 and quote code MAR22WRP
£9.99 every 3 months by quarterly Direct Debit or Continuous Credit Card.The savings are calculated from the UK cover price of the print magazine.You will receive 12 issues
in a year and can choose your start issue as the issue on sale now, or an unpublished issue in the future. Details of how to redeem benefits will be sent on a welcome email soon after your order
has been placed. Membership benefits may be subject to change. For all terms and conditions please visit: shop.womensrunning.co.uk. Code MAR22WRP. Offer ends 30 April 2022
 Hello spring!
I am ready...
PRINT MAG
+
DIGITAL ARCHIVE
+
EXTRA
BENEFITS

Get a spring in your step with

warrior

Idon’tthink
Iwouldhave
doneLOVEISLAND
inthefirst
placewithout
havingRUNLONG
DISTANCES
P
It’s been a busy few years riya Gopaldas got into ultrarunning after she became
for Love Island competitor, obsessed with reading the books of others who’d gone before
Priya Gopaldas. She’s managing her. Before lockdown happened, she’d often as not be hanging
to juggle ultrarunning with out in the running section of her local bookshop, flicking
her medical studies and the through and buying book after book from the likes of Scott
aftermath of a summer in Jurek, David Goggins and Nick Butter. She loved losing
the spotlight. She tells us how herself in their stories, being inspired by their resilience and
running helps her cope dreaming one day of maybe achieving similar things herself.
Words: Rachel Ifans
She explains: “I particularly loved North by Jurek and
Running The World by Nick Butter which describes his attempt to run a
marathon in every country in the world. I was also inspired by books like
Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. He’s a Navy SEAL who’s run ultras and
done incredible fitness challenges. I found that reading his book helped
me build my own mental resilience.”

24 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

warrior
I’llrememberthelastcoupleof
kilometresofmyfirst100Kultra
fortherestofmylifE
Whether you know ultrarunner Priya
will depend on whether you watched last
year’s Love Island. We’ll talk later about
how running helped her cope with the
media attention, criticism and abuse she
got following her appearance on the show,
but for now, let’s get back to running.
It was only a few years after
poring over the books of
her ultra heroes that
Priya herself was
crossing the finish
line – and as the
first woman no
less. “I’ll remember
the last couple of
kilometres of my
first 100K ultra for
the rest of my life,” she
says. “It was about 12
hours in and I remember
realising that I only had a couple
of kilometres left. It felt like one of my
biggest achievements – and still does! I’d
wanted to do something like that for years
and I think all the emotion came out there
and then. The crying took me by surprise
but I made sure to wipe my tears away
before I got to the finish line,” she laughs.
And when this issue of Women’s
Running hits the shelves, Priya will be
on the other side of the world, running
another ultra – this time a 250K in Sri
Lanka. She explains: “I’m really excited
because it’s my first race abroad. I chose
this one because the terrain is pretty flat,
like London where I train. I think it’d be
a real shock if I was not only dealing with
the heat and the distance, but also the
elevation too. I’m all about overcoming
one challenge at a time!”
The event is a multi-stage race over
five days and Priya is preparing for it by
herself. She’s never had a PT, she usually
runs alone or with her dad (he recently
took up running, having been inspired
by his daughter, and did his first half in
autumn 2021) but hey, let’s not forget, this
is a woman who has read a lot of books!
Training for a 250K is time consuming,
especially when you add in the other
26 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
elements of Priya’s life at the moment; she’s
in her fifth year of medical school and
is also in demand for TV and magazine
appearances on the back of her time in The
Villa. Somehow, though, she’s managing
to fit it all in. She loves the longer runs and
doesn’t look forward to the shorter,
speedier ones. And now, with
a multi-stage run on the
horizon, her training is
entering new territory
with back-to-back
long runs needed
to get her ready
for Sri Lanka. She
likes all these miles
and makes training
sound easy, even
though it’s not: “I think
a lot of people forget that
aches and pains are normal
although I do find that if I push
through, they tend to go away. I think the
biggest fear when you’re doing back-to-
back races is injury and ultimately, I just
want to finish this race. With the Sri Lanka
ultra I want to finish, survive the heat and
get through it without injuries; that’s the
dream,” she says.
Priya is training hard
for multi-day running by
doing two long runs at
the weekend
A nice escape
So yes, Priya’s life is extraordinarily busy.
She’s gone from being someone who
enjoyed both track and cross country at
school and entered a few 10Ks at uni, to a
fully fledged long-distance runner – and
all under her own steam. It won’t surprise
you to hear that lockdown played a big
part in her love affair with long runs.
“I used to take myself out for hours, and
I ran my first half and my first marathon
within a year,” she smiles. “It was a safe
way to keep fit, but it was also good for me
mentally when I was trapped at home.”
Running was a nice escape and Priya
seemed to be able to rack up the miles
without even realising. Literally. She
explains: “I wouldn’t know how far I’d run
until I got back and checked with Strava
and saw the miles I’d covered.” When she
thought she’d been out for only a couple of
hours, it would often turn out to be double
that when she checked the stats!
Talk about losing yourself in a run!
She explains: “My dad is a pharmacist, so
he was still working over lockdown. On
my run every day, I’d get back home, call
him and get him to guess how far I’d run
and he didn’t believe me! Sometimes my
mother would get quite worried if she was
waiting at home. The thing is, I’d set off
pretty early in the morning and I wouldn't
get back for hours… I think there was
actually one day when she really did panic
and almost got in the car to come and
search for me.”
womensrunning.co.uk
 Running as medicine
How Priya has managed her bronchiectasis
Priya has a chronic lung
condition called bronchiectasis
which she was diagnosed with
when she was 14 after having
pneumonia. The condition
means your bronchi are slightly
damaged so you get a build-up
of mucus in your lungs which
you need to expel.
Lots of people with
bronchiectasis end up taking
steroid medication for ever
to control the condition but
Priya has been keen to avoid
that. She says: “I’ve found that
running long distances – along
with chest physio that I do on
myself in the mornings – really
helps me manage my condition
without needing drugs. If I don’t
run for a couple of days, I’ll have
more of a cough because the
mucus builds up, but when I
run, it all moves around and it’s
easier to get rid of.
“I wanted to share that with
Women’s Running readers
because there are lots of people
with chronic lung conditions
who think they shouldn’t do
anything that makes them feel
out of breath. Sometimes, more
cardiovascular exercise helps to
treat long-term conditions but
it’s always worth checking with
your doctor first.”

Priya doesn’t let her
chronic lung condition
hold her back when it
comes to running
Looking back at those first long runs,
Priya recalls: “It was so much more
mental than physical for me at that
time; I felt so good afterwards and I was
refreshed mentally.” But, like for many
of us, the extra time lockdown afforded
her is now a distant memory. Priya now
does her long runs before she goes into
medical school and can sometimes
fit in a half marathon in the evening,
but squeezing the time is much more
challenging these days.

In the spotlight
Life may be a rollercoaster but when she
is able to run the long miles, running
definitely brings much-needed peace and
mindfulness. “I tend to start out listening
to music but sometimes with the longer
distances I switch it off halfway through. I
prefer to just run without music especially
when I’m on trails. I like absorbing the
views and feel like I can pay attention to
my environment.”
So, how did someone who enjoys the
simple and quite solitary pleasures of
ultrarunning cope with a villa chock-full
of ambitions and egos, and a tabloid
spotlight trained on her?
“I don’t think I would have done Love
Island in the first place without having
run long distances,” says Priya. “When
I started doing ultras, I realised that it’s
a good thing to get out of your comfort
zone and face challenges. When I had the
opportunity to go in the villa, I knew it
was going to be a huge challenge for me,
because it was a show I’d never watched
before and wouldn’t have ever seen
myself on, but that’s almost why I
wanted to do it.”

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 27

PRIYA’s
essentialkit
Must-haves when she’s out and about
Crunchy Peanut
#1 Butter Clif Bar
These are perfect if you have a sweet tooth,
a great balance of protein, carbs and fat to keep you
going on long-distance runs. I love how easy they are to
digest! In my last ultra, I ate seven of these mid-run and
still wasn’t sick of them!

Jaybird Vista True

#2 wireless headphones
I love how the battery life lasts for six hours
– and on longer runs, if you take the case out with you,
you get an extra 10 hours of charge. A must if you like
listening to podcasts on long runs.

inov-8 Terraultra
#3 G270 shoes
Perfect for long-distance trail running.
Sometimes trail shoes can be really heavy but
inov-8 balances the durability you need for trails with
lightweight shoes so you don’t have to compromise on
speed. I’ve had the same inov-8 trail shoes for three
years and love them!

Salomon Sense Pro

#4 A long-distance running vest that is super
comfortable, not too expensive and can hold
all the snacks you’ll need for an ultra!

Ronhill Unisex Reversible

#5 Revive headband
I love how it keeps your hair out of your face
and your ears warm at the same time.

Nike Dri-Fit Run Division

#6 Epic Luxe running tights
I love wearing these on my daily runs, the
fabric is surprisingly soft for running leggings which
makes them really comfortable. I also love the easy-
access pockets to fit your keys/card. I’d recommend
sizing up because they can run small.

ASICS Race Tank

#7 Lightweight and comfortable, I also
love how it comes in a range of
reflective bright colours.

28 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022


made Priya tougher; she
mental strength will work
to her advantage during
the ultramarathon in Sri
Love Island took up a month of Priya’s
life including the quarantine beforehand.
She says: “It was always going to be tough,
because I was the last woman to go in so
by the time I got there everyone else has
already formed their friendships. Also,
I felt a bit different to the classic reality
TV star; I had spent most of my time
studying in the library or out on runs and
I hadn’t in the past been very interested
in hair and makeup… I had no idea how
to put fake eyelashes or nails on so I used
to have to get the girls to help me,” she
laughs. Thank goodness she managed to
squeeze some running into an experience
that could otherwise have been quite
claustrophobic, even if it was just 100m
reps in the villa grounds.
Running for resilience
During and since the villa experience,
Priya’s resilience has often been tested.
She explains: “I’ve had to deal with
constant criticism on social media and
trolling and I think it’s definitely built
my mental strength. I’m hoping the new
resilience will help me when it comes to
running the 250K in March.”
Priya’s right about the flack – you only
have to google her and you’ll see abuse
about her body shape. However, her
running keeps her sane when it comes
to this kind of negative attention. “I
definitely think that when you do a sport,
it builds your confidence – it doesn't
really matter what sport it is, it still has
the effect. I’m a fairly confident person
as a result of all the running and exercise
that I do; I’ve found that when you’re
feeling healthy on the inside, you don’t
womensrunning.co.uk
Being on Love Island
hopes the increased
Lanka in March 2022
really look in the mirror and critique the
way your body looks,” she muses.
“Also,” she says, “When I first walked
in, I saw that a lot of women had been
cosmetically enhanced. I’ve never been
exposed to that sort of environment
where it’s normal to have cosmetic
surgery so that was totally new to me.
It made me appreciate my body even
more… and besides, if I tried to change it,
it would affect my running.”
Even if Priya is strong enough to shake
off most of the criticism, some things
still sting. She talks about a troll who
dished out a lot of hurtful criticism on
Priya’s body shape – one who, rather than
being a bot, turned out to be a young girl
operating alone. She explains: “I’ve never
really responded to trolls, but this one was
different. She sent me a horrible message
saying that I was too thin, had no curves,
and she didn’t know what I was doing
on the show. Rather than keep quiet, I
explained to her that messages like that
warrior
can affect someone’s confidence. I think
it’s about educating people and the way to
do that is by having proper representation
of lots of different body types, skin
colours and personalities on TV.”
Digging deep
Priya’s looking forward to Sri Lanka now.
She’s a bit worried about hydration and
injuries but it seems she’s got it all under
control. When reminded that it’s not
normal to be able to just start running
a long way one day and only realise
afterwards you’ve done a marathon
distance without realising, she laughs. “I
do think it’s down to mental strength,” she
says. “If, five years ago, you’d told me I’d
be doing ultramarathons, I would have
thought you were crazy, but I definitely
think I’m able to achieve these things
through mental strength and toughening
up. That doesn’t mean I find ultras easy.
They are tough!”
One thing’s for sure: out in Sri Lanka,
Priya will be using a tip she learned from
the David Goggins Can’t Hurt Me book.
His advice was to write down on your
arm, on race day, three things that really
motivate you. Priya explains: “I write
three things that inspire me on my arms.
When I’m finding things tough, I look
down at the words on my arm and it
spurs me on. For me, I usually have a mix
of things; my dad really inspires me so I
always write something he’s said and then
I always have a couple of other things that
make me want to push further. Obviously,
the words you choose should be personal
to you because that’s what will motivate
you on race day to keep going.”
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 29
our community

Running mates
Because we run better together
This month, you share your views on rest days and how it’s essential for running
to be as inclusive as possible. And we let you into a secret about lettuce leaves…

come and run with us!

Like on womensrunningmagazineuk Follow on @womensrunninguk Listen to the Women’s Running Podcast at bit.ly/WRpod

THE BIG QUESTIONS

Nobody knows running like Women's Running runners. That’s why we pick your brains every issue

How will you train

differently for your
next race?
@hayleyvfox

1 Adding in strength and

mobility with running
for Pilates.
@geoturner

2 Actually rest on
a rest day!

@d0uble.h

3 Build in tempo,
intervals and
fartleks.
@maybyford

How many rest days 4 I’ll include some

technical runs to improve
my fitness.
@clairesmarathonmusings
do you take?
@londonliv 5 Training for a triathlon improved my
running overall so I’m just going to
include cross training!

1 I try and run every other

day, but I cycle on the other days.
I take one rest day a week.
@runningpastforty

2 I usually have two rest days

each week. On Sunday, I
make a plan for the week

@carly_pat
Tell us how running
has changed your life. Email

3 Three, but these

us at: womensrunning
are usually active @anthem.co.uk
rest days!

30 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 Nextissue
tellusyourracetactics!slow
&steadyornegativesplits?

NUTRIENT BOOST
#WRTribe club of the month
Rethink what you BLACKPOOL
throw away FREEDOM RUNNERS
Discover more at facebook.com/BlackpoolFreedomRunners
Follow on @blackpool_freedom_runners

The darker, outer leaves, stems

and the peel of fruit and veg
usually contain the most
concentrated nutrients, so
don’t throw them away.
Use as much as you can
in salads, stir fries and
smoothies. An unpeeled
appled contains more than
double the vitamin C, A and K
of the peeled version, and what the
outer leaves of lettuce lack in beauty they make up for in
nutrients – they are packed with flavonoids where they’ve
been exposed to sunlight. Finely chop and sprinkle over
your salad. This free-to-join club prides itself
on its inclusivity and is open to all
ages and abilities
Blackpool Freedom Runners programme. The volunteer
We hang out with (BFR) is a completely free,
mixed ability, mixed gender
run leaders offer coaching
sessions during the runs,

Alison John-Baptiste
Alison, 48, a customer services
co-ordinator, from Yorkshire
Why do you run?
For my sanity! As a plus-
sized runner, I don’t look
how society thinks a runner
should, but it’s important
for running to be inclusive
because it really is for
everybody. I honestly think
running saved me through
lockdown. Even though it
was lonely running alone,
posting my runs on Ackworth
Road Runners page kept
me connected. Now we
can run together again I’m
even more thankful for
been applying for 10 years
and never got in through the
ballot so I’ve taken a charity
place with the British Heart
Foundation. My father was
diagnosed with vascular
dementia last year and it’s
been heart-breaking seeing
him deteriorate (some days
he doesn’t know who I am)
The research the BHF does is
important so I’m fundraising
for them. justgiving.com/
fundraising/alison-john-
baptiste
A G ES
club. With a strong emphasis
on being totally inclusive, it
has runners of every level,
from marathon to 5K to
run/walkers. “The club has
literally changed the lives
of so many of the people it
supports,” says member
Gayle Brandwood.
“It has something to offer
everybody and lots of people
have made long-standing
friendships through the club.
Members take part in races in
huge numbers – running and
supporting each other – and
always wear their distinctive
BFR tees,” she adds.
Club runs are Mondays
and Wednesdays, meeting
at Blackpool Sports Centre
including speed, hills, long
runs and marathon training
plus a new trail-running
programme.
“With a policy of ‘no
runner left behind’, it is
customary for a huge crowd of
BFR runners to be there until
their last runner is through
– before they head off for a
bacon butty or cake and a
coffee,” says Gayle.
“Personally, as a runner
who once said I’d never run
more than a 5K, BFR has
helped me cross the finish line
of numerous 10K races and
two half-marathons. I know
I would not still be running
without them. I’m excited to
see where my 2022 running

in Stanley Park. Members journey takes me and know I

parkrun – those 70 weeks
run 5K with a short course will have the support of BFR
© VSP IM

(yes, I counted!) when we

couldn’t run together were option available too. The no matter what.” That’s what
soul-destroying. club also has a Couch to 5K it’s all about, Gayle!

Training for anything? Tell us why your club should

The big one! London be Club Of The Month
Marathon in October – I’m
so excited I could burst! I’ve Email womensrunning@anthem.co.uk

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 31

START

How to...
Y
ou’ve made it! It’s nearly
race day. All your hard work

RUN
is about to pay off as you
have the glorious moment
of crossing that marathon finish line.
26.2 miles is a serious undertaking,
whether you’re an elite runner, a
seasoned marathoner or a beginner.
But just how do you squeeze the best
out of the iconic distance?
With spring marathon season in

A
full swing, you might be about to

MARATHON
Whether you’re tapering ahead of a spring race or toying with the idea of signing up for an
autumn one, our complete guide busts marathon myths and maxes out on motivation
Words Anna Harding

32 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunninguk.co.uk


run a marathon yourself, or be
inspired to sign up for one in the
autumn or in the coming years.
This step-by-step guide will take
you through everything you
need to know about marathon
running; the good, the bad and
the ugly (think missing toenails
and under-boob chafe!).
Signing up for a marathon is
a big deal. There are a number
of reasons why we, as runners,
have a marathon as our ultimate
goal. Perhaps you’re running in
memory of a loved one, raising
money for charity, or it’s a bucket
list aim that you want to push
yourself to achieve. Whatever
your reason for signing up,
keep it close to you at all times.
It’s your ‘why’ and it’s a really
important motivating factor.
womensrunninguk.co.uk
First things first
Running a marathon is not
only physically demanding, it’s
also mentally hard. There’s no
denying it and, let’s face it, if it
was easy then everyone would
be doing it. Don’t be daunted,
though; there are lots of useful
mental tools you can use going
into marathon training.
Firstly, don’t be overwhelmed
by your training plan. It can be
so tempting to look ahead on
your marathon programme and
worry about how on earth you
will ever be able to run that far.
It’s much better to trust in your
training and tick each run off
one at a time; you’ll get where
you need to be and you may even
wonder why you were worried in
the first place.
APRIL 2022
Run a marathon || hoW TO
Motivation is a vital part
of sticking to your marathon
training. There will be days when
you feel tired or really don’t
want to go out and run. These
are the days when your ‘why’
for running the marathon will
be really important. Positive
self-talk and visualising yourself
crossing the finish line come race
day are really powerful ways to
keep going.
Keep track of your training,
either digitally on an app or in a
written journal. You’ll be amazed,
when you look back through,
at how far you’ve come. Using
stickers to reward yourself for
great runs isn’t for everyone, but
can also be a good way to reward
yourself, especially on the days
you didn’t feel like going out.
|| Women’s Running || 33
You’d think a marathon training plan would just be run after run after
run but no… it’s a bit more complicated than that
Y
ou’ll know if you’ve run a
marathon before that 26.2 miles
is a distance that requires a lot
of respect to cover. It’ll take time
to train properly for this iconic distance,
so give yourself at least 12 weeks. If you
can allow up to 16 weeks, you’ll have a
bit more wiggle room to allow for any
illnesses, injuries or holidays that could
derail your focus for a couple of weeks.
You can train using one of the many
training plans that are widely available
online, and it’s worth starting with
the Women’s Running 16-week base
marathon plan (see page 50).
The key to a good training plan is to
increase your volume by no more than
10% per week and to include a good mix
of the types of runs you’re doing. You will
34 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
find that most plans include easy runs,
tempo runs and interval sessions. The
reason behind running at different paces
and distances during training is that you
need to condition your body to adapt to
the training. You should train at either
side of your planned marathon pace,
so include some slower running and
some faster running, as well your ideal
marathon pace.
Easy running should make up the bulk
of your training. These runs are done at
an intensity where you can still hold a
conversation while you’re running. The
pace of these runs could be as much as a
minute per mile slower than you plan to
run on race day and the benefits include
building your aerobic base, endurance
and mental resilience.
Most marathon plans include a
weekly long slow run. These runs are the
bread and butter of marathon running
and should be used as a bit of a dress
rehearsal before race day. Use them to
practise your hydration and fuelling
strategy and wear the clothes and shoes
you want to run in on race day.
The quicker tempo runs are
performed at your goal pace for race day.
These are key runs in your plan because
they teach you to notice how it feels to
run at your goal pace.
When choosing your plan, think
about how much time you have available
each week to train. Do you have time
for a four-runs-a-week plan or would a
three-days-a-week plan suit you better?
Can you fit in cross training and strength
training in around the plan you choose?
The next question you might want
to know the answer to, especially as
womensrunning.co.uk

your training progresses, is ‘what is
my goal for the race?’ There are lots of
options here. It could be to finish, to
run the whole thing without walking,
or to complete it in a certain time. It’s
normal for this goal to evolve as you
progress through your training too. At
the point of signing up to the marathon,
the organisers may ask you what your
predicted finish time is. If you’ve never
run a marathon before then it can be
difficult to pluck a number from thin
air; the average marathon time for
women worldwide is about 4 hours
and 45 minutes, so that might give you
something to aim for.
Another useful rule of thumb is to
double your half marathon time and
add 10 minutes. Of course this is a really
rough guide and a number of factors
can affect this, including the terrain and
climate of your goal race.
A vital part of training for a marathon
is the final few weeks. This is known as
the ‘taper’ and is when you reduce the
amount of miles you’re running before
the race. Although this might sound
counterproductive, the idea is that you
reduce the intensity of your training
in order to give your legs a chance to
freshen up so that, come race day, they
are raring and ready to go. Many people
worry about cutting back, and losing
fitness, but don’t! You are far more likely
to have a bad race if you have trained too
hard, than if you have taken an extra day
or two to rest. On the flipside, this isn’t a
free pass to stop running entirely though;
instead, you just cut back a bit and keep
|| Mixing your
following the plan.
Cross training and
strength work
It’s all well and good running lots when
you’re training for a marathon, but
in order to avoid getting injured, it’s
essential to mix up your weekly training
with some cross training and strength
work. What you choose to do is entirely
your choice, but some examples include
gym classes, yoga and swimming.
Some cross training activities are
more specific and more helpful to your
womensrunning.co.uk
Run a marathon || hoW TO
Nutrition
If you haven’t run a long distance race before, nutrition
is probably one area that you will need to research and
practise in marathon training. It’s a good idea to check in
advance what products, like gels and sports drinks, are
going to be available along the route of the race itself and
get some to try. If you’re able to work well with the nutrition
provided on the course then you won’t need to carry so
much with you on race day. If you can’t practise with the
ones that will be on the route, you should think about taking
your own to the race. This might mean investing in some kit
to help you to carry it with you, such as a hydration vest or a
running belt.
You should aim to take on roughly 30-60 grams of
carbohydrate per hour. A regular energy gel contains around
20 grams so, for a four-hour marathon, you’d be taking six
gels during the race.
running than others. The
main aim of whatever you
training up and choose to complement
adding some your running is to maintain
your cardiovascular and
variety will mean muscular endurance
you enjoy your and to increase your
strength. Yoga is great for
runs more and mobility and strength,
stay motivated || but for building muscular
endurance you might want
to consider adding in a gym session to
build your muscular strength.
Another benefit of cross training and
strength work is that it breaks up the
mental monotony of running lots and
lots of miles. If you’re just running all the
time, you might start to tire of the same
routine. Mixing your training up and
adding some variety will mean you enjoy
your runs much more and stay motivated
to reach your goal.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 35
hoW TO || Run a marathon
Race day
THE DAY BEFORE
Be prepared, eat a lot and rest. The day before the big one is not the time to
pound the high streets looking for retail therapy or sightsee a new city
I
f you’ve travelled somewhere
exciting for a big race, it’s awfully
tempting to spend the days
before on your feet, sightseeing.
Obviously you want to enjoy yourself
while you’re there, but consider other
options like a bus tour, rather than
walking miles. Or try to plan your trip so
that you have plenty of time after the race
to walk around, rather than beforehand.
It may be tricky to totally stay off your
feet the day before the race itself, as it’s
likely you’ll have to pay a visit to what’s
known as the expo. This is usually where
you have to register yourself as running
and pick up your bib. There are also lots
of perks available including discounted
36 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
merchandise and gear. Don’t be tempted
to pick up new stuff for race day though.
Stick to what you know and what
you’ve trained in. And try to
limit the amount of time
you spend at the expo.
Walking around for
hours the day before
your race won’t do
your legs any good.
The night before
race day is the time to
get yourself organised.
This will take a lot of stress
off race day morning if all you
have to do is get out of bed and go. Write
your emergency information on the back
The big day
The culmination of months of training, the day you’ve been looking
forward to and the reason for all that hard work. Now go out and enjoy it!
W
hen race day arrives, it can
feel like Christmas Day;
you wake up early, full of
excitement and raring to
go. There are some things you should
do to get marathon day off to a good
start, though, so try to be calm and focus
on your plan. Firstly, eat the breakfast
you’ve eaten before long training runs,
even if it’s a struggle. If your nerves are
getting the better of you, then sipping a
of your bib number and pin it to the
top you’re going to be wearing. Lay out
everything that you’re wearing and pack
your bag if you’re planning on leaving
some stuff at the bag drop – some warm
clothes, snacks and comfy shoes
are essential.
Try and get a good
nights’ sleep. It may feel
impossible because
of the adrenaline
and nerves coursing
through your body.
That’s absolutely fine
and it won’t be hugely
detrimental to the race
itself if you don’t manage to
sleep well. Just try to get a really
good nights’ sleep two nights out from
race day.
carbohydrate-rich sports drink en route
to the start line is better than nothing.
Then it’s time to get into your start
area. Most marathons will have starting
corrals that may be numbered or
coloured so make sure you make your
way to the right one. Be honest here: you
don’t want to be running with people
slower than you and spending the first
few miles weaving in and out. Similarly,
you don’t want to be running with faster
womensrunning.co.uk

|| Try to enjoy the
race itself. Lap up
the atmosphere,
the experience
and the sense of
achievement||
runners and have nothing but people
overtaking you for the first few miles, as
that can be really demoralising.
Stick to what you know and have
practised during the race. It’s so tempting
to rush out at a faster pace than you’re
used to, especially after you’ve tapered
and your legs feel great, but doing this
runs the risk of you dramatically slowing
further down the line, possibly hitting
the dreaded ‘wall’ and could even result
in you not finishing at all. The saying ‘it’s
a marathon, not a sprint’ is famous for a
good reason.
Try to enjoy the race itself. Lap up
the atmosphere, the experience and the
sense of achievement. All of those weeks
of training have culminated in this and
you should feel like a celebrity for a day.
Look at all those spectators lining the
route and cheering you on. If you can,
write your name on your race bib or
iron it onto your top so that people can
shout your name as you run past. The
boost it gives you, having hundreds or
even thousands of random strangers call
out your name is like no other feeling so
make sure you soak it all up, stick to your
plan and enjoy it.
womensrunning.co.uk
Mental preparation
The main thing to remember the cheering supporters
when you go into race day will almost certainly give
is that you’ve done all of the you a boost but in those
work already and these last moments where you’re
26.2 miles are your glorious struggling, music can be a
victory lap. There are some great distraction. Research
strategies you can use on by Dr Costas Karageorghis at
race day to stop your mind Brunel University’s School of
from playing tricks on you. Sport and Education reveals
Distraction techniques are that music can reduce your
really useful and simple to perception of how hard
remember when you group you’re working and increase
them into the four M’s; your endurance by 10-15%.
Maths, Mind Games, Music A quick word of caution
and Mantras. though: check the race rules
allow the use of headphones.
• Maths. Can you honestly And make sure you don’t
say you’ve been on a long become totally dependent
run and managed to not do on music as it will become
any maths? How many miles problematic if you run out
are there left? How many of battery part way through
minutes of running is that? the race. For that reason, it’s
There’s something about advisable to practise running
clocking up the miles that without music on some of
lends itself to counting. your training runs in the lead
up to the marathon, just in
• Mind Games. Chunking case of technical failure.
is an excellent mind game
for you to play on long runs • Mantras. A mantra
and marathon day itself, but
when you’re breaking down
is traditionally used in
meditation as a way to focus
the distance, you might find the mind and can be treated
it more accurate to consider in exactly the same way
the first half of the race as when it comes to running.
the first 20 miles, with the In order for a mantra to be
second half being the final effective, it needs to address
6.2 miles. This is because what you want to feel and
in training you’re unlikely not what you’re trying to
to have run further than 20 overcome. For it to work,
miles and it’s usually around a mantra should be short,
that point that the doubts positive, instructive, and full
can creep in and the wheels of action words. It’s useful
can start to fall off. By going to have a few up your sleeve
in prepared to break it down that you can wheel out at
that way, you’re more likely various points if you need
to succeed. them. Make it personal
so that it means something
• Music. If you like to listen to you.
to something when you run, A few examples to get you
be it music, audiobooks or started include;
podcasts, putting together
a playlist can be a great • Just keep running
way to get you through the • One step at a time
marathon. The buzz of race • Run strong. Be brave
day is awesome and hearing • I am stronger than I think
A final word of advice for race day itself: smile! A 2012
study looking at the effects of smiling and frowning on rate
of perceived exertion (RPE) while physically active found
that participants felt less exerted when smiling compared to
frowning both at rest and while physically active. A follow-
up study also concluded that runners were more efficient
when they smiled during their run. ‘A smile a mile’ is a
great example of a mantra to use to remind yourself to keep
smiling while you’re running.
Post-race day
RECOVERY
Something that’s left off marathon training plans but is very much part
of the process: what’s next once you’ve crossed the finish line?
R
ecovery is a vital part of your
entire marathon journey. Just
as you’ve taken rest days in
training in the lead up to the
race, your body will be crying out for rest
days now that you’ve run the marathon.
Chances are you’ve poured a lot of time
and effort into planning everything to do
with the race, but you haven’t given much
thought to what comes after the race,
except collecting your medal.
Whether it’s your first, second, third
or fourth marathon, the recovery looks
pretty much the same. The soreness
that you feel is the result of muscle
damage – a lot of muscle damage, in
fact. It’s estimated runners competing
in a marathon will, on average,
physically shrink by approximately 1.25
centimetres, because of compression of
the spine, caused by the impact forces
38 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
through your body during the race.
You’ll also likely lose significant body
mass through dehydration. Some
runners experience a body mass loss
of up to around 10% depending on
your pace and the conditions.
Another thing to bear in mind
is your immune system. Studies have
shown that our immune systems are
severely compromised after running a
marathon which, in turn, increases the
risk of catching colds or other viruses.
This is why rest and recovery are vital However, the best thing you can do is to
after your race. keep moving. Don’t stop. A lot of the big
city marathons may have you walking
Keep moving some distance at the end to get to the bag
As soon as you cross the line, you might drop to collect your things or the meeting
feel like you’re almost incapable of any points to link up with friends and family,
movement at all, because your legs are which, although it can feel like torture at
telling you that they’ve done all that the time, is actually really beneficial for
was expected of them and that’s that. your tired legs.
womensrunning.co.uk
 Run a marathon || hoW TO

Hydrate
Most runners will have no idea how Treating yourself
much fluid they lost over the course of to a post-marathon
massage will help
a marathon. To get the best idea of your reduce inflammation
hydration levels, check the colour of your in the muscles and
wee. Pale straw colour is ideal. promote recovery

Don’t overdo it, though. The rule of

thumb is 500 millilitres of liquid each
hour after the marathon to recover fluids.
Sip little and often rather than glugging
down loads in one go. Although it might
be tempting to head straight to the pub
to celebrate, make sure you’re taking
on some water as well. Alcohol causes
dehydration because it is a diuretic,
which means it makes you wee more.
If you’ve sweated a lot during the
marathon, it’s important to replace the
salts you lost, so drinking something
like a sports drink with added salt and
electrolytes will help rebalance sodium
levels. Some people might prefer to eat
something like salted pretzels or crisps.
Refuel
As soon as you’ve finished running, your
body needs to replace your depleted
glycogen stores. Try and eat whatever you
can cope with. It might be that you don’t
really fancy much, and that’s fine. You
can go big later, perhaps even the next
day. If all you can manage is snacking
on small things, then that’s fine, just try
to snack little and often. Lots of people
actually struggle to eat much after such
a hard effort, so don’t stress about it, just
get in what you can.
Rest
Sleep is the most important element to
marathon recovery. Cell growth and
repair happens while you sleep, so getting
a few early nights of sleep in the days
after your marathon will help your body
to recover quicker. You might feel like
you don’t want to run for a week or so or
you might be itching to get back out there
straight away. Try not to be tempted to
throw yourself back into intense training.
Most elite runners will take one whole
week off after a marathon. After taking a
week off, your training should continue
to be light for two weeks post-race.
Relaxation
If the budget can stretch to a post-
marathon massage, the research suggests
that the optimum time to have one is
in the first 24 to 48 hours after the race.
A light massage can help reduce the
swelling and inflammation experienced
by your muscles as a result of waste
build-up. Failing that, a lot of runners
swear by epsom
salt baths. The || If you’ve come out
magnesium in the
salts is absorbed
of your marathon
by the body and without an injury, you
can act as an anti-
inflammatory in
could look to race a
the same way as shorter distance in
a massage. If you a few weeks’ time||
have recovery tools
available like percussive therapy and
foam rollers, these will also help in the
recovery process post-race.
Post-race blues
You’ve spent weeks and probably months
doing nothing but talking and dreaming
about your marathon. Most of your life
will have revolved around your training
runs. Once race day has been and gone
and you have your shiny finishers’
medal hanging up in pride of place, it is
absolutely natural to feel a little flat. Some
runners may talk about the ‘post-race
blues’ or a feeling of emptiness
or sadness once your event
has happened. You may have feelings
of being a little bit lost without the goal
race to aim for. Or you might even lose
motivation to run for a little bit. The first
thing to say on this is that this is totally
normal. It’s a great time to think about
what went well in your race and what you
think you’d like to do better next time.
It’s also a good time to reflect on your
achievement;
don’t let it pass by
and get forgotten
too quickly.
Signing up to
another race is a
way to reignite
your passion for
running if you’re
feeling a bit lost.
You have a few options here. If you’ve
come out of your marathon without an
injury, you could look to race a shorter
distance in a few weeks’ time. The fitness
you’ve built up from your marathon
training is likely to produce some
speedier results over shorter distances.
Thinking longer term, once you’ve
run your first marathon, you may have
your eye on your next. While some
people may initially say ‘never again’ after
crossing the finish line, others may have
unfinished business with the distance,
especially if you haven’t hit your goal the
first time round. A final word of caution:
marathon running can be addictive!

FINISH
womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 39
 sound mind, sound body
YOZAKURA™ Collection

This is for me
This run is for me. To get out of my head and
into my body. To recharge and just be. To feel my
strength and self. To live uplifted.
#liveuplifted

Featuring the
NOVABLAST™ 2
Bouncier stride, energised mind. With FF BLAST™
technology to energise body and mind.

Complete the look and move with comfort in the new

YOZAKURA™ Apparel Collection, specially designed
to support women’s bodies in motion.
 Gender Specific Trusstic
Helps keep the feet in a more natural shape and allow to flow
better through the stride

Engineered Cushioning
3mm drop allows for less stress on the calf muscles

Slightly Softer Midsole

Density for increased comfort

FULL COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT

THE UK’S NO 1 ONLINE RETAILER FOR RUN.GYM.HIKE.
 Photo © Michael Kappeler/dpa
We need your help
Millions of people are at risk Please donate to the DEC Ukraine
Humanitarian Appeal now, if you can.
of the deadly consequences
of conflict in Ukraine. Visit redcross.org.uk/water
People are fleeing their homes and or text WATER to 70141 to
families are being separated. Many are
make a £10 donation.
going without food or clean water.
By texting, you consent to future telephone and
We must get critical support to those SMS marketing contact from British Red Cross.
who need it most, in Ukraine and its Text WATER NO to 70141 to give £10 without
bordering countries. consenting to calls and texts.*

Keeping in touch Your support makes a life-changing difference to people in crisis. We write to our supporters to update you about the work of the British Red Cross, and how you can
help and donate in other ways. You can change the way we contact you at any time by visiting redcross.org.uk/keepingintouch or calling Freephone 0800 2800 491.
Privacy statement The British Red Cross is committed to privacy and will use personal data for the purpose it was collected or other legitimate purposes we tell you about: for example, to
provide goods, services or information you have requested or to administer donations or services we provide. We may also analyse data we collect to better understand the people who support
us or those who use or deliver our services. Sometimes this means us combining that data with information from reliable public sources. Our research allows us to tailor communications and
services in a more focused and cost-effective way, as well as better meeting your needs and the needs of others like you. However, we will never do this in a way that intrudes on personal
privacy and will not use your data for a purpose that conflicts with previously expressed privacy preferences. For full details about how we use personal data, our legal basis for doing so and your
privacy rights, please see our privacy notice online at redcross.org.uk/privacy.
The DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis. In the unlikely event that we raise more money than can
be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help us prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world. For more information visit https://donate.
redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund
*Texts cost £10 +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit
redcross.org.uk/mobile, must be 16+.
The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in
England and Wales (220949), Scotland (SC037738), Isle of Man (0752) and Jersey (430).
 New! See page 44

Running drills || Marathon base training plan || How I train

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 43

coach || Running Skills

Running
Drills
If you’ve ever watched athletes warming up ahead of a race, you
might have seen them doing those weird hops and skips and leaps
and wondered if that’s something you should have a go at yourself.
Although you may feel a bit like you’re auditioning for Monty Python’s
and activating the key muscles that you
will want to be working properly to get
the best out of your run.
They help avoid risk of injury by
making sure your muscles are warmed
up ahead of a tough session. They
also help you develop good form by
establishing proper movement patterns
into your muscle memory so that they
become automatic. Drills also help to
improve your running technique by
Ministry of Silly Walks, once you get used to running drills, they keeping you lighter and faster on your
can be a powerful tool in your armoury as a runner to improve feet. In a race, that might mean being
power, speed, form and efficiency Words: Anna Harding able to hold your target pace for a little
longer as you begin to fatigue, or it might

S
o what ARE drills, and what
do they do? Think of drills as a
bit like homework for running.
Running is such a simple activity
that doesn’t need to be overthought but if
your goal is to improve and get the most
out of your running, then by doing these
drills as your running homework, even
just once a week, you will begin to see
improvements to your running efficiency
and pace. They teach your body how
to perform at a higher level than just
running alone can. Different drills
will teach your muscles specific things,
but all of them involve some dynamic
warming up, increasing your heart rate
feel easier to push on in the final stages,
because you’re able to hold the form that
you’ve practised.
Finally, incorporating running drills
into your regular routine also improves
your proprioception, which is the body’s
ability to figure out the positioning
and movement of our limbs.

WhenShouldYouDoDrills? WhatDrills
Most runners tend to
do their drills before
It’s also good to get
into the habit of doing
meant to form part of
your warm-up and are
be quite intense, so
you’ll want to do your CanYouDo?
hard sessions, be them before a race done before the main usual pre-track or There are dozens of drills you can use
that an intervals over shorter distances bulk of your workout. interval warm-up, like and any combination of them works
session on the road like 5K or 10K. Although drills are some brisk walking or but you don’t need to do all of them all
or perhaps on a track. Running drills are usually short, they can light jogging. of the time. A good rule of thumb is to
pick three and focus on those. Focus
on getting the technique of your drills
spot on. It’s better to do two drills
really well, than rush through six. If you
WhoShouldDoRunningDrills? have a running buddy to do drills with,
they can keep an eye on how you’re
Running drills are for runners of all levels encourage proper running form and posture. doing with the form cues associated
and ability. It’s a misconception that only If you’re a beginner runner or coming back with each of the drills. If you’re a solo
elite athletes need to do drills as part of from injury or a long period away from runner, try and film yourself doing the
their running training. In fact, you don’t running, exercise caution in how much drills so you can watch them back and
even need to be training to run a specific effort you put into your drills. Stop if it feels check that you’re doing them properly.
race for drills to complement your runs. like they are hurting or causing any niggles You should aim to do each drill over a
They are beneficial to all levels of runners to flare up. The main goal with drills is to distance of around 20 metres, walking
in improving the connection between get them right, so try not to rush through back to the start between each one.
your brain and your muscle movement to them. Take your time. Turn the page to get started.

44 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 45
coach || Running Skills

DRILLS
When you incorporate drills into your running schedule, you will begin to notice a difference in your
running and after a few weeks of doing them at the start or end of your run, you should end up feeling
a bit faster, more coordinated and much stronger. Let’s drill down into the detail!

Bum kicks
The name for this drill may be a
little misleading, as in order to get the
most out of this movement, you don’t
need to focus on actually kicking your
bum, it’s more of a squeeze. This drill
may seem similar to the kinds of warm-
ups we did at school as children, but
the squeeze element of it is the main
thing to focus on. The movement trains
|| The movement trains your body to use
your glute muscles (maximus, medius and
minimus) and your hamstrings to pull your
heel up behind you as you run||
your body to use your glute muscles
(maximus, medius and minimus) and
your hamstrings to pull your heel up
behind you as you run. As you begin
to get tired during a run or a race, it’s
common for runners to neglect these
muscles in favour of using the more
dominant quadriceps or calves to do
the work for us, but this is how injuries
can occur. Walk forwards and with
each step, lift your heel towards your
bum. Avoid actually kicking your bum
though and instead concentrate on
bringing your knee forward as you raise
your foot behind you. It might be useful
to think of this drill as the opposite of
high knees.
When it comes to form during bum
kicks, it’s really easy to end up leaning
forwards into this drill. Try to avoid
that by keeping your back straight and
bracing your core. To start with, do the
bum kicks at walking pace and then
pick the speed up when you’ve gained a
bit more confidence.

High knees
The purpose of the high knees drill
is to really exaggerate your standard
running form and stride. If you’re prone
to over-striding, this drill will help you
reinforce a midfoot landing instead,
as well as teaching you to run on the
balls of your feet, therefore reducing
the amount of time you’re in contact
with the ground. It activates your glutes
and hamstrings as well as getting you
to really lift your knees high, as the
name suggests. A good knee drive
when you run can help to promote hip
flexion which reduces the risk of injuries
associated with tight hip flexors, such
as iliotibial band syndrome, or runner’s
knee. One thing’s for sure, high knees
will definitely get your heart pumping.
You can do them either standing in place
or while moving, just make sure you
lift your knees to waist height and land
lightly and quickly on the balls of your
feet. At the same time, drive your arms in
an exaggerated running form (opposite
arm to leg). Make sure to keep yourself
upright and your back straight, bracing
your core. It’s useful to think about a
piece of string coming out of the top of
your head and pulling upwards. If you’re
doing high knees on the spot, aim to do
20-second bursts at a time.

46 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

A-walk
A-walks are a slow and
exaggerated walk-through version
of good running form. It can be
tempting to go straight into much
faster drills, but this one teaches
discipline and really shows up any
weakness in your form so make
sure you focus on staying tall, with
high hips. Bring your knee up in
front of you while driving your
opposite arm up. Pull your toes up
to your shins, then roll up onto the
forefoot of the standing foot. Bring
your leg down, walking forward,
and continue with the opposite leg.

A-skip landing, a high cadence and

A-skips are the advanced
version of the A-walk and can
take some practice to get the
hang of. It’s quicker than the
A-walk. It reinforces midfoot
improves coordination. Stay on
the balls of your feet and focus
on staying tall. Use your glutes
and hamstrings to pull your
leg back down to make foot
contact under the hips. Keep
your toes drawn up towards
your shin. Finish with a pawing || Stay on the
motion on the ground as you
pull backwards. You should aim
balls of your feet
to use the same arm motion as and focus on
you use while running. Do this
twice over a 20 metre distance. staying tall||

B-walk
Your posture for a B-walk is
exactly the same as the A-walk,
and so is the initial movement,
but this time, once your thigh is
almost parallel to the ground, kick
out with your foot in front of you.
Make sure you’re not too ambitious
with the range of movement by
kicking out too far and keep your
lower back in a neutral position so
that it doesn’t round or arch. You
will be using your hamstrings and
glutes to focus on pulling your
leg back down to make contact
underneath your body.

|| Your posture for a

B-walk is the same as B-skip
the A-walk, but once The B-skip is a dynamic movement which replicates exaggerated good running form.
The rhythm should be the same as the A-skip, and you can hear if you’re doing it right from
your thigh is parallel the sound you make as you pull your leg back under your body and make contact with the
ground. The movement sees you bring your knee up to waist height, then kick your leg out
to the ground, kick forwards, like in the B-walk. Next, really emphasise the backwards pawing motion as your
out with your foot in foot reaches the ground. Don’t forget to pull toes to shin, except when making contact with
the floor. Your arms should be doing the same movement as you would when running.
front of you||

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 47

coach || Running Skills

Strides
On the surface, strides are just
running really fast, but there is a lot
more to them than just that. They
are bursts of speed to get your body
thoroughly warmed up before harder
efforts or a race. The beauty of strides is
|| The key to getting strides right is to ease into
them. Try not to start into a dead sprint. The aim
of a stride is to run at 85 to 95% effort. Doing
strides is the time to really focus on your form||
that you can also do them in the middle
or at the end of an easy run.
If you’re running on a track, you
might look at running around 80 metres.
If you’re out on the road then it’s perhaps
easier to measure your strides in time
– around 20-30 seconds (this could be
lamppost to lamppost).
The key to getting strides right is to
ease into them. Try not to start into a
dead sprint. The aim of a stride is to
run at roughly 85 to 95% effort. Doing
strides is the time to really focus on your
form. Keep your torso upright, in control
and really drive your arms and knees,
with your shoulders down. Once you’ve
completed the time or distance you’re
aiming for, take a recovery break, which
could either be a walk or a light jog.

Side-to-side skip
This drill improves coordination and
increases hip flexibility. As runners, we mostly
focus on moving forwards and backwards,
whereas this drill will have you moving from
side to side, which might seem counter-
intuitive. However, by introducing some
sideways movement, we can make sure our
glutes, adductors and abductors are working
and warmed up. All of these contribute to a
strong core – this means you’re strengthening
your ability to stay strong to the end of race,
and minimising your chances of injury because
you are improving your form in so doing. Do the
side-to-side skip by bringing your feet together
and then shoulder-width apart, and let your
arms cross over each other in front of the body
as you skip.

Grapevine/Carioca
The Carioca drill is a slightly more advanced version
of the side-to-side skip and helps you to improve your
coordination and balance, as well as working on your
sideways movement. This drill incorporates our arms and
some body rotation. Stand sideways to the direction you will
be travelling. On the balls of your feet, start by crossing your
right foot in front of your left and shift your weight across
from left to right as you go. Then cross your right foot behind
your left, shifting your weight as you go. At the same time
as your legs are moving, keep your balance using your arms
and hands, which should follow the same movement pattern
as your legs. Once you’ve travelled a goal distance, turn
around and repeat, using your left foot as the lead.

|| Start by crossing your right

foot in front of your left and
shift your weight across||

48 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

Hamstring
sweeps
Reach your right foot slightly
ahead of your left and, keeping
your leg straight, flex at your ankle
to point your toes upwards. Reach
down to the ground, bending at
your hip and left knee. Sweep your
hands forwards along the floor
before standing back upright and
swapping legs. Walk forwards as
you continue this drill. You may
want to incorporate a small shuffle
between each repetition. Focus on
really sinking your bottom down
and out, like you are about to sit
down on a chair, and keep your
back straight.
Arm pull backs
|| Sweep your So far, our drills have had a focus on our legs, but it’s just as important to warm up
your arms and practise your form with them too. Arm pull backs accentuate the proper
hands forwards arm motion you use when running. Stand tall on the spot, with your shoulders relaxed
and chest out. With your arms at your sides and elbows bent at around 90 degrees, swing
along the floor your arms back and forth in a running motion. Make sure the movement comes from your
before standing shoulder and that your elbow remains fixed. It can be tempting here to rotate your torso
into a bit of a swing motion. Keep your core braced and focus just on the movement of
back upright and your arms. Once you feel comfortable with the movement when standing, try running
forwards using the same arm motion.
swapping legs||

Straight leg
bounds
The straight leg bound is
a drill where you jog forwards,
but you keep your legs straight,
instead of bending at the knee.
It can be very tempting to lean
backwards into this drill, but try
and keep upright and your core
braced. Your arms don’t need to
stay straight for this one; move
them in an exaggerated running
motion. Focus on being really
bouncy and quick off the ground
by minimising your ground
contact time, and really think
about switching between pulling
your toes to your shins and then
actively planting your toes onto
the floor to bounce.

Natasha wears Women’s UA Armour

Fly Fast Graphic Crop, Women’s
UA HexDelta Tank and Women’s UA
SpeedForm Slingshot 2 Running Shoes
all courtesy of Under Armour - for
similar, visit underarmour.co.uk

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 49

coach || Marathon base training

MARATHON BASE TRAINING

If you’ve been inspired by the spring marathon action and are hoping to run an autumn marathon, you
might be eager to kickstart your training. But with so many months still to go, it’s too early to jump into
your marathon training plan. That’s what base training is here for Words Laura Fountain

It’s too early to start a marathon

plan but you’re chomping at the
bit to get going… base training is
where you need to be

Gettingontop
B
ase training is the bridge
between recovery from your
last race (or your time off) ofniggles
and full-on race training. It’s When you’re training for a race,
training to be able to train for a race, it’s tempting to push through
and is basically your run-up, meaning niggles because you don’t want
that you’re able to start race training to miss out on any runs. Now is
from a great starting place. the time to get on top of them
It might not be as exciting as ticking before your new race plan
off those sessions on a training plan takes over. This might mean
which has a big race at the end of booking a physio or getting
it, but it’s an important part of your on top of any stretching and
training year. After a big training cycle, exercise plans you were given
professional athletes always take for previous injuries.
a recovery period and then enter a
period of base training before their new
training cycle starts – and we should
do the same.
The main goals of base training
are to build your aerobic fitness and
make you a stronger runner. Much of
your running will be at an easy pace as
that’s the aerobic pace we need.

50 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022

 Buildingbetterhabits
There are lots of things that we know, as runners, we should be doing to
help our running: strength training, cross training, stretching, maybe a
yoga class. Your base training period is a good time to concentrate on
these often neglected areas while you have more time and your mileage is
lower. And it’s the perfect time to establish new habits.

Trysomethingnew
When you’re in the midst of marathon training, you
might find yourself focussed on the runs on your
plan and sticking to routes that you’re familiar with.
If you’ve ever thought about joining a running club
or group, now is a good time to investigate options
in your area. With less structure to your training,
you can try out a few different sessions to see
if they’re something you want to include in your
training going forwards. And you might even find
some new run buddies who are planning to train
for an autumn marathon too.

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 51

coach || Marathon base training

INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED TRAINING PLANS

Choose whichever plan most resembles your current running in Week 1 and go from there
• Find your easy pace. While one
runner’s ‘slow’ miles might be around
10 mins/mile, another runner may
have this as their goal 5K pace. Speed
is all relative, and so is ‘easy’. As a
rough guide though, easy runs should
be 1-2 mins slower per mile than
marathon pace. For those who mainly
run 5K or 10K races, it’s a couple of
minutes per mile slower than your
PBs. You should feel comfortable
holding a conversation while running.
• Add some strides. Strides are a
great addition to your base training
(check them out in our Running Skills
section this issue on page 44). Over
time, they can help make you a more
efficient runner and as they’re short
efforts not at maximum effort, they
won’t work you too hard.
At the end of your run, find a
stretch of ground free from road
crossings or obstacles, around 60-
100m long. Strides are about running
strong with good form and faster than
your usual pace but not sprinting.
For the first 15m, accelerate
smoothly, then run strong for 30m.
Think about running tall as though
you have a balloon coming out the
top of your head pulling you up. Pump
your arms, concentrating on driving
your elbows back, and pick your feet
up. Then gradually decelerate to the
end. Have a 30-second rest, then
turn round and repeat for 4-6 reps.
Remember, this is not sprinting, this is
running strong and you should
max out at no more than 90% of your
top speed.
• 5K and 10K races. This base
training plan includes a 5K parkrun
and a 10K race. These are a good
opportunity to test your speed and
a great way to keep focussed. You
might be surprised how much of a
difference a few weeks of regular,
easy running can make to your
running fitness.
As you head into marathon
training, the times for the races
included in your base period will be
valuable in setting training paces
for any tempo runs and speed
workouts that you might include in
your marathon plan. They can even
help predict what your marathon goal
should be.

INTERMEDIATE TRAINING PLAN

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
week 1

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 30 min +

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 45 min
strength strides
week 2

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 35 min +

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 50 min
strength strides
week 3

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 40 min +

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 60 min
strength strides
week 4

Parkrun or 5K time
Easy run 30 min + Easy run 30 min +
REST 30-min run Cross train trial + warm-up and Core strength
strength strides
cooldown
week 5

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 40 min +

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 60 min
strength strides
week 6

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 45 min +

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 70 min
strength strides
week 7

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 45 min +

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 80 min
strength strides
week 8

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 30 min + 10K race + warm-up

REST 30-min run Cross train Core strength
strength strides and cooldown

52 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 ADVANCED TRAINING PLAN
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
week 1

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 30 min +

REST 40-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 50 min
strength strides
week 2

Easy run 30 min + Easy run 35 min +

REST 40-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 60 min
strength strides
week 3

Easy run 35 min + Easy run 40 min +

REST 45-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 60 min
strength strides
week 4

Parkrun or 5K time
Easy run 35 min + Easy run 30 min +
REST 50-min run Cross train trial + warm-up and Core strength
strength strides
cooldown
week 5

Easy run 40 min + Easy run 45 min +

REST 60-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 70 min
strength strides
week 6

Easy run 40 min + Easy run 50 min +

REST 60-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 80 min
strength strides
week 7

Easy run 45 min + Easy run 55 min +

REST 60-min run Cross train Core strength Long run 80 min
strength strides
week 8

Easy run 45 min + Easy run 60 min + 10K race + warm-up

REST 60-min run Cross train Core strength
strength strides and cooldown

Schedule a
session or two
in your week for
Runstrongercircuitworkout
circuits. You don’t Build strength and stability with this quick circuit for runners. Warm up with 5 mins
need to join a on the cross trainer or a 5-min easy jog before completing the circuit.
gym – just follow
our guide here
Partone Parttwo Coreworkout
• Walking lunges x8 • Deadlifts with weight x 8 • 30 seconds balance
on each leg on each leg (make
• Split squats x8 each leg it harder by closing
• Single leg deadlift • Press ups x8 (option to your eyes)
(dumbbell or kettlebell) do on knees)
x8 each leg
• Tricep dips x8 • 30-second plank
• Lateral lunges x8 Complete three times • 30-second side plank
each side (each side)
with 90 seconds rest
• Step ups onto box between each set, no rest • 30-second bridge
x8 each leg between exercises. • Dead bug x10
Complete three times
with 90 seconds rest
• Bird dog x10
between each set, no rest • Slow mountain
climbers x10
between exercises.
Repeat routine 2-3 times
3-min rest.
with 2-min rest between.

APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 53

coach || How I train

© MATHIS DUMAS
© MATHIS DUMAS

Hlllar y s
us
ex tensiv tained
e injurie
w hen sh s
Hillary loves running at during a e fe ll
sk yrace
altitude above the treeline
how I train
What’s the hardest race back-up plans ready just in case.
you’ve ever done? 
Every race is its own unique
challenge, but the TDS
145K (Sur les Traces des
Hillary Allen The main thing I do is practise my
nutrition in training so that when
race day comes, I’m ready.
Ranked first in the prestigious Skyrunning World Series
Ducs de Savoie) was one of in 2017, Hillary was then involved in a devastating What’s your greatest
the toughest races for me. accident which threatened her running future achievement?
Deciding to continue to run
Where’s your favourite place to train? HILLARY’s CV after my accident and being told I’d never
I love to train and run up high in the In 2017, world-class ultrarunner run again. This is a continued journey and
mountains, preferably at altitude, above the Hillary Allen was at the top of her sport it’s a process of achievement that I continue
and felt like she was running on top of
treeline. The landscape there makes me feel the world as she competed in Norway’s
to choose every day.
so small and it’s always breath-taking Tromsø Skyrace. Allen was nearly
(literally and figuratively!). halfway through the 50K race when Favourite pre-race meal?
she fell 150 feet off an exposed ridge,
fracturing her back and breaking multiple
Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter.
What session do you love the most? ribs, both feet, and both of her lower
Vertical kilometres: they are tough! arms. Just 11 months after her injury, Biggest running mistake?
after a rehab period that tested her
determination, courage and spirit, Hilary
Not eating enough during a race. Hitting
What has running taught you? placed second in the Broken Arrow the wall is not pleasant.
Running has taught me to be vulnerable and Vertical Kilometre race in Lake Tahoe,
then raced a 52K race the following
to believe in my own strength. It’s also shown day. A week later, she won a mountain
Favourite piece of kit?
me that I’m stronger than I thought possible. race in the Dolomites. My trekking poles.

Is there anything you still want to Accomplishments What’s running really about for you?
2nd place
achieve in the world of running? World Sky Running
Challenging myself and striving to be the
There are so many races and routes I want to Ultra rankings 2017 best version I can be.
do. Really, running and trail running keeps Course record
reminding me to set new and challenging Madeira Skyrace 2017 Best advice to share?
3rd place
goals since there are always new places to Transvulcania 2017
No matter your talent or running ability,
explore and discover. USA Mountain Running Team 2016 running has the power to change your life if
3rd place you are willing to keep striving to be better
Do you struggle with Ultra Skyrunning World Series 2016 than before.
race-day nutrition? Course record
TNF Cortina Trail 2016
Yes! I have a general plan and sometimes that US Sky Running Ultra Champion 2015
Hillary’s new book is called Out and Back:
plan goes out the window depending on the Course record A Runner’s Story of Survival Against All
race, but I know what works and I have Speedgoat 50k 2015 Odds. @ hillygoat_climbs

54 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 kit
Shoes || Clothes || Tech

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 55

kit || New release shoes

ESSENTIAL KIT
NEW RELEASE SHOES
Spring into spring with these bouncy beauts

BEST
IN TEST
New Release
Shoes

£150|on-running.com|Tester Esther

On shoes are beautiful and, in my experience, on the stiffer
and smaller side of running shoes. The Cloudmonsters,
though, defy all expectations. This is On’s entry into the
maximalist market, with huge softy-wofty cushioning and a
bouncy rebound. When I popped them on, this is honestly
what I said: “They look nice, but I’m not sure how they’re
going to f… Oh. My. God. Look at me bounce!” [cue me
pretending to walk on the moon]. These are the first shoes
I’ve tried on in about a year that I’ve felt able to take on a
considerable run straightaway. They’re super comfortable,
and that bouncy energy return – a mix of CloudTec midsole
and On’s Speedboard to boing you forward – is nothing short
of awesome. These are proper endurance training shoes,
absolutely gagging for decent weekend mileage, and spot
on for races too. Top marks, On, extremely impressive.

POOR Our testers include:

How we test
Our kit is tested by real runners:
passionate women with diverse
running experiences, from dedicated
marathoners to happy plodders. We
wear the clothes, run in the shoes and
use the tech on our usual runs to see
if they go the distance. We then give
each piece of kit our star rating. Prices
are RRP and correct at time of printing.
Disappointing, low-level performance Susan Bonnar Promotions Geri Perrier Wife and mum,
STANDARD and marketing manager, travels the world for work,
Provided basic levels of performance mum of three, discovered loves off-road running and
in function, fit and style running in her mid 40s. discovering new trails.
GOOD
Laura McGoldrick From half Kate Sellers Digital
Solid all-round performance:
marathon runner to keen trail assistant, yogi and lover
a good value, reliable piece of kit
runner, Laura took on her first of muddy trail running
GREAT ultra this summer. with her dog.
Performed above expectations and
impressed with function and fit Caroline Trowbridge Actress, Holly Taylor Digital
BEST children’s author, reiki master editor, podcaster and spin
Brilliant performance from highly and mum of two. Loves enthusiast; loves running
technical, stylish kit running for wellbeing. for her mental health.

56 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk


Diadora
Equipe Corsa
£135|diadora.com|Tester Holly
A tribute to Diadora’s first ever running shoe from the
1970s, the Equipe Corsa is a striking race shoe with
a design that packs a punch. Not only is it a stunning
shoe, but it’s also incredibly lightweight at just 175g.
The semi-sheer mesh is super breathable, though not
ideal for wet weather running and they’re also surprisingly
comfortable considering how responsive they are. I think
the heel support is a bit of a gamechanger on this model.
I’m not going to be wearing these for my training runs,
but as a race day shoe they’re fantastically springy
and a real contender to put you on track for a PB.
u-tech Nevos
£130|truemotion.run|Tester Cara
U-Tech from Germany is definitely a brand to watch – I found
these Nevos shoes to be sublimely comfortable and fantastic
for training days. The makers promise a ‘trampoline effect’ and
they’re not wrong; these shoes are brilliantly responsive but still
have a soft, springy sole that allows you to rack up the miles in
comfort. The fit was perfect from the off, with just enough toe
box room and a snug upper that feels supportive. If you’re looking
for a shoe that will see you through your 10K or half marathon
training, these are a great call.
womensrunning.co.uk
Asics
Gel Kayano 84
£155 / asics.com|Tester Geri
These Asics are perfect for overpronators. There are seven different
colour options; I tried the Blazing Coral/Mist colourway and I
absolutely love them. Despite looking heavy, the shoe feels light
and cushioned which may have something to do with the new 3D
Space Construction Function which creates a more comfortable
running experience that’s tuned with the biomechanical
differences of male and female runners without reducing stability.
This is the perfect shoe for longer runs as it offers excellent stability
and support. However, I would recommend going half a size up
with this model as I found that there was a lack of toe room and
had to wear very thin socks. That apart, this is a great choice of
running shoe for daily training runs.
Inov-8
X-Talon Ultra
260 V2
£125|inov-8.com|Tester Tina
If you’re planning on traversing hills, mountains, muddy, grassy trails,
with maybe a lot of bog, these shoes will give you excellent grip,
stabilise and support your feet and really allow you to feel in contact
with the ground. The upper not only fits brilliantly but is rugged. However,
when I was doing some sections on the roads and even on the more
compact, chalky, rocky trails, I discovered that these shoes didn’t offer
the cushioning I needed. It’s not a dealbreaker, of course, but a useful
learning curve and I’m glad I found out before race day.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 57
kit || Group test
GROUP TEST TOPS
The best spring tees and transition tops to get you
Decathlon Evadict Trail
Running Short-Sleeved
Zip T-Shirt
£19.99|6-12|decathlon.co.uk
Tester Laura
This top is super lightweight, and the fabric is soft
against your skin. Ideal for trail running, it has two
small pockets on the hips and silicone patches on top
of the shoulders to stop your pack from slipping. The
mesh under the armpits and the half zip cools you
down but I found the white fabric on the chest and
stomach a bit see-through and clingy. Steer clear if
the thought of that bothers you.
Zaazee Ellen
£38|XS-M|zaazee.co.uk  £65|XS-XL|artilect.studio
Tester Tina
This brand does petite activewear so well and the
Ellen, tested in an XS, gave a perfect fit. The body
section is neither too long or too short, too tight or too
loose, so there are zero distractions whether you’re
running, yoga-ing or at the gym. The stretch of the
fabric is amazing, it feels super soft while you’re
moving and there are no irritating seams. It’s flattering
due to a slightly loose fit across the belly and the
racer back looks cool with a bright bra underneath.   and shape and the dark grey colour of the tee I tested.
BEST
IN TOPS
TEST
58|| Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
out there, whatever the weather
Shuttle Run and
Life Bottle Rocket 1
£40|S-XXL| shuttlerunandlife.com
Tester Sue
This lightweight shirt got its name because it is made
with five to six plastic bottles.This is written on the arm
so you can spread the message about sustainability
while you run. I like the mantra on the back, ‘Beats
doing nothing’, which speaks to me as I’m a slow
plodder – but the letters are large and won’t appeal to
everyone. The shirt is very soft and the splash of
colour adds to the look. The fit was slightly odd, quite
snug around the hips but baggy at the waist.
Artilect Boulder 125 Tee
Tester Rachel
Warning: this review includes details some readers
may find disturbing. I wanted to give this merino mix
top from Canada a really good test so I wore it for two
28K marathon training runs, a couple of recovery runs
and – grab a sick bag – a week’s skiing as a baselayer
all without washing it. Still not a whiff – I kid you not.
And, due to Artilect’s Nuyarn technology, it kept its
shape better than pure merino too. I love the length
And it was super comfy. Full marks!
UniversalPerformance
Active T-Shirt
£45|XS-XL|up.clothing
Tester Holly
This is a great staple piece: it’s fantastic quality,
lightweight and soft, and there’s no chance of
chafing as it has lovely soft seams and a slightly
looser fit. The anti-bacterial Drirelease® fabric
genuinely worked for me, and I’m a very sweaty
runner! It’s definitely one to layer up with at the
moment, as it didn’t quite give me the coverage and
warmth I needed on its own, but it’s going to be a firm
favourite when things warm up.
UniversalPerformance
3.4 Sleeve Wide Scoop
Neck Top
£45|XS-XL|up.clothing
Tester Tina
A spot-on fit, this top is simple and versatile, and I’ve
worn it on the treadmill, during yoga and stretch
classes and as an extra layer during the day. The
bamboo fabric is lovely and helps keep you moisture
free, and there’s a mesh back to keep you cool. Great
for working out in warmer weather.

BEST
VALUE
TOPS
Canterbury Vapodri
Superlight Tee
£22|8-18|canterbury.com
Tester Kate
Fellow sweaty-back runners, listen up: this tee is
perfect for us! The back and sleeves of this top have a
panel of extra-sweat-wicking mesh fabric that made
my warmer runs a total dream. The front, meanwhile,
is made of an oh-so-soft material that moved with me
as I ran – no chafing here. I was so impressed with
how lightweight it was, and it will be perfect for those
blisteringly hot days when you’d love to wear nothing
but you’re not a crop top sort of gal, or you need
some protection from the sun.
ASOS 4505 Night
Run Jacket
£48|4-18|asos.com
Tester Emma
This jacket in all-over reflective silver has a beautifully
flattering fit. It’s an over-the-head jacket with a
horizontal front zip that’s deep enough for a phone,
keys, gloves etc (although a phone bumped around a
bit). I like the high neck and elasticated trim and it’s a
roomy enough fit for the necessary layers underneath.  wardrobe, but it definitely kept me warm and would
It’s stylish and eye-catching and will be a regular top
for me on early morning/evening runs – it’s a great
transition piece from winter to spring.
M&S Goodmove Scoop
Neck Short Sleeve T-Shirt
£15|6-24|marksandspencer.com
Tester Natasha
This standard short-sleeved t-shirt fits well and is
comfortable. For the price, it’s a good quality, sweat
wicking, running tee that can be worn over a warmer
baselayer or on its own come spring. It’s a basic
design, with arm-raising ease and a clean fit across
the shoulders. The criticism I have is that depending
on your bust size, it might rumple slightly across the
top of your boobs when you run. Goodmove is
proving quite impressive with its vast selection of
medium-priced sportswear.
LucyLocketLoves Long-
Sleeved Technical Top
£18.50|XS-2XL|locketloves.com
Tester Holly   Tester Laura
This top is good value for money and great for colder
weather. I couldn’t quite get on board with the fit, as
it’s a bit long in the sleeves and there’s a lot of extra
fabric that I found irritating while running. It wasn’t as
breathable as other technical tees in my running
be a fantastic option for beginner runners who don’t
want to break the bank. The sizing is inclusive and
there are plenty of bold colours to choose from.
ECO
CHAMPION
TOPS
Pressio Bio L/S
£65|XXS-XL|pressio.com 
Tester Geri
When I saw the word biodegradable on the packet,
I got excited. In a world where sustainability is
of utmost importance, this top landed at the
perfect time. Pressio’s mission is to develop
virgin yarn performance into a sustainable
alternative with no-dye technology. So, how does it
perform? The top looks good, the fabric feels great,
it’s breathable and lightweight and the attention to
detail is impressive. It’s my choice for runs where I
want more coverage and protection during the chilly
mornings or evenings.
Tala Zahara
Seamless Sports Bra
£32|XS-XL|wearetala.com
Yes it’s called a bra, but its longer length means it
doubles as a crop top. It looks stylish and is a good fit,
with removable cup pads for extra support and
shaping. The material is thick, but nice and
stretchy and feels durable. I was quite impressed
with the support it provided but I would wear
it for strength sessions or gym workouts rather
than running. I found the high neck a
little uncomfortable, I had a bit of rubbing
from the zip, and while it washed
well, the pads were a bit tricky
to insert afterwards.
kit || Bras || Leggings
ESSENTIAL BRAS
We give them the bounce test so you don’t have to
M&S Goodmove Freedom To Move
High Impact Sports Bra
£25| 32A-42E| marksandspencer.com| Tester Natasha
This is the best sports bra I have ever worn and it’s competitively priced
too. I wear an AA or B size cup depending on the activity and I’ve found
the comfort from this black/mix, broad-strapped, wide-banded design
to be flawless. The cushioning is closely fitted, comfortable and
encloses your boobs fully, without feeling restricted, and there is a good
range of adjustment across the shoulder straps and the back clasp. The
most wonderful thing about this bra is that you do not feel it as you run,
no matter how long you run for.
UnderArmour Women’s SmartForm
RUSH Mid Sports Bra
£45| XS-XL| underarmour.co.uk| Tester Sarah
This bra is a fab colour and it has a quality feel, with great detail on the
lining and band support. The design claims to adapt to the body’s
contours and improve endurance, and it has a strategic mesh panel for
breathability. However, while it was a good fit it wasn’t very flattering
and seemed to stretch on subsequent wears, even after the prescribed
cold washes. The rear mesh panel detached itself after three wears.  the material. I’d class this as a low-to-medium impact bra because the
All in all, a bit underwhelming for the claims and price.
60 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
PourMoi Energy Aspire Underwired
£30| 32B-38G| pourmoi.co.uk| Tester Kate
My sports bras fall into one of two categories – flattering or functional
– but this one has taken me by surprise by ticking both boxes. The shiny
material, eyelet detailing and thick straps look quite, dare I say it, sexy.
I feel like I can just as easily wear it out in the evening as I can to the
gym, and – get this – the support it gives is as good as my best running
bras. A comfortable underwire and shaped padding keep your boobs
where they should be during runs and HIIT classes, and I love that it
comes in band and cup sizing (and with a reasonable range too), so I
was able to get the perfect size.
M&S Medium Impact Crop
£12| S-XL| marksandspencer.com| Tester Natasha
Bearing in mind this is more of a gym bra than a running bra, it’s
actually okay for a short, brisk run out. Any longer than that though and
you’ll start to encounter issues with lack of support and sweatiness. For
use in the gym, it’s perfectly adequate and the style is appealing too,
meaning you can wear it as a top alone. I’d advise you buy a size down
from what you normally wear because there is definitely some give in
protection is dependent solely on elastication, and I find that tends to
reduce over time.
womensrunning.co.uk
 Long -distance
ESSENTIAL LEGGINGS TEST
A leg hug from hip to toe; that’s what we
want from our running tights Holly’s love for her Ava
top has not worn off
PourMoi Energy Eyelet Tala Skinluxe over the weeks
£36| 8-18| pourmoi.co.uk legging
Tester Kate
£54| XS-XL| wearetala.com
I have a fair bit of bad history with shiny leggings. Tester Esther
I’ve tried to wear them in the past, but found
If you’ve not heard of
most styles to be difficult to get on and deeply
Tala, let me put them
unattractive once I finally convinced them to
firmly on your map.
slither over my hips. I’m
I only ever wear Tala
thrilled to report none of
leggings for yoga;
those difficulties with
the softness, flexibility
these: they slid on with
and fit is, in my opinion,
minimal effort and the
unmatched by any leggings I’ve
material hugged in all
ever tried. These beautiful tights are
the right places, instead
a gorgeous Farrow-and-Ball warm
of clinging to the wrong
grey shade, and with their high waist
ones. The eyelets down
and flattering smoothing thing
the front look great, and
the zip pocket on the
that they do, are ideal for
yoga and indoor workouts,
Zaazee Ava
back made them super £42, XS-M, zaazee.co.uk
functional. They were also
as well as shorter runs
– a zipped back pocket BEST I honestly think this top
surprisingly breathable.
My only slight criticism
really helps here. They’re
so comfortable, however,
IN TEST
leggings
was made for me: it fits
was that they showed like a dream and I’ve been
I end up just wearing them
some sweat around the wearing it non-stop for
at weekends with a big jumper.
crotch after a particularly running, as you may have
They’re available in 7/8, regular and tall lengths,
bouncy gym class. spotted on the Women’s
and that equals a BIG thumbs up from me.
Running Instagram
account! The colour
is just gorgeous, and
the scooped hem is so
flattering. It dries quickly
ASOS 405 Acai Wild and is really comfortable,
and the sustainable fabric
High Shine Print Leggings washes brilliantly: it’s
Leggings £41.30| XXS-XXL
acaioutdoorwear.com
been through the wash
£22| 4-18 several times now and still
Tester Caroline
asos.com looks and feels as good
Tester Emma I really like these Acai as new. A month down
leggings and have the line and it’s still my
Eek. I really wanted
been amazed at how
to like these ASOS favourite top, both as a
they bounce back
4505 leggings. They baselayer and on its own
wash after wash. I love
look great so I was – and I can’t see that
how the wild print is
optimistic, and they changing any time soon.
funky, in a non-garish
are designed with a Well done, Zaazee!
way, and is a little bit
high-rise elasticated
different. The leg length
waist, body-con
is decent – no cold ankles
fit and reflective
experienced – and I
piping for increased
appreciated the large thigh
visibility. Fit wise? Not
pocket too. The finishing is
so great unfortunately,
good, but personally, I found
and I’m sure we all
the waistband slightly unflattering. It crosses
agree fit is everything.
over at the belly and the menopausal pouch
I had to do a lot of
gets slightly accentuated, especially if you need a
‘hoiking’ up, so much
pull cord to tighten. Plus, I lost the end of the pull
so that my long run
cord in the thick waistband. Overall though, these
turned into a short run and I’m afraid
leggings feel great, look great and last. 
that they went on my ‘no’ pile. 

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 61

kit || Yoga kit || Protein

YOGA TIME ESSENTIALS

Affordable kit for stretching
and strength building
Dare2B
Yoga mat and bands
£30 & £30| dare2b.com
Tester Esther

This is a good-value, no-frills mat. It was a little on the thin side, but
I prefer that to something that’s too padded. It has a slightly
tacky-feeling surface, which felt a bit odd at first, but it proved its
non-slip worth in a sockless yoga class. It’s also a great length
– you won’t find your feet hanging off the edge in shavasana. The
resistance bands are also good value (and currently on sale), and
if you’re looking for that elusive bit of gym kit for a small space, or
BEST
for when you’re away from home, this is it. You can get a brilliant VALUE
YOGA
all-body workout with these bands – honestly, my triceps are still
burning. Worth it.
M&S
Goodmove Resistance Bands
£12.50| marksandspencer.com
Tester Natasha

Goodmove includes a compact black neoprene storage pouch to

keep your four resistance bands safe. They come in black, navy,
pink and yellow and offer a range of x-large to light resistance.
Each band feels strong at its level and fits smoothly around limbs
without digging, folding or sliding. I’m always slightly scared
when bands are stretched to their limit in case they rebound in
my face but I feel pretty safe with these. They hold a knot firmly at
the extreme of an extension, and maintain their form once untied.

COrEBALANCE Double layer mat 

£30| corebalancefitness.co.uk| Tester Esther

This mat is currently on sale at 50% off – and even before I knew
that, it was going to score highly. It’s a little thicker than your
average yoga mat; not offputtingly bouncy, just reassuringly
cushioned. It doesn’t stretch, it’s lovely and long, so great for yoga,
and it’s anti-slip. It has a lovely feel to it too – I mean, it doesn’t
take the pain away from a plank, but at least it doesn’t add to it. It
also comes with a strap for carrying and storing it, and it doesn’t
curl up or under at the end when you roll it out – big plus. And my
one comes in a very fetching pink and purple (other colours are
available). For a penny under £15, what’s not to like?
Willow Yoga Mat
£69| willow-yoga.com
Tester Geri
I’m really impressed with both the elegant
style and ethical credentials of this mat. It’s
ECO
comfortable for stretching, as it’s made from
CHAMPION
YOGA
a 4mm thick naturally biodegradable tree rubber,
as well as being PVC, silicone and phthalate free.
What’s really cool about it though is that it’s
a super absorbent microfibre mat. This means that,
as you start to work, you don’t lose your grip. In fact,
as you sweat, I’d say it becomes even grippier which
makes it that bit easier to hold your static stretches.

BEST
IN YOGA
TEST
62 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk
 ESSENTIAL PROTEIN
Post-run snacks and shakes to make the most of your training
Tribe Triple Decker
From £3| wearetribe.co
Tester Esther
First thing to say, these chaps do contain additional protein
in the form of peas, so expect to get a bit of that ‘protein’ taste.
Having said that, what you also get in among the seven
different flavour options, is a lot of deliciousness in the form
of peanuts, caramel, honeycomb, maple syrup and raspberry
pieces. Also: chocolate. They’re sweet (despite less sugar than
the average bar) and easy to eat – and for trail runners that’s a
total boon. You can chuck one of these back while you’re on a
hike, and you’ll have an instant burst of energy. The choice
is excellent, the ingredients are thoughtful (lots of nuts
and seeds), and the added vits are a big bonus. Plus, Tribe
as a company is one I’m happy to invest in, having
founded the Tribe Freedom Foundation, a charity
raising funds to end modern slavery. An
excellent choice all round.
BEST
INnutrition
TEST
ProteinBallCo
Protein balls
£17.99 for 10 bags| theproteinballco.com
Tester Esther
The first plus is the choice; the
balls come in flavours from Cherry
Bakewell to Peanut Butter, and all
of them (because I have
been thorough with my
testing – the things I do
for the good of this
magazine, honestly) taste
great. They also come in
packets of six balls, so you
can eke them out as you wish.
I eke them out in one go, but
each to their own. The
sweetness comes from dates
so if you’re avoiding refined
sugar, these are a good choice.
For practicality and health,
these are a 10/10; I’m going
to knock off a tenth of a
point for the packets being
slightly annoying to open.
. d’you hear?
womensrunning.co.uk
Arbonne
Feel Fit Pea
Protein Shake
£74| arbonne.com
Tester Tina
Such relief on the first
sip of this that it was a
palatable protein drink!
The banana pancake
flavour is strong though, so
if you’re not bananas about
bananas, it’s not for you. When added
to a berry smoothie, the taste came
through, but when I added half a scoop
to porridge it was more enjoyable and
subtle. I enjoyed this as a post-training
recovery drink, and it really is packed full
of vitamins and minerals to boost your
recovery, as well as protein from peas,
cranberries and rice. As a protein solution,
I’d recommend it, but it’s too expensive
for me to buy on a regular basis.
Trek
Protein bars
From £14.99 for 16| eattrek.com
Tester Esther
A vegan cyclist recommended
these to me years ago, and
they now have a permanent
place in my food cupboard.
Not least because my
nine-year-old son loves
them. These two facts are
reasons alone why Trek scores
highly: they’re tasty and filling
enough to satisfy a cyclist with
heavy-duty mileage AND an
extremely fussy child. They
taste good, there’s no weird
protein taste as that bit comes
direct from oats and other
natural ingredients, and they
are ace both as fuel before
and during runs, and also
recovery, containing a good
balance of protein and carbs.
And they just taste nice,
BEST
VALUE
nutrition
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 63
KIT || Best in tech

ESSENTIAL TECH & ACCESSORIES

The tech that promises to make every run easier

BEST
VALUE
tech

Garmin
Vivomove Sport
£159.99|garmin.com
Tester Sarah

This watch is super stylish, it

Garmin
Venu 2 Plus
£299|garmin.com
Tester Geri
Wow! Wow! Wow! The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a
stunning watch. It’s slick and beautiful and offers top
fitness features with an impressively long battery life
– even longer than big-name competitors such as
Apple Watch. The watch fuses fitness features with
an amazing range of smartwatch tools for everyday
wear. I liked the design for both workouts and general
wear and the AMOLED display is honestly the best
I’ve used; it allows you to see all the information
about your training and wellbeing really easily.
has both a traditional
analogue watch face with a
digital display that comes on
when you need it, so it’s
good for those looking for a
health tracker watch without
it looking chunky and too
sporty. It has the usual features like GPS, links to Garmin
Connect, phone notifications and wrist-based heart rate and
it also measures steps and other activities. In addition, you
can use it to monitor stress levels, breathing rates, abnormal
HR alerts, and hydration levels, and you can use it for
swimming too. The watch is operated purely by screen touch,
so there are no buttons to confuse, and the display is small
and subtle. I love the look of it, but the digital display was
hard for me to read on the go. Overall, I think this is more of
a health tracker than a running watch so it’s ideal for those
who want a simpler tracker and a lower price tag.

Engo Glasses
€395|engoeyewear.com|Tester Tina

This offers a truly futuristic run experience! These incredible glasses offer you
real-time performance data for every second of every mile of your run. To get
you up and running, Engo provides a series of one-minute online tutorials
that make setting up easy. The glasses sit on the central part of your nose,
like normal specs, and there’s a little screen in the middle showing the data;
you look ahead while you’re running – like normal! – but you’re able to flick
your eyes to the screen easily to see how well you’re doing. Initially, I
thought wearing these might make me feel dizzy, but I got used to them
quickly, even with the extra weight and bulk they added to the
middle of my face. So, why would you buy these? They’re
simply second-to-none if you want to check you’re sticking
to a certain pace during training or races seamlessly
without the interruption of checking a watch, or if you
spend a lot of time outside doing different sports
(they’re also suitable for activities like winter
skiing). They’re one of those gadgets that
seem futuristic now, but we’re sure
will be ubitquitous in a few years’
time – they just make sense!

BEST
INACCESSORY
TEST

64 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

IN FOCUS brand || boobydoo
IN FOCUS BRAND
boobydoo
Having a well-fitting bra is crucial to our enjoyment
of running. Here’s how one company is helping us all find
the right bra Words Esther Newman
A 
t Women’s Running, we’re asked all
the time about sports bras and
boobydoo is the first place we send
people, because we know it stocks a
really wide size range. Brand manager Charly
Wright explains: “boobydoo has the largest
range of sports bras available to buy in the UK.
And it’s not just the brands, we have the sizes as
well, including bras appropriate for a double A
cup up to a K cup. Also, band-size-wise, we start
from around 28 and go up to 46.
“We pride ourselves on being able to help any
active woman who comes our way to find the
right bra and we’re not trying to push a specific
brand either; it’s about finding the right fit for
you and the activity you want to do.”
|| boobydoo So, how do we find the right bra from their
range? It’s all about online fittings – but don’t
has the largest worry, there’s nothing to be scared of here. “It’s
range of sports just a conversation. We ask people to do a
couple of measurements and to be wearing their
bras available best-fitting bra. We’ll then ask questions around
to buy in the the fit of the bra, and we might ask to see them
in the bra or a close-fitting vest,” Charly says.
UK. And it’s After this, the fitter talks the customer
not just the through the features they want – padded,
non-padded, underwired, non-wired, what kind
brands – we of back fastening and so on – all the while
have the sizes whittling down the options to the right product.
“We then make recommendations and talk you
as well: bras through them. Once a bra has been bought, we
appropriate for do a fit check, which can be another zoom call,
or via email. For the most part, we get people
a double sorted from that first virtual fitting.”
A cup up to
Education matters
a K cup|| Brand agnosticism and a genuine desire to
brand manager ensure all women find their perfect bra means
Charly Wright that boobydoo goes above and beyond.
66 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
“We are passionate about what a sports bra can
do for a woman,” says Charly. “When she’s got
the right one, it creates confidence and helps her
perform well. According to a survey from the
University of Portsmouth, 46% of girls avoid
physical activity because of their breasts and
51% of girls reported never wearing a sports bra
for exercise. So yes, we can sell people a bra, but
it’s much more important that we provide
people with the right education to go forward.
Your breast shape changes through your life, and
what you need from a sports bra might change
depending on the exercise you’re doing.”
Testing, testing…
You would expect brands to test their clothing,
but not retailers. However, boobydoo goes the
extra mile. “It’s really important for us that the
sports bras we recommend are tested on
different bust sizes, body shapes, and activities.”
As a result, boobydoo has sought out
ambassadors to test the bras they stock.
“This year, we chose a whole rugby team to
be our ambassadors; the team also goes running
together and does Pilates, so their needs are
diverse. The ambassador scheme was fantastic
because we were able to discuss breast health
and breast support with them, and feed back
their responses to their coaches.”
And boobydoo is working to reach many
communities of active women. For example, it
fits and supplies all phase-one female recruits to
the British Army with sports bras. “That was a
real gamechanger for us because we came face
to face with young women who just weren’t in
appropriate bras for the amount of physical
activity they do,” says Charly.
The company is also working with sports
clubs across the country to achieve their
ambition. “We want to educate more women on
the importance of sports bras,” says Charly,
simply. And, on behalf of women runners
everywhere, we say three cheers for that!
womensrunning.co.uk
 Shock Absorber
“One of our most loved brands is
Shock Absorber. The Ultimate Run Bra
has been a firm favourite for a long
time. It’s a really good sports bra. If
you’re not sure where to start, it’s a
really good high-impact bra. It’s not
got underwire, which makes it easier
to self-fit and it gives you really good
full coverage with a fixed racer-back.
For someone who’s looking to get into
running, it’s a great place to start.”

Panache Ultimate Sports Bra

“Another brand that has become really popular is
Panache. The thing that’s special about the Panache
Ultimate Sports Bra is that it is dedicated to D-plus cup
sizes. So for a fuller bust, they have 70 unique sizes in
their key hero product. It goes from a B cup through to a
J cup and it’s underwired and very well structured. We
think it gives a very shape and uplift and it comes in a
lovely range of prints and colours too.”

Sportjock Bra
“This one is simple. It’s an over-the-head
product, in a crop-top style, that comes at
an entry-level price. It actually delivers, with
very few fixtures and fastenings, something
that is really effective for running. It works
well for women with A-C cups who just want
something where they feel secure, but not
over engineered.”

Do you need a good bra?

Head to boobydoo.co.uk

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 67

3 REASONS TO RUN WITH
CUSTOM ORTHOTICS

BUILD A
b STRONG BODY
The quality of your alignment,
balance, and posture tells us
whether you will build or damage
your body when running and
applying on your feet up to
3 times your body weight.
NON-INVASIVE
b NON-ADDICTIVE
Finally, a solution that works as
soon and as long as you wear
them. Aiming to keep pills and
scalpel away! Orthotics won’t
change you, but they will change
your running experience.

ADDRESS THE
b IMBALANCE
Your shoes are symmetrical, your
body isn’t. Therefore, at PODO,
your right and left orthotics are contact@podo.london
custom made independently www.podo.london
and moulded layer by layer
directly onto your feet. 

Reading this? So are others

GET YOUR
BUSINESS NOTICED
BY ADVERTISING
WITH US
Women’s Running is always
looking to introduce new brands to
our passionate audience.

PODCAST

Email megan.gibbings@anthem.co.uk or ella.bywater@anthem.co.uk for more information

 bootcamp
Natural obstacles || Hip strength workout || Perfect form

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 69

Why not try…?
NATURAL
OBSTACLE
RUNNING
W
hen you hear the term
obstacle racing, army-style
assault courses and giant
inflatables often spring to
mind, but you don’t need to take part in
such an event to experience the joys of
obstacle running. We tackle obstacles all
the time when running, including
dodging tree roots, climbing up hills and
jumping across big, muddy puddles. The
more offroad you get, the greater these
obstacles become. You might have to
scramble up a steep hill, climb over a
stile, or splash through a deep stream.
Already excited?
If you want to take on a race which
includes natural obstacles, there are
.
70 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
plenty of options available. If you’re a
member of a running club, cross country
league and championship races are often
run on courses with extra features to
make them so much more than just
running around a muddy field.
There might be fallen tree logs on the
course to steeplechase, flooded ditches
to leap across, or larger water crossings
where you have no choice but to get
your feet wet.
The cross country season runs
from October to March, with lots of 10K
races available for women. The 10K
distance means they’re a good option if
you want to try this kind of race without
needing to build up super endurance
and stamina.
Obstacle running isn’t all
about scrambling over walls
and commando-crawling
under nets. Get out in the
great outdoors and tackle
nature’s own obstacles
Words: Lucy Waterlow
If you fancy a race with natural
obstacles but you don’t belong to a
running club – or want to test yourself
over a longer distance – there are
numerous types of trail races held
throughout the year that fit the bill.
Race distances range from 5K to
ultras and there is a variety of styles on
offer. You could do a multi-terrain race,
a fell race, a ‘wild’ run, or an adventure
race to experience the exhilaration of
natural obstacles. These might include
wading through a river, crossing muddy
bogs so deep you have to crawl
along them, or coastal,
forest and mountain
womensrunning.co.uk

paths strewn with large rocks or tree
roots. You’ll be climbing, jumping and
sometimes even swimming to make this
race so much more than just a run.
There are also races which mix
natural obstacles with manmade ones
to give you the full obstacle course
experience. Perfect for those who want
the extra challenge of scrambling up
climbing walls and swinging across
monkey bars.
But why do it?
In physical terms, an offroad race with
natural obstacles is much more
|| You might have to scramble
up a particularly steep hill, climb
over a stile, or splash through a
deep stream||
womensrunning.co.uk
Natural obstacle running || BOOTCAMP
challenging than a road run. It tests your
strength and stamina and improves your
core and leg strength, as your body has to
work to stabilise on the uneven surfaces.
The climbing, jumping and dodging
involved will test your balance,
coordination and reaction times.
If you’ve only ever run in road races
before, a race like this will be a
completely different experience, with so
much more to think about than your
split times and where the next mile
marker may be. It could also make you a
faster runner when you do return to the
tarmac, thanks to the extra strength and
resilience you will have gained.
“As a coach, I advise athletes to take
on challenging offroad races. You only
need to look at some of the results of fell
runners when they take on the road to
see how it can make you a stronger
runner all round,” says Deborah Steer,
an England Athletics coach who trains
Both natural and manmade
obstacle courses require all-over
body strength and are a great
way for road runners to vray
their workouts
the young middle distance and cross
country runners at St Albans Athletics
Club. “I also feel that doing a variety of
races helps with motivation to train all
year round,” she says.
Good for body and soul
Research has shown that both exercise
and being in nature are hugely beneficial
for mental health, so running through
scenic countryside, in the mountains or
with sea views is a winning combination.
Obstacle events also suit runners who
are prone to getting hung up on the
times they run in a road race. As no mile
of the route is the same, and certain
obstacles will slow you down more than
others, aiming to maintain the same
pace and hit certain mile splits will be
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 71
BOOTCAMP || Natural obstacle running
|| You can run free of the
pressure to get a PB, as
these races tend to be
about the journey and
effort to get to the finish
line, rather than the time it
takes to get there||
Balance and coordination –
especially at speed – take practice,
so make sure you train up for your
offroad challenge
out of the question. You can
run free of the pressure to get a PB, as
these races tend to be about the journey
and effort to get to the finish line, rather
than the time it takes to get there.
Instead of thinking about your pace,
you’ll be considering how best to get
over or through what’s in front of you!
Stop clock-watching
This is why mum-of-three Daisy Hulton
has loved taking part in numerous trail
ultras. She says: “I first signed up to do a
trail half marathon as a postnatal goal. I
72 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
felt trail running would help me
take the edge off any goal time. It
was more about being outside and
running, rather than being fast and
competitive, which I personally feel road
running is more about. I enjoyed the
trail half marathon so much, I went on
to do a 100K race along the South
Downs Way including 8,000ft of
elevation. The route included
negotiating numerous gates and stiles,
plus fields of cows and I really loved it.
“I then did a 50K mountain ultra on
Pen-y-Fan which included going up the
mountain and lots of other natural
obstacles, including crossing a waterfall,
navigating bogs and woodlands as well
as rocky Roman roads.”
Daisy loves that these races are
all about a coming together of people
who want their own mini adventures.
“It’s about the journey you go through
while you’re out there on the trails, both
mentally and physically,” she says.
Deborah is another convert to offroad
races with natural obstacles, after having
been a road runner for decades. She says:
“Road running was my first love but
when I started finding it harder to set
PBs, it was great to take on the challenge
of natural obstacles instead. I have found
that races organised by Endurance Life
along the South Devon coastal path give
me obstacles in abundance.” With the
choice of 10K, half marathon, marathon
or ultra, the routes include a blend of
jagged rocky paths and idyllic sandy
coves with sea views which are jaw-
droppingly beautiful and hugely
inspiring. “You have to run along shingle
womensrunning.co.uk

beaches, up steep paths, down mud
slopes and over cliff tops,” she enthuses.
Training on the right terrain
Daisy recommends getting offroad as
much as you can on your training runs
so your legs can get used to running on
different terrains. She says: “The best
way to prepare for these races is to get
used to the trails. Walk the hills, laugh as
you go over the stiles, enjoy the
surroundings, and ignore
the watch splits as
they are going to be
slower than your
road times.”
Deborah
agrees. “As a
coach, I’d
advise
practising on
the terrain
you’re racing
on and perhaps
have a couple of
recces of the
course. I’d also
recommend practising
downhill running at speed, as
well as doing some uphill repetitions.
This will give you a lot more confidence
and experience when it comes to race
day – something I lacked in my first race
on a coastal path.
“It had a technical and rocky descent
to the finish line and I was terrified I was
going to fall, especially as I had other
runners on my tail making their final
push to finish. To this day, I have no idea
how I stayed upright!”
Build your own course
If you don’t live near any offroad routes
where you can practise tackling some of
the natural obstacles you might
encounter on race day, you could also
make your own mini obstacle course to
replicate them. You’ll just need enough
space to set up a circuit, and some items
to mark out the course. A stack of mini
cones is ideal for this, and they aren’t
expensive to buy.
#1 Put a line of cones horizontally
across your path and another identical
line more than a running stride beyond
this. You’ll leap over the two lines of
cones when running, to replicate
womensrunning.co.uk
jumping a muddy puddle or ditch. The
wider the gap, the harder it will be.
#2 Zig zag lines of cones for a couple of
metres. Hopscotch along the zig zag,
landing one foot on one side of the
cones, and the other foot on the other
side of the next line of cones. This
mimics running between tightly packed
tree roots or around boulders and is
good for improving single leg strength,
balance, coordination
and cadence.
#3 Have a vertical
stack of cones
to leap over. You
could also try
doing this
with a tall
water bottle.
This will
prepare you
for jumping
over
obstacles such
as logs and
giant rocks.
#4 Lay out cones
spaced apart in a vertical
line going away from you.
Weave around the line of cones to
replicate running along a path where
you have to avoid large rocks and trees.
Once your circuit is set up, run a loop
of it, rest and go again. Try to alternate
which leg you take off from when you do
the jumps in order to strengthen both
sides of your body.
Depending on where you are, try and
incorporate extra obstacles like park
benches and steps into your circuit. Step
up and down, leading with alternative
legs, to improve strength and balance.
You could also add a box to your circuit
loop, as long as it is one that will take
your weight when you stand on it.
Train like a kid
If you can’t get out on the trails or set up
your own circuit, outdoor gyms, trim
trails and even children’s playgrounds
can provide opportunities to practise
obstacle racing. Nell McAndrew
recently revealed on the Women’s
Running podcast that she’ll often do
some strength training when she’s at the
playground with her children. She
uses the monkey bars and does
my obstacle running
You’ll get wet
and muddy!
Caroline Bailes, 50, ran
The Grizzly in 2017, a
multi-terrain race with
numerous natural obstacles
Members of my London running
club regularly travelled to Devon to
do The Grizzly, so one year I joined them. I
hadn’t done anything like it before so it was
quite a baptism of fire given it is described
as one of the toughest off-road races in the
UK. The route includes 3,000ft of elevation
over 20 miles on coastal cliffs, and technical
sections in the countryside. That’s not to
mention the many obstacles you have to
navigate including enormous muddy bogs!
It starts on deep, shingle beach which
saps your energy from the outset, and then
there are undulations, water crossings and
mega muddy sections. I found it much
tougher than any road or cross country race
I had ever done before, but also much more
exhilarating. There’s great camaraderie all
the way round and the whole town of Seaton
gets involved with supporting runners.
By the finish, I felt like I’d run a marathon
rather than 20 miles. It felt like a major
achievement to cross the line; I hadn’t just
finished, I had survived, and although I was
tired, cold, wet and muddy, I’d laughed a lot.
Of course, I initially said “never again”
but I have since been back, and would have
run it a third time if it were not for Covid
cancellations. My second experience there
was made even harder due to the cold
weather conditions as we ran through a
blizzard (the race is held in early March). But
it didn’t put off two friends who joined me
from America especially for the event, and
flew back for it again the year after.
I would definitely recommend The Grizzly
to others and have already convinced more
friends to run it with me in the future. It’s not
for novice runners though. I’d say you need
to have some running experience under
your belt and you need to train for it as if
it was a marathon with a build-up of long
runs. You also need a lot of hill training and
I’d recommend practising running downhill
at speed. Most importantly, you need to be
happy to get wet and muddy! It is a
real challenge but also a lot of fun.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 73
The exhilaration of running in the
great outdoors and taking on what
nature has to throw at you
|| Focusing on upper body strength
is also important if you’re going to
be climbing up summits or hauling
yourself along a rope||
the starting blocks
A handful of offroad obstacle races to get you started on your adventure
The Wolf Run
These races held in the
Midlands throughout the year are
ideal if you want a mix of natural and
manmade obstacles. There are deep
muddy ditches to cross, hay bales
to climb and then structures like
monkey bars and slides to enjoy. All
the routes wind through woodland
and fields and have a truly rural feel.
www.thewolfrun.com
The Grizzly
As experienced by Caroline
Bailes (see p73), this 20-mile run
(or a shorter nine-mile option) is
organised by Axe Valley Runners
and is a local attraction in Devon.
Residents turn out in force to
74 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
support the participants who run
on the beach, through bogs waist-
deep with water, and up a cliff path
so high and steep that it comes with
a safety warning from organisers
to be careful if you suffer from
vertigo. While you need to be fit to
take part, it’s a good one to try for
your first experience of this type of
race as there’s a friendly, supportive
atmosphere with music along the
way. Axevalleyrunners.org.uk.
The Terminator
Organised by Pewsey Valley
Running Club, this 12-mile
multi-terrain race in the Wiltshire
countryside features several climbs
which require scrambling to the top,
quagmires along trail paths and a
‘free shoe wash at the end’ – yes,
that’s right, they’re talking about a
stream crossing.
pewseyvalerunningclub.org
The GrIM CHALLENGE
Regardless of the weather,
this race in Aldershot will get you
wet! There are four and eight-mile
options and both are strewn with
muddy puddles which get harder
to avoid as the race goes on. Other
obstacles include tyres to run
through and a net to crawl under.
grimchallenge.co.uk
Check out races run by Endurance
Life and wildrunning.co.uk for
multi-terrain race options in scenic
locations; Rat Race for adventure
runs in the UK and beyond; and
Tough Mudder UK for more
challenging manmade obstacles in
extremely boggy conditions.
womensrunning.co.uk
 Natural obstacle running || BOOTCAMP

handstands against a climbing wall. yoga class online or at the gym. kit
She also uses park benches to do moves Focusing on upper body strength is
like bunny hops. Although they are
really simple, all these things are
also important if you’re going to be
climbing up summits or hauling
Obstacle
excellent preparation for an obstacle
race where you will need upper body
yourself along a rope in water so
incorporate some tricep dips and essentials
strength as well as strong legs. push-ups into your routine. You’re going to need a good
Follow Nell You can do these on mix of grip and grit
@nelliemcfitness on your sofa without
Instagram for even needing to
motivation and use weights, or
to see how she you could get
does it. some
kettlebells or
At-home resistance
workouts bands to up
Doing the ante. Go
regular to the
strength and Women’s
conditioning Running wesbite
exercises is for strength
paramount in workout inspiration.
preparing you for With the right
obstacles. You can do them at preparation, training and
home and they don’t need to take up a mental attitude, you’ll be ready to take
lot of your time. on any natural obstacles a course might
Do repetitions of squats, lunges, calf throw at you. So there won’t be Trail shoes
raises and glute bridges, progressing to
single leg versions as you get stronger.
anything to stand in the way of your
next adventure. And, believe us,
#1 For racing offroad, you will definitely
need grip but how much you need depends
You could also join a regular Pilates or satisfaction is definitely guaranteed! on course and conditions. Research the route
and terrain before you buy. We recommend
trainers with water-resistant fabric; they
won’t keep out all the wetness but will keep
your feet a bit dryer on courses with water
crossings or boggy fields.

Spikes
#2 On some particularly muddy cross
country routes, only spikes will do if you want
to be able to run at full speed without fear
of slipping, particularly when it comes to
cornering, leaping muddy ditches and racing
down slippery hills.

Durable running socks

#3 Anti-blister, anti-slip and with a bit
of extra cushioning are ideal. Opt for dark
colours as a white pair will probably be ruined
on first wear!

#4 Secure pockets/
running belt
If you’re going to be climbing a stile or leaping
a ditch, you don’t want to risk losing any
valuables you might be carrying on you. Put
them in shorts, leggings, jackets or a running
belt with secure clips and zip fastenings.

Extra kit
#5 Make sure you take plenty of clothing
to change into after the race, including spare
knickers, socks and trainers, so you can warm
up quickly afterwards and don’t have to travel
home in damp kit.

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 75

bootcamp || 20-minute workout

20-minute workout

Strong hips &

Runners are often
told to focus on their
footstrike but the truth
is that obsessing about
that alone can miss the
mark and cause other
problems. This issue,
we’re shifting our focus
upwards to our hips,
where the stride begins
cast iron core
||Plank hip twists
Muscles
Side and stomach muscles, core
(obliques, rectus abdominus,
transversus abdominus)
Why do it?
Running uses rotation around your
hip and spine. This exercise helps
you train your muscles so the right
and left sides work in symmetry.
Technique
• Lie on your stomach on the floor Be safe
• Place your forearms on the If you feel a pinch in your lower back,
floor with your elbows directly lift your hips up slightly.
underneath your shoulders
• Lift your hips and knees off the floor
to form a straight line between your
shoulders and feet
• Slowly rotate hips from left to right

S
trengthening your hips
doesn’t mean that you have
to do endless squats, lunges
and glute lifts. While you run
you use a multitude of muscles and
to maximise your hip strength you
need to ensure that other muscles
– for example your back and
stomach muscles – are flexible
and strong enough that you can
maintain a correct running posture
while you run.

Warm-up
Run on the spot for two minutes.
Perform 10 jumping jacks and 10
spotty dogs.

Sets & reps 

Perform three sets of 10 to 15
repetitions in slow and controlled
||Kneeling glute lift
movements. Where stated, hold the
end position for three seconds.

Cooldown
Focus on stretching your front and
back thighs as well as your glutes
and calves.

Muscles Technique Be safe:

go pro!
Increase the amount of
repetition or add ankle weights.
Bottom (glutes)
Why do it?
Strong glutes work together with
strong and supple hips to create
balance and drive as you run.
• Kneel on all fours Keep your back straight and your
• Lift your left knee off the floor core muscles tight.
• Push your left heel up to the ceiling
while keeping your knee bent
• Complete one set before changing
over to the other side

76 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022

||Kneeling side
leg lift
Muscles 
Bottom, outer and inner thighs
(glutes, abductors and adductors)

Why do it?
Strengthening your inner and outer thighs will
improve your balance.

Technique:
• Kneel on all fours
• Bend your right arm and place your forearm on the floor
• Extend your left leg sideways
• Lift your left leg up until it is level with your hips
• Hold the top position for three counts before lowering
your leg

Be safe:
Don’t hold your breath when lifting your leg up.

||Frog bridge Muscles

Bottom, outer and inner thighs (glutes,
abductors and adductors)

Why do it? 
This will help you to open your hips and
engage your glutes.

Technique:
• Lie on your back on the floor
• Bend your legs and place the soles of your feet
together
• Lift your hips up until you form a straight line
between your shoulders, hips and knees
• Hold the top position for three counts before
lowering slowly

Be safe:
Ensure that your ankles feel comfortable in
this position.

|| A frog bridge
helps you to
open your hips
and engage
your glutes||

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 77

bootcamp || 20-minute workout

||Reverse plank straight leg lift

Muscles Technique • Aim to get your leg up so it forms a right angle at
Core, hip flexors (transversus abdominus, • Sit on the floor with your palms behind your hips your hips
psoas muscles) on the floor • Don’t allow your hips to drop or twist sideways
• Bend your right knee and keep your left leg straight • Complete one set before changing to the other side
Why do it?  • Lift your hips off the floor
A great exercise to increase your hip stability to (this is the starting position) Be safe
prevent too much hip rotation while you run. • Lift your left leg up If your wrists hurt, place your hands on two
yoga blocks.

||Plank to ankle tap

Muscles
Core, hip flexors (transversus
abdominus, psoas muscles)

Why do it?
This close kinetic chain will
improve your hip mobility as well
as your posture.

Technique
• Start with a straight arm plank
• Push your hips up to the ceiling
• Reach with your right hand towards
your left ankle
• Return to the plank position
• Repeat on the other side
• Alternate between right and left
|| Increasing your hip stability
Be safe
When returning to the plank position, will decrease the amount of
ensure that you don’t arch your back.
hip rotation when you run||

78 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

||Reverse crunches
Muscles
Stomach muscles, core (rectus abdominus, transversus abdominus)

Why do it?
The core is key! Your lower stomach muscles help to control your hip
movement while you run.

Technique
• Lie on your back with your legs at a right angle
• Keep your arms next to your body for support
• Slowly bring your knees in and push your feet up to the ceiling
• Use your arms to slowly return to the floor

|| Core is key! Your lower stomach

muscles help control your hip
movement when you run||

||Hip roll
Muscles
Side muscles (Obliques)

Why do it? 
This exercise will strengthen your side muscles
as well as improve your lower back mobility –
and it feels good too!

Technique
• Lie on your back on the floor with your legs at a
right angle
• Extend your arms sideways
• Slowly roll your hips over to one side until your
knees touch the floor
• Lift your legs back up to the centre position and
repeat to the other side

Be safe
Aim to keep your arms flat on the floor
throughout the move.

|| The hip roll strengthens

your side muscles and
improves lower back
mobility – and it feels
good too!||
Jyn wears Under Armour apparel and
shoes underarmour.co.uk
Photography: Joe Branston

APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 79

bootcamp || Perfect form
Lie on your side
Keep body still
Perfect form
Knee stretch –
side lying quad stretch
Did you know that, for every pound you weigh, your knees have to absorb four times that
amount of impact when you walk and even more when you run?
Why do it?
Your knees have to absorb a lot of
impact while you run, so it’s important
that you maintain a good balance
between your knee flexibility and leg
strength. Tightness in the muscles that
cover your knees can also lead to other
niggles or injuries. Your knee flexibility
also plays an important role in your
running cadence and technique.
What are the most
common mistakes?  muscle stiffness because you increased • Hold this position until the stretch
The most common mistake is
overstretching. When you stretch,
80 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
Pull heel to bum
Don’trushit
Hold this static stretch
for 30 seconds to get the
most benefit from it
Hold the stretch
work on a pain scale between zero and pain in your knees can be an indication
10, where zero is not stretching and 10 that your quads (front thigh) are too
is extremely painful stretching. You tight and pulling your knee out of
should aim to stretch at around a six out alignment. Sometimes pain in your
of 10. Stretching too much can cause lower back, hips or calves can also be
damage to the tendons or ligaments traced back to tight front thigh muscles.
around your knees.
Technique
What signs point to • Lie on your right side on the floor GETIT
tight muscles?
Most runners have sore thighs at some
• Grab hold of your left ankle with
your left hand
RIGHT
point, but there is a difference between • Pull your heel towards your bottom TIP
Don’t overstretch.
your distance or speed and chronic pain starts to ease off Overstretching can
in your front thighs or knees. Regular • Slowly lower your left knee to the floor lead to injuries.
womensrunning.co.uk
womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 81
STRONG
BONES
How well do you know what lies beneath? As with everything to
do with running, it’s not until something goes wrong, that we begin
to investigate – but with our bones, it’s worth becoming an expert
long before that happens…
Words Laura Briggs

R
unning’s bad for your joints, this doesn’t necessarily mean
knees.” “You wait it’s the enemy. So, what makes up our
until you’re older.” “It bones, what makes them tick, and how
can’t be good for your can we look after them better?
joints.” How many
times have you heard Bone biology
those phrases? We’re born with a whopping 300
The impact bones. They start off soft and
running has on our pliable (think how bendy
bones is a complicated
subject – it’s not a
one-rule-fits all scenario, so we’re
taking an in-depth look at bones
and all the varying factors
that impact on them.
Age, general health,
smoking, drinking,
frequency of exercise,
and yep, you guessed
it, menopause,
are all elements that
have a bearing on
bone health. However,
although running can
put extra pressure on
our bones and

82 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 || The osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoids
all play a part in bone formation, whereas
the osteoclasts are responsible for the
dissolution and absorption of bone||

children are), and then, throughout
childhood and adolescence, cartilage
builds up and fuses some together so
that we end up with 206 bones in
total as adults.
They give us a structure,
protect our vital organs, provide
an environment for marrow to be
produced, and store minerals, like
calcium. There are two types of bone:
the hard outer layer that’s known
as compact, or cortical bone; and
the light, spongy inner bit – the
cancellous, or trabecular bone.
They’re also made up of different
types of cells: osteoblasts; osteocytes;
osteoids; and osteoclasts. The
osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoids all
play a part in bone formation, whereas
the osteoclasts are responsible for the
dissolution and absorption of bone.
From the age of about 30, our
bones naturally start to get weaker,
and these changes become more

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 83

 noticeable after the age of 50,

THE SKINNY ON STRESS FRACTURES particularly after the menopause.

Oestrogen that protected against bone
Ways to understand and prevent those pesky overuse injuries loss tends drop off, and the cells that
Professor Alison Gartland explains that stress fractures are typically caused by excessive form bones are reduced.
repeated mechanical loading applied in a rhythmic, sub-threshold manner.
“We know that elite athletes and military recruits new to square bashing (or repeated Running strong
drills) are particularly prone to them. The exact pathophysiology is not fully understood, Alison Gartland is Professor of Bone
but we know that inadequate bone remodelling can contribute to the development of and Cancer Biology at the University
stress fracture injury, alongside a number of environmental risk factors, including diet and of Sheffield, and it seems that what she
nutrition, training status, training environment, individual biomechanics and also genetics. doesn’t know about bones isn’t worth
“So again, for a healthy skeleton, the advice would be to have a diet which ensures knowing. In short, she says that all
you have enough calcium and vitamin D, to avoid excessive phosphates, and to have an weight-bearing exercise is beneficial
appropriate training regimen that doesn’t do too much too quickly.
for bone health. “The more weight
“Changes (whether from doing nothing to upping your distance) need to be done
gradually, so 10% increments in intensity/duration. And keep following all the typical advice
bearing, the more ‘bone anabolic’
you get given for healthy running in general; I'm thinking appropriate shoes, technique and (bone building) the effect,”
cross-training.” Alison explains.

84 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk


|| Running has a
positive effective
on your bones.
Studies from the
1980s suggest
long-distance
runners have as
much as 40% more
bone density than
non-runners ||
“Weight lifting probably induces
the biggest changes in bone mass. But
‘weight bearing’ means more than just
holding weight – it’s about the forces
that the bones directly experience
and this can come from the muscles
attached to bones.
“For example, we know that
tennis players have higher bone
density in their serving arm, as the
repetitive motion and conditioning
increases their muscle mass in that
arm and also the force the bones
experience. This was also true for
the medieval longbow-man – their
skeletons showed overdeveloped/
bigger shoulders and arm bones, again
due to the increased muscles they
developed from repetitive shooting of
the longbow!” So running, a weight-
bearing exercise, will have a positive
effective on your bones. In fact,
Gartland cites studies from the 1980s
that suggest long-distance runners
have as much as 40% more bone
density than non-runners.
Having said that, recent research
is more mixed. Professor Gartland
explains that confounding factors –
such as young female runners having
amenorrhea (an absence of periods)
– can have a negative effect on bones,
akin to the menopause. And also,
she explains, it’s not yet possible to
say whether short- or long-distance
running is better, because the evidence
just isn’t there. “What we do know
from experiments in rodents is
that exercise which inserts periods
of rest to prevent the bones from
becoming ‘desensitised’ are the
most anabolic.”
womensrunning.co.uk
Strong bones || BALANCE
MY BONES
RUNNING THROUGH
THE MENOPAUSE
Nikki Love shares her experiences
Adventure runner and writer Nikki Love most symptoms, like excessive bleeding, night
has put her body through some seriously sweats, anxiety, low moods, and hair loss.
gruelling runs, and knows all too well the It was when she attempted a really big
impact fluctuating hormones can have on challenge – running 100 marathons in 100
your skeleton. She’s keen to talk openly about days – that her bones had other ideas. On day
perimenopause and menopause, researching
the subject in detail, after she had her first
13, she noticed pain around her glutes that
she couldn’t pinpoint. “It was hard to weight-
‘episode’ in 2016 when she was 49. bear on my right leg. I finished the marathon
“My periods stopped for four months and in pain and by the time we drove home, I
during that time I struggled to remember couldn’t walk. Prodding, poking and pulling
things, which made me late for appointments, the soft-tissue didn’t ease it. On day 14, I went
or I’d turn up at the wrong place,” she recalls. to the osteopath who sent me to the hospital.
“I cried at the drop of a hat. I was angry It was a stress fracture in the sacral ala bone
at the drop of a hat. I couldn’t feel through of the pelvis which is mostly a deficiency
my fingers and feet and, as I was a massage injury seen in young female elite athletes,
therapist, I had to stop working and running who are in REDs (relative energy deficiency in
for a few weeks because I couldn’t feel sport), or 75+ postmenopausal women.
anything. This is the symptom that drove me “Through blood tests, I was able to see
to the doctors; I was worried I’d picked up a that my vitamin D and iron levels were down.
virus or something. Bloods showed nothing Along with all the other symptoms, I had
abnormal. The doctor said I was depressed. I weaker bones, ligaments, tendons – the stuff
said that was not it. It wasn’t until my period you can’t see.”
started again, that a switch seemed to turn on Nikki agrees that running improves bone
and these symptoms disappeared.” strength, but she adds a cautionary note. If
Months later, Nikki started getting more you’re showing symptoms of perimenopause,
symptoms.“Four years into perimenopause, you should start tracking your cycle, having
I was having trouble with my brain. I couldn't regular blood tests to find out what your
remember words, my hair started falling normal levels are, and understand the
out noticeably, I’d put weight on despite the symptoms. “Being more aware, learning
running and my joints and body hurt. Because what works and being adaptable as my body
of the aches, I stopped doing the ancillary changes is bringing my running back and will
things (bodyweight, strength work) and stuck help me keep going after my running goals
to the thing that was the easiest. The running. and dreams.”
“My tendons, ligaments and bones seemed
to get weaker; I got torn ligaments, strains in
my lower back and a bone break in my toe. I
was able to write these off to accidents, but
there was definitely adaptation going
on to the continuing dropping and
fluctuating hormones.”
Nikki eventually chose to go
on HRT after lots of testing. First
she tried patches, which she
sweated off. Then she tried
the pill format of oestrogen
and progesterone, but
there was little change to
her symptoms. Eventually,
she had a coil fitted, and
combined it with a dose of
progesterone and some
oestrogen gel. That seemed
to be a combination that
worked for her; it alleviated
 The menopausal impact
Menopause and perimenopause
affect women’s bones adversely, as we
start producing less oestrogen than
normal. Oestrogen is important as it
keeps the ‘bone-eating’ osteoclasts,
under control.
Without this hormone, the rate of
‘bone-building’ osteoblasts can’t be
matched by the rate that osteoclasts
are being formed, so we lose bone
mass. This is what osteoporosis is, and
it’s why, during menopause, women
are far more susceptible to getting it.
Professor Gartland says: “The
best way to combat the effects
of menopause where bones are
concerned is to have a healthy skeleton
to start with – so weight-bearing
exercise like running is perfect.
“It needs to be balanced with a
good diet to ensure that the effect
of the exercise is truly anabolic to
bone. This is where calcium and
vitamin D are vital. Pregnant women
in particular need to make sure they
have enough of these because if they
don’t they will lose it from their own
skeleton to make their baby’s. And
as we get older, being active with
a healthy and strong bones helps
prevent falls. So incorporating balance
and co-ordination into training
schedules definitely helps.”
It’s good news that runners don’t
have to worry about bones more than
anyone else. The key is a healthy diet
and keeping up with the strength
training alongside the running.

BONE BOOSTING MINERALS

Nutritionist and author of Primal Living In A Modern World,
Pauline Cox, explains that minerals play an important role in
the structure and strength of bone
“Women often supplement calcium to prevent osteoporosis, but research suggests this is not an effective
means of prevention. Adequate levels of calcium can be obtained through the diet, providing sufficient
is being absorbed.
“Vitamin D increases calcium absorption by 20 times. This increased level of absorption highlights
the importance of adequate vitamin D levels for bone health.
“Vitamin K2 is also of great importance for bone health and often under-recognised by many health
professionals. Vitamin K2 works in synchrony with D3 and calcium; D3 enhances the absorption of
calcium and K2 directs the calcium to the bones. Without K2, calcium may be deposited in undesirable
locations such as the cardio-vascular system and breast tissue. Regular exercise has also been shown
to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
“A healthy diet rich in minerals, and low stress (cortisol levels impact oestrogen levels) also contribute
to healthy, strong bones.”

86 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk


BONEFAQS
Ann Clare, physiotherapist at MBST UK,
answers our questions about bones
How do you measure bone strength? There
is no proactive approach or routine procedure
for testing for osteoporosis or osteopenia.
Typically, a patient would only obtain an insight
into their bone density if triggered by a fracture.
If someone fractures easily, this is an obvious
sign. Otherwise, you would only know from
scans or tests. The DEXA scan is the most
common bone density scan used in the UK.
We cannot feel our bones weakening – it
does not hurt – but there are plenty of things we
can do to keep our bones strong.
How can we improve bone health from a
young age? Children and adolescents need
to be active and ingest calcium. This is very
important, as hormones and development are
key for future bone health. When we get older,
the toxins we can absorb through smoking or
alcohol consumption harm bone health, as do
conditions like eating disorders.
We have examples of female footballers
in their 20s with the bone density of 60-year-
olds. This is because hormone deficiency and
excessive exercise can lead to a decreased
rate of bone accretion in youth. The adolescent
female athlete is more prone to menstrual
disorders than the mature female but recent
data suggests that this can be reversed by
increasing dietary energy intake.
Overall, physical activity is a major
contributor to bone strength before
adolescence, and increasing the level of
physical activity during childhood most likely
enhances optimal bone strength.
What problems do weak bones cause?
Weak bones increase the chance of fractures
and can cause osteopenia and osteoporosis.
In extreme cases, even a severe cough could
cause bones to break.
Some symptoms point to cases of advanced
bone thinning, such as loss of grip strength and
receding gums as a result of a weakened jaw.
Nail and bone health are often linked, but weak
nails could be a sign of various other conditions,
so that’s not always a reliable way to tell.
womensrunning.co.uk
Who is at greater risk of developing
poor bone health? Those living in less sunny
climates, as vitamin D helps the body to absorb
calcium. That’s also why we generally have less
vitamin D during the winter months. In some
cultures and religions, the body has less access
to vitamin D due to the clothes people wear or
because their diet limits calcium intake. We
need vitamin D to absorb that vital vitamin C.
Some women naturally have a low peak
bone mass because of hormones and
development and in fact, white and Asian
women are more prone to osteoporosis. This
apart, after the age of 30, bone health starts to
naturally decrease in all women.
What foods/diets can help us improve
our bone health? Our microbiome has been
proven through studies to
impact bone metabolism.
Prebiotics can help us
|| When your
absorb and retain minerals muscles pull on
from food to increase your bones, it
bone density and strength.
Calcium needs vitamin gives your bones
D to be absorbed by the work to do. Your
body, and both are, of
course, essential. Also,
bones respond
some vitamin K, for bone by renewing
metabolism and regulating themselves and
the calcium levels. Then
there’s magnesium; if you maintaining or
are low on magnesium improving their
then you will have a vitamin
D imbalance. The same
strength||
goes for potassium, as it
neutralises the acid in your body that calcium
can leach onto and out of our bones.
Foods that are great for bone health are
tinned fish, wild salmon, milk, cheese and,
for those who would rather not eat animal
products, green leafy veg such as broccoli,
cabbage and kale (not spinach). Figs, tofu
and nuts are also great sources. More and
more dairy-free milk alternatives are fortified
with vital vitamins, but it’s worth checking the
packaging to make sure.
Strong bones || BALANCE
What lifestyle changes can help us
improve bone health? Consume less alcohol,
quit smoking, eat the above foods, get sunshine
wherever possible on as much of your body as
you can. Exercise regularly, especially weight-
bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises.
What specific exercises can help us
improve our bone health? Examples include
walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics,
elliptical training machines, stair climbing and
gardening. These types of exercise work directly
on the bones in your legs, hips and lower
spine to slow mineral loss. They also provide
cardiovascular benefits, which boost heart and
circulatory system health.
Weight training can be very beneficial.
When your muscles pull on your bones, it gives
your bones work to do. Your bones respond
by renewing themselves and maintaining or
improving their strength. As your muscles get
stronger, they pull harder, meaning your bones
are more likely to become stronger.
What other ways can we improve our bone
health? Take a prebiotic, take supplements and
consciously eat foods with high amounts of
potassium, magnesium and vitamins D, C, and
K. It will also help massively if you steer clear of
toxins, such as excessive
drinking and smoking.
When is the best time
to start working on our
bone health? As early
as possible, and every
day. They say our bones
reach their peak in our
30s so perhaps this would
be a great time to start
preventing bone thinning
and protecting ourselves
through lifestyle, diet
and exercise. But any
headstart you can give
yourself will pay off in
the future.
How long does it take to strengthen
bones? If it gets to the point of osteopenia and
osteoporosis, you will struggle to strengthen
bones, but you can prevent the rapid decline
by medications such as bisphosphonates. I
have 10 years experience of working with MBST
therapy, and even though it can take up to a
year to see the increase of bone density, it does
increase very significantly by tackling the cause
of osteoporosis.
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 87
Balance || Recipes for runners

recipes for runners darkchocolateBALLS

Prep 15 mins

Workout
This is an easy-to-make
recipe, and perfect for
when you are in phase 1
1  Roast cashews for 8 minutes at
180 degrees or until lightly golden

(during your period). Your

iron requirements increase
2  Put roasted cashews in food
processor and blend until cashews
resemble a fine flour
in phase 1 as a result

snacks 3  Add in the cocoa powder, maple

of menstruation. Dark syrup and coconut oil
chocolate and nuts are good
sources of iron and these
balls provide a perfect
4  Blend until mixture comes
together. It should stick together
when you squeeze it
pre- or post-session snack.*
These brilliant recipes deserve a gold medal.
Not only are they utterly delicious, and very • 200g cashew nuts
5  Add in the cocoa nibs and pulse
until mixed through

simple to make, but they’re also the ideal snack • 2 tbsp cacao powder**
• 2 tbsp cacao nibs
6  Roll the mixture into medium sized
balls with your hands
to fuel your running and to help you recover
afterwards. The really good part, however, is that
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
7  Eat one straight away, store the rest
in an airtight container

they have been devised by the clever people at *Contains nuts

menstrual cycle tracking app FitrWoman. You *Cacao powder and nibs
|| Dark chocolate
see, as the hormones fluctuate throughout your can be found in most large and nuts are
supermarkets or health
cycle, so do your nutritional requirements, so food stores good sources of
these recipes have been specifically tailored for
different phrases of your menstrual cycle. Good
iron and these
for you, good for your hormonal health, and balls are the
good for your running. Get cooking! perfect snack||

88 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

BakedApple Oat&WalnutBananaBread
Serves 1|| Prep 15 mins|| Cooking time 25 mins Makes 8-12 slices|| Prep 15 mins|| Cooking time 30-40 mins

This recipe is ideal for This recipe is a great option to sustain your energy levels
phase 2 of your cycle. It’s
packed with antioxidants
1  Preheat oven to
200 degrees and curb any cravings you may have during phase 4 (in the
days leading up to your period).*
and is a perfect pre-high-
intensity training snack.
2  Core the apple and place upright
on a large piece of foil
• 3 ripe bananas
Go for the muesli topping
option if you want to
3  Mix 1 tbsp of blueberries, a
squeeze of honey and cinnamon • 2 eggs
• 300g oats
1  Preheat the oven to
180 degrees

increase the carbohydrate

content.*
in a bowl and push the mixture into
the apple • 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp cinnamon
2  Blend everything together
except the oats

• 1 apple, top cut off

4  Put a small spoon of coconut oil
on top of the mixture • 2 tbsp walnuts
• 4 tbsp low fat Greek yoghurt
3  Pour the mixture into a large
bowl and fold in the oats
gradually until fully mixed through
• 2 tbsp low fat Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp blueberries
5  Place lid on top of
the apple • 1 tbsp coconut oil
4  Pour the mixyure into a lined
bread tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes
• Squeeze of honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
6  Drizzle outside of the apple with
another squeeze of honey
*Contains nuts
5  Remove and leave to set for
3 hours before slicing
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp nuts and seeds
7  Fold up in foil to wrap apple
in a parcel

• 1 tbsp muesli, optional 8  Place in the oven for

20-25 minutes
*Contains nuts
9  Remove apple from oven and
sprinkle with remaining blueberries
|| As the hormones fluctuate
and top with nuts and seeds or muesli throughout your cycle, so do
10  Serve with Greek yoghurt and
eat immediately! your nutritional requirements||

The FitrWoman philosophy

At FitrWoman, we always advocate for an individualised approach to the menstrual cycle as each person
will have their own unique experience and go through their own set of symptoms.
Our goal is to educate people to learn about their own bodies, understand what is happening at
different times of their cycle and manage their symptoms in the best way possible.
The FitrWoman app is designed for you to track your cycle and train smarter by providing
personalised training and nutritional suggestions tailored to the changing hormone levels throughout
your cycle. Download FitrWoman for iPhone and Android at fitrwoman.com.

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 89

 Kimberley knows that dogs
aren’t just for Christmas…
and Crème Eggs aren’t
just for Easter!

K im b e
r le
k id s to y want s mor
e e
j oy o f s x p e r i e n c e t h
p or t e

What do you
normally eat
before a run?
I almost always have
porridge for my breakfast as
Kimberley Morrison
Kimberley, an INCUS Performance ambassador, is
it has a brilliant base of carbs
a professional triathlete from Norfolk who competes
and I can vary my toppings
over the half and full Ironman distance
daily. However, before a run
my gut prefers eggs on toast. If it’s a longer
run, I add some avocado, and if I have it in
the fridge, I’ll chuck in some fresh spinach
seasoned with sea salt too.
Do you have any nutrition secrets?
I have both of the Performance Chef books
in our kitchen at the ready for mealtime
inspiration. This book, written by Alan
Murchinson, is packd with recipes that are
full of nutritional support for performance
and pleasure.
What do you snack on
during a run?
This depends how close out from racing
I am. If I’m in a winter training block
and the season is many weeks away, I
like to have ‘real food’, like bananas,
dates, Snickers and some rice
pudding tubes. However, when
I get closer to race season,
I will start training my
gut with specific sports
nutrition, in which
case I’ll opt for a
highly concentrated
TORQ carb drink and
TORQ gels.
life on a plate
option. I will often add some cacao powder
KIM’S CV
As a child, Kimberley experienced
as I love that chocolate taste, and sometimes
severe heart complications and spent I scoop lots of protein-packed yoghurt on
a lot of time at Great Ormond Street top with some seasonal fruit and seeds.
Children’s Hospital. Aged three,
she was strong enough to undergo
complex open-heart surgery and since
then she’s been getting stronger every
day. She has been a professional
triathlete since 2015, and has multiple
70.3 wins on her impressive race CV.
Kimberley is also an advocate
for children in sport, and has been
driving to bring more swimming
opportunities to kids in Norfolk.
What do you
like to eat after
a run?
I love to eat that
yummy bowl of porridge
that I will have avoided
first thing due to my gut’s
preferred eggs-on-toast
What is your treat after a long run?
Relaxing in our jacuzzi hot tub with a
big homemade electrolyte drink made
with freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt and
manuka honey. I may also pop a Crème Egg
on the tray to take out with me. They’re my
absolute favourite… and it doesn’t have to
be Easter, either!
What has running taught you?
It’s shown me what the body is capable
of. It’s amazing how far we can go,
how far we can push and how
exhilarating a run, race and/or
session is when shared with friends
and family. It’s an honour to lace
up and run – everywhere and
anywhere – although I
quickly found out on
a recent holiday that
when you’re on the
tallest mountain in Oman
at 2,000m a run can turn
into a walk/jog at any time!

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 91

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

the experts
support network

Your questions answered

Where to run wild in the UK, tips for those tempted to tri, and the best recovery
drinks. Plus, how to take the hell out of hills (spoiler: there’s no miracle cure)

Anita Bean is a nutritionist

for the London Marathon, and
the author of 28 books including
The Vegan Athlete’s Cookbook.
anitabean.co.uk
Q I often get heartburn and an acid
taste in my mouth when I run.
Why is this and what can I do about it?
A Stomach acid helps to digest food but if
it travels back up your oesophagus it can
burn and give you a bad taste in your mouth.
This can happen if you eat too soon before
running, so allow plenty of time for digestion.
Watch for trigger foods such as tomatoes, fruit
juices, spicy food and caffeine. Stress, alcohol
and smoking can all increase acid production,
as can anti-inflammatory medications. Speak
to your pharmacist about antacid medications
and cappuccino are good options as they
provide all of these nutrients in the right ratios.
Cow’s milk and soya milk have been shown
to be more effective than sports drinks for
promoting rehydration. Other plant milks are
very low in protein so aren’t ideal as recovery
drinks. Make your own by blending together
250ml plant milk alternative with a generous
handful of strawberries, 25g cashew nuts,
25g vanilla vegan protein powder and a few
ice cubes (recipe from my book, The Vegan
Athlete’s Cookbook). AB

Jen Benson has an MSc

in sport and exercise medicine,
to neutralise your stomach acid and see your
GP if your symptoms are frequent and not Q I hate running up hills. Any tips
to get me to the top?
and is the author of Wild
Running and Short Runs in
Beautiful Places.
settling down. JM
A Many runners fear hills but like anything
in life that’s difficult, the more you do

Q What are the best recovery

drinks and why?
them, the better you’ll be at them. Doing a hill
session once a week where you choose a short

A A recovery drink should provide about

20g protein to promote muscle repair,
along with carbohydrate to replenish glycogen
in your muscles, and fluid and sodium to
replace sweat loss. Milk and milk-based drinks
such as milkshakes, smoothies, hot chocolate
hill and then run up it and walk down it five to
10 times will soon get you used to hill running.
Mental tricks can help, too: Repeating ‘I love
hills! Hills are my friends!’ as you run up a hill
will give you a mental boost. I also suggest
never looking at the top of the hill when you’re

Lisa Jackson is a clinical

hypnotherapist and the author
of Running Made Easy and Your
Pace or Mine? She’s run 110
Q I want to try a triathlon.
marathons. qmhypnotherapy.co.uk
A Triathlon offers a fun alternative to
Dr Juliet McGrattan is
our resident health expert.
She is the author of Run Well:
Essential Health Questions
and Answers for Runners.
drjulietmcgrattan.com
ask us
your questions!
Email womensrunning
@anthem.co.uk
What are your top tips?
simply running and may also reduce
your likelihood of picking up those
frustrating running-related overuse
injuries. If you’re coming from a running
background, it’s well worth spending time
developing your technique and fitness in
swimming and cycling, and getting your
bike set up correctly. Incorporate some
‘brick’ sessions into your training – running
straight off the bike, and cycling straight
from the swim – as well as the all-
important fourth discipline, the transition.
Triathlon clubs are a great place to get
started: you’ll find lots of support and
expertise from both coaches and club
members. For further reading, check out
the excellent range of books by Joe Friel, the
authority on triathlon. JB

92 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 || Here in the UK, we are
lucky enough to have
an incredible diversity of
landscapes and terrains
to explore||
Scotland there are a wealth of lesser-known
ranges, well away from popular Glencoe and
Fort William. Try the Ochil Hills, which rise
invitingly north of the Forth valley or, for a
really wild experience, the Knoydart Peninsula,
only accessible on foot or by boat. JB

Q I once got carried away before

a marathon and woke up
with a hangover. I did a PB but am
wondering if I endangered my health?

A It isn’t a good idea to push yourself when

you’ve been drinking excessively as your
body may still be breaking down alcohol from
the night before – it takes about one hour for
each unit. You may be dehydrated, have lower
blood-sugar levels and poor co-ordination and
balance. A raised heart rate results in a risk
of developing abnormal heart rhythms such
as atrial fibrillation. In summary, it’s not to be
recommended and despite the PB I wouldn’t do
it again! JM

at the bottom of one: keep your gaze a few feet

ahead of you and count backwards from 100 to
distract yourself. LJ Q How long
should I wait after
eating before going

Q I want to spend my summer

holiday running in spectacular
scenery. Where are the wildest places
for a run?

A Ideally you want to

leave about three
to run in the UK? hours between a meal

A Here in the UK we’re lucky enough to

have access to an incredible diversity of
landscapes and terrains to explore. I’ve spent
and training. This will
allow enough time for the
food to empty from your
the past decade running in Britain’s wild places stomach and for your body
with my husband Sim in search of the best to digest it. Exercising on
routes for our books Wild Running, Short Runs a full stomach can cause
in Beautiful Places and The Adventurer’s Guide discomfort, bloating and
to Britain. nausea because, during
The key to finding the best running routes is exercise, blood is diverted
seeking out the places far from the tourist traps. away from your digestive
In the south west there are the open reaches system to your muscles.
of Bodmin Moor and Exmoor, far removed But leaving too long
from the coastal crowds. Heading east, the a gap between eating
marshes and wetlands of Kent and East Anglia means you may feel
offer wild and remote-feeling trails within easy hungry, light-headed and
reach of London. The Cambrian Mountains lacking energy during your
of mid-Wales offer a peaceful escape from the run. As a rule of thumb,
more popular Brecon Beacons or Snowdonia the closer your meal is
National Park. Or, if you’re heading north, to your run, the smaller
aim east of the Lake District to the relatively it should be. Experiment
undiscovered Howgill Fells, or further still to with finding the right
the windswept Cheviots and vast open skies balance for you. AB
of Northumberland. Across the border into

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 93

 Goprowiththe
nextissueof

NO MORE
INJURIES
The secrets of the runners who never get hurt

Become bulletproof
with the next issue of
Women’s Running
on sale
28 April

ESCAPE RECOVER LEAKS

Running holidays Food, rest and Need to know:
for all budgets and movement to get stress incontinence
all adventures stronger quicker and running
 WIN!
£300
AT ASICS

Win!
ASICS KIT
WORTH £300!
feel than its predecessor, all wrapped up in
a statement package with a jacquard mesh
upper. You can also expect a softer landing
and a more energetic rebound thanks to
the FF Blast Foam Technology.
In our brilliant competition, you can win £300 The Gel-Nimbus is one of our favourite
to spend on the ASICS kit of your dreams! running shoes, and this new version has a
softer midsole and lighter weight, together

W
e have teamed up with the The YOZAKURA Collection is with advanced impact protection.
lovely people at ASICS designed to support your movement
to offer you a smashing and is inspired by Japan’s night cherry How to enter
competition to win £300 blossoms. Some of the range features a To win £300 to spend at ASICS, simply
to spend on whatever you like at ASICS. stunning print influenced by Kumiko, a go to womensrunning.co.uk/Asics and
Yes, whatever you like! And to give you a traditional Japanese technique to assemble answer this question:
bit of a helping hand, we’ve had a little look wooden pieces. The gorgeous Sakura
at the current range to give you an idea of tights offer comfort from top to bottom, What is Kumiko?
our favourite shoes and apparel. with high-waist support and soft mesh A A traditional Japanese technique to
side panels, and the Accelerate Light jacket assemble wooden pieces
The new collection is made using Actibreeze technology to B A traditional Japanese technique to
With the women’s YOZAKURA give you advanced breathability for lasting fold paper
collection – pictured above – ASICS comfort. We love the Sakura Spiral Bra C A traditional Japanese technique to
wants to encourage women to escape the too; supportive in all the right places, and pour tea
stresses of everyday life and make time for made with moisture-wicking fabric.
themselves to experience the incredible And now to the shoes! The Novablast Find out more about the whole
positive uplift that running brings. 2 offers a smoother and more responsive collection at asics.co.uk

Go to womensrunning.co.uk/Asics to enter
and we’ll be in touch if you’ve won!
Terms & Conditions To be in with a chance of winning, simply submit your answer at the URL above. By ticking the newsletter box you will be automatically added to the Women’s Running email newsletter list,
keeping you informed of news, special offers and promotions via email. Anthem Publishing will not pass on customer email addresses to any other companies. You may unsubscribe from these messages at any time.
The editor’s decision is final. The competition is open to UK residents over the age of 18 only. Winners will be notified by email and will have seven days to claim their prize before it is passed on to the runner-up.
Winning products will be priced at RRP and dependent on stock availability. The full competition Ts&Cs can be found at www.anthem.co.uk/competition-rules. Closing date 28 April 2022.

womensrunning.co.uk APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 95

 DIARY
If you’re reading this on a
cold day in April, and you’re
dodging showers to get a run
in, we have an idea. Check
out this collection of summer
races, book a couple and start
dreaming of those hot summer
runs. They’re just around
the corner, we promise. See you
on the start line – and don’t
forget the SPF 50!
TEAM AND ALL LEVELS
RICHMOND RUNFEST
Celebrate Richmond RunFest’s 10th
anniversary by taking part in this scenic
event in and around Kew Gardens.
Events for all, from a kids’ mile and 5K to
a half and full marathon. Includes an AIR
race (audio inspired event) where you
wear headphones for a guided tour of the
historic gardens while you race.
£54 for marathon, 10 & 11 Sept,
Kew Gardens, London, www.run-fest.com
GREENWICH PARK 5k and 10k
An encouraging atmosphere and
flat terrain make this one suitable for all
levels. Run around Greenwich Park, a
beautiful green space in London, on a
2.5K loop for either a 5K or 10K. Teams
of up to six runners are encouraged.
£26 for 5K or £100 for a team of six,
2 July, Greenwich Park, London,
runthrough.co.uk
ENDURE 24
A trail running race where teams
tackle as many 8K laps as they can
in 24 hours. It’s a great venue with a
country house surrounded by 500-acre
landscaped park, and there’s a real festival
vibe with camping, bars and food stalls.
There’s also a sister event in Reading
in June. £75 per team member (£16 for
charity place), 2 & 3 July, Bramham Park,
Leeds, endure24.co.uk
SOUTHAMPTON RUNNING
FESTIVAL
A 5K, 10K or half on offer at this
fun event beginning and ending at
Southampton Common, a designated
96 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022
TRIBE RELAY
Bring your team of four or eight
runners to this 218K relay trail race along
the John Muir Way. The race will see
your team running through the night
to complete the 16 legs from west
to east, along Scotland’s wildest and
most stunning trails. The event raises
funds to beat modern slavery and end
human trafficking. From £138 per team,
24 to 25 June, John Muir Way, Scotland,
triberelayacrossscotland.com
Site of Special Scientific Interest. The
route goes through woodland, grassland,
wetlands and alongside lakes – all in
the centre of the city! From £22, 31 July,
Southampton, runthrough.co.uk
FUN RUNS and BEGINNER
BLACKPOOL MUSIC RUN
Let live music spur you on as you
run the 5K or 10K route, both of which
include the iconic Blackpool Promenade.
Everyone is welcome so, whatever your
level, you can run, walk or dance your
way along the course – accompanied
by music and a fun atmosphere. Surely
some summer weather is guaranteed in
mid July? £17 for 5K, 17 July, Blackpool,
blackpoolmusicrun.co.uk
EXETER 10k
This flat race is said to be perfect for
a first 10K or for anybody wanting a PB.
The two-lap, traffic-free route follows
footpaths and cycle tracks around the
River Exe and Exeter Canal. There are
two races on consecutive days, both
starting at 7pm; organisers suggest faster
runners enter the Wednesday race.
£20, 13 & 14 July, Haven Banks, Exeter,
city-runs.co.uk
RUN AINTREE 5k
Place a bet on yourself and take on
Aintree Racecourse on foot. It’s a flat
course that loops around the racecourse
and is perfect for beginners. 10K and half
marathon distances are also available.
£24, 31 July, Aintree, Liverpool,
runaintree.com
womensrunning.co.uk
 SUE RYDER PAINTRUSH
A 5K colour run, jog or walk to
raise money for Sue Ryder St John’s
Hospice which provides care for
people living with life-limiting
conditions as well as supporting their
families. Enter as an individual or
team; the fee includes a PaintRush
t-shirt and a bag of paint powder to
start the fun before the race. Part of a
series of races organised by the
charity. £18, 26 June, River Side
Park, St Neots, Cambridgeshire,
sueryder.org
CRYSTAL PALACE SUMMER
RUN FEST 3k and 5k
Races start and finish at the Crystal
Palace National Athletics Stadium and
the route continues on both track and
through the park. If a 5K is not for you,
there’s a 3K and a 10K distance available.
£21 for 5K, 2 July, Crystal Palace,
London, findarace.com
INTERMEDIATE
BRIGHTON TRAIL WEEKEND 10k
A festival of trail running through the
Sussex countryside in the South Downs
National Park. The 10K winds through
the woodland of Stanmer Park Estate
and into the picturesque hills and valleys
beyond. The weekend also includes a trail
marathon and an under-17s race.
£30 for 10K, 25-26 June, Brighton,
brightontrailweekend.co.uk
JUBILEE JAMBOREE
Why not enter a race to celebrate the
Queen’s platinum jubilee? This scenic
woodland and grassy course through the
grounds of a country park includes 5K,
10K, half, full and ultra. You choose your
distance when you book, but can change
your mind on the day. A six-hour event,
so run as far as you can in the time slot.
From £28, 3 June, Hinchingbrooke Country
Park, Huntingdon, findarace.com
HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE
RUNNING FESTIVAL 10k
Starting and finishing in the grounds
of Hillsborough Castle, this picturesque
10K is a closed-road event. Runners head
out into surrounding rural roads before a
final lap in the historic castle gardens.
5K and half also available.
womensrunning.co.uk
£20 for 10K, 24 July, Hillsborough,
runthrough.co.uk
HULL HALF
A predominantly flat course with
great PB potential, the route takes in
local attractions including Humber Dock
Marina, City Hall and the university. A
scenic grand finish in the city centre.
Charity places available. £35.50, 12 June,
Hull, timeoutdoors.com
EXPERIENCED
SALISBURY PLAIN MARATHON
Now in its third year, this popular
event has previously sold out. Run
GOLDEN TRAIL UK SERIES
Four epic trail races around the
UK, including a trail marathon in
Snowdonia on 18 June, Serpent
Trail 50K on 2 July, Scafell Pike trail
marathon on 21 August and the
Ring of Steall on 17 September.
Tough races that attract elite
runners and culminate in a final
race in Madeira in October.
£40 for Snowdonia marathon, June
to Sept, locations around UK,
goldentrailseries.com
through some of Wiltshire’s most scenic
tracks which offer everything from
thigh-burning hills to rough, flint chalk
paths and flat roads. Interesting terrain
but tough in places. £38, 11 June,
Ludgershall, Wiltshire, runontrails.co.uk
TSUNAMI OCEAN TRAILS
This is a series of runs including the
TSUNAMI 24, a 75-mile trail deliberately
set in the most rugged, wild and remote
section of the North Devon and Cornish
coastline. Expect 5,270 metres of ascent
and a challenging uphill section along the
cobblestones of the iconic Devon village
of Clovelly. Other races also include
TSUNAMI Ultra, a 37.5-mile race with
a 12-hour cut off. £108 for Tsunami 24
Ultra, 17 & 18 June, Castle Bude, North
Devon, puretrail.uk
HEVER CASTLE FESTIVAL
OF ENDURANCE
Ready for a serious challenge?
Choose from several events on offer
including a half, marathon, a 50-mile
ultra and lots of duathlon or triathlon
races. The ticket price also includes a
camping pitch for two at Hever Castle,
the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, a
shuttle to the race start, hot food and a
glass of fizz on completion.
£128 for 50-mile, 3 July, Hever Castle,
Kent, castleraceseries.com
HELLSTONE MARATHON
A challenging trail race in the heart of
Dorset. Expect big hills, big skies and big
views – and a fun, if tough, day’s running.
Canicross, 10K and half also available.
£30 for marathon, 29 May, Dorchester,
hellstone-marathon.co.uk
APRIL 2022 || Women’s Running || 97
 footnotes

Penny
Forse
Penny Forse competed for Team GB in the
No.40

1976 Olympics at the 1500m, and still runs

at the top of her age group today, aged 72

N
ot only did Penny
compete at the
highest level on the
track in the Olympics, she
was also an accomplished
cross-country runner,
placing seventh in
the world in the
1980 World
Champs,
where she
contributed to
a team silver at
the same time.
When Penny
was performing
at the highest
|| Penny ranks
level, the first in the V70,
1,500m was the
longest event
having run
that women of 48.27 at the
the day could Stubbington
compete in at
Olympic level. 10K in
Unlike the January||
athletes of today,
Penny trained while working
full-time, and still managed
to reach the top level in her
sport. While Penny excelled
the most in cross-country
running, challenging
the best women runners
of her day at the World
Championships over several
years, she was also extremely
talented at the marathon,
managing to clock a sub-
three-hour time.
Her love for running
has never stopped. After
she retired from competitive
running, Penny went on
to become a Level Three
performance running coach,
and continued coaching
into her 60s. She has never We love everything about this
stopped being a champion photo of Penny: the grit, the
determination, the bunches,
athlete, and Penny still the bib and the shorts!
ranks second in the British
Masters ranking, Vet
70 category. She also
continues to
compete at the
European and
World Masters
Champion-
ships, and
won the
women’s V65
10K race at the
World Masters
Champion-
ships in Poland
in 2019. This
year, Penny
ranks first in
the V70 10K
in the United
Kingdom,
having run
48.27 at the
Stubbington 10K in January.
She also continues to inspire
women runners on a local
Penny was – and still is – talented
level as she regularly takes on both track and on trails
part in her local parkrun.
Penny’s CV
• 1,500m, 1976 Olympic Games
• 7th, 1980 World Cross
Country Championships
• 3,000m, 1978
Commonwealth Games
• 4th, 2016 World Masters
Championships, Perth, plus team
gold for the W65 XC.
• 4th, 2019 World Masters
Championships in Torun, Poland,
plus team silver W65 XC
Penny has been competing • 1st, 10K, 2019 World Masters
Championships in Torun, Poland
for nearly 50 years!

98 || Women’s Running || APRIL 2022 womensrunning.co.uk

 1- h appy gut !

Love your gut. And the planet.

Each delicious spoonful of Yeo Valley Organic Kefir is alive
with billions of bacteria from 14 different types of live cultures
– all performing in perfect harmony with your gut.

Every pot is made from 100% recycled materials.

So, show a little love to your gut and help put nature first.