Runners World UK

JANUARY 2019 £4.
70
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK
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IN THIS ISSUE JANUARY
2019
REGULARS WARM-UPS HUMAN RACE FEATURES COACH GEAR RACE
BLING THE
HOUSE DOWN
Race medals used to be
sombre items that wound
up in a drawer. But in recent
years, race organisers have
concluded that bling is king
ON THE P11 Drink This To Run Faster P34 Reach Your Peak! The new way P70 All-New Marathon Training
Cactus juice is a succulent to unlock more endurance. You Guide Ace your irst (or fastest)
COVER addition to your nutrition may have to empty your tank… 26.2 using the Hansons Method
Photographer
Sean Lorénz P13 Lean And Fit In Four Minutes P40 Best Shoes And Gear Of 2018 P78 Tight Hips? The one-minute tip
Model Try the Tabata method We choose the best running kit that beats injury and improves
Serdar Kayabali from the last 12 months. It’s your running form
@ Ice Models
Clothing P17 Flu-Proof Your Winter Go for been a very good year
Gore (top), Asics a nice, long run in the cold P82 36 Best Winter Gear Picks
(shorts) Adidas P54 Heavy Medals The rise and Everything you need to stay
(shoes)
P19 Get 17% Stronger In The Bath rise of race bling. It’s getting warm and dry on those cold,
Amazingly, we are not kidding bigger, blingier and heavier wet runs this season
004 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK JANUARY 2019

NO BARRIERS
CULTURAL VALUES
WE’RE ALWAYS
Behold:
Runners with autism
the awesome RUNNING AT
power of fermented food
RUNNERSWORLD.
CO.UK
SPEAKING IN
TECHNICAL TERMS
5 things your running
tech can tell you
P31 By The Numbers Fell-running and why they’re
REGULARS champion Victoria Wilkinson important –
ran up and down Ben Nevis in runnersworld.co.uk/
P08 Rave Run The Isles of Scilly 1:43:01, a new record runningtech
P98 I’m A Runner Chef Steve Drake P33 Q&A Olof Sköld, the man
on the joy of ultras and why his behind Maurten energy
wife thinks he may be mad gels, the choice of
marathon champions
WARM-UPS
FEATURES
P13 Fitness Heel striking is back! ‘Shotgun to the
chest or a long run…
(Did it ever really go away?) let me think,’ p23
P48 Culture Club Fermented foods
to fuel your runs. We’re a RAIN CHECK
P15 Nutrition Protein can aid your cultivated lot here in RW
speed, as well as your recovery The best women’s
P62 Here’s To You, Ms Robinson running rain jackets
P17 Mind+Health How a balancing The amazing story of Betty – runnersworld.co.uk/
act can boost brain power Robinson, the Olympics womenrainjacket
trailblazer who came back
P19 Injury Raise your legs to from the dead to win again
bounce back after a hard run
COACH
HUMAN RACE
P H OTO G R A P H S : G R A N T CO R N E T T ( M E DA L S ), M I C H A E L H E D G E , M I TC H M A N D E L
P77 Kim Pearson How to beat

P23 From One Extreme To The the booze this festive season.
Other Matt Pritchard, former Moderation is key, but we have
TV prankster, is now a superb some tricks that will also help
endurance athlete
GOOD TIMING
P26 Murphy’s Lore Sam warmly RACE
embraces the cold weather. The How to get
cold weather returns the favour P90 The Main Event The Hamburg your hands on a
Marathon cheap Garmin –
P27 Social Movement London City Leap into action, p13 runnersworld.co.uk/
Runners: the club for everyone P92 Route Recce The Wirral Way cheapgarmin
has a smart new HQ Trail Half Marathon
P28 Your World Your pages, your P93 Short Haul/Long Haul The
views, your words Gran Canaria Marathon and
the Bahamas Half Marathon
P30 Tonky Talk Paul used to hate
mantras, until he found one that P94 Start List January races – it’s
was suitably pithy. And rude that time of the year again
JANUARY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 005

Andy Dixon
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
VICKY CHANDLER Subscriptions
Marketing Manager
VICTORIA GREENWOOD EDITOR’S
LETTER
Subscriptions Marketing Executive
JOE MACKIE Deputy Editor SEEMA KUMARI Digital Marketing
KERRY MCCARTHY Director
Commissioning Editor
RICK PEARSON Section Editor
JOHN CARROLL Chief Sub Editor EFFIE KANYUA Head of PR and
Communications I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT
‘Which is BEN BOLTON Deputy Head of
I was one of those runners
WAYNE HANNON Creative Director PR & Communications
your most GEORGIA BLACK PR and who was that bothered about
Communications Executive race medals. I might wear
BEN HOBSON Digital Editor treasured MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
one for a couple of hours
JANE MCGUIRE Deputy Digital media@hearst.co.uk
Editor race medal?’ while having some beers
after a marathon, with the
'The medal from VICTORIA ARCHBOLD Director of
my irst ever Events & Sponsorship, Hearst Live
glow of achievement still
JO PAVEY Contributing Editor
KIERAN ALGER, MARK
race, the Tatton JENNI WHALE Events Executive, present, but once I’ve showered and changed
10K. As well as
BUCKINGHAM, DUNCAN marking the irst Hearst Live it’s usually put away in a shoebox, gradually to
CRAIG, PAUL HALFORD, time I’d ever run be forgotten about.
KEITH HANSON, KEVIN the distance, the
HANSON, LUKE HUMPHREY, medal features ROGER BILSLAND But our feature on page 54 about the rise of
ADRIAN MONTI, DAVID a pair of lufy
sheep – it’s
Production Manager race bling, and the people who love to collect
MORTON, SAM MURPHY, PAUL LOCKETT it, has reminded me that medals clearly do
ewe-nique!’
KIM PEARSON, SAMANTHA Senior Ad Production Controller
REA, ISAAC WILLIAMS
– Philippa Turner matter. They are runners’ badges of honour;
‘The Centurion
totems of all the sweat, efort and discipline
North Downs that it requires to train for and give your best
JAMES WILDMAN CEO Way 50. I have SIMON HORNE SVP/Managing
CLAIRE BLUNT Chief Operating run harder and Director Asia Paciic & Russia in a race. And that’s true whether you keep
Oicer further since, RICHARD BEAN Director of them in a box or hang them proudly from a
but completing
ALUN WILLIAMS Managing my irst ultra
International Licensing and wall. On the wall by the stairs in our house,
Director, Health & Fitness Business Development
remains
KIM ST. CLAIR BODDEN SVP/
my wife and I have framed pictures of some
SURINDER SIMMONS Chief my running
People Oicer highlight.’ Editorial & Brand Director of our most memorable moments – including
SOPHIE WILKINSON Head of – Rick Pearson CHLOE O’BRIEN Deputy Brands our wedding day, our honeymoon and our
Editorial Operations Director
‘My bling from SHELLEY MEEKS Executive
newborn daughter. And there, framed among
CLARE GORMAN Chief
Operations Director the now-defunct Director, Content Services them, is my London Marathon 2013 medal,
Montserrat Half
JUDITH SECOMBE Managing Marathon. It was
the first – and only – time I broke the sub-
Director, Hearst Brand Services 13.1 stunning but three barrier. For me it’s not really about the
JANE SHACKLETON Brand humid and hilly Call our subscription enquiry line on 0844 848
Development Director, miles around 5203 for annual rates for the UK, back issues,
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Health & Fitness the base of an enquiries, change of address and orders. Lines that the medal reminds me if you really
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Marketing Manager
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The medal itself World subscriptions, Hearst Magazines UK Ltd, can achieve things you never previously
is made from Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street,
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the shape of the in life as it is in running.
island.’ RUNNER’S WORLD is published in the UK by
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RAVE RUN
ISLES OF SCILLY,
CORN WA LL
THE EXPERIENCE
The Isles of Scilly
lie 28 miles of the
coast of Cornwall.
Circumnavigating each
of the ive inhabited
islands on the run, and
catching a boat between
them, is a great way
to experience their
wonderful diversity.
AFTER THE RUN
Refuel with a slice of
Scillonian tattie cake,
only available from the
shop on Bryher island.
RUNNER
Jen Benson
PHOTOGRAPHER
Sim Benson
ABOUT
Jen and Sim Benson are
runners, writers and
photographers. RW
readers can buy their
book on Britain’s best
running trails, Wild
Running, for £10
(RRP £16.99), including
UK postage, from
wildrunning.net –
use code RW2018
at the checkout.
SEND YOUR RAVE RUN PICS TO

RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK/
RAVERUN
FITNESS NUTRITION MIND+ INJURY
HEALTH
WARM-UPS
The TIPS YOU NEED to GET UP to SPEED
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : G E T T Y
THERE’S A NEW SPORTS DRINK IN TOWN: cactus found exercise easier. In addition, their
juice. It seems regularly drinking just VO2 max – the maximum rate at which
PRICK UP
150ml of this prickly customer can make your heart and muscles can efectively
you both faster and itter, according use oxygen during exercise – had
to new research. increased, while drinking cactus juice
The study, conducted by the Tunisian also seemed to decrease the muscle
YOUR GEARS National Centre of Medicine and Sports

in Science, found that a daily intake of
cactus juice led to impressive aerobic
improvements over a two-week period.
damage caused by endurance exercise.
Furthermore, the juice works as an
antioxidant, rounding up pesky free
radicals. With cactus juice available from
Spike your drink with cactus juice At the end of the study, the 22 test most supermarkets, maybe it’s time you
for a speed and fitness boost subjects were able to run further and added some succulence to your drinks.

WARM-UPS FITNESS
PICK
UP THE
TABATA
Get fitness results
in minutes
ICE SKATER MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
TARGETS Glutes, core TARGETS Core, upper body
HOW MUCH TIME do you need
to get results from an
Stand with your feet parallel, bend Start in a high plank position, with
exercise session? One
you knees and leap to your right, your hands directly underneath
hour? Thirty minutes?
landing on your right foot and your shoulders. Bring your right
How about a mere four
letting your left leg swing back. knee up towards your chest,
minutes? Numerous
Power through your right leg to leap then take it back to plank as you
studies have shown
back to the left, landing on your left bring the left knee up towards
that Tabata formats –
foot. That’s one rep. Repeat. your chest. Repeat.
20 seconds of maximum
efort, followed by
10 seconds’ rest, repeated
eight times – are brilliant
for burning calories and
boosting itness. Work
your way through two
rotations of this runner-
friendly workout:
SQUAT JUMP BURPEE

TARGETS Glutes, quads, hamstrings TARGETS Whole body
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : M I TC H M A N D E L . I L LU S T R AT I O N S : L I Z Z Y T H O M A S . 1. F O C U S T R A I N I N G .CO M
Begin by standing with your feet From standing, bend your knees,
shoulder-width apart and with crouch and place your hands on the
your toes turned slightly out. loor. Jump your feet out to plank
Lower down into a squat, then and lower your body until your
drive though your legs and into chest touches the loor. Push back
a jump, before landing back in up to plank, jump forward and
a squat. Repeat. straighten up to standing. Repeat.
NOW I’M NO HAPPY LANDINGS – HEEL STRIKING IS BACK Try this

Heel-strikers, rejoice! You are in very ine company. Of the 140 elite runners
EXPERT, BUT… analysed during the men’s and women’s marathons at the 2017 World Athletics
When it comes to running Championships in London, the vast majority landed on their heels. Lesson:
advice, be careful who you rather than worrying about what part of your foot hits the ground irst, focus
listen to. Recent research1 on making sure it lands underneath your body rather than out in front.
has revealed that almost
two-thirds of us have
ofered itness advice to CLEAN SWEEP
friends and family, despite 67% 73% Boot Buddy (£12.99,
having no qualiications in land on heels land on heels bootbuddy.com) is the
this ield. Workplaces are ultimate cleaning device
most susceptible to this 30% 24% for muddy shoes. Simply
kind of advice, with 44 per land on midfoot land on midfoot ill it with warm water,
cent of people saying they squeeze a small amount
share their so-called know-
how with colleagues.
3% 3% over your shoes and scrub
it of with the brush.
land on forefoot land on forefoot

WARM-UPS NUTRITION
Try this
PORK THIS
UNLESS YOU HAPPEN many of us tend to give it
to be a reindeer, you’re during the festive period.
unlikely to emerge from Drinking too much alcohol
BAC FOR GOO the Christmas period can lead to a buildup of
In the food world, there
is bad bacteria and good
bacteria. Bio-tiful Keir
(£1 for 250ml, waitrose.
WAY itter than when it started.
However, according to
research published in the
Journal of the American
fat in the liver, which,
in turn, can lead to liver
damage and/or diabetes.
The nutrient choline,
com) is packed with the Foods with choline can help College of Nutrition, meanwhile, keeps your
good kind. It’s great for during the festive period eating foods high in liver lean. One of its key
your gut and is also high choline, such as pork, roles is to transport fat
in calcium and protein. beef liver, salmon and from the liver to other
eggs can help protect areas of your body, where
your liver from the kicking it can be put to better use.
11%
Reduction in risk of
breast cancer in
women who eat 5.5
pieces of fruit and veg
a day, compared with
those who eat fewer
than 2.5 pieces. 1
WAY TO PRO
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H : J O B E L AW R E N S O N . 1. M E D I C I N E & S C I E N C E I N S P O R T S & E X E R C I S E
A new study1 suggests

protein could help you run
faster as well as recover
and repair. For the study, 5 FOODS HIGH IN CHOLINE
10 participants, in three
groups, ran 20km, 5km, Name Choline per 100g
10km and 20km over four
Egg yolk 682mg
days. The irst group ate a
diet low in protein – 0.94g Beef liver 426mg
per kg of body weight – the Pork 140mg
second, a moderate-protein Prawns 135mg
diet (1.2g per kg) and the Broccoli 40mg
third, a diet high in protein
(1.83g per kg). In a 5km
time trial, the runners on
the high-protein diet were
1.5 per cent faster – about
16 secs – than those who
ate lower amounts,
possibly because they
‘maintained whole-body
protein balance’, says study
author Daniel Moore. This
balance may have been
helpful in maintaining
muscle strength, which
can improve performance.

WARM-UPS MIND+HEALTH
OUTRUN
THE COLD
Winter sessions boost
the immune system SNOW MOBILE
A winter run
can do you the
power of good
TRAINING HARD in winter won’t weaken
the immune system, according to a
new study that challenges received
wisdom.1 The researchers found
endurance exercise actually increases
the number of infection-ighting
T-cells in the blood. In earlier studies,
scientists noted a decline in these
cells in the hours after a workout and
assumed they were being destroyed,
leaving the body more susceptible to
illness. The new study has found they
are simply being moved to areas more
prone to infection, such as the lungs.
Study author Dr John Campbell said,
‘It is increasingly clear that changes
happening to your immune system
after a strenuous bout of exercise
do not leave your body immune-
suppressed. In fact, evidence now
suggests that your immune system
is boosted after exercise.’
The one-legged squat (pictured, left), short-term memory. The researchers

and other similar balancing exercises speculate the beneits are related
BALANCING THE can do more than improve your core to the neural pathways connecting
BODY AND MIND stability. A new study, published the vestibular system (responsible
in Scientific Reports, suggests that for coordination) with the brain
Stand on one leg to practising balancing moves also regions associated with memory and
get a brain boost boosts your brain power. After 12 navigation. Practising balance moves,
weeks of intense balance training, they suggest, strengthens these
test subjects improved not only their pathways, triggering performance-
ability to show of, but also their enhancing beneits in the brain.
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y, M I TC H M A N D E L ( E X E R C I S E )
1 U N I V E R S I T Y O F BAT H 2. S E L K I E S W I M .CO M 3. S C I E N T I F I C R E P O R T S
TOP 5 ACTIVITIES THAT FAVOURITE TIME PREFERRED WAY

RUN BRINGS US JOY MAKE BRITS HAPPY TO BE OUTDOORS OF EXERCISING
More than one in four Britons who enjoy
getting outdoors rate running as the activity
that brings them the most joy, according to a
36%
Autumn/Winter
55%
Alone
recent survey.2 The other activities making up
the top ive (86 per cent) are cycling, hikes/
long walks, wild swimming and mountain 27% 21% 16%
Running Cycling Hikes/long
climbing. Various other outdoor activities walks
share the remaining 14 per cent
In the new survey, 64 per cent of participants
said they prefer exercising in spring/summer
while 36 per cent prefer autumn/winter. In
addition, 55 per cent said they would rather
exercise alone, whereas 45 per cent choose
14%
Wild
8%
Mountain 64% 45%
the company of others when they work out. swimming climbing Spring/Summer With others

WARM-UPS INJURY
EAT AND RUN FOR
STRONGER BONES
Impact injuries such as
IN HOT WATER
stress fractures are all too Turn up the
familiar to runners. While temperature to
strength training can help pick up the pace
build stronger bones, diet
has the biggest impact,
according to a study by
the University of Michigan,
US. Lazier runners will be
chufed to hear a calcium-
rich diet alone beneits
bone strength, even
without exercising. But
before you throw away
your running shoes and
open a packet of cheese,
it’s worth noting that the
bone-strengthening efects
are ampliied when diet
and exercise are combined.
Quick tip
ORDER OF
THE BATH
Soak up the heat to
improve your performance
and boost recovery
AS THE NIGHTS DRAW IN and the

LEGS UP A WALL mercury dips, the prospect of
Lie facing a wall, with your an ice bath becomes even less
bum up against it; extend appealing than it normally is.
your legs up, open your So here’s some news to warm
arms out to the side your cockles: jumping in a hot
and relax. Hold for ive bath might do more to improve
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : M AT T R A I N E Y, G E T T Y 1. U N I V E R S I T Y O F O R E G O N
minutes. This inverted pose your running performance and

2. A M E R I CA N J O U R N A L O F P H YS I O LO GY 3. E U R O P E A N J O U R N A L O F S P O R T S S C I E N C E
aids recovery by draining recovery. In a recent study,1 elite

luids that are pooling steeplechasers soaked in a 40C GO ON, GIVE YOURSELF A BATH-TIME TREAT
in your legs, while also bath for 40 minutes three times
stretching your hamstrings. a week. At the end of the study,
participants had raised levels of
red blood cells – the oxygen-
35
transporting vehicles that make
running feel easier. In another
study,2 participants showed a
17 per cent boost in strength after
11 days of sitting in a heat chamber Kneipp Bath Salt Pukka Herbal Tea Yoga Toes
– a sauna will do – for an hour Crystals Joint £3.29, £36.50,
at a time. Training for a race in Muscle Arnica pukkaherbs.com yogamatters.com
warmer climes? A hot bath can £8.95, No warm bath The majority of
Percentage of weekly help here, too. Scientists from graftonsbeauty.co.uk would be complete shoes cram your
runs that should be the Extremes Research Group at Get more from without a nice cup toes together.
Bangor University found a postrun your postrun soak of tea. Opt for Undo some of
done in minimalist hot soak on six consecutive days by adding Kneipp’s Pukka’s green their bad work
shoes for stronger helped athletes acclimatise to arnica-infused bath variety for a with Yoga Toes,
running in the heat and helped salts to the water. runner-friendly hit a toe spacer
calves and feet, them to take an impressive Arnica is an anti- of nutrients and you can wear
according to a study. 3
4.9 per cent of their 5K time. inlammatory. antioxidants. in the bath.

LONDON CITY RUNNERS p27 THE FUEL OF CHAMPIONS p33
HUMAN( )RACE
NEWS, VIEWS, TRENDS and ORDINARY RUNNERS doing EXTRAORDINARY THINGS
FROM
ONE
EXTREME
TO THE
OTHER
Matt Pritchard has
always enjoyed pushing
boundaries, but now the
co-creator of TV prank
show Dirty Sanchez has
swapped on-camera
punishment for
ultra-endurance sport

H R
LONG-DISTANCE
DEVOTEES
THREE OTHER UNLIKELY CONVERTS
TO THE JOYS OF GOING LONG
‘ WITH ANYTHING I DO, I LIKE TO PUSH MYSELF has a 10K PB of
AS FAR AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE’ meets.

34:54. He has said
that a sub-3:00
marathon and
running with the
G EO RG E W. B U S H fastest Kenyans are
'HAVING A SHOTGUN and I needed something It’s just the latest in a
In 1993, the future on his bucket list.
fired at me from point- else that was going to give long list of endurance
President of the
blank range – that was me a buzz.’ challenges that’s earned
United States ran
pretty painful. It went With his stunt days Pritchard sponsorship
the Houston
a bit wrong, because some behind him, Pritchard from HOKA One One.
Marathon in
of the pellets went through wondered if he could do He has completed, among
3:44:52. ‘If the
the bulletproof vest and what he’d done years other staggering feats, a
President of the
into my arm,’ says Matt before. ‘When I was 15,’ 900-mile run from John
United States can FLE A
Pritchard, with the silly-me he says, ‘my mother asked O’Groats to Land’s End, a
make the time [to The Red Hot Chilli
nonchalance of someone if I wanted to enter the triple Ironman, the London
run], anyone can,’ Peppers’ bassist
remembering they left the Cardiff Half Marathon. She Marathon, dressed in a
he told RW in 2002. told RW: ‘As a
bathroom light on. promised to buy me some mankini (naturally), 30 half
musician I'm about
Given the Cardiff man’s decent trainers – some Ironmans in 30 days and
expressing what's
former live-fast lifestyle, Hi-Tec Silver Shadows – if numerous ultramarathons.
inside and I think
it’s perhaps understandable I completed it. We didn’t ‘With anything I do, I like
everyone has a song
that he’s not overly moved have a lot of money when I to push myself as far as is
in them that they
by that particular near- was growing up, so that was humanly possible,’ he says.
need to get out,
death experience. The a big deal, and I said, “Yeah, ‘I don’t know why, I think
RO N N I E whatever their
skateboarder-turned-TV- definitely!” It wasn’t until that’s just in my genes. I
O ’ S U LLIVAN gig is. And with
prankster was, for almost I was in my mid-30s – when swapped the partying for
One of the best running, my body
10 years, one quarter I wanted to get back into long-distance events. I love
snooker players of has another way to
of Dirty Sanchez, the late- shape – that I thought, “I the battle between your
all time, O’Sullivan express itself.’
night TV prank show that wonder if I could still run a mind and your body – it’s
involved three Welshmen half marathon.” So I started a constant fight to stop
and one Englishman doing training for the Cardiff Half
painful and stomach- again and I haven’t looked
churning stunts. Google back. There’s something
the show and you can find about running that I really
a list of the most popular like – I think it’s the
episodes, which include runner’s high.’
stunt names of the cryptic
(‘Johnny Cash’) and Ronseal NO HALF MEASURES
variety (‘Sandpaper arse’, Given his propensity for
‘Naked paintball’ and pushing his body to its
‘Barbed wire hurdles’). limit, it’s understandable
The show, which aired on that Pritchard turned to
MTV (and, later, C4) from endurance sport. What is
2003 to 2008, reached a surprising is just how far
level of success far beyond his willingness to endure
what any of the group could has taken him.
have hoped for, and even ‘I’m currently filming a
led to Dirty Sanchez: the documentary for the BBC
Movie. However, after a [about his journey from
decade of punishment and Dirty Sanchez to endurance
partying, Pritchard’s athlete] and as part of that
willingness to jump naked I set myself a challenge,’ he
into bushes of stinging says. ‘Starting in September,
nettles, or repeatedly bash I swam from Cardiff to
himself on the leg with a Porthcawl, which is about
meat tenderiser, began to 50 miles. I then cycled the
wane. ‘Doing 10 years of coast of Wales, which is
that, with the partying on 700 miles, before running
top of it, took its toll,’ says 180 miles back to Cardiff
the 45-year-old. ‘I’ve got in time for the Cardiff Half
no regrets at all about any on October 7. I did it all in
of it, but it was just time 14 days, so I was on the go
to do something different constantly.’

PORTFOLIO
OF PAIN
MATT PRITCHARD LISTS HIS
THREE MOST PAINFUL DIRTY
SANCHEZ MOMENTS, ALONG-
SIDE HIS THREE TOUGHEST
ENDURANCE CHALLENGES
DIRTY SANCHEZ
1. ‘ SAN D PAPE R ARS E ’
Pritchard was dragged naked
along a mat of grip tape,
before having salt and vinegar
poured onto his wounds.
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : T H E O M C I N N E S P H OTO G R A P H Y LT D, G E T T Y
2 . HAVIN G A S H OTG U N
F I R E D AT H I M
Pritchard was wearing a
bulletproof vest, but some
shot pierced the material
and went into his arm. The
cameraman then informed a
dazed Pritchard that he had
forgotten to press play.
Matt Pritchard (far right) and the other members of Dirty Sanchez, from a time when a nice, long
run was not high on the agenda; and (left) new life, new idea of enjoyment and achievement
3. ' S TINGY NET TLE S '

yourself from giving in and that was pretty tough,’ he challenges is one thing, but
Pritchard and the other
giving up.’ says lightly. Pritchard also credits
members of the team jumped
That love of continually Such a turnaround in running, specifically, with
naked into a bush of stinging
pushing his physical and life may seem extreme, improving his general
nettles, which he describes as
mental boundaries is but even at the peak of wellbeing. ‘I was at a point
‘like taking a bad acid tab and
reflected by his recollection his partying, fitness was where my mental health
enduring 10 hours of hell’.
of the 30-day run from never an issue. ‘I’ve been was suffering,’ he says. ‘But
John O’Groats to Land’s skateboarding since I was running has helped with
End, which he describes as 15, so I’ve always been that massively. Any kind of
being both ‘hard work, pretty fit,’ he says. It was exercise makes me happier ENDURANCE
man, really f****** hard only when Dirty Sanchez in general, hence why I do 1. JOHN O’G ROATS
work’, and also ‘absolutely started that everything so much of it, but there’s TO L AN D’ S E N D
amazing’. He adds, ‘I think took a back seat, but I’ve something about running, A 900-mile run from one
we did about 30 miles a always had that base level in particular, that lifts your end of the UK to the other
day. A week and a half of fitness.’ mood big time.’ in 30 days.
in, my body was a mess – Pritchard also credits
I could hardly run. But it’s PAIN AND GAIN a switch to veganism and 2 . TR I PLE I RO N MAN
amazing what your body Pritchard also credits giving up booze as making Pritchard inished third at the
can handle, because after skateboarding with aiding him feel ‘so much healthier’, 2016 Enduroman, an ultra-
that I just kept running his endurance in another although he’s quick to add, distance triathlon involving a
and pushed past that pain sense: ‘I’ve spent a lot of ‘Don’t get me wrong, 7.2-mile swim, 336-mile cycle
barrier, and then it became time falling onto hard vegans can still eat shit, and 76.8-mile run.
really easy. By the end, concrete, and obviously believe me.’
I was running effortlessly. there was a lot of pain So what do his mates 3. 3 0 HALF IRO N MAN S
When you’re in that zone involved with Dirty and former Dirty Sanchez I N 3 0 DAYS
and you find the flow, Sanchez, so I think having co-stars make of ‘Matt, In early 2016, Pritchard set
it’s amazing.’ those experiences probably the endurance athlete’? a world record when he
Less effortless, perhaps, helped my endurance. In a ‘When I tell them I’m completed a half Ironman
but equally impressive, weird kind of way, though, going on an 80-mile run, (swam 1.2 miles, cycled 56
was the triple Ironman I quite like feeling the pain or whatever it may be, they miles and ran 13.1 miles) every
Pritchard completed in during a race – that feeling just say, “There’s something day for 30 days. He broke a
2016 – 54 continuous of pushing yourself as hard wrong with you.” But rib on day nine when he was
hours of gruelling exercise as you can go.’ they’re my mates and they blown of his bike, but he
that included 78.6 miles of The all-conquering sense can see that it makes me refused to give up.
running. ‘The run was of achievement that comes happy, so they’re fully
around a one-mile loop, so with completing these supportive of it.’

Murphy’s Lore
BY SAM MURPHY
WINTER IS COMING – BUT IT’S

RELIABLY FOLLOWED BY SPRING
of running after dark over snow that
illuminates everything as brightly as
if it were daytime.
I also have a suspicion that winter
running makes us stronger. I’ve been
holding beginners’ courses at my
running group for the last four years
WHAT SAM... – one in January and one in June
– and I’ve noticed there are many
Ran more of the winter starters still
The 1066 Trail – running with us now than there are
following the of the summer contingent. Perhaps
footsteps of turning out for your first-ever run
William the on a bone-chilling January morning
Conqueror on builds fortitude and resilience to help
the 32-mile East you stay the course.
Sussex trail over Legendary runner Emil Zátopek
two days. once said: ‘There is a great advantage
in training under unfavourable
Tasted conditions. It is better to train under
bad conditions, for the difference is
Dr Gus bone
then a tremendous relief in a race.’
tea, an organic
That’s undoubtedly true, but even
bone broth
without a race firmly in your sights,
T
(drgusnutrition.
conquering the trials of running on
co.uk). It's my
he trees are bare, their branches etched black against a pale icy pavements or six inches of snow
new favourite
grey sky. My breath appears in little puffs as I run, my feet through northerly winds and sub-
postrun winter
crunching softly on frost-dusted grass. It feels a lifetime zero temperatures has its rewards.
warmer.
ago when I could get my running attire on in two minutes Cold as I am when I step out for
flat. Shorts, vest, shoes – go. Now it’s long sleeves, long this morning’s run, I finish toasty,
tights, base layers, hats, gloves and waterproofs, the
Organised stripping down to my T-shirt for
donning of which leaves plenty of time for second thoughts. A running-gear my cool-down and stretch before
I run past an overgrown pond and remember how in the swap shop. It’s a heading home. Passers-by wrapped
summer, Morris, my terrier, refused to pass it without great way to find up to the gills shiver as they clock
getting in up to his shoulders to cool off and lap up some of a new home for my bare arms and I think how
its murky-looking water. Now it’s coated in a dull layer of ice. It’d be easy to feel your unwanted empowering it is to have created
dispirited about such a state of affairs – how many months until spring? – but kit and update this heat through physical effort –
instead it serves to remind me of the impermanence of everything in nature, your own running my own version of a Ready Brek
the relentless cycle of change. I say ‘in nature’, but impermanence affects every wardrobe. You glow that will bolster me for the
aspect of our lives – health, relationships, running plans. No matter how good could also donate rest of the day and remind me that
or bad today is, tomorrow will be different. The day after that, different again. to ReRun, a I’m strong and capable.
I see it as a reason to find the joys of running in every season, rather than company that There will, I know, be a lot of car
hurrying time along. To revel as much in the stillness that rests upon the sells pre-loved windscreens to scrape and socks to
landscape in winter as in the new buds and birdsong that announce spring. kit, with profits dry on the radiator before this winter
A survey of more than 6,000 runners (The National Runner Survey, 2017) going to is through, but, just as the endless
found that winter was the least popular season for running – only 10 per cent the running days of last summer now feel like a
preferred running at that time of year. (Autumn was the most favoured season, community. Visit distant memory, it too shall pass. It’s
I L LU S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I
followed by spring.) I get it – winter running can be testing. Pavements slick rerunclothing.org the way of things. Relish it now, and
with black ice; once-firm trails turned to puddle-pocked mud; dark mornings you’ll soon be piling those bobble hats
and still-darker evenings; air so cold that it stings the back of your nose and into a box marked ‘winter gear’ and
makes your eyes water. But once I’ve got over overdressing, ending up with so opening the door to spring.
many layers tied round my waist that I look like a mobile cloakroom, I can
derive a lot of pleasure from my winter runs. Having the deserted beach to
myself, spotting the streak of a ginger fox loping across a frosty field, the thrill www.sam-murphy.co.uk

SOCIAL
NT
MOVEME
RUNNING
THE CITY
Community club London
City Runners has proven
to be a capital idea
THE RUNNING CLUB London FIVE KEY

City Runners (LCR) has come MOMENTS
a long way since May 2010, when IN LCR’S
a half-dozen runners would meet HISTORY
at founder Tim Navin-Jones’ lat,
drop of their stuf and head out 1. May 2010
for a run around the capital. LCR is founded in
Fast-forward eight years: the Tim’s lat. ‘Within
club now has hundreds of members, two months we
holds three weekly running sessions outgrew my lat
and recently had its shiny new and moved to
headquarters opened by Brendan a nearby pub,
Foster, long-distance legend and which acted as a
founder of the Great North Run. base,’ says Tim.
At the same time, in important
ways, the club hasn’t changed at all: 2. June 2012
it’s still free, friendly and open to LCR organises
everyone. This ethos means that, to a 10K race in
its members, LCR has become much Southwark Park.
more than a means of getting it. It’s started by
‘The club has been responsible for (Top to bottom) London City Runners’ routes take in iconic sights such as Tower Bridge; the local MP.
nine marriages and three babies,’ Tim and Kerry in the club’s smart and decidedly trendy new headquarters
says Tim, who runs the club with 3. January 2018
his partner, Kerry. ‘It’s a non-cliquey ‘We started
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : S O U M YA C H AT TO PA D H YAY, H A R R Y K E N YO N
atmosphere. We have everyone ‘We had people scrubbing the Natascha Starr joined LCR two generating an
from opera singers to binmen – and walls, doing the carpentry, teaching years ago, when she moved to income for the
we stress the point that it doesn’t us how to run a bar – the goodwill London from California. ‘I wanted to club by launching
matter how fast you run, so long as has been incredible,’ says Kerry. meet new people and get back into our couch to 5K
you enjoy it.’ As well as being the meeting running, and LCR was conveniently programme,’
Having spent years meeting in place for the club’s weekly sessions, located and so welcoming,’ she says Tim.
the back rooms of a succession of the run-cafe has also been hosting says. ‘Most of my London friends
pubs, LCR inally opened its own inspiring talks from the likes of have come through LCR – I think 4. June 2018
headquarters this year. Set in a parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt. that’s typical of a lot of people that The location is
railway arch in Bermondsey, south The ambition, says Tim, is for it to have joined the club.’ chosen and
London, it’s the capital’s irst become a hub for all things running- Will Dupre believes the new digs decorating
dedicated running cafe. Tim poured related. ‘When people think about have taken the club to a diferent begins. ‘The
his life savings into it, while many of running, and think about a place level. ‘It just makes you feel really community came
the club’s members also donated they want to talk about running, proud as a member to have your together,’ says
sizeable sums to make it a reality. I want them to think about this club.’ own space,’ he says. ‘It’s rare for a Kerry. ‘We
community club to have something crowdfunded
like this.’ As for his favourite session? £16,000.’
‘Intervals on a Thursday. It’s just
‘ THE CLUB HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR banging round the Bermondsey
Spa Gardens, a 333-metre concrete
5. July 2018
The venue is
NINE MARRIAGES AND THREE BABIES’ track. It’s bad for your knees but
good for your training!’
opened by
Brendan Foster.

YO U R
WORLD
SNAP CHAT
LETTER OF THE MONTH
#WHATIFOUND
BABY BOON
Pregnancy
did not stop
Danielle
NO PREGNANT PAUSE We asked for snaps of the best/
I ran through both my pregnancies, but not strangest objects you’ve found
everyone approved. Drivers stopped me while running. You softies
in the street, asserting ‘You shouldn’t run
in your condition’. I sought advice from
the Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists, and the Olympic Medical
Institute, who told me it was not harmful
if I didn’t overheat and kept my heart rate
below around 165 bpm. At six months,
I saw the Burnham Beeches Relay and
Fun Run had a prize for ‘Most Pregnant
Runner’; I couldn't resist! Running through
pregnancy harmed neither myself nor my
children – now a lawyer, a doctor and a
civil servant, respectively. Training through
pregnancy probably also beneited my
running. Four months after giving birth to
my irst child, I took four mins of my 10-mile
PB; two months later I won the County
Cross Country Championships. I went on This little lady. Now safe and well in a
to represent England or GB 21 times. hedgehog sanctuary.
Danielle Sanderson, London – Barossa D’Arton
FEEL THE POWER to themselves. After my twins were

Thanks very much for including the born, I went back to running after
article about Sophie Power this about 12 weeks. As I stood on the
month (Enduring Love, December start line of the Inverness Half in
2018). When I saw the images of March this year, I thought to myself,
her feeding her baby during the ‘How many other mothers with
Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) eight-and-a-half-month-old twins
back in September, I found it so are running here?’. Like Sophie,
inspiring. It spoke volumes about my twins are breastfed and they
what mothers can and will do for are thriving. They are learning that
their children while still being true Mummy runs just as Daddy does,
and when they are older they can
do it too. Thanks for showcasing
real-life inspirational women. It is Found this one while running down
THE POLL so motivating! a hill in Kos, Greece.
Polly Tandy, via email – Paula Mallon Boon
Which one of these best describes
your winter running outit?*
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
After buying Runner’s World this
month, I was inspired to write in
because I thought my story might
inspire others to believe that
ALWAYS VEST anything is possible. Just over
MORE LAYERS AND SHORTS a year ago, in 2017, I was a total

non-runner. In September of that
THAN AN ONION 21% year, I agreed to run a 10K with a
couple of ladies from my gym. I was
31% relatively it, and they promised a
gin and tonic when we inished.
When we arrived, it turned out the
10K run was up a Cornish clif, along
HAT AND GLOVES the coast path. With a mixture of A piggy bank.
running and walking I inished this – Lynda Breen
48% incredibly hilly hard run. I was
elated – with my medal and also
with my postrace gin and tonic. Next month: #MagicMoment. Show us
Since then I’ve said, ‘yes’ every your proudest running moment from 2018

H R
time they’ve suggested another to be made easily and quickly,
challenge. Running does not come which I’m sure a lot of your readers
naturally. I don’t have the build for will have had problems with in
it, really, but with training and the the past.
FEELING CUT OFF
belief that all you’ve got to do is Nick Brian, via email
Is Andrew Prescott for real? [Andrew
keep moving forwards, I’ve now
argued in favour of cut-of times
run a road marathon, have my irst
in last month's Big Debate.] I was
trail ultra in December and found MAGIC MILE
expecting to run the London
out last week I’ve got a ballot place At the start of the year, Runner’s
Marathon in about 4:30 this year
in the greatest marathon in the World ran an interesting article
but I got it a bit wrong on the day
world – London. Rachel: inspired and about the Mile Shy Club (Running
and inished in 5:27. I still felt very
Rachel Brown, via email inspiring others on the Shy, April 2018), which is
proud at the end, especially when
aimed at helping those with no, or
I realised there were about 10,000
SETTING AN EXAMPLE limited, running experience to
runners still behind me. That’s a lot
I have three children (Lily, 21; Maxim, complete a 5K. The article inspired
of runners missing his 5:30 cut-of
19; and Hugh, 14). With each of my me to contact the club founder and
time. The marshals on the day were
pregnancies, I ran until around the I have since established a club for
incredible and I didn't see anybody
sixth month and I also swam the beginners in Nottingham. During
who was in a hurry to leave.
day before each of them was born. the last few months, the club has
Craig Allen, Gloucester
Running absolutely saw me through grown steadily and some of the
my pregnancies and through those members recently completed their
early weeks of being a new mother irst parkrun. I would encourage any This Big Debate sparked
to each of them. It is diicult to other runners out there to establish passionate responses on
express the considerable diference a club in their home town or city. both sides. We’d love to
it made in my ability to manage my Ben Cook, Nottingham say more but we’re out of time...
new life as a mother and with each
new, wonderful child. Running gave
me headspace, energy, strength and
a sense of control when everything
else often seemed out of control. WE ASK, YOU ANSWER
I was not foolish; I did listen to my
body but I also had to block away
negative comments about what I
was doing. WHAT’S THE WORST NAVIGATIONAL
Geraldine Clarke, via email
It’s great to see that

ERROR YOU’VE MADE WHILE RUNNING?
Sophie’s achievements
at the UTMB have been ‘Am I the only person husband. A nice man ‘Dark Skies Marathon
met with such a positive response. who once got lost in a canoe held my 2016. The organiser
She’s an inspiration. running along a phone while I swam said no-one had ever
canal?’ across.’ got lost: all you need
Running gives – Lou Drinkald – Jane van to do is keep the
TRANSFERABLE LESSONS Geraldine the Soest-Smith biggest man-made
This year, because I was retiring space she needs ‘Found myself running lake in Europe on your
in July, I decided that my overseas third in a triathlon – ‘Cappadocia Ultra right. I got lost.’
target race would be the Palma when I accidentally Trail. Took a wrong – George Stainsby
* BAS E D O N A N O N L I N E R W P O L L O F 2 4 8 R E A D E R S . P H OTO G R A P H : G E T T Y ( PA I N T BA L L )
Half Marathon in October. However, joined the race. The turn with less than a
in August an injury severely reduced crowd was confused mile to go. Got really
my race aspirations, so I contacted when I went straight lost and ended up
the event organisers by email to and the real racers with a DNF at mile 80
see if I could transfer from the Half turned.’ of a 74-mile ultra.’
to the 10K. The same day they – Steve Orton – Lee Shannon
replied and said that was OK and
would even refund the entry-cost ‘Tail running at ‘Running up a road
diference. When I then conirmed Coppett Hill fell race. on GPS that wasn’t
this, the transfer and refund was Got left behind, got a road – and straight
completed very quickly. This is a big lost and ended up into a paintball
lesson for many UK race organisers jumping in the River game that was
that demonstrates there is no good Wye to get to the just starting.’
reason for such entry changes not other side to meet my – Stephen Birkett
WHAT’S INSPIRED, IMPRESSED OR, PERHAPS, ANNOYED YOU LATELY ABOUT RUNNING OR RUNNERS? THE WRITER
OF THE WINNING EMAIL OR LETTER RECEIVES A PAIR OF SAUCONY TRIUMPH ISO 5S, WORTH £140
RUNNER’S WORLD, Unit 9, Apollo Business Centre, Trundleys Road, Deptford, London SE8 5JE
Email letters@runnersworld.co.uk Tweet @runnersworlduk Facebook runnersworlduk

Tonky Talk
BY PAUL TONKINSON
COMETH THE HOUR,

COMETH THE MANTRA
unsuitable for an inspirational poster.
As I’m fond of saying, we are an
experiment of one. You have to find
this stuff out yourself. My mantra is
punchy, aggressive. It makes me
excited to say it, yet fills me with
determination at the same time.
YOU KNOW… My friend and fellow podcaster
Rob Deering is a gentle soul and a
…you’re over-
strong runner. Rob had been looking
thinking things
for a mantra for years, and he’d tried
when you stop
other ones to little effect. But when
at a pedestrian
running the Yorkshire Marathon
crossing and
a few months ago he settled on
start running
‘Everything is green, all systems
on the spot as
are go.’ At first, this seemed almost
you wait for the
comically overelaborate to me, but it
lights to change.
made sense to Rob. Indeed, the more
Then you stop,
he talked about it, the more I liked it.
because you
It’s a quote from one of his favourite
think you look
films, Capricorn One. For Rob, it keyed
silly. Then you
in to the sense he has of efficiency
start again,
when running long distances, the
because you’re
idea of the human body as a smoothly
T
beginning to
regulated machine, and it also suits
cool down. Then
here have been a few ideas that I’ve come to slowly as a runner, his metronomic running style.
you stop again
notions that, if embraced earlier, would have made my life Basically, he cracked it mantra-wise
because you still
slightly easier. The halfway point in the marathon, for instance and it propelled him to a great run.
look silly. Then
– for years I laboured under the illusion that this was reached Now he’s finally found a mantra
night falls and it’s
at 13.1 miles. I know – lunacy. The event is far less confusing that works, I can see it’s slightly
time to go home.
now that I know beyond doubt that halfway in the marathon changed his relationship with running.
is the 20-mile point. Similarly, once I dropped my childish That’s the other thing a good mantra
…it’s time to
aversion to gels I found myself running stronger for longer. gives you; it keys in to the root causes
throw out some
I was the same when it came to mantras: when old pros of your motivation for running itself.
of your more
used to talk to me about their necessity, my eyes would glaze For me, it arose as a child. It was an
malodorous kit
over. What’s the big deal? I’d think: just run. How hard can it be? The answer, act of ego, will, a way of exerting
when you open
of course, is that it can get very hard and for those moments you need a mantra. control in a life that was a tad chaotic.
the drawer where
For me, mantras are for the special events, the big race. It’s a glorious day of For Rob it’s the joy in using his body
you keep it and
self-created drama in which we are the main players. We must prepare for the well, the wondrous feeling of being
all the moths
role thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned in our quest for excellence. We do in the zone, the lovely ticking over
are dead.
the training, eat the broccoli, rest up and on the day we run hard. About three you get in the middle of a good run.
quarters of the way in, if we’ve done everything right, we will be knackered So then, have I convinced you to
…you’re too keen
and engaged in a battle to maintain, or even increase, pace, our mind an inferno get one? Good. Try it out at the next
on core work
of contradictory urges. Slow down! Speed up! Ease off for a few strides. No, big race. And good luck. Run well.
when you insist
push! And all the while the central governor in our brains is remonstrating: we Remember – everything is green,
on wearing a
have got just enough energy to get to the finish; don’t disobey me by accelerating. all systems are go.
crop top to a
This is the drama you signed up for. And it is at this very second you need a And if other people don’t like your
I L LU S T R AT I O N : P I E TA R I P O S T I
job interview.
strong mantra. A guiding light in the darkness. A bolt of reason amid the chaos. mantra, use mine: F**k ‘em!
What exactly is a mantra? I would describe it as a short phrase or bundle of
words that, when uttered out loud, inspires you. Again, everybody is different.
Some people like meditative mantras. Others go for a fiery message. Simple is Check out Paul and fellow comedian Rob
best. You don’t want to spend too much energy thinking about what your Deering's running podcast, Running
mantra means midrace. It has to unify your conscious and subconscious mind. Commentary - available on iTunes and
It has to be meaningful to you and, as such, it’s highly personal and might be Acast. @RunComPod

YOU’RE
H R
!
AMA ZING BY THE NUMBERS
VICTORIA
GENE DYKES
A sub-3:00 marathon
WILKINSON
40, CUMBRIA, SET A NEW RECORD IN THE BEN NEVIS RACE
at 70. And he's got the
record in his sights
Victoria Wilkinson is oicially the fastest woman to run to the highest point
in the UK and back down again. In September, the Bingley Harrier, 40, broke the
Running a sub-3:00 marathon is an long-standing record at the Ben Nevis Race. Wilkinson covered the 8.7-mile distance,
enormous achievement at any age, but which includes 4,411ft (1,345m) of climb, in 1:43:01. The two-time British Fell Running
to do so at the age of 70 is extraordinary. champion says, ‘I’m proud. Pauline Haworth [the previous record holder] was a fantastic
So we dof our caps in the direction of runner, a legend of the sport, who was fast on the climb, the descent and on the road.
US runner Gene Dykes, who clocked A lot of very strong women have raced on “The Ben” but not beaten her time, so I was dead
a superb time of 2:55:18 at the recent chufed to get it.’ Surprisingly, it was the irst time she had been to the top of the mountain.
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront
Marathon. As quick as he was, his still
isn’t the fastest marathon time by a
1:43:01
septuagenarian. That honour belongs
to British-born Canadian Ed Whitlock,
who ran 2:54:48 in 2004, also in
Toronto (Whitlock died in 2017, aged
86). Dykes now has that time in his
sights. ‘Ed didn’t set that record until
he was 73 so I have three years to VICTORIA’S WINNING TIME. ‘I GOT TO THE TOP IN 1:07, SO I HAD SOME TIME IN THE BAG’
improve,’ he says. ‘I don’t have anything
against [Ed] personally. But goals are
4,411ft 1992
goals. Just missing by 30 seconds, I’m
contemplating my options now to give
it another go.’
Year in which Victoria wore her irst GB

vest. She’s represented her country in
COURTNEY
HEIGHT OF BEN NEVIS either running or cycling every year since
DAUWALTER
Round and round, she
went, for 67 hours
Think your running route is repetitive?

34
WO R D S : R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : GW Y N F O R JA M E S /S P O R T P I C T U R E S CY M R U.CO.U K , TO D D F R AS E R
Then spare a thought for Courtney

Dauwalter. The American ultrarunner
ran 279.2 miles around the same Previous NUMBER OF YEARS THE
4.1-mile loop in October. The reason? times Victoria PREVIOUS RECORD
She was taking part in the Big Dog had run the race HAD STOOD
Backyard Ultra, perhaps the world’s
cruellest race. The rules are simple: the
30
race is over when only one runner is left
standing. Dauwalter outlasted all but
one of the men. ‘The format is set up
in such a way that you can really chase Number of runners
after your limit,’ she says, by way of Number of years at this year’s event.
explaining why anyone would choose Victoria has kept a Victoria inished
to take part in such a race. ‘You've got running diary 38th overall
to be conident in yourself and your
ability to keep going and then just be
8.7 1895
willing to keep putting one foot in front
of the other.’ Dauwalter says she was
OK until the 200-mile mark – aren’t we
all? – but then things became more and The distance in
more diicult. She was outlasted by miles from the start Year of irst timed
the indomitable Swede Johan Steene to the inish ascent and descent
– but the joke is really on him. Steene’s
‘prize’ for winning is a place on the
24
start line of the Barkley Marathons, a NUMBER OF SECONDS VICTORIA SLICED
race so tough that only 15 runners have OFF THE PREVIOUS RECORD. ‘I KNEW IT
completed it in its 33-year history. WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE,’ SHE SAYS
Victoria is an Inov-8 athlete JANUARY 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 031

H R
ROCKET FUEL Marathon world record holder

Eliud Kipchoge with Maurten CEO Olof Sköld
Where did the for a big marathon

idea for Maurten – we couldn’t do that
come from? at the moment.
We started the
company because But could the
a friend of mine, the product help us
triathlete Mårten mere mortals, too?
Fryknäs (from whose Yes. If you are a four-
name the product hour marathoner
came) wanted to compared to a two-
create something that hour marathoner,
was better for the you need more carbs
body and easier to because you’re
tolerate. We analysed running longer. We
64 companies in the have received so
US and Europe and many emails from
found all of them people who have run
essentially had the marathon PBs, some
same product, albeit of them taking 40
varying in colours and minutes from their
flavours. Maurten is previous time.
diferent. It allows
people to run a What’s your
marathon using 100g relationship with
per hour in carb Eliud Kipchoge like?
uptake, which hasn’t I’ve met him a few
been done before. times during races
and other activities.
Do you think you’re Eliud is an inspiration
revolutionising – both as an athlete
marathon running? and as a person. His
I’m Swedish so I’m not mindset is unique,
good at saying ‘yes’ to something that he has
that, but I believe we shown during races,
Q&A are making history. but also when he’s
Fourteen major not in competition.
OLOF SKÖLD marathon winners in

a row have used our
product. That’s just
Maurten was closely
involved with Nike’s
Runner’s World meets the man behind Maurten, the anecdotal, you could Breaking2 project.
say, but we are not When do you think
product fuelling the world’s fastest marathoners sponsoring the we’ll see a human
athletes – they use run below two hours
the products because for the marathon?
WHEN ELIUD KIPCHOGE took a massive 78 seconds off the world they see a diference. It’s an impossible
marathon record at the Berlin Marathon in September, much was question, but I think,
made of what was on his feet, the lauded Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% Flyknit. Are you planning to in some ways, we
Less was made about what was in his drinks bottle: Maurten. take it to the masses have already proved
WO R D S : PAU L H A L F O R D. P H OTO G R A P H : JAS O N S UA R E Z
And it’s not just Kipchoge who’s using the stuff, either. The winners of and get it into that it is possible. In
14 consecutive World Marathon Major events used Maurten for their big-city marathons? Berlin, without having
midrace fuelling, including Sir Mo Farah during his Chicago win in October. We are focused on pacers for 20km,
Perhaps most tellingly, while Kipchoge and co are paid handsome sums by the elite and the Eliud showed the
their shoe sponsors, they are choosing to use Maurten purely because they sub-elite right now. world that humans
think it works. We are a start-up are almost without
So what’s so remarkable about it? While traditional gels are water and company, still quite limitation. We have
carbohydrates mixed into syrups, Maurten is a hydrogel, which is easily small. Our drinks cost come a long way in
absorbed by the body and can be packed with carbs (allowing for up to so much more to achieving this goal,
100g of uptake an hour) and all without, the manufacturers say, any of the produce than a but it’s very diicult
possible gut irritations associated with a high volume of carb intake. It’s a normal sports drink, to say when it will
little more expensive than a standard gel – 12 gels will set you back about as it needs to be far happen, only that
€40.32 (£35.35) at maurten.com – but not bank-breakingly so. RW caught up more controlled. To I’m quite sure it
with Olof Sköld, the chief executive of Maurten, to find out more. make all that happen will happen.

FA S T E D R U N N I N G
Can running with nothing in the

tank give you the edge when it
comes to endurance? RW tells the
fuel story of running on empty

It’s a relatively painless and effective
way to reduce your body’s available
glycogen – the stored sugars (usually
provided by carbohydrates) that are
converted into energy to fuel our
muscles. Depleting that carb
availability forces the body to tap into
your body’s alternative – and much
larger – energy reserve: fat. Free fatty
acids in our blood and liver can be
%
converted to usable energy. This
process is known as gluconeogenesis,
which, as McGregor explains, ‘quite
simply translates as the “production
of new glucose” – it is the body’s
ability to produce glucose from
INCREASED GLYCOGEN-
non-carbohydrate sources such as STORAGE CAPACITY
lactate, glycerol and amino acids.’ In AFTER EARLY-MORNING
short, by training in a fasted state you FASTED EXERCISE
can increase your body’s options when
it comes to finding energy.
regime, favoured by most runners,
the body will get used to preferentially
FUEL EFFICIENT using carbs as an energy source’,
BEFORE WE GO on, a quick word on explains Don Maclaren, emeritus
carbohydrates and why, for many professor of sports nutrition at
runners, they reign supreme. Once Liverpool John Moores University.
eaten, carbs are quickly and easily In other words, carbohydrate becomes
broken down into the aforementioned indispensable. And there lies the great
sugars – one of which is glucose lure of fasted running: by training your
(aka blood sugar) –
which provide
your body with a
readily available form
of energy. ‘The body
Fo r m o s t p e o p l e , t h e n ,
ny runner familiar with early-morning
alarm calls knows there’s a unique joy
requires less oxygen
to burn carbohydrate ‘ o ve r n i g h t ’ f a s t s i m p l y
to be had from rolling out of bed and as compared to
hitting your stride. Once you overcome
the initial bleary-eyed struggle with
protein or fat,’ says
McGregor, ‘so mea ns our usua l sleep
consciousness and the intense urge to carbohydrate is
dive back under the duvet, a serene considered the body’s
world of crisp air, birdsong and solitude most efficient fuel source. body to become fat-adapted – to tap
awaits. When a run is the first thing Carbohydrate is increasingly vital into its natural fat reserves – an
you do, it has the power to de-stress during high-intensity exercise when internal energy store is always close
and set you up for the day. Do it before the body cannot process enough at hand; gels no longer have to be
breakfast and it may also make you a oxygen to meet its needs.’ the lifeblood of long runs and long-
better runner. Glucose, however, is burned quickly distance races.
A growing body of research suggests and must be topped up regularly. ‘Some people are confused about
that running after an extended period Failure to do so can result in a sugar what fat-adapted running actually
without food – ‘fasted running’ – can crash and, eventually, hitting the does,’ says McGregor. ‘They think that
increase our ability to burn body fat dreaded ‘wall’. Equally, ‘in a high-carb becoming fat-adapted means you will
as fuel. For the typical carb-craving
runner – who can be overly reliant
on a range of sugar-loaded products
to maintain peak performance –
becoming fat-adapted could be a
particularly attractive proposition.
The fasting element isn’t quite the
hardcore exercise in self-denial it may
Emptying
sound like, either. ‘Fasted running is
usually what we talk about when
the tank
people go running after an overnight What and when BIG SLEEP LOW CARB MIND THE GAP
fast,’ explains performance dietitian to eat before a Morning fat burning To optimise fat Evening run? Ensure
Renee McGregor (reneemcgregor.com). fasted run is best achieved adaptation, the at least a six-hour
For most people, then, ‘overnight fast’ after an overnight last meal should gap since your last
simply means our usual sleep. fast of 10-12 hours. be low in carbs. – low-carb –meal

have better body composition and you need to slow down.’ For marathon and
lose weight, but that’s not really what it ultramarathon runners, however, who
is. Put simply, to be a good fat-adapted tend to run at a low-enough intensity
athlete means that you’re more for the body to take its time in using
efficient at burning fat as fuel.’ She the less accessible fat reserves, fasted
emphasises that you will still rely
Be a fast running can be very beneficial.
on carbohydrate for energy in your ‘If you were to do an exercise-
shorter races and in your hard training
learner tolerance test – one in which you
sessions. ‘When you are working at How to ease fasted incrementally increase your speed
speeds and intensities that require runs into your – someone who isn’t fat-adapted is
an exertion of around 8/10 or more training routine going to burn more carbohydrate as
(80 per cent of maximum heart rate they get closer to their lactate threshold
or higher), carbohydrate is the only (the intensity of exercise at which
fuel source that is readily available to fatigue-inducing lactic acid begins to
provide energy to the working muscles. accumulate in the blood at a faster rate
‘While our bodies are perfectly than it can be removed). With someone
capable of using fat stores to produce HOW OFTEN? who is fat-adapted, they will still follow
fuel, it is a much slower process, which ‘A “standard” runner that same pattern, but they will be able
means the energy is delivered at a would only really want to burn fat for a little bit longer.’
slower rate. This, of course, limits how to have one fasted There’s even evidence to suggest
fast you can run. In order to run fast, session a week and fasted training can improve the
muscles require a quick and easy because the intensity of capacity of your muscle-glycogen
source of energy, which is only a session needs to be stores, therefore improving energy
available through carbohydrate.’ low, it would need to be supply during high-intensity, non-
The point is backed up by Maclaren, an easy or recovery run, fasted exercise. Research from New
who says ‘glycogen is essential’ for usually done first thing Zealand showed that cyclists who
running well above a certain intensity before eating breakfast,’ completed early-morning fasted
– ‘even for a sprint finish at the end says running coach exercise increased their glycogen
of a marathon’. Karen Weir. ‘Many storage capacity by up to 50 per cent.
Therefore, fasted running to train runners who run before One fasted run, however, does
the body to become more fat-adapted work or run to work may not make a fat-adapted runner.
is best suited to the long-distance well be fasted already.’ ‘Ultrarunners and marathon runners
runner. ‘I would be cautious about are naturally fat burners as an
recommending it [fasted running] for adaptation to their training,’ says
5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons,’ says Maclaren. ‘They have greater fat stores
McGregor, ‘because they tend to within their muscles, which they use
require an intensity that is just above preferentially and so spare the limited
your threshold effort, and to maintain glucose. But fat-adaptation requires
HOW LONG?
such an intensity your muscles will rely training in a fasted state over weeks,
‘You could gradually
purely on carbohydrate for fuel. When months or longer – in these instances
build up the distance
carbohydrate becomes limited, you will the body adapts to greater fat burning
by five to 10 minutes a
and very low carb burning.’
week if you wanted to
use it as your long,
slow run,’ says Weir.
GO SLOW TO FAS T
RUNNING COACH KAREN WEIR
(runwithkaren.com) agrees that
anyone looking for maximum benefit
from a period of fasted training
HOW HARD? should allow several months for the
‘I wouldn’t recommend body to adapt. ‘If you’re using fasted
trying to do any session running for a marathon campaign,
that requires quality, you would start doing it from the
such as intervals, outset,’ she says. ‘You wouldn’t try it for
hill work or even a the first time during your longest run
tempo run, says Weir. three weeks out from the race, because
‘Experiment and see that would be far too late. It needs to be
how it works for you – part of a planned programme.’
try an easy half-hour run Robbie Britton, a Team GB 24-hour
%
one morning before runner, uses fasted running in training,
breakfast and if that’s but warns against overdoing it. ‘Quite
OK, the following week often, my morning easy runs will be
you can add on five fasted,’ he says, ‘to help the body adapt
MAX HEART RATE: minutes and so on.’ to using fat as a fuel during racing. But
none of my harder sessions are fasted.
POINT AT WHICH When I need carbohydrates I take
CARBS ARE THE ONLY plenty on board. Everyone I know
FUEL SOURCE
who uses a lot of fasted running still
relies on carbohydrates as fuel for
harder efforts.’
Britton’s point is important: fasted
training is best reserved for low-
intensity sessions – slow runs of
anything up to 90 minutes, depending
on your fitness – and should be limited
to one or two runs a week. Any more
and the quality of your training is going
Eschew
%
to suffer, because you will struggle to
hit the intensities needed for continued
improvement.
the fat
Some research has even suggested Who should avoid
fasting can impair performance. One MORE FAT BURN EXERCISING fasted running
study, in the Clinical Journal of Sport
Medicine, followed 18 well-trained IN A FASTED THAN A NON-
middle-distance runners during the FASTED STATE
Islamic holy month of Ramadan,
during which they fasted in daylight
hours. The participants completed bouts could be compromised with BEGINNERS
two sessions, one before Ramadan lower muscle glycogen and a greater For anyone starting out
and one during the final week of likelihood of strains and muscle pulls on their running journey,
fasting. The sessions involved from fatigue,’ he says. nothing should detract
several cardiovascular and muscular McGregor also warns of the from simply building up
tests that culminated in a 5000m possibility of fasted running inhibiting stamina and enjoyment.
time trial. At the end of Ramadan recovery. ‘If you start doing all your Fasted running can be
fasting, a decrease in maximal oxygen sessions in a carb-depleted state, you difficult and so, for
consumption was observed, as was a will put a lot more pressure on your beginners, unnecessary.
five per cent decrease in performance body and that can affect your
over 5000m. biomechanical control and your
Maclaren argues that this shouldn’t hormonal control, which can affect
put you off they idea of fasted training. your ability to recover after each run,’
‘The literature regarding Ramadan she says.
is divided and many more recent That ability to recover, even after an PREGNANT
publications show either no effect easy fasted run, is largely dependent WOMEN
or a small negative effect,’ he says. on ensuring your body has the tools it Fasted running aims to
‘It depends on two alter the way the body
factors: the quality of uses energy. During
the athletes (good
ones don’t tend to Fa s t e d t r a i n i n g i s pregnancy, the body’s
resources are already in
have problems), and an altered state, so it’s
the type and amount
of food consumed b e s t r e s e r ve d f o r important to consult a
medical professional
during the night before attempting
period. This latter
point really is crucial,
l ow- i n t e n s i t y s e s s i o n s any kind of fasted
cardiovascular exercise.
since eating too
little or too much
carbohydrate or fat will significantly needs – protein being prime among
affect subsequent performance over a them – to begin the repair work. As
28-day Ramadan period.’ And there’s Weir says, ‘Even a gentle run breaks
also a significant difference between down muscle fibres and you need to SPRINTERS
simply skipping breakfast, running and provide your body with the protein it ‘Sprint and power-event
refuelling afterwards, and fasting from needs to kick-start the recovery specialists should
sunrise to sunset. The main issue for process.’ (See Re: fuel, right) for five avoid fasted training,
the runners in this particular study, excellent postrun food options.) as there is substantial
says Maclaren, was the fact they were Along with the expert consensus evidence the quality
eating just one large meal a day. that runners competing over shorter of subsequent training
Performance aside, there are also distances should focus on running in terms of power
some concerns around increased injury fully fuelled, there’s also a prevailing and speed will be
risk when running on empty. Again, view that running on empty isn’t for compromised,’ says
the key point here is that fasted runs beginners. As a new runner, the simple Don Maclaren.
are best reserved for low intensities. act of running can be hard enough,
‘I would be wary of fasted training for without the added complication – and
athletes engaged in short-distance and increased difficulty – of trying to do so
power events, in which repeated sprint with limited energy.

Re:
Fuel
Five quick and 1. EGGS ON 2. BIRCHER 3. TOASTED 4. MUESLI 5. GREEK
easy, high- WHOLEGRAIN MUESLI BAGEL WITH AND MILK YOGHURT,
protein postrun TOAST ‘Again, a good NUT BUTTER ‘Milk is great, FRUIT AND
snacks to kick- ‘An ideal source of source of carbs and AND BANANA because it’s protein TOASTED NUTS
start your protein and complex protein, especially if ‘This is great if your rich, easily digestible ‘This is a slightly
recovery, from carbohydrate, to made with Greek run is high intensity and taken into the higher-protein
performance help replenish yoghurt. The dairy or long (over 90 muscles quickly, breakfast – making
dietitian Renee glycogen stores also helps you to mins), as it ensures a which helps to it a good choice if
McGregor and prepare your work towards your good intake of carbs speed up that your next hard
body for your next daily calcium to rebuild your all-important training run is over
training session.’ requirements.’ glycogen stores.’ recovery process.’ 48 hours away.’
NOT SO FAS T carbohydrate availability (the McGregor, though, argues that

‘NOT HAVING AN EASILY accessible amount of glucose in your system weight loss is not the result of fat-
energy source is going to feel hard for a at any one time), you maintain the adaptation, but of creating a calorie
beginner, who is going to improve most ability to use both fat and glycogen deficit. ‘There’s a real misconception
initially purely by running consistently, for fuel when needed. Over longer that going out fasted is somehow going
rather than needing to worry about distances, such as the marathon, to make you lose weight, because of the
fat-adaptation,’ says Weir. ‘New that is exactly what you want: you idea that you’re burning fat,’ she says.
runners should just focus on building want to be able to use both.’ ‘But the reality is you only lose weight if
basic aerobic fitness. Once you have Lively debate continues over you under-consume calories.’
that, then you can start to look at your claims that fasted running can aid And, as with attempting any kind of
ability to cope better over longer with fat loss. Maclaren believes high-intensity training in a fasted state,
distances, and fasted training might ‘fasted running will result in lower under-consuming calories is eventually
then become an option.’ body fat’, because ‘after an over- going to result in a dip in performance,
The potential benefits of some night fast and no breakfast, the as well as the increased injury risk
fasted running for more experienced body is already in fat-burning mode, associated with inadequate recovery.
runners, however, is clear. ‘If you want so when exercise is undertaken the With time, fasted running will help
WO R D S : I S A AC W I L L I A M S . P H OTO G R A P H S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P. P H OTO M A N I P U L AT I O N : CO L I N B E AG L E Y
to be optimal in your performance,’ fat burning is preferential.’ It’s a you burn more fat – that, after all, is
says McGregor, ‘you can include a point backed up by a study published the aim of it. But if you’re running on
fasted run or two during the week, in the British Journal of Nutrition empty with the goal of becoming a
but you need to do your faster sessions that showed exercising in a fasted better endurance athlete, any calorie-
fully fuelled and with enough glycogen state can burn up to 20 per cent related weight-loss ambitions should
in your system. By periodising your more fat than exercising after eating. probably be put on hold.
EMPTY PROMISE
AS WITH ANY NEW training strategy,
fasted running should be adopted
gradually and with care if you want to
get the best results and stay healthy.
Some runners may be able to run
for an hour or more the first time
they brave a fuel-free outing, but others
will struggle to get half a mile before
lethargy and ‘hanger’ (hunger + anger)
set in and put an end to the session.
If your performances have
plateaued, or you’re a long-distance
runner looking to hit some better times,
fasted running can help you improve
endurance and reduce reliance on
midrun energy products. To avoid
stalled progress, though, fasted runs
should supplement, rather than
dominate, your training. The full
benefits of running on empty are
HOURS FASTING NEEDED FOR BEST MORNING FAT-BURN only realised when, for the most part,
there’s fuel in the tank.

E Y E W E A R
W I N N E R
OA K L E Y
F L I G H T
JAC K E T
A major investment but

it pays of. The incredibly
light, practically bullet-
proof frame is shaped
for a super-secure and
comfortable fit, aided by
nosepads and ear grips
that handle perspiration
with ease. The open-edge
brow increases your upper
field of view, and the
Prizm lens technology,
which quickly adapts to
diferent light conditions,
is absolutely superb for
enhancing contrast and
definition. This latest
version also features an
anti-fog gizmo: pulling
down a toggle on the
bridge allows in extra air
to clear any heat build-up.
£185, oakley.com

WIDE, CUSHIONED
STRAPS, SEAM-
FREE CUPS AND A
BREATHABLE OUTER
LAYER FOR COMFORT
R E C O V E R Y P R O D U C T
W I N N E R
M A M M O T H
S P O R T S
M AT T R E S S
The Mammoth mattress

is a game-changer. Its
medical-grade foam is
designed to mould to
any body shape, allowing
you to snooze like a pro.
So confident are the
manufacturers that they’re
ofering a 100-day trial,
after which, if you’re not
happy with the mattress, N U T R I T I O N : great that I’d like some S P O R T S B R A
they’ll collect it and give R E C O V E R Y more’ scale. Not so with W I N N E R
you your money back. W I N N E R Sunwarrior. This vegan- PA N AC H E
£649-£,1,099, S U N WA R R I O R friendly product – made S P O R T S B R A
mammothsportmattress.co.uk V E G A N with a potent mix of
P R O T E I N brown rice, peas, quinoa, For many female runners,
chia seeds and amaranth a sports bra is the most
Protein powders are great – packs in the protein important piece of running
for building muscle and and nutrients while also kit and the Panache truly
boosting your recovery tasting way better than, revels in its key roles of
postrun, but they don’t well, whey. enhancing comfort and
tend to rank too highly £45.95 for 1kg, performance. It’s under-
on the ‘this tastes so sunwarrior.co.uk wired, with separate cup
encapsulation to help
define shape and reduce
breast movement on the
run – to the tune of 83 per
cent, according to the
manufacturers. The bra
spans cup sizes B to H,
but proved particularly
popular with our larger-
chested testers. The straps
R E C O V E R Y P R O D U C T are wide and cushioned,
C O M M E N D E D the cups seam-free and a
PA I N P O D M I breathable outer layer
helps keep you dry.
This portable pain- £42, figleaves.com
reliever delivers a
micro-current to your
body’s tissues, repairing
them at a cellular level.
Electrotherapy is a WARRIOR BLEND
thoroughly researched COMES IN A VARIETY
method of muscular OF FLAVOURS,
treatment, so there’s INCLUDING VANILLA
no snake oil here. RW’s
AND CHERRY
tester used the PainPod
Mi for recovery after
tough sessions, and found
immediate and lasting
improvement. Not cheap
but worth the investment.
£89, painpod.co.uk

G E A R O F T H E Y E A R AWA R D S 2 0 1 8
fabric, which ofers the

L E G G I N G S
ideal amount of stretch to
( W O M E N ’ S )
hold you in place without
W I N N E R
restricting movement.
Z A A Z E E A L E X A
They’re not cheap, but
they are a smart purchase,
Our testers raved about as they’re hard-wearing,
the fit – particularly the with great shape retention
high waistband and its and minimal colour fade
extra elastic, and the over multiple miles and
flattering shape at the multiple spins in the
back – and the comfort washing machine.
of the quick-drying, soft £75, zaazee.co.uk
J A C K E T ( M E N )
W I N N E R
O N W E AT H E R
JAC K E T
Having impressed with its

stylish, high-performance
footwear, Swiss brand On
now brings the same
design skills and attention
to detail to apparel. The
Weather Jacket ticks the
style box and also does
everything you could want
from an outer layer – it’s
waterproof, has excellent
ventilation and looks the
part – plus the hood is
one of the best RW’s
tester has ever worn.
£190, on-running.com
T R A I L S H O E
W I N N E R
I N OV - 8
T E R R AU LT R A
G 2 6 0
When the apocalypse

comes, only Keith
Richards and the Inov-8
TerraUltra G260 will
survive. They’re made out
of graphene – the shoes,
that is – which is the
THE ON WEATHER lighter brother of carbon
JACKET IS HIGHLY fibre and is seriously hard-
BREATHABLE AND wearing. The TerraUltra
EXTREMELY 260 comes with a Kevlar
QUICK-DRYING overlay to maintain the
shape of the upper for
longer, while the 4mm
lugs provide a limpet-like
grip. It was tough love at
first sight for RW.
£140, inov-8.com

W E A R A B L E
W I N N E R
G A R M I N
F O R E R U N N E R
2 3 5
Not the newest tech, but

the longevity shows that
range of functionality, ease
of use and value for money THE GARMIN
are always popular. RW FORERUNNER 235
tech tester Kieran Alger DOES ALL YOU COULD
ranks it among the best ASK FROM IT – AND A
running watches ever and
GOOD DEAL MORE
it’s a favourite of the RW
team. Why? Its features
stand up well against more
expensive recent models,
covering distance, pace,
time and heart rate, with
automatic uploads to W E A R A B L E tailored to all our future
Garmin Connect, live C O M M E N D E D athletes. Parents can
tracking, audio prompts, G A R M I N manage the tracker via an
smart notifications and V I VO F I T J R app, where you see your
social-media sharing. You young runner’s steps,
can download customised In RW, we love the idea of sleep and daily activities,
workouts and training anything that encourages and also assign tasks
plans and it also functions kids to get active and with (brushing teeth, making
as an activity tracker, the Vivofit Jr, Garmin has beds) to appear on the
counting daily steps and applied its considerable band. Parenting just got
calories, and tracing sleep. technical skills to the a little bit easier.
£249.99, garmin.com cause. This is perfectly £79.99, garmin.com

R O A D S H O E
W I N N E R
N I K E Z O O M F LY
Every now and then a true

breakthrough comes along
in the running-shoe world.
Step up, the Zoom Fly.
With its carbon-infused
nylon plate in the midsole
– for added efficiency
and forward propulsion
– this shoe serves to the
running masses tech
that was cooked up in
Nike’s Oregon Innovation
Kitchen to aid Kipchoge
& Co on the Breaking 2
marathon mission. This
shoe is an innovation
that will power PBs in
major marathons and
your local parkrun.
£129.99, nike.com
IF THIS SHOE’S
TECH IS GOOD
ENOUGH FOR THE
LIKES OF ELIUD
KIPCHOGE…
N U T R I T I O N : F U E L
W I N N E R
M AU R T E N
G E L 1 0 0
R O A D S H O E Question: what do Eliud

C O M M E N D E D Kipchoge, Mo Farah and
B R O O KS Kenenisa Bekele have
L E V I TAT E 2 in common, aside from
being fairly quick?
WO R D S : J O E M AC K I E , R I C K P E A R S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P
The Zoom Fly could be Answer: they all choose

said to be more for the Maurten as their in-race
speedsters, but the fuel. The Swedish product
Levitate meets an even is a hydrogel, which is
greater challenge: it’s easily absorbed by the
a shoe for just about body, meaning you can
everyone. The Fit Knit ingest more carbs per
upper is very comfortable; hour (100g) than you can
the heel section is superb when using other gels, and
– hugging your foot tight without any of the gastro
without pinching; the issues some of them can
bounce is great, thanks cause. Plus, there are
to DNA AMP cushioning; only six ingredients,
and the ride is smooth. about half that of your
It’s also highly durable average energy gel.
so you’re set for many £36 for box of 12,
happy miles together. maurten.com
£140, brooksrunning.com

S H O R T S ( M E N ’ S )
W I N N E R
C A S T O R E
C L I N T O N
RW’s gear editor, Kerry

McCarthy, rates these as
the comfiest shorts he’s
ever worn. They’re cut to
a seven-inch inside-leg
length, have a stretchy
waistband and are
tailored to enhance range
of movement. The fine
honeycomb fabric feels
soft against the skin and
quickly dispels moisture,
and laser-cut holes further
help moisture transfer.
Anti-odour treatment
ensures they stay fragrant.
£95, castore.co.uk
A C C E S S O R Y
W I N N E R
2 T O M S
B L I S T E R S H I E L D
Not the most glamorous

item you’ll ever purchase, THIS T-SHIRT WAS
perhaps, but a great deal DESIGNED TO BE
more enticing than the
WORN IN COLDER R U N T O P ( W O M E N )
alternative. Chafing and
CLIMATES. BLESS W I N N E R
blisters are the scourge of
YOU, 2XU 2 X U H E AT S S
the distance runner and
R U N T E E
this is the best preventative
product on the market. It
For such a seemingly
performs amazingly well,
simple item, there are
doesn’t rub of or lose
many boxes to be ticked to
efectiveness with the
make a truly great running
sweat of long miles, leaves
tee. This does the basics
no residual stains and is
– anti-odour, fast-wicking
not made from animal
and quick-drying for
fats, as is the case with
zero ‘body cling’, and UV
some similar products.
protection – with aplomb,
£14, preventsportpain.com
but it also features
ceramic-infused yarn,
which creates a thermal
efect to retain body heat
and keep you toasty on
nippy days. Guaranteed to
H E A D P H O N E S They’re also comfortable, be a staple for many years.
W I N N E R thanks to the charging £45, 2xu.com
U R B A N I S TA module being positioned
B O S T O N at the back of the neck, so
they don’t weigh down on
When RW tried these your ears. The magnetised
buds, we enjoyed the buds mean you can safely
balance between bass, wear them around your
volume and letting in just neck when not in use.
enough ambient noise to A highly impressive
ensure you are aware of option for a good price.
your surroundings. £69.99, uk.urbanista.com
S O C K S be sure of supremely
W I N N E R comfortably, blister-free
S TA N C E miles. Unusually in the
sock world, picking your
Technically superb – pair allows you to express
constructed from highly your individuality beyond
breathable fabric and the standard white/black
with a perfect, foot- options. In short, Stance
hugging fit, featuring left/ has brought artistry and
right-specific arch support flair to the sock world
and reinforced heel and without compromising
toe sections. You can pick on performance.
any pair in any length and £11.99-£16.99, stance.eu.com
THE STYLISH BUT J A C K E T ( W O M E N )

IMPRESSIVELY W I N N E R
PRACTICAL L U L U L E M O N
LULULEMON PAC K I T U P
PACK IT UP JACKET JAC K E T
If you’re looking for a

running jacket that you’d
also happily wear on a
night out, look no further
than the Lululemon Pack
It Up Jacket. Its flattering
cut and subtle camouflage
design combine to create
a jacket that looks as
good as it performs. Its
thoughtfully put together,
R U N T O P ( M E N ) for double the price: the too, with a range of extra
W I N N E R moisture-wicking fabric is features such as thumb
D H B S H O R T efficient, the antibacterial loops, internal pockets and
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R U N T O P at bay and there’s even £59, lululemon.co.uk
reflective detailing to help
From a brand renowned keep you seen and safe on
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value, this is a stand-out term testing at the RW
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It features technical quality and durability.
competence you’d expect £20, wiggle.co.uk

FERMENTED FOOD
ou could be forgiven for

believing fermented
foods are just the latest
superfood fad. But the
global probiotics industry
is predicted to top £50bn a
year by 2023 and the process
of lacto-fermentation is
an ancient one. Central
African farming societies subsisted
on porridge made from soured oats;
in Asia, the art of pickling vegetables
varies by village; the Inuits ferment
fish, seal and whale; and in Europe
we have long dined on sauerkraut
and pickled roots. In fact,
fermentation has been trendy
since around 6000BC.
Its name deriving from
lactobacillus (a ‘friendly’
bacteria that converts
sugars to lactic acid, to
preserve the fruit or
vegetable by killing off
all sinister bacteria),
lacto-fermentation
enhances not only the shelf
life of the food, but also
maintains or even multiplies
the nutrients pickled within.
So you get an increased
payload of vitamins,
minerals and probiotics –
live cultures that promote
the healthy balance of
bacteria in your gut
biome (your bacteria
community) and that
have been linked to
everything from
boosting mood,
immunity and energy,
to helping to reduce
obesity, heart attacks
and cancers.
Downing little
yoghurt pots
rather misses
the point.
Fermenting
and pickling
your own
foods,
– while more
involved
than sticking a
few Yakults on
your Ocado order
– packs more health
benefits, flavour and
nutritional potency into
each bite. What follows
are five meals that serve
up fermented foods as their
primary ingredients. This is
nutrition for runners with truly
cultured tastes.

Adding a dash of
rice vinegar to
starchy meals can
help blood sugar
control. That means
a more consistent
energy supply, and
that you can add a
crusty bread roll.
Coriander is rich
hold their shape. Make four in vitamin K1 –
and rest in the fridge for at ofering a third
least an hour. Brown the of your RDA per
patties in a pan on both sides large handful –
and inish in the oven for ive which bolsters your
minutes. Add some sides… bone health.
There is no meat in
these burgers. But by Super-fast slaw
foregoing meat in favour Sauerkraut adds fermented
of a vegetable patty replete goodness to a quick slaw.
with flavour and fibre,
then topping with a slaw
and a fermented ketchup, 1 large carrot, peeled
you get a probiotic that and grated
packs a punch no yoghurt 1 medium kohlrabi, peeled
and grated
could muster.
500g sauerkraut
½ bunch coriander leaves,
Burger with super slaw roughly chopped
and fermented ketchup ½ bunch latleaf parsley,
By Andrea Waters, roughly chopped
co-founder of Redemption, 1 unwaxed lemon, zest only
redemptionbar.co.uk
WO R D S : DAV I D M O R TO N P H OTO G R A P H S : M I C H A E L H E D G E . F O O D S T Y L I S T: TA M A R A VO S | P I S TAC H I O D I N N E R P L AT E ( M U DAU S T R A L I A .C O M )

Serves 4 1. Mix all ingredients together.
That’s it, more or less. Add as 35g grated ginger
115g raw beetroot, grated much dressing as you like. 120g Spanish onions
75g shiitake mushrooms, 3 handfuls coriander
diced roughly 10g caster sugar
1 tbsp olive oil 2 spring onions, sliced
1 medium red onion, Power sauce ½ tsp black sesame seeds
inely diced This ketchup takes 16 hours
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed to ferment. The recipe is for Daikon is a hugely popular
400g black beans, rinsed 1.5 litres, so keep it in the 1 Slice the daikon into inger-
root vegetable across
and drained fridge for a couple of months. sized pieces and place in a
40g ground laxseeds
swathes of Asia, in part bowl. Sprinkle it with the sea
1 tbsp smoked paprika because it is as tasty raw as salt, give it a quick massage
2 tbsp red fermented 180ml Worcestershire sauce it is cooked – so it’s ideal and then leave it for an hour.
miso paste 120ml uniltered raw apple for lacto-fermentation. But Meanwhile, combine the 2 tsp
25g walnuts, roughly chopped cider vinegar there is more to unearth salt, chilli lakes, ish sauce,
100g sourdough breadcrumbs 160g pure maple syrup than just flavour. A study rice wine vinegar, garlic,
2 tsp freshly ground 100ml coconut water keir in Food Chemistry found ginger, onion, coriander and
black pepper (Rhythm Health Raw Natural that compounds in the veg sugar in a blender and pulse
2 tsp Himalayan salt Coconut Dairy Free Keir, until mixed well.
protect your DNA from the
£5.49 for 500ml, ocado.com)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
oxidative damage that 2 Wash the salt from the
1 Drain excess liquid from the 1 tbsp Himalayan salt comes after an intense daikon three times until there
grated beetroot in a colander. 1 litre organic tomato paste session or a long run. is no residual lavour, then
Roast the mushrooms in a little dry it well on a paper towel.
oil until brown; set aside. Sauté Fermented daikon Add the daikon to the sauce
the onions and garlic until soft. 1 Stir the irst six ingredients in with coriander, chilli, and mix to coat it. Place it in
a bowl, add tomato paste and ginger and sesame a sterilised kilner jar and leave
2 Pulse the beans, onions, stir again before placing in a By Miles Kirby, to one side, unsealed, for
garlic, mushrooms, laxseeds, large, wide glass jar. Put a new founder of Caravan, 24 hours to let the bacteria in.
paprika, red miso (Miso Tasty, J Cloth over the top and caravanrestaurants.co.uk Then seal it and stick it in the
£3.99 for 200g, ocado.com) secure it with a rubber band. fridge for at least four days.
and salt and pepper. It should
be mixed, but still chunky. 2 Leave for 16 hours in a warm 400g daikon 3 It will develop deep lavours
space (the kitchen is ideal, just 10g sea salt as it ferments and will be good
3 Combine the beetroot, bean keep it away from the window 2 tsp salt to use for up to a month,
mix and walnuts with the if it’s cold outside). Then pour 50g chilli lakes depending on how ‘fermenty’
breadcrumbs. Add more into bottles and cap, or secure 60ml ish sauce you like it. To serve, place on a
breadcrumbs if the mix is too an airtight lid on the existing 60ml rice wine vinegar dish and sprinkle with sliced
wet – you want the patties to jar. Add it to everything. 20g crushed garlic spring onion and sesame seeds.

FERMENTED FOOD
Kimchi, a pickled Korean

staple mainly consisting
of cabbage, is almost
unfairly good for you.
It’s packed with dietary
fibres, minerals such
as calcium, potassium,
iron and phosphorus,
vitamin C and a truly
astonishing 34 amino acids.
Golden kimchi and

smoked eel salad
By Erchen Chang, head
chef, BAO Fitzrovia,
baolondon.com
Serves 4
For the golden kimchi:

Higher consumption 2 heads Chinese cabbage
of kimchi was 1 clove garlic
found to have 4 fermented beancurd blocks
a ‘profoundly 1 green apple
2 tbsp caster sugar
positive efect’ on
100ml water
the cholesterol
1 tsp sesame oil
levels of healthy 11⁄2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
adults, the Journal 2 chillies
of Medicinal Food 1 carrot
reports. Salt to taste
Eel adds To serve

phosphorus, Smoked eel, small handful,
diced
boosting bones
½ pearl onion, sliced
and ligaments.
2 tbsp chilli oil,
It contains more of 100g golden kimchi
the mineral than the
same quantities of
milk, yoghurt and 1 Wash your hands well to
prawns combined. keep the wrong types of
bacteria out of your kimchi.
Now wash the cabbage and
chop into chunks. Sprinkle
with salt, layer by layer, then
let it sit for 24 hours.
2 The next day, blitz the garlic,

beancurd (you’ll ind it in
Chinese supermarkets), apple,
sugar, water, sesame oil and
rice wine vinegar to make the
sauce. When it’s smooth, add
the chilli.
3 Drain the water from the

cabbage and mix it in a bowl
with the sauce. Put the mixture
in a sterilised glass jar and
tuck it away somewhere dark
for at least a week. Finally,
dress the golden kimchi with
all the other ingredients and
serve cold.

Adding a probiotic element
to your breakfast may
help curb anxiety – a study Fermentation
in the journal Psychiatry increases the
Research found that bioavailability of
regular consumption the vitamin C in
of sauerkraut leads to sauerkraut by 200
higher levels of GABA, per cent compared
a neurotransmitter that with raw veg.
tempers your brain’s fear
response. Mixing celeriac Halloumi, like other
into your rösti also ewe’s milk cheeses,
bumps up the fibre you is easier on your
need to feed your digestion than most,
digestive microbes, and adds an extra
while the sharpness of 8g of protein on top
‘kraut is balanced out of the eggs.
by the creamy eggs.
Celeriac and
sauerkraut rösti
with poached eggs
and halloumi
By Eve Kalinik,
nutritionist and author
of Be Good to Your Gut
(Piatkus)
Serves 2
½ a celeriac (about 130g)

20g sauerkraut, liquid
squeezed out (see right)
6 free-range eggs
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp coconut lour
1 tbsp unsalted butter
4 slices unpasteurised 1 Shred the cabbage into thin
halloumi strips and place in a large
Apple cider vinegar, dash apple cider vinegar. bowl. Add salt and massage
Fresh herbs (try parsley or dill) Heat a frying pan on to release liquid from the
to garnish a medium heat, add cabbage. After 15-20 minutes,
Salt and pepper, pinch the butter, then fry the you should see a pool of liquid
röstis for three minutes in the bottom. Add the
Kraut rocks
on each side. For the last caraway seeds and chilli.
minute or two, add the
A rich source of probiotics,
1 Trim the tough skin of
the celeriac, then grate halloumi slices to the pan. sauerkraut is also easy to 2 Place the cabbage in the jar
into a large bowl. Add the Transfer the rösti and halloumi make. Doing it yourself means and pack down. Top with the
sauerkraut, two eggs whites, to two plates. you know it hasn’t been liquid from the bowl so it
onion powder, cumin, coconut pasteurised or heat-treated. covers the cabbage. Cover the
lour and a pinch of salt and 3 Poach the eggs until jar with muslin cloth and a
pepper. Get your hands in to done to your liking – we rubber band so it can breathe.
mix it all up well. Divide the recommended perfectly 1 medium cabbage (white, red Press down every few hours.
mixture into four and latten set whites with a gloriously or a mix)
into small pancakes. molten yolk – remove and 2 tbsp Himalayan pink (or 3 After 24 hours, seal the jar
drain. Place the eggs on other mineral-rich) salt with a lid and keep at room
2 Bring a pan of water to the top of the rösti. Garnish with 1 tbsp caraway seeds temperature for a further
boil, ready to poach the four fresh herbs and a pinch of ½ red chilli, deseeded and 3-4 days, at least. Store it
remaining eggs, with a dash of mineral-rich salt. inely chopped (optional) in the fridge.

The strong tang of
fermentation in the
Japanese diet helps to
push their average life
expectancy into the mid-
eighties. A study published
in the journal Plos One
found that probiotics
directly ease joint pain
and arthritis. But you don’t
need to be a grand master
of traditional techniques
to stay limber – just
Google your nearest Asian
supermarket and start
tending to your physical
and mental longevity in the
comfort of your own home.
Crab and pollack roe

soba noodles, black
Black garlic garlic and rape leaf
has twice the By Paul Greening, head chef,
antioxidant levels of Aqua Kyoto, aquakyoto.co.uk
white and is toxic to
14 types of cancers. Serves 2
It’s dark magic.
50g katsuobushi butter (made
with bonito lakes, £6.35 for
Along with 16g of 40g, amazon.co.uk)
ibre per 100g, the 30g pollack roe (£15.50 for
rape leaves also 454g, hmart.co.uk)
serve up 82 per cent 6 cloves black fermented garlic,
of your iron RDA sliced (£3.99 waitrose.com)
for more energy 100g fermented rape leaf
throughout the day. 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced ginger
140g soba noodles, cooked
100g crab meat, cooked
4 pieces green shiso leaves
1 The rape leaves (or cavolo

nero) need to ferment for a
few days in nuka doko (£10.72,
perishable.bigcartel.com).
2 Heat the katsuobushi butter

in a pan. Stir roe in the pan
until it’s broken up, add garlic
and chopped rape leaves.
3. Add the spring onions and

ginger, then the soba and crab
meat for a minute, mixing well.
Serve with sliced shiso leaves
and bonito lakes.
RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 053
ACTUAL SIZE

H E AV Y M E D A LS
SIZE MATTERS
The Little Rock
Marathon and the
Guardians
of CODRC
Marathon, Telford

H E AV Y M E D A LS
TOUGH CALL
Peaky Blinders
vs The Joker

W hen I was seven years old I entered
our village’s inaugural three-mile
fun run – and won my age group.
The fact that there were only three
of us in the under-10s category, and
that the other two were barely five,
didn’t strike me as important. What
did strike me as very important was
the medal I received: solid bronze, 22-carat gold leaf, with a teal-and-
red ribbon embroidered by a team of fifth-generation artisans in a
backstreet Venetian workshop.
Or at least that’s how I remember it.
I’m looking at that medal now and, as with revisiting many things
from one’s childhood – an early house; the school assembly hall;
episodes of The A-Team – I realise this medal is perhaps not all my
young self thought it to be.
It’s manifestly cheap as chips. Flimsy, too. Some numpty even failed
to glue on straight the plastic disc with the picture of the heroically
disproportioned runner (though, in their defence, my avid stroking
may have dislodged it).
But somehow it doesn’t matter. My pride remains undimmed, and
just glancing at this medal unleashes a surge of warm, fuzzy memories.
Such is the power of race bling.
MY PRECIOUS…METAL
In some ways, my village’s three-miler was ahead of its time. This was
the early 1980s. The London Marathon – that great engine of what has
become an amateur-running juggernaut – was in its infancy and you’d
go entire days without seeing a runner in the street. Now, as we know,
everyone is at it. Halves, marathons, 5Ks, 10Ks, ultras, obstacle runs.
Thousands of events, all united by one thing: there’s (almost) always a
medal waiting at the finish.
And, for some, that represents an irresistible allure.
Darren Smith’s gold rush started when he took up running six years
ago. Since then, the Treasury analyst from north London has banked Clockwise from top left: The Nascar-themed North Carolina Half; Ghostbusters;
164 medals – something he refers to as his ‘work in progress’. He freely Martyn Ewers with his medal from the Top Gun Run (Top Grun: see what they
did?); Darren Smith’s 12 Marathons in 12 Months medal from the Global
admits to checking out the bling before committing to a race, Marathon Challenges company; and Darren with some of his collection
and last year he even managed to earn more medals than races run;
his 12 marathons in 12 months to raise money for pancreatic cancer
earned him an extra medal from the Global Marathon Challenges
company. ‘It’s my crowning achievement of last year,’ he says. ‘It’s as big Ironically, the medal he covets most is one of the least blingy around.
as a hubcap.’ ‘I got injured attempting The Comrades Marathon, in South Africa, last
His flow of precious metal isn’t about to dry up. The 45-year-old, year. So, even though it’s a tiny, 1p-sized thing, that medal is the holy
who writes a running blog, races 25-30 times a year and is aiming to grail for me.’
join the 100 Marathon Club by the age of 50. He has created a medal So what is the overwhelming appeal of all this silverwear? ‘I never
wall in a spare bedroom, with one rack for marathons, another for won medals at school so, for me, it became this amazing achievement.
halves and 10Ks, and a third for miscellaneous races. ‘I look at the wall Strip away the medals and the sport would definitely be the poorer.’
sometimes and think, “Wow, I’ve actually earned all of those”. It Not that a race would dare to make such an error these days. A few
motivates me – but it’s also there to show others.’ years back The Dublin Marathon miscalculated its number of runners,
‘I’m quite privileged to be able to run abroad,’ says Smith. ‘I’ve run in which meant it ran out of medals. ‘I remember it was prickly on social
13 countries and do four or five foreign races a year. I like to share my media after that race, to say the least,’ says Smith.
experiences with other people who might not necessarily have that Smith, though, has a mild case of gold fever in comparison with his
opportunity – and the medals are a way to do that. Take the North good friend Martyn Ewers, from Devon. ‘Bling obsessed’ is how Smith
Carolina Half. It was the inaugural year, and I ran around a Nascar race describes him, and Ewers – whose 250-strong medal collection features
track in a hail storm feeling ridiculously jetlagged, and couldn’t feel in his Twitter profile picture – isn’t about to argue.
half my body by the end. But the medal lit up and spun around.’ ‘It’s always been about the bling for me,’ he says, with a chuckle.
‘I just always needed that motivation to get me to the end. Otherwise,
why not just run round the block? It sounds sad now, but in the early
days I would always check with the race director to see whether there
‘Strip away the was a medal.’
Ewers believes it’s extremely rare to find a race these days
medals and the sport that doesn’t offer some sort of finisher’s medal to mark the achievement.
But he stumbled across one earlier this year – a Long Distance Walkers
Association marathon. His disappointment was palpable, but because
would definitely be the event was his 125th marathon, the 38-year-old contacted a company
called Mega Marathoners, which helps runners recognise landmark
the poorer’ races. His spreadsheet was duly verified and he claimed a nice little bit
of bling to add to his collection.

‘Anything we can do
to get people off their
butts and moving is
a good thing’
Some bling, such as Smith’s Nascar medal, has moving parts. This
year’s inaugural London Landmarks Half Marathon offered a hinged
medal that opens up to reveal an engraved map of the capital. Others
are all about function: bottle openers, bottle stoppers, wind chimes,
even stacking and interlocking ones; the Across the Bay 10K race, in
Maryland, US, for example, has a five-part medal, with a new segment
earned each year (culminating in 2018). It’s quirky, original and
ingeniously self-serving. Are you going to risk missing a year and not
completing the set?
Plenty of races opt for a unique design that reflects the nature of their
event, be this an oversized guitar, giant snowflake, an outline of a state,
county or island, a skull (sinister), Santa (less so) or a horseshoe. My
Tough Guy 2006 medal features the latter, or at least a miniature
bronze version of it; for the real thing, you’ll need to enter the Bird-in-
Hand Half Marathon in Pennsylvania. It’s run through Amish farmland
GREAT RANGE (Amish children staff the water stations) and the medals are genuine
The flip-open London horseshoes fashioned by the reclusive community’s blacksmiths. It’s
Landmarks Half
Marathon and the
Witness, with energy gels.
Star Wars-themed
May the Fourth Be
With You race LORDS OF THE BLING
Remarkably, theirs is not the biggest medal out there. That title belongs
to either the Texas Marathon or the Little Rock Marathon in Arkansas,
depending on who you ask and which year you check. Little Rock’s
medal for this year is 21.6cm high and weighs more than a kilogram,
meaning the injury risk for its 13,000 competitors doesn’t end at the
finish line.
The duo behind this proudly more-is-more offering are the self-
styled ‘bad girls of marathon running’, race directors Gina Pharis and
Geneva Lamm. The catalyst for what has become an exponential
increase in both the scale and extravagance of the 16-year-old race’s
swag was an event the pair ran where the marathon runners and the
half-marathon competitors got exactly the same medal.
‘After that we said, “This will never happen in our race”,’ recalls
Pharis, 54. ‘It changed that very day. We got straight on the phone with
our medal maker. It’s called Little Rock but we have a big medal.
I believe that’s what you Brits call irony.’
The pair love the buzz around their medals, which they like to reveal
each year in a pre-race video skit. This year’s is a sub-Monty Python
medieval-knight farce, complete with dodgy production values and
even dodgier English accents. However, it’s undeniably entertaining.
The medal itself (shown on p55) is like something from the court of
Louis XIV, only without the reserve and subtlety. With an emerald-
eyed dragon, castle and golden goblet, it’s gaudy in the extreme and,
yes, unmissable. It’s also expensive to make.
‘Rival marathons spend about $1 a head on their medals,’ says Lamm.
‘Ours are more than $10.’ But profit is not their motivation. ‘We think
that the achievement of finishing a marathon is magnificent and huge
and wonderful, and so should the medal be,’ says Lamm. She doesn’t set
much store by critics who say that medals such as theirs are fomenting
unhealthy materialistic instincts among competitors and detracting
from the purity of running for running’s sake.
‘I’ve run enough marathons – some 150 – to be able to say, definitively,
that anything we can do to get people off their butts and moving is a
STATE OF
THE ART good thing. If it takes slathering butter on Gina and making her run
Texas just has down the street, then we’re going to do that. We have a health crisis.’
to go one bigger Their strategy is seemingly working. Little Rock Marathon is growing

H E AV Y M E D A LS
year on year, with a third of the field first-timers. ‘We are truly getting
people off the couch,’ says Pharis, proudly.
Their compatriot, Elizabeth Kalifeh, is fully on board. She has more
than 80 medals (including a dinner plate-sized offering from Little
Rock – ‘it’s insane’) and she’s just getting started. She is on a mission to
run a race in all 50 US states – ‘just a southern girl racing the states
trying to find the best bling out there,’ is how the 37-year-old’s website,
runningforbling.com, puts it.
‘I definitely won’t do a race unless you get a medal, but that wouldn’t
be the only consideration. It has to be a good race too,’ says Kalifeh. As
a 1:35 half-marathoner and 3:28 marathoner, she’s what she terms
‘competitive’ these days, wanting to test herself as well as pick up the
finish-line booty. But she has a soft spot for the ‘blingkered’, whose
focus is only on the medals, having been one of them for most of her
running life. ‘If that’s what motivates people into turning towards a
healthy lifestyle, then I’m all for it,’ she says.
Catering to this insatiable appetite for bling are a string of companies
offering display options for collections. Racks bearing the name of
individual events are common, as are those with motivational mantras
such as ‘always earned, never given’. Others are fully customisable, like
Kalifeh’s chalkboard with 50 hooks for the 50 US states, which is in her
home office in Alabama.
Naomi Newton-Fisher, 36, would love to have all 120 of her medals
on show in her house in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. But with twin 16-month-
old girls, space is limited, so most are stored in a box, with only a
handful that are particularly important to her out on display.
‘My medals mean the world to me,’ she says. ‘Some are absolute
works of art. The ones from White Star Running [which stages the Ox
Races, as well as more niche events such as Cider Frolic and, for those IF THE
who like a good phallus on their bling, Giants Head]. My other favourites SHOE FITS…
The Bird-in-Hand
are from the races put on by Traviss Willcox’s Saxons, Vikings & Half Marathon
Normans company – those have stunning medals.’ medal, fashioned by
Ah yes, Traviss Willcox – one-time world record holder for the Amish blacksmiths
number of marathons run in one year (114, in 2011). I catch up with the
legendary figure at his home near Canterbury in Kent. He’s been
staging races since 2011 and organises upwards of 70 a year. I want to
know what makes his medals so special, why he goes to so much trouble
and, in a business in which margins are tighter than an out-of-shape- you from the rest.’ The economics can be a challenge, however. ‘The
runner’s Lycra, the cost of it all. trouble with medals is that a lot of the cost is upfront, as a new mould
‘Medals are very, very important,’ emphasises the 51-year-old. ‘One has to be created’ says Willcox. ‘I’ve found this can cost up to £1,000.
of our mantras is “always leave the runners happy” and I believe that no You have to try to budget it over two to three years and if you can use
matter how the run has gone, if you get a nice medal at the end, you the mould again – say, for different-coloured medals in subsequent
walk away happy. years – you can recoup some of the costs.’ Some of his ‘works of art’ cost
‘Let’s not pretend there isn’t a marketing element to this too,’ says up to £24 each to make – and this in events with entry fees as low as
Willcox. ‘For the smaller races, it can help define you and distinguish £40, with a chunk also going to charity. ‘Medals are our biggest
What do you want, a medal?

Five unusual finisher’s mementos
GLASS ACT TEMPT SLATE CRYSTAL HAUL ROOT
Receptacles for Fitting neatly with In the early days of FINDER
getting your post- the Snowdonia the 95-mile West With the
race celebration Marathon’s Highland Way men’s,
off to a flyer come commendable Race, in the late women’s and
in all shapes and sizes, including attempts to become the UK’s first 1980s, finishers kids’ races named, respectively,
shot – and even wine – glasses. entirely green marathon (the race were treated to Knacker Cracker, Knicker Knacker
But you can’t argue with the T-shirts are made from organic everything from personalised and Nipper Knacker, few runners
Fuller’s Thames Towpath Ten pint cotton and even the race numbers paperweights to chunky water will be turning up to Surrey’s Box
glass – particularly as the 10-mile are recyclable) is this event’s jugs. These days, waiting for Hill expecting a solemn postrace
course takes you close to the unique memento: a finisher’s runners at the finish line in Fort stash. Just as well, as child
brewer’s Chiswick HQ. coaster made from local slate. William is a crystal glass goblet. finishers receive...carrots.
Next race April 14, 2019 Next race October 2019 Next race June 22, 2019 Next race January 1, 2019
west4harriers.com/ttt snowdoniamarathon.co.uk westhighlandwayrace.org trionium.com/knackercracker

medal, created for the Peaky Runners group, which organises a virtual
version of the Three Peaks Challenge.
‘The response to that one was phenomenal,’ says George Horner,
sales manager for leading running event-service company Running
Imp. Bespoke Medals, its bling wing, is growing exponentially. It has
secured the contract for the London Marathon in 2019 and caters, it
estimates, for roughly three-quarters of the UK running market. The
Peaky Blinders medal was among 2.4 million it produced last year, with
this year’s tally set to surpass three million.
‘From a race director’s point of view, an attractive bespoke medal is
becoming mandatory,’ says Horner. The two key changes he cites in
recent years are the features of medals – opening and closing; spinning;
flashing LED lights – and the rise in virtual races. ‘A lot of virtual
companies are entering the market, which gives runners loads more
choice and an extra impetus to run. There are no real barriers to entry
and with no need for marshals, first aid or route marking, they’re easy
to set up.’
‘As for the bespoke medal market, I think we’re a long way off
saturation,’ he adds. ‘People want bigger, blingier and more fantastic
and that’s not about to stop.’
Arguably the biggest, blingiest and most fantastic item of race bling
of all isn’t made by Bespoke Medals. And nor is it available to all-comers.
It’s a one-off. It sits in the Cardiff home of Rory Coleman, one of the
most prolific runners of this or any age, and was presented to him last
autumn on the occasion of his 1,000th marathon, in Nottingham.
Commissioned by his wife, Jenny, a fellow enthusiast, it’s a rock-shaped
glass trophy, like an enormous paperweight, and it bears the words
‘thousands of steps on the road, thousands of extreme moments, 1,000
marathons completed’ (only in French, which sounds better).
‘The bling to end all bling,’ is how Coleman describes it, and it’s
difficult to argue with him. ‘It’s my most precious thing outside of my
family,’ he says.
Through Coleman’s running career, which began late in life – but in
earnest – in the early 1990s, it’s possible to plot the evolution of modern
race bling. And it confirms that the sort of fun-run medal I was earning
Clockwise from top left: this is what happens if you feed your Mogwai Run back in the 1980s took some time to be phased out.
medal after dark; the glorious Day of the Dead medal; Rory Coleman’s rather ‘When I started out, medals were rubbish,’ says Coleman. ‘They were
elegant trophy marking his 1,000th marathon; Rory finishes the Marathon des
Sables, again; the 2016 Cookiethon: come to the dark side, we have cookies…
mostly just blank with a plastic disc stuck on and the name of the race
if you were lucky. My marathon-PB medal, for instance, is a really
disappointing thing.’
Things picked up through the late 1990s, he says, as the market
expense by a colossal margin,’ he says, adding ruefully: ‘I’ve had some swelled and medal-crafting techniques improved, and began going a bit
financial disasters.’ crazy ‘around three years ago’. Now, he reckons some medals are more
But he’s not about to change. There is a sense of a collector’s zeal and, like world championship boxing belts than humble symbols of
sure enough, he modestly confesses to having his own 400-strong achievement, but he’s not complaining. ‘I think it’s always important to
medal collection. They’re on display on three racks, and one stands out get a medal,’ said the runner and coach, hours before flying to Morocco
from all the rest. ‘The Little Rock one is ridiculous,’ he chuckles. ‘I ran for his 15th Marathon des Sables.
that in 2014 and people were clutching them even after they were hung I like to imagine Coleman’s medals suspended from every inch of
around their necks because they were simply too big to let them hang. wall space in his south Wales home, with the 1,000-marathon trophy in
I have wooden ones, spinny ones, spiky ones – every conceivable type. a temperature-controlled glass cabinet on a plinth in the centre of his
They’re part of the furniture and they all tell a story.’ sitting room. Alas, nearly all his medals sit in shopping bags. In his loft.
‘Can you imagine displaying them all?’ he says, with a laugh. ‘All that
gathering of dust – it would be a nightmare. But medals don’t half strike P H OTO G R A P H S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P ( M A I N I M AG E S ), G R A N T C O R N E T T
REALITY CHECK the memory chords. All mine are in bags but I bet if we sat down and
With this enormous appetite for bling, one of the ways to balance the went through them one by one, I could take you through virtually every
event cost books is, perversely, to not stage an event at all. At least not in race I’ve run just by looking at them.’
the traditional sense. Welcome to the world of the virtual race. No place That’s the power of race bling.
for the London Marathon? How about running it, in your own time, and
in a spot of your choosing, over the course of, say, a week? You pay £12
for your troubles, a proportion of which goes to charity, and assuming
you can prove the cumulative distance via GPS-watch stats, parkrun
times etc, a snazzy medal will be yours.
‘People want bigger,
There are loads of these virtual race-medal outfits out there – such as
powvirtualrunning.co.uk, virtualrunneruk.com, racethedistance.com
– offering bespoke bling for every conceivable running challenge. The
blingier and more
trend is slightly surreal, decidedly postmodern and rampantly popular.
If my race schedule wasn’t so busy I’d be chasing one of the highly
fantastic and that’s
sought-after Top Gun Run or Star Wars-themed medals. Or one that
caused real waves in the running community: the Peaky Blinders not about to stop’
H E AV Y M E D A LS
FULL OF
ANIMATION
Disney characters
could have been
created to adorn
race medals
FORGOTTEN HERO
The history of the Olympic Games is

packed with tales of remarkable
achievements, cruel reversals and
astonishing comebacks. But few can
top the story of Betty Robinson: she
,
was the fastest woman in the world,
a running trailblazer and she came
back from the dead to win gold
s hard as 16-year-old Betty Robinson was running, competitively? It had never even crossed her mind. In an interview
there was no way she was going to get to the train with the Los Angeles Times in 1984, she said, ‘I had no idea that women
before it pulled out of the station. Robinson’s even ran then. I grew up a hick.’
biology teacher, Charles Price, a former track The day after her race for the train, Price timed Robinson running
athlete, was sure she had left it too late. On a 50 yards down a corridor in school and, further impressed by her speed,
winter’s day in Chicago, 1928, it would be a bitterly encouraged her to train with the boys’ team, as there was no girls’ track
cold wait for the next one on the elevated platform. team at Thornton Township High, in the town of Harvey, a couple of
Price stepped onto the commuter train and took his seat. But seconds stops from Riverdale.
later, having bounded up the steps, there was Robinson, none the worse Robinson was an exuberant natural but it is still remarkable that she
for her efforts and happily on her way home from school. was soon taking on the very best women sprinters in the country. In
Robinson, who came from the small town of Riverdale, just south of March, only a few weeks after being discovered, Robinson made her
Chicago, thought nothing of racing for the train, but that small moment, race debut in a regional event, finishing second to 20-year-old Helen
that afternoon, was the improbable beginning to a career of meteoric Filkey, the US record holder at 100m. She was promptly invited to join
sporting success and a scarcely believable comeback from near tragedy. the Illinois Athletic Women’s Club (IAWC).
P H OTO G R A P H : O LY M P I C M OV E M E N T
If a Hollywood screenwriter had dared present her story as a screenplay, In her second 100m race, in Chicago, on June 2, Robinson beat Filkey
the hapless hack would never have been let near a studio again. But it’s and recorded a time of 12 seconds, beating the official world record of
all true: Betty ‘Babe’ Robinson may be the most remarkable Olympic 12.2 seconds, set in May that year. The time was not ratified, owing to
athlete you have never heard of. wind assistance, but a month later Robinson travelled to Newark, New
Born on August 23, 1911, Betty Robinson grew into a good-natured Jersey, for the Olympic trials. Racing three times in an hour, she came
teenager who liked to play guitar, act in school plays and run in races at second in the final and was selected to represent the United States in
social events organised by her school or the local church. She knew she the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, the first Games in which women
was fast – and she was intensely competitive – but never imagined she were permitted to race in track and field (and the first at which the
would be able to do anything with her natural abilities. As for running Olympic torch was lit). Robinson made sporting history at those

PLENTY TO
SMILE ABOUT
Betty Robinson at
the 1936 Olympics

Games, becoming the first woman to win the gold medal in the 100m,
but even that was not her most extraordinary achievement.
LET THE DAMES BEGIN

THE CROSSING FROM NEW YORK TO AMSTERDAM on the SS President Roosevelt
took nine days and Robinson recalled that she ‘loved every minute of
it’, even training on the makeshift track that ran around the deck of the
ship. There were 18 female track and field athletes in a US Olympic team
of 280. The team included swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, who would
win his fourth and fifth gold medal at those Games and go on to play
what for many remains the definitive screen Tarzan. It is difficult now
to appreciate how well known Robinson had become in such a short
time, but it is clear she was already a star. Louis Nixdorff, a member
of the US lacrosse team, kept a journal of his trip and noted on July 13,
‘…After spoiling a few pictures we finally succeeded in getting
Weissmuller, Joie Ray [1924 Olympic bronze medallist in the 3000m
team event], Helen Meany [three-time Olympic swimmer], [and] Babe
Robinson, in on some pretty fair snapshots.’ The 16-year-old was certainly
in illustrious sporting company.
Of the four American women seeking a place in the 100m final, only
one made it through: Robinson. Lining up against three Canadians and
two Germans, she was focused primarily on one of the Canadians,
24-year-old Fanny Rosenfeld, who had set numerous national track and
field records in the Olympic trials, and who had beaten Robinson in one
of the heats. (Both women had won their semi-finals in a time of 12.4
seconds). Robinson may have seemed calm going into the final,
preternaturally so for one so inexperienced and young – she was still 23
days shy of her 17th birthday – but the fact that she arrived with two left
shoes betrayed her underlying nerves. She had to send someone back to
the team’s base on the ship to get the rights, and
barely made it to the start line in time. She even
considered running barefoot. LADIES FIRST
Every woman in that race knew she was making Betty Robinson
history and the occasion was too much for some. (centre) crosses
the line to win the
From a crouch position (starting blocks were not first Olympic gold
used until the 1948 London Games), there were in the women's
two false starts, which led to the disqualification of 100m final
FORWARD STEPS
Some key dates in the history of women’s running
776 BC In Ancient
Greece, young
women take part in
P H OTO G R A P H : PAT R I C K A . B U R N S / T H E N E W YO R K T I M E S / R E D U X (1 97 2)
the Herean Games,
a series of footraces
to honour the Greek
goddess Hera.
1896 The day after

the (men-only)
1928 1954 1967 1972
marathon, Greek
woman Stamata Games are held in marathon recognised track and field events 1954 On May 29, 1960 For the first
Revithi runs the Paris. More than by the International to women. Following Diane Leather time since 1928,
marathon course of 15,000 attend. Association of erroneous reports from Staffordshire women are allowed
the first modern Athletics Federations, of many women becomes the first to compete in the
Olympic Games. finishing in 3:40:22 collapsing after woman to run a mile 800m, in the Rome
1926 Londoner the 800m, the IOC in under five minutes Olympics. Lyudmila
Violet Piercy bans women from (4:59.23), 23 days Lysenko from the
1922 The first becomes the first 1928 The Olympic running more after Roger Bannister’s Soviet Union wins
Women’s World woman to run a Games opens five than 200m. sub-four-minute mile. in 2:04.50.

FORGOTTEN HERO
ROBINSON H AD
WON THE FIRST
G OL D MEDAL IN
HER SPORT
Canadian Myrtle Cook and German Leni Schmidt. Cook burst into
tears, while Schmidt shook her fist at the starter and, apparently, swore
revenge. Then the four remaining runners retook their places on the
cinder and crushed-brick track. Robinson was in the lane next to
Rosenfeld, which was just how she wanted it because she preferred to
have her biggest threat in her line of vision. Germany’s Erna Steinberg
was on Robinson’s immediate left and another Canadian, Ethel Smith,
two lanes over. Steinberg bounded out of her crouch start at the gun,
with Robinson right on her heels. By halfway, Rosenfeld, who had
started poorly, drew level with the now leading Robinson, but the
young American kept her focus as the two powered across the finish
line, both briefly raising their arms. Footage of the race shows Rosenfeld
glancing anxiously over at Robinson, who faces confidently forward,
smiling, as if she had just had the time of her life. She had certainly run it:
Robinson had won the first gold medal in her sport in a time of 12.2
seconds (as recorded in the Official Report of the 9th Olympiad
Amsterdam, equalling the world record; elsewhere it was listed as 12
seconds flat, a new record). She had been a runner for five months.
The Canadians felt Rosenfeld had won and lodged a complaint, but
the judges’ original decision was upheld. Betty Robinson was an
Olympic champion – and a hugely popular one. Chicago Tribune
reporter William L Shirer wrote that ‘an unheralded, pretty, blue-eyed
blond young woman from Chicago became the darling of the spectators
when she flew down the cinder path, her golden locks flying, to win’.
Six decades later, Robinson was interviewed for a book with the
lugubrious title Tales of Glory: An Oral History of the Summer Olympic
Games Told By America’s Gold Medal Winners, by Lewis H Carlson
and John J Fogarty. This is how she remembered the race:
‘I can remember breaking the tape, but I wasn’t sure that I’d won. It
was so close. But my friends in the stands jumped over the railing and
came down and put their arms around me, and then I knew I’d won.
1967 Kathrine Switzer

is the first woman
to officially run the
Boston Marathon.
1972 Six women

are allowed to run
the New York City
marathon on the
condition they start
1979 1980 1984 2012 2014
10 minutes before the
men. At the gun, they New York City 1984 The first woman to ‘run around 2012 At the London 2014 Jo Pavey
sit down in protest. Marathon in 2:27:33. Olympic women’s the world’ begins her Olympic Games, wins the 10,000m
marathon is held at five-year journey. 19-year-old Sarah at the European
the LA Games. Joan Attar becomes the Championships.
1979 Norwegian 1980 American Mary Benoit wins in 2:24.52. first woman from At the age of 40
Grete Waitz becomes Decker becomes the 2003 Paula Radcliffe Saudi Arabia to years and 325 days,
the first woman to run first woman to run a runs the London compete in an she’s the oldest
a sub-2:30 marathon, mile in under 4:20, 2002 Brit Rosie Marathon in 2:15:25, a Olympic track female European
winning her second running 4:17.55. Swale-Pope, the first record that still stands and field event. champion in history.

FORGOTTEN HERO
‘OF C OU R SE I
A M G OI NG
T O T RY T O
RU N AG A I N’
defence of her 100m title in the 1932 Olympics, which were to be held on
home turf, in Los Angeles. She continued to run in school and college,
setting records in 1929 in the 50-yard dash (5.8 seconds) and 100-yard
dash (11.4 seconds) in Soldier Field, Chicago, on a murderously hot
(33C) July day. Fred Steers, chairman of the national committee on
women’s athletics, probably thought he was being complimentary
when he described the ‘most sensational performances of the meet’
from ‘the slim, smiling Chicago girl, who runs like a man’.
In March 1931, she set world records for 60 yards (6.9 seconds) and 70
yards (7.9 seconds). She was in top form and her training was going
well. Then, on June 28, the unthinkable happened.
It was a hot day and Robinson wanted to cool down. She had been
forbidden from swimming by her coaches, on the grounds that
the activity used different muscles (how times have changed). So she
asked her cousin, who was part owner of a small plane, to take her
flying. ‘That’s why I went, to cool off,’ she later said. The takeoff was
uneventful but before the plane had even reached an altitude of 600ft,
it became clear something was wrong. The engine seemed to stall and
the plane went into a nosedive, plunging into a marshy field. People
were quickly on the scene and what they saw was horrifying. Both
bodies had been mangled in the crash and neither was conscious.
Robinson appeared to be either dead or dying, her condition so bad
that the man who pulled her from the wreckage placed her in the trunk
of his car (or on the flatbed of his truck: accounts differ) and drove
her to a nearby undertaker. Thankfully, he did not act too hastily.
Then, when they raised the flag, I cried.’ In postrace footage, available Robinson had a badly broken leg, hip and arm, and internal injuries, and
on YouTube, Robinson smiles into the camera, looks bewildered, then was in an out of consciousness for the next few days. [The pilot was
smiles again, an open, guileless teenager’s smile of delight tinged with taken directly to hospital. He survived, though years later his damaged
the embarrassment that often comes with such attention. She was a star. left leg was amputated].
Robinson went on to win a silver medal in the 4x100m relay. She Robinson spent the next 11 weeks in hospital, where a pin was
anchored the team but had too much to do against the favoured inserted in her smashed leg and her various injuries slowly healed. But
WO R D S : J O H N CA R R O L L . P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y A N D CO U R T E S Y O F T H E H A M I LTO N FA M I LY
Canadians, and Myrtle Cook, so distraught after disqualification in the the 1932 Olympics were out of the question and many felt Robinson,
100m, brought her team home. Robinson did not seem too bothered. with her left leg now shorter than the other, would never compete
again and would walk with a limp for the rest of her life. Robinson,
naturally, was having none of it. ‘Of course I am going to try to run
TRIUMPH AND DISASTER again,’ she said. Speaking to RW, Robinson’s granddaughter, Brook
ROBINSON AND THE REST OF THE TEAM were greeted by huge crowds when Doire, said her grandmother ‘did not like to be told “no”’. ‘She was not a
their ship docked in New York. A ticker-tape parade followed, and there fan of the word “impossible” and when told she would not be able to do
were speeches, lunches, a meeting with baseball something she would find a way to make it happen and surprise those
superstar Babe Ruth and some sightseeing. And, by This page, clock- who had doubted her. This included doctors.’
the by, Robinson celebrated her 17th birthday. After wise from top left:
that, it was back to Chicago, for more adulation, winning the 50-yard
more parades and more speeches. When she finally dash, 1929; ready to THE COMEBACK KID
returned to Riverdale, there was yet another parade, go; the 1936 4x100m ROBINSON’S RECOVERY WAS SLOW, painful and expensive but it was aided
with an estimated 20,000 people turning up to team (Robinson is greatly by the fact she had been training so hard prior to the accident.
second from
cheer the returned champion. They had banded bottom); the final ‘The doctor said if I hadn’t been in such good condition I wouldn’t have
together to buy her a diamond watch and she was handover in the come out of it as well as I did,’ she said years later. During her recuperation
given a silver cup by her high school. 4x100m final, 1936. she found that she could indeed still run, ‘not as fast as I used to, but fast
After the madness had abated, Betty returned Far page: Robinson enough to make a team’, she said. She decided to try for the Olympic team
to high school for her final year, and then went (far left), with Nadia that would travel to Berlin for the 1936 Games, and so returned to the
on to begin a degree in physical education at Comaneci (fourth IAWC to begin training. Because of her injuries she was unable to get
from left) and
Northwestern University. It seems she had an idea Muhammad Ali in into the starting crouch position, so competing in the individual 100m
she wanted to coach the 1936 Olympic team. But 1996; Robinson’s was impossible. But as a member of the 4x100m relay team, she would
before that, of course, she had her sights on the Olympic golds not have to crouch if she wasn’t the first runner. ‘It was really a struggle

to make the team in 1936. I had to work overtime,’ she said. But through
a combination of determination, skill and experience, she won her place.
She was still only 24, though now the oldest member of the relay team.
The 1936 Olympics are best remembered, rightly, for Jesse Owens’
four gold medals, but Betty Robinson also made her mark. The German
relay team, who had set a world record in their heat, were favoured to
win and, indeed, they had a lead of nine metres coming into the final
leg, with Robinson just behind for the US. But the Germans’ last
handover was disastrous; anchor runner Ilse Dorffeldt received the
baton smoothly but then dropped it as she changed from one hand to
the other: the Germans were immediately disqualified. Robinson
handed to Helen Stephens – who had already won the 100m final – and
the US won in 46.9 seconds. Robinson had won another Olympic gold
and was certain her team would have won even if the Germans had not
made that dreadful error. ‘I wish they [the German women] hadn’t
dropped the baton...Helen was the faster. We would have won anyway.’
She later said that ‘it’s indescribable how lucky I felt to be there and
getting another medal.’ But she added, wistfully, that it had been hard
to watch the 100m.
KEEPER OF THE FLAME

ROBINSON RETIRED FROM RUNNING after the 1936 Games, though she stayed
involved in the sport. She was an AAU timekeeper for many years and also
an active public speaker, lecturing for the Women’s Athletic Association
and the Girls’ Athletic Association to promote women’s running. She got
married, had two children and moved to of Glencoe, on Chicago’s North
Shore, where she worked in a hardware store for many years.
Robinson was not the kind to brag about her sporting achievements
– she kept her medals in a top dresser drawer in a Russel Stover’s candy
box. However, notes her granddaughter, ‘she held them with such care
when she showed them’.
TRAILBLAZERS
Three more sportswomen who led the way
In 1977, when Robinson was inducted into the USA National Track &
Field Hall of Fame, she said, ‘I suppose most Americans don’t even
VIOLET Sportive Féminine recognise me. It happened so long ago I still can’t believe the attention
PIERCY Internationale and in 1922 I get for something I did so long ago.’ She has yet to be inducted into the
On Oct 3, she organised the Women’s United States Olympic Hall of Fame, though her granddaughter says
1926, Violet World Games. Without she was not particularly bothered by the lack of recognition: ‘I think
Piercy from the Frenchwoman’s her family has been more disappointed than she ever was.’
London perseverance, Betty Robinson It is fitting that Robinson was to have one more day in the sun. In
became probably would not have 1996, while living in Denver, the then 84-year-old was chosen to carry
the first woman to run a made it to Amsterdam. the Olympic torch for a few blocks as it made its way across the United
marathon recognised by the States to Atlanta for the Games. Though frail, she refused to allow
International Association of TIDYE anyone to help her carry the heavy torch or even to hold her arm as she
Athletics Federations (IAAF). PICKETT carefully made her way along the streets, filled once last time with the
Her time was 3:40:22 The first Olympic spirit.
African On May 17, 1999, Betty Robinson died. She was 87. She had been
ALICE American diagnosed with cancer and had been struggling with Alzheimer’s for a
MILLIAT female few years. She was a trailblazer for women’s sport, though she never
In 1921, after Olympian saw herself that way. As her granddaughter put it: ‘I think she liked
the refusal of ran the 80m hurdles in the adventure and knew she was doing something different from her
the IOC and 1936 Berlin Games. She and peers…I do think she was very grateful and later tried to use her place
the IAAF to fellow African American, in history to make an impact for women and athletes. She loved to run
let women Louise Stokes, had been part and wanted others to be able to do what they loved just as she had.’
take part in of the 4×100m relay team It is no surprise that the movie rights to a biography about Robinson
track and pool in the 1932 LA Games were sold a few years ago: she was the first woman to win Olympic
field events but were overlooked in gold in the 100m; she remains the youngest woman to win a gold medal
in the 1924 favour of two white runners. in the event; she was the fastest woman in the world for a time; and she
Olympics, ‘Some people did not want recovered from terrible injuries to win a second Olympic gold. That
this advocate for women’s to admit we were better Hollywood script may yet be written and the opening scene is a cinch:
sport formed La Fédération runners,’ she said. a teenager runs for a train one day and her life is changed forever.

The Hansons Marathon Plan.........p70
How to have festive fun and run....p77
Develop your flex appeal................p78 REACH your PERSONAL BEST
READY, BEVVY, GO
Many of us drink a little more
than we should during the festive
season – and a few of us really
go overboard, with predictable
consequences. We show you how
you can enjoy a few drinks without
compromising your health and
your running performance.
P H OTO G R A P H S : LU C K Y I F S H A R P ( M A I N ), TO M WAT K I N S

STEP UP TO 26.2
With the right training, anyone can ace the marathon. In
this extract from their new book, Hansons First Marathon,
renowned coaches Keith and Kevin Hanson, from the
Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, offer a foolproof plan to
get you ready for your first, or fastest, 26.2
THE HANSONS training programmes have been providing consistent

results for runners of all abilities and experience levels for more than
25 years. The marathon, executed well, often spawns lifelong runners.
That’s why we want to make sure to do a thorough job of introducing
you to the most important principles that underscore training – so that you can
apply these to other races and distances in the future. Our central goal is to
provide you with a successful irst-marathon training experience, but, at the
same time, set you up with the tools to keep you running for decades to come.
THE METHOD We look at the long run as just

The concept of cumulative fatigue one piece of the training puzzle, in
drives much of the training that makes addition to elements such as speed,
up the Hansons Marathon Method. marathon-pace runs and easy days. If
This is fatigue that develops over we add in these various components
long periods of training at moderate of training at the right times, we can
paces (as opposed to the more acute then build into the long run. While you
physiological fatigue that occurs might not feel 100 per cent fresh for
during a shorter race). While the that long run, the fatigue in your legs
fatigue that results from running a from those other workouts will mimic
short race is caused by the buildup how you’ll feel during the latter miles
of by-products and waste in your of the marathon. That is why, for most
muscles, marathon fatigue is caused people following our plans, 16 miles
by the depletion of your fuel stores. provides adequate time on your feet
When you are training your body for the long run. It’s not a random
to withstand cumulative fatigue, number, but rather the sweet spot
you are preparing it for the particular of enough mileage to contribute to
physical demands of a long race such endurance without compromising
as a marathon. your other important workouts
Four training support posts throughout the week.
will make productive cumulative
fatigue possible:
Appropriate intensity
Training balance
Appropriate intensity The key to a successful training
Consistency balance in the Hansons Method is
Mileage running at the right intensity on the
right days. The goal is to increase
both mileage and intensity across
Training balance many weeks and months. Adhering
to an easy pace on an easy day is
In our view, the long run’s importance essential as you build strength and
in the larger landscape of training endurance in the early days of your
is often overemphasised, while training. Once you add in hard
the importance of the rest of the workouts, these easy days will serve
workouts is diminished. The long as active recovery to allow your body
runs in our programmes are capped to bounce back and prepare for the
at 16 miles, which has caused some next workout. Similarly, if you hope to
raised eyebrows and not a little bit of rack up the physiological adaptations
disbelief. But when you look at the that will make you the best marathon
training that surrounds the long run, runner you can be, running hard
our reasoning for capping those runs workouts too fast won’t serve your
at 16 miles becomes clear. cause. The 18-week training plan on

TRAINING
the pages that follow is challenging

enough, so don’t make it harder than
it needs to be.
Training carried out at the correct
intensities will not only ofer you great
beneits for your physical itness,
it will also teach you self-control,
awareness and patience, and it will
train you to become a natural judge
of pace. These things will all serve
you well on race day.
Consistency
This isn’t just important in your
schedule; it’s important to your
adaptations. Physiologically speaking,
inconsistency in training makes for a
never-ending struggle to maintain
even a baseline of itness.
So how do you harness that
consistency? Establishing goals that
are challenging, yet attainable, is key.
This will keep you motivated without
discouraging or overwhelming you.
Properly placed goals will help you
get out the door each day, even
on the days when running feels
like the last thing you want to do
or have time for.
Planning your weekly running
schedule in advance will also help
with commitment and consistency.
Rather than looking at your training
schedule the morning of a workout,
know what to expect for the next ive
to seven days. And when life does
intervene, modify your training, but
don’t skip it unless you absolutely
have to. Something is always better
than nothing.
Mileage
Ensuring you run adequate mileage
plays a vital role in the cumulative-
fatigue process. How many miles
do you need to run to properly train
for a marathon? The general answer:
a moderate to high amount. Always
keep in mind that your body will be
able to handle increased mileage
only if you’re training intelligently.
THE GOAL IS TO Running workouts too fast, training

in old shoes and adding too much
mileage too quickly can all derail your
INCREASE BOTH buildup. When athletes give their
bodies time to adapt to new training
MILEAGE AND stresses, they are able to handle
far more than they ever imagined
INTENSITY ACROSS possible. The Hansons Marathon
Method will show you how to safely
MANY WEEKS add mileage, while still keeping your
pace in check to avoid burning
AND MONTHS yourself out.

KEEP THE PACE
Speed sessions
will train both
body and mind
Will you be tired? Certainly. The Easy running the utmost importance. The slow
important thing to remember is running that you are doing now is
that ‘tired’ is a wholly diferent Easy mileage plays a vital role in any what allows you to do the faster
phenomenon than ‘overtrained’. runner’s development. Easy runs dole workouts later.
Training for a marathon isn’t easy out plenty of important advantages An easy run is usually deined as
and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. without any of the pain by providing a run that lasts anywhere between
A few swear words may be uttered, a gentler overload that can be applied 20 minutes and 2.5 hours at an
favourite television shows missed, in a higher volume than the SOS intensity of 55-75 per cent of VO2
and social outings forgone, but you workouts. This keeps the body in a max. Since most of us don’t have the
will regret nothing when you cross constant state of slight disruption, means to get our VO2 max tested, the
that inish line. helping to prevent injuries while next best thing is to look at pace per
simultaneously forcing your body mile. The plans call for easy runs to be
to adapt to stress to increase itness. paced 1-2 minutes slower than goal
Easy running is the base that all marathon pace. So if your goal pace
THE COMPONENTS training builds upon. Especially in a is 8 minutes per mile, then your easy
Runs are organised in one of two irst marathon, that foundation is of pace would be 9-10 minutes per mile.
categories: easy days and Something While easy running is a necessary
of Substance (SOS) workouts. part of marathon training, be sure
SOS workouts include long, speed, not to run too easy. If your pace is
strength and tempo runs. By varying THE SLOW RUNNING THAT YOU ARE DOING excessively slow, you are simply
the training plan from one day to breaking down tendon and bone
the next, you train diferent bodily NOW IS WHAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THE without any aerobic beneits. Refer
systems, all of which work in concert to the table, right, to ind your speciic
to optimise your marathon potential. FASTER WORKOUTS LATER pace guidelines.

TRAINING
Something of substance abilities and goals. While it’s true that running the irst 16 miles of the
(SOS) workouts countless marathoners have made it marathon, but the last 16 miles!’
to the inish line using these training The plan simulates the cumulative
THE LONG RUN Despite the existence programmes, we come to the table fatigue that is experienced during
of plenty of anecdotal and academic with a diferent approach. Not only a marathon, without zapping your
evidence against such training tactics, will it make training more enjoyable, legs. Rather than spending the entire
advice to reach (or go beyond) the it will also help you cover 26.2 miles week recovering from the previous
20-mile long run has persisted in more eiciently. long run, you should be building a
marathon-training plans. It has, in As a result, a 16-mile long run is the base for the forthcoming long efort.
fact, become the magic number longest training day for the standard The training plan allows for partial
for marathoners, without proper Hansons programme. But there’s a recovery, but is designed to keep you
consideration being given to catch: one of our favourite sayings from feeling completely fresh going
individual diferences in running about the long run is, ‘It’s not like into a long run.
TRAINING-PACES CHART Recommended paces for all workouts

GOAL EASY EASY MARATHON
MODERATE SPEED/
MARATHON RECOVERY AEROBIC AEROBIC PACE (MP/ STRENGTH
AEROBIC 10K
TIME A B TEMPO)
6:30:00 17:22 17:22 16:22 15:52 14:52 14:42 13:38
6:15:00 16:48 16:48 15:48 15:18 14:18 14:08 13:07
6:00:00 16:13 16:13 15:13 14:43 13:43 13:33 12:35
5:45:00 15:39 15:39 14:39 14:09 13:09 12:59 12:04
5:30:00 15:05 15:05 14:05 13:35 12:35 12:25 11:32
5:15:00 14:30 14:30 13:30 13:00 12:00 11:50 11:01
5:00:00 14:22 13:32 12:41 12:16 11:27 11:17 10:30
4:45:00 13:43 12:55 12:05 11:41 10:52 10:42 9:58
4:30:00 13:02 12:16 11:28 11:05 10:18 10:08 9:27
4:15:00 12:22 11:38 10:52 10:29 9:44 9:34 8:55
4:00:00 11:42 11:00 10:15 9:53 9:09 8:59 8:24
3:45:00 11:01 10:21 9:39 9:18 8:35 8:25 7:52
3:30:00 10:19 9:41 9:02 8:42 8:01 7:51 7:21
3:15:00 9:38 9:02 8:25 8:05 7:26 7:16 6:49
3:00:00 8:57 8:23 7:48 7:29 6:52 6:42 6:18
Find your goal marathon time. Follow the row across to see the recommended MODERATE AEROBIC Experienced runners can use this pace for easy runs
paces for all workouts. All paces are minutes per mile. and long runs if they are feel good. But there is no requirement to hit this pace.
RECOVERY This can be your cool-down after an SOS day or even the day MARATHON All SOS days labelled Tempo or MP (Marathon Pace) will use
P H OTO G R A P H S : G E T T Y
after an SOS day. You will still get aerobic training beneits. For most people, this pace. This is your goal marathon race pace.
especially those training for four hours or more, the recovery paces probably
won’t be used because your easy pace is usually manageable. STRENGTH A run labelled strength (‘MP-10’) is goal MP minus 10 secs per mile.
EASY A AND EASY B This is a range, not an either/or. Easy days, warm-ups, SPEED/10K For any run labelled as speed or 10K pace, this column provides
cool-downs and long runs will typically fall into this range. the pace for those SOS days.

TRAINING
SPEED WORKOUTS These require

you to run multiple bouts of certain
THE ‘FROM SCRATCH’ PLAN
This 18-week plan will get you ready for your first
distances at high intensities, with
marathon using a wide range of sessions and speeds
recovery between each. Not only
does this type of training play a role
in prompting some of the important
The ‘From Scratch’ plan is a great called to do two SOS (Something
physiological changes we already
it for the runner who is fairly of Substance) days per week
discussed, it also teaches your mind
new to the sport and wants to as the schedule progresses.
to handle harder work. While easy
learn more about how to do all Couple those two days with
days are typically low pressure, speed
the marathon workouts beyond two of days and this schedule
workouts require you to put your
just long runs. This plan starts lays out a calculated plan to
game face on and be ready to push
with a weekly total of 17 miles build your itness safely and
hard. Discipline is one of many
and builds to a peak of 46.5 miles. efectively without overtraining
beneits. While you may be
In this programme, you will be and exhausting you.
able to complete an easy run the
morning following a late night out,
if you want to get the most out of
your speedwork, you’re going to
need to eat a hearty dinner and hit
the hay at a decent hour. Whatever marathon pace is eight minutes per successful marathon performance,
you have to give up to execute these mile, your strength pace will be 7:50 you are better of maintaining a
workouts, the training will give back per mile. Although this may not seem steady pace throughout the entire
to you tenfold. like a big increase in pace, take a look race, rather than following the ‘ly and
Speed workouts can also help you at overall marathon times and you’ll die’ method. Tempo runs teach you an
predict what you are capable of in the see that it makes a signiicant important skill: control. Even when the
marathon. They prepare you to race diference. For example, if your goal pace feels easy, tempo workouts train
a shorter race, such as a 5K or 10K, pace is eight minutes per mile, you you to hold back and maintain.
and then plug that time into a race- will inish at around 3:30. However, if Additionally, tempo runs provide
equivalency chart to determine your you run 7:50 per mile, just 10 seconds an excellent staging ground for
potential marathon time. faster per mile, you will inish in 3:25. experimenting with diferent luids,
This faster overall time brings along gels and other nutrition. Since you’ll
STRENGTH WORKOUTS After a with it a large increase in lactic acid. be running at marathon pace, you will
number of weeks performing speed Even though the strength workout get a good idea of what your body
sessions, your muscle ibres and may not feel hard from an intensity can and cannot handle. The same
physiological systems have adapted standpoint, the volume, coupled with goes for your gear. Use the tempo
and are ready for more marathon- runs as dress rehearsals to try various
speciic adaptations. When strength shoes and outits to determine what is
workouts are added to the schedule, most comfortable.
the goal of training shifts from YOU ARE BETTER OFF MAINTAINING A STEADY In our plans, tempo runs are
improving VO2 max (along with completed at goal marathon pace,
anaerobic threshold) to maintaining
VO2 max and preparing the body to
PACE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RACE, RATHER and are labelled in the charts as
Tempo/MP. Never hammer a tempo
handle the fatigue associated with
marathon running. At the same time
THAN FOLLOWING THE ‘FLY AND DIE’ METHOD run because it feels ‘easy’. Not only
are you compromising physiological
the strength segment begins, the gains, but you’re also not learning to
tempo and long runs become more short recovery periods, is enough to be patient and internalising pace. It
signiicant. At this point, everything stimulate lactic acid accumulation and will take a good number of tempo
the runner is doing is solely focused make way for positive adaptations. workouts before you fully internalise
on marathon preparation. the pace and can regulate your runs
While speed sessions are designed TEMPO WORKOUTS For our purposes, based on feel. What does change is
to be short enough to avoid lactate a tempo run is a marathon-pace run. the distance of these workouts.
accumulation, the strength sessions These runs will help you get a feel for Tempo runs are progressive in length,
force you to adapt to running longer what it is like to run race pace through adjusting every few weeks, increasing
distances with moderate amounts of a variety of conditions. Over the from four miles to 10 miles over the
lactate accumulation. course of training, your tempo runs last few weeks of training.
For most runners, the strength will span a number of months, With the long run looming after a
repeats will fall somewhere between requiring you to maintain race pace tempo run, that 16-miler might look a
60 and 80 per cent of VO2 max, through an assortment of challenges lot tougher than perhaps it did initially.
which will be slower than the speed and circumstances. This is a prime example of how our
sessions. However, while the speed Republished from Internalising pace is one of the training employs cumulative fatigue.
sessions are relatively short with Hansons First most diicult components of training Suddenly a fairly easy longer run
moderate recovery, the strength Marathon by Luke for runners to learn. If you feel great mimics the last 16 miles of the
sessions are double the volume with Humphrey and at the start line and go out 30 seconds marathon. Rather than sending you
much shorter relative recovery. Keith & Kevin per mile faster than you planned, into it feeling fresh, we try to simulate
Strength workouts are designed to be Hanson (VeloPress, you’ll probably hit the halfway point those last miles of the marathon, and
run 10 seconds per mile faster than 2018). Available from ready to throw in the towel. Putting there’s nothing like a tempo run to put
goal marathon pace. If your goal waterstones.com it simply, if you want to have a a little fatigue in your legs.

WEEK MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY TOTAL
Off: cross-train/ Off: cross-train/

1 3 miles easy 3 miles easy strength OK
3 miles easy 3 miles easy
strength OK
5 miles easy
3 miles 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles 5 miles 17 miles

4 miles easy
strength OK

5 miles easy
strength OK
1.5-mile warm-
up, 6×800m @ Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/
4 4 miles easy MP with 400m
jog rec, 1.5-mile
strength OK
5 miles easy
strength OK
5 miles easy 10 miles long
cool-down
4 miles 7.5 miles 5 miles 5 miles 10 miles 31.5 miles
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
warm-up, 4×1- Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/
5 4 miles easy mile at MP with
400m jog rec, 1.5-
strength OK
6 miles easy
strength OK
mile cool-down
SPEED: 1.5-mile
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
warm-up, 12×400m
Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/ warm-up, 4 miles
6 4 miles easy
strength OK
@ 10K pace with
400m jog rec, 1.5-
6 miles easy
strength OK
6 miles easy @ goal MP, 1.5-
mile cool-down
mile cool-down
SPEED: 1.5-mile
warm-up,
Off: Cross-train/ 6×800m @ 10K Off: Cross-train/
7 4 miles easy
strength OK pace with 400m
6 miles easy
strength OK
jog rec, 1.5-mile
cool-down
SPEED: 1.5-mile
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
warm-up, 5×1km
Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/ warm-up, 8 miles
8 strength OK
6 miles easy @ 10K pace with
400m jog rec, 1.5-
strength OK strength OK
8 miles easy @ goal MP, 1.5-
mile cool-down
mile cool-down
6 miles 7 miles 8 miles 11 miles 32 miles
SPEED: 1.5-mile
warm-up, 4×1200m
Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/
9 strength OK
6 miles easy @ 10K pace, with
400m jog rec, 1.5-
strength OK 4 miles easy 8 miles easy 14 miles long
mile cool-down
THE ‘FROM SCRATCH’ PLAN CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE...

THE ‘FROM SCRATCH’ PLAN (CONTINUED)
WEEK MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY TOTAL
SPEED: 1.5-mile
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
warm-up, 6×800m
Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/ warm-up, 8 miles
10 strength OK
6 miles easy @ 10K pace with
400m jog rec, 1.5-
strength OK 4 miles easy 8 miles easy @ MP, 1.5-mile
cool-down
mile cool-down
STRENGTH: 1.5
mile warm-up, 6×1
11 strength OK
6 miles easy miles @ MP-10
with 400m jog rec,
1.5-mile cool-down
STRENGTH: 1.5-
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
mile warm-up, 4×1.5
Off: Cross-train/ Off: Cross-train/ warm-up, 10
12 strength OK
6 miles easy miles @ MP-10 with
0.5-mile jog rec, 1.5
strength OK 6 miles easy 8 miles easy miles @ MP, 1.5-
mile cool-down
mile cool-down
STRENGTH: 1.5-
mile warm-up, 3x
Off: Cross-train/ 1.2 miles @ goal Off: Cross-train/
13 strength OK
6 miles easy MP-10 with 0.5- strength OK 4 miles easy 10 miles easy 16 miles long
mile jog rec, 1.5-
mile cool-down
STRENGTH: 1.5-
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
mile warm-up, 2×3
14 strength OK
6 miles easy miles @ MP-10
with 1-mile jog rec,
mile cool-down
1.5-mile cool-down
STRENGTH: 1.5-
mile warm-up, 3×2
15 strength OK
0.5-mile jog rec,
1.5- mile cool-down
STRENGTH: 1.5-
TEMPO: 1.5-mile
mile warm-up, 4×1.5
16 strength OK
0.5-mile jog rec, 1.5-
mile cool-down
mile cool-down
STRENGTH:
1.5-mile warm-up,
17 strength OK
6 miles easy 6×1 miles @ MP-10
with 400m jog rec,
1.5-mile cool-down
Off: Cross-train/ 6 miles easy with Off: Cross-train/ Easy 30-minute

18 strength OK
6 miles easy 3×2 mins at MP strength OK 4 miles easy
shakeout
Race Day
6 miles 6 miles 4 miles 3 miles 26.2 miles 45.2 miles

FUEL
NUTRITION ADVICE FOR Embrace electrolytes

HEALTHY, HUNGRY RUNNERS
Water is vital for limiting
BY KIM PEARSON dehydration, of course, but
electrolytes also play a role.
Alcohol promotes excretion
of these nutrients, which
are essential for luid
balance. It’s worth taking a
tube of electrolyte tablets
out with you and dropping
one into a glass of water
every couple of hours. If
that’s not practical, have
one before you go out and
leave a glass next to your
bed to have when you get
home. Coconut water is
also a good, naturally
electrolyte-rich recovery
drink (see below).
Line your stomach

Eating before you drink will
help slow the release of
alcohol into your blood-
stream, so have a little food
before taking your irst
sip or, ideally, drink with
a meal. Eating early is also
BOOZE CRUISE
a much better option than
drinking on an empty
stomach and then feasting
on fast food before bed.
Minimise the effects of alcohol on your running with these handy tips Kick the kebab
If you do need to eat

after a night of drinking,
Too much booze leads to (ADH) and increasing urine cravings and lack of choose something that’s
hangovers. No prizes for production. Increased luid concentration, none nutrient-dense, rather than
knowing that one, but it’s excretion raises the risk of which will help processed foods like pizza
important to be aware of of dehydration, which your running. Or your or a kebab, which can
the other ways alcohol can can afect your run. Drink conversation skills… disrupt your sleep even
afect your health and plenty of water before more. Go for a couple of
running performance and after drinking alcohol. Supplement slices of rye toast with
Firstly, drinking can Alternating alcoholic drinks your recovery T RY T H I S
coconut or almond butter,
compromise your sleep with water can make a big which will give you a
and temporarily reduce diference to hydration When you’re drinking more NAKED healthier fatty ix. If
your body’s ability to store levels, as well as to how than usual, add milk thistle you are planning to run
glycogen, which is vital for you feel the morning after. (Silybum marianum) to COCONUT the next day, choose a
endurance. It could also
make you more prone to Choose wisely
your supplement regime.
This herbal supplement
WATER morning-after breakfast
that’s rich in healthy fats,
injury, as alcohol can lead acts as an antioxidant and Coconut water proteins and complex
to higher levels of the Opting for healthier drinks has been shown to protect rehydrates and carbohydrates to help your
stress hormone cortisol, helps you avoid consuming the liver from damage. it also provides body recover. Poached
which slows down the excessive sugar and other In Germany, where the the electrolytes eggs with avocado on
repair process. So how ingredients along with the government regulates potassium, wholemeal toast is a great
can you minimise the alcohol itself. Choose dry herbal-medicine use, milk calcium and way to fuel your run.
P H OTO G R A P H : LU C K Y I F S H A R P
efects of those festive wines, which have a thistle has been listed magnesium.
drinks on your running? relatively low sugar for the treatment of liver Naked coconut
content. Avoid regularly cirrhosis and liver damage, water contains Kim Pearson is a qualified
Stay hydrated drinking beer, cocktails so it’s worth including it half the amount nutritionist with more than
and alcopops – too much in your festive regime. of sugar of 10 years’ experience. She loves
Alcohol acts as a diuretic, sugar can lead to blood Try: Nature’s Answer’s other brands. running and pasta in
reducing our levels of the sugar luctuations, which Milk Thistle Seed tincture. £3 for 1 litre, equal measure. kim-pearson.
antidiuretic hormone result in energy dips, £8.49, victoriahealth.com. ocado.com com; @kimmypearson

THE KEY MECHANICS FOR
STRONGER RUNNING
BY MARK BUCKINGHAM
FLEX APPEAL
How tight hip flexors and iliotibial bands can inhibit smooth and efficient running form
TIGHTNESS IN THE hip flexors regular lengthening to their full range of the knee over the foot is a balance
and iliotibial bands (ITB) is a they can lose the ability to do so. Once between the hip flexors turning the
by-product of our largely the tightness reaches this point it thigh in and the gluteus medius (lateral
sedentary lives. The hip becomes easier for your pelvis to tilt hip muscle) turning it out. Tight hip
flexors are a group of muscles that lift forward when you extend the hip than flexors and a weak gluteus medius
your knee, including the tensor fascia it is for the hip flexors and ITB to fully lead to internal rotation and, therefore,
lata, iliopsoas, iliacus and rectus extend. This then affects the spine, excessive pronation of the foot at
femoris; the ITB is a band of fascia on which is forced more into extension, the end of the chain.
the outside of the leg that extends and the gluteus maximus is unable to
from the pelvis to just below the knee. fully contract through its range. This
We spend many hours at work and leads to loss of power and puts stress Mark Buckingham is a consultant
travel sitting with our hips flexed. on the spinal joints. physiotherapist to UK Athletics and runs
The hip flexors and ITB adapt to this Tight hip flexors will also cause the the Witty, Pask and Buckingham practice
position and become tight. Without internal rotation of the leg. The position in Northampton. wpbphysio.co.uk

BODY+MIND
HOW TO TEST FOR TIGHT HIP FLEXORS HOW TO TEST FOR ITB TIGHTNESS
The simplest way is the Thomas remain flat. Relax the hanging Do the Ober’s test, which is then held around the bent
Test. Lie on your back on a bench leg as much as possible. Good requires a partner. Lie on your knee, lifted back and dropped
with your bottom at the edge. range is shown here (main pic side on the floor, with your down. The knee must be at least
Hug both knees to your chest to left), where the knee hangs at partner kneeling behind you. behind the line of the shoulder
keep the spine neutral. Holding horizontal or 10 degrees below. Bend your bottom knee for and hip. Your knee should
one knee, allow your testing leg Anything above the horizontal is stability. Your partner should be able to touch the floor
to drop down and hang with the tight. See inset pic (top left) for place a hand on your pelvis to without the pelvis moving.
knee bent. Your spine should an example of a tight hip flexor. fix it firmly. The top testing leg If it cannot, your ITB is tight.
HOW TO STRETCH THE HIP FLEXORS
1. KNEELING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH HOW TO STRETCH THE ITB

This is the stretch I see most your back. Think about tightening 1. ITB LENGTHENING
often performed badly. Kneel on your tummy and tucking your
the leg to be stretched and get bum under. Then push forwards
stable. Hold on to something if with the hip to feel the stretch in Lengthening the ITB is often cross fibres between the sheets
you need to. The key is your the front of the thigh. Do this for misunderstood. The ITB is a thick, of fascia that make up the ITB.
pelvis position. You have to keep two minutes, four times a day, tough fibrous tissue whose job Therefore, manual therapy such
your pelvis level and not arch especially when sitting a lot. is to act as a spring to bring the as massage and foam rolling
leg forwards in our walking or work best for this type of tissue.
running stride. It is the source of It may be a little uncomfortable,
a very common knee problem in because the ITB has plenty of
runners – ITB syndrome. pressure nerve endings, but
Like any elastic structure, it’s worth the effort. Rolling or
2. RECTUS FEMORIS STRETCH
the ITB is good at stretching manual therapy with the ITB in
but not so good at lengthening an extended position for two
The rectus femoris (RF) is one of permanently, so simple stretching minutes, four times a day (if
the four quad muscles, but is also exercises will not do the job. To you can), is the most effective
a powerful hip flexor as well as lengthen it you must break the way to lengthen it.
knee extensor. The kneeling
stretch above works most of the
hip flexors, but not the RF. For
this stretch, the principle of
keeping the pelvis level with a
tight tummy and tucked bum
remain the same. Stand on one
P H OTO G R A P H S : TO M WAT K I N S
leg, grab the other leg at the

top of the foot and bring it up to
your bum, pulling across towards
the standing leg for a quad
stretch. Do this for two minutes,
four times a day, if possible.

1. New Balance
Seasonless Hoodie
3 £55, newbalance.co.uk
Raglan sleeves give you a
greater range of movement
through the arms on the
run, while there’s 360˚
relectivity and UPF40
protection in the weave
1
(should you need it).
2. BAM Enduro
Deep Waistband
£44, bambooclothing.co.uk
OUT IN A heavyweight pair of

leggings that will keep you
warm. They’re made from
THE COLD
bamboo, which, as well as
being sustainable, is soft,
durable and antibacterial to
4 keep those whifs at bay.
Layer up, get out there
and keep your running 3. Zakti Reach The
Summit Midlayer
show on the road £53.99 + shipping, cnpullys.com
This top has a hem that
covers the bum rather
than sitting awkwardly
halfway down it; long
sleeves that gather around
the wrist or can be pulled
down to cover the hands;
2 5 and large mesh panel across
the back for ventilation.
4. Saucony Bullet Tight 2.0

£58.49, sportsshoes.com
The four-way stretch on
these leggings allows
excellent movement
and the ergonomic cut
means there’s no bunching
around the knees.
5. Mizuno Vortex
Warmalite
£49.49, sportsshoes.com
The leecy weave traps
body heat between it and
your skin to keep you warm,
while conducting moisture
away from your body. It’s a
fairly trim top but Mizuno
has still found room for a
media pocket on the arm.
6. Salomon Elevate
Warm Tight
£85, salomon.com
The wide waistband on
these will disperse any
abdominal pressure nicely.
There are two pockets on
6 the rear, relective ankle
detailing, and the inner and
outer layers give a lovely
mottled magenta pattern.

GEAR
7. Ashmei L/S
Classic Jersey
£81.75, ashmei.com
Ashmei always sweats the
7 9 details and this top is no
exception. The blend of
merino and carbon means,
says Ashmei, that the top is
10 times quicker at wicking
than merino alone, as well
as twice as quick to dry.
8. Tribesports
10 Morph Jacket
£175, tribesports.com
Part of a two-piece (top
layer not featured) that
can be worn together or
8 separately. The pictured
gilet is rip-proof, fast-drying
and has waterproof zip
pockets on the hips.
9. Asics Lite Show

Winter Tight
£70, asics.co.uk
Brush knit for comfort
and wind resistance for
protection against the
elements. There’s also 360˚
relectivity, zipped ankle
hems and a clever laminated
pocket on the side.
10. 2XU Fitness

Mid Rise Block Tight
£70, 2xu.com
If you tend to spend most of
your day in your kit, don’t be
put of by the fact that these
11 are compressive, as the light
graduated compression
(tighter round the ankles
than the waistband) means
they’re more body-sculpting
than highly compressive.
11. On Running
Weather Shirt
£100, on-running.com
A stylish top that performs
as well as it looks. It’s
perfect as a single layer for
WO R D S : K E R R Y M CCA R T H Y. P H OTO G R A P H S : L U C K Y I F S H A R P
mild winter weather, or over

a base layer on extremely
cold days. There are
ventilation holes across the
back, a soft leecy feel and
zip pockets on the hips.
12 12. Tribesports
Printed Tight
Sculpting running tights
that ‘latten your tummy and
lift your bum’ (the words of
our tester). The fabric feels
plush and reassuringly thick:
ideal for winter runs.
DECEMBER 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 083

JANUARY 2019
1. 2XU MCS Run
1 2 Compression Tights
£105, 2xu.co.uk
Anatomically designed
panelling on these means
they don’t really feel as tight
as normal compression
leggings. There’s a roomy
zip pocket at the rear, and
the compression is designed
to support the knee.
2. Berghaus
Supertech Tee
£37, nevisport.com
A functional, reliable top
that’ll be good for at least
a few years. A close but
comfy it, it has large mesh
panels under the arm for
ventilation and latlock seams
for chafe-free comfort.
3. Karrimor Run Tight

£16, sportsdirect.co.uk
3 For less than £20 you get
4 a pair of leggings that are
impressively technical:
zip pockets, zipped ankle
cufs, relective and hi-vis
panels, latlock seams
and a comfy feel.
4. Columbia Titan Ultra

£55, columbiasportswear.co.uk
This is one of the best tops
we’ve come across, moving
the sweat to the outside and
dispersing it very quickly.
We were also impressed by
how well it holds its shape
and doesn’t bobble after
washing – and the anti-
odour technology is superb.
5. Icebreaker 200
LS Crewe
5 6 £75, uk.icebreaker.com
This is a dream to wear:
100 per cent merino wool,
which feels amazing
against the skin and is
also naturally antibacterial,
so it won’t whif after even
the toughest of training
sessions. It also regulates
temperature very well.
6. New Balance
QSpeed Crop
£65, newbalance.co.uk
Three-quarter-length
leggings for those who don’t
like total coverage. With a
baggy it around the thighs,
these are a good option if
you prefer a generous cut.

GEAR
7. Canterbury
Thermoreg Leggings
£39, canterbury.com
When the weather turns icy
7 these will keep your pins
nice and toasty. They wick
excess moisture away while
8 trapping body heat to keep
you warm. They also have a
slightly more relaxed cut
than is usual in leggings.
8. Patagonia Capilene
Air Hoody
£140, eu.patagonia.com
An anatomical it with
minimal seams means this
moves efortlessly with your
body. The hood wraps so
close around your face it’s
almost a balaclava – handy
if the weather turns nasty.
9
9. Odlo Vest Omnius Light
£42, odlo.com
Excellent for drizzly days
10 when it’s not cold enough
for a full jacket. This gilet is
windproof, water-resistant,
extremely lightweight and
surprisingly durable. It also
dries very quickly.
10. New Balance

Seasonless UPF LS
£45, newbalance.co.uk
One of those pieces of kit
that will be a staple of your
running wardrobe. It’s a slim
it with a bit of extra give;
it’s mid-weight, so it makes
a good addition over the top
of a base layer; and it has
360˚ relective detailing.
11. Tribesports Men’s

Running Tight
The brush inner lining on
these is so comfy you may
be tempted to wear them
to bed. They’re also warm,
ofer excellent freedom
of movement, have mesh
panels on the rear for
breathability and relective
patterning on the calves for
increased visibility.
11 12. Adidas Alphaskin

Long Tights
12 £34.95, adidas.co.uk
As well as ofering irm – but
not restrictive – graduated
compression, these tights
are extremely fast-wicking
and feature Polygiene, one
of the best anti-odour
treatments around.

1 1. Bridgedale Stormsock
£32, bridgedale.com
Expensive, but we think
they’re worth it. They
comprise three layers:
a soft merino inner to wick
sweat away; a tough Lycra
outer for durability and
protection; and between
them is a waterproof layer.
2. Stance Compass Crew

£14.99, stance.eu.com
A wonderful combination
of durability and comfort.
These won’t become baggy
over time and we can tell
you from experience that
2 you can wear them a few
times before it becomes
3 necessary to wash them.
3. Puma Running Cell

£18, eu.puma.com
These are not compression
socks so the knee-length
design is more about
fashion thank function. But
they’re also handy for a little
extra coverage on days
when you can’t decide if it’s
4 shorts or leggings weather.
4. Feetures Elite Light

Cushion Mini Crew
£7.50, triathlonstore.co.uk
A highly technical sock
that’s a bargain at this
price. Anatomical it, extra
cushioning in the heel and
forefoot, no toe seams (to
limit the risk of blisters) and
5 a fast-wicking weave.
5. 1000 mile Heat

Walk Sock
£17.99, 1000mile.com
We know it says ‘walk’
but we think this is a more
versatile sock than that.
Running in these on an
icy day is a treat: a thick
double-layer sheath retains
body heat to keep your
tootsies warm, while still
providing ventilation.
6. Wackysox Flo Green

6 Sports Socks
£7.49, wackysox.com
These are among the more
subtle options on the
wacysox site, but are bright
enough to help keep you
visible. They won’t last more
than one season but they’re
soft, fast-wicking and fun.

GEAR
1. Reflect360
Backpack Cover
£29.99, provizsports.com
Give drivers a better chance
of seeing you on your winter
run commute by slipping
3 this one-size-its-all cover
1 over your backpack. It’s
extremely relective so
you’ll be visible as soon as
2 street or car lights hit it.
2. Black Diamond
Spot Head Torch
£39.99, ellis-brigham.com
Excellent value for money,
this. It has four lighting
modes (full, dimmed,
strobe and night vision),
you can toggle between
full and dimmed power, and
you can use it in the rain.
4 3. UP Ankle Band
£8.99, ultimate-
performance.co.uk
Despite the fact this is
described as an ankle band,
you can also wear it on your
wrist (or your upper arm if
it’s slim enough). The Velcro
5 fastening is adjustable and
the band can be seen up to
a quarter of a mile away.
4. Ronhill Merino 200 Hat

£20, run4it.com
A reversible hat made from
super-soft merino wool,
which means it’s lovely and
warm, dries quickly and has
antibacterial properties to
resist the build-up of odour.
5. CEP Nighttech
Calf Sleeves
£29.99, cepsports.co.uk
The choice of four highly
relective colours makes
6 these ideal for dark winter
runs; the compression
helps cut down on muscle
vibration; and CEP insists
on your calf measurement,
so the pair you get will be
the best possible it.
6. Nathan Bandolier
£19.54 amazon.co.uk
Wear this over your kit
to ensure you’re seen.
As well as the luoro
colouring it has relective
detailing all the way round,
and there’s a zippered
pocket at the front for keys
and other small items.

RACE LET YOUR RUNNING LOOSE
SIGHTS TO
BEHOLD
The route of the
Hamburg Marathon
offers superb
sights of this
grand port city
HAMBURG, WITH EXTRA RELISH

The Hamburg Marathon is one of Europe’s hidden gems, discovers Kieran Alger HAMBURG, GERMANY
HOW DO YOU FIRE UP RUNNERS at the start of a All 10,714 runners huddled in the time-sorted start pens put their
marathon? Easy – you play Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, arms in the air and clap along to a quickening beat, shouting ‘Huh!’
some Fatboy Slim or, if you’re feeling mischievous, AC/DC’s along with each ‘thunderclap’. It’s a rousing start that makes us feel
Highway to Hell. Unless you’re the Hamburg Marathon, that is – we’re all going into battle together, and another reason Hamburg
Germany’s biggest spring 26.2 does things diferently. might be Europe’s best-kept marathon secret.
Minutes before the race starts, the PA music stops. The silence is Just 90 minutes from the UK by air, Hamburg is flat, fast and
broken by a man banging out the slow beats of an epic Icelandic fantastically well organised. From collecting your race number, to
war chant – the one made famous by Iceland’s football fans at the the moment someone hands you a postrace alcohol-free beer, this is
2016 European Championships. a pleasantly low-stress marathon experience.

HAMBURG MARATHON RACE
However, at the 30km mark I grab

a cup of water and swill back some
funky-tasting liquid. It’s only after
the race that I learn the cups are
filled with ‘well water’; it has been
checked by the water company, but
still has a very distinct flavour.
With a mouth that now tastes like
I’ve been licking the inside of a
Victorian water tank, I edge towards
THE BEAT 32km (the 20-mile point) and dig in.
SIGN HERE GOES ON I’m no longer chasing a time; instead,
What’s most Drumming up I’ve reached that point where all I
impressive is the support is can do is ‘enjoy the crowd’.
concentration not a problem And Hamburg has decent support
without being OTT. Like any city
marathon outside of the biggest,
there are breaks in the support along
The race expo and the start/finish I get my head up to take in the THE RUNDOWN the course, but where people do turn
are located at the Hamburg Congress scenery just in time to enjoy one out they’re loud and enthusiastic.
Centre exhibition ground, a series of of the marathon’s most majestic Hamburg Marathon Thankfully, just when I need a
(2018 stats)
aircraft-hanger halls that provide views, as we sweep past the Elbe boost we enter a section of the
giant spaces for rapid bag drop and Philharmonic Hall, with its wave of First man: Solomon course known as the Witches
Deksisa, 2:06:34
more queue-free portable toilets than gleaming silver glass sitting like a First woman: Cauldron, where thousands of
you can shake your you-know-what at. crown on top of a brick warehouse. Shitaye Eshete, people gather to cheer runners
2:24:51
As a result, by the time I hit the At this point the sun has reached Last finisher: on. I soak up enough crowd
start pen, I’m one chilled runner. That ‘slow cook’ and I’m relieved when, a 6:24:27 compulsion to propel me back
will soon change. Though it’s a late few moments later, we head into the Starters/finishers to the waterside of the Aussenalster
10,714/10,010 (94%
April day, temperatures have reached Wallring Tunnel, a kilometre-long finished) lake, before we head into a fairly
17C when the gun goes of at 9am. underpass that provides some prosaic final 2km.
After less than 2km we hit the blessed relief from the rising heat. There’s no Arc de Triomphe,
Reeperbahn. The so-called ‘sinful Shortly after halfway we turn into Brandenburg Gate or Buckingham
mile’ is home to the city’s red light Hamburg’s green lung, the Stadtpark, Palace here. With no sights to
district, though in broad daylight and for 10 minutes or so we swap distract me, I tune in to cheers
there’s not much sign of the city roads and waterfronts for lush coming from the packed streets and
nighttime naughtiness and the only greenery. It’s a refreshing change of try to savour the final metres down
sin I’m in danger of committing is scenery that comes just at the right the red carpet, before flopping over
going out too fast. time. It’s clear that I’ve succumbed to the finish line right where we started,
With a course record of 2:05:30, the temptations of the flat course in the shadow of Hamburg’s TV Tower.
Hamburg isn’t quite Berlin fast, and have indeed gone out too fast. Beyond the finish line there’s a
perhaps because the race organisers What my Strava stats will later huge hall dedicated to recovery,
want to show us the best bits of this reveal is that – while Hamburg has complete with bierkeller-style
stunning harbour city. However, this no hills – hidden along the route in bench tables, deckchairs, massages,
was the first marathon to paint a blue long, gradual gradients is double and showers. There’s even an on-site
line on the course to help runners the elevation you get in London. hypnotherapist to help you recover
find the most eficient route to the I’m already dragging between the more quickly. I get a seat at a table
finish line, an indication that, despite well-stocked water and fuel stations. in acres of space and I’m quite happy
the views, this is a race that still cares I decline the bananas, gels and cola to enjoy the perfect chilled end
about speed. that start appearing from 10km, to a fantastic race while waiting
At 7km, we turn onto a longish 20km and 25km respectively. for my fellow runners to cross
stretch flanking the river Elbe, past I also skip by the alcohol-free the finish line.
the fish market and the U-Boat Krombacher beer station that The next Hamburg marathon is on
Museum towards HafenCity, the main some brave runners make the April 28, 2019. haspa-marathon-
harbour area, and a bit further on most of at 27.5km. hamburg.de/en
The lowdown
P H OTO G R A P H S : H A M B U R G M A R AT H O N
GET THERE STAY SIGHTS TO SEE FUEL WARM UP

Regular lights from most 25Hours Hotels, Visit the mind-bogglingly Feast on fresh pasta and Head to Hamburg’s big,
major UK airports will Altes Hafenamt. massive Miniatur fine dolce at Cantinetta. green Stadtpark and
whisk you to Hamburg in A converted listed building Wunderland, which Main courses from €12.50, take a 5km loop around
under two hours and for in the HafenCity district, contains, among much and a tiramisu is €8.00, if the Planetarium and the
less than £100. convenient for the start/ else, the world’s largest you fancy treating yourself outdoor swimming lake.
finish. From £165 a night. model railway. after the race.
25hours-hotels.com/en miniatur-wunderland.com ristorante-cantinetta.de

RACE ROUTE RECCE
‘AS WELL AS THIS, we run a

WIRRAL WAY TRAIL summer version of the race. Both are
great introductions to trail racing,’
START
Runners
HALF MARATHON says Eccleston. ‘The route is mostly

lat and there’s lots to see. My
favourite part is where the former
gather
outside
Hooton
Race director Phil Eccleston railway line cuts through the deep railway
rock that towers up beside you on station.
guides you along a lat trail one section. Time 2 Run works on To help
race on the North West coast about 200 events each year, so we ease the
know how to put on well-organised congestion,
races. As well as chip timing and chip-timed
WEST KIRBY Royden Park course management, making sure runners
11 there’s plenty of cake for the 600 can start
Wirral Country Park

runners at the inish is vital.’ any time MILE 2
during a At Willaston you will
12
45-minute pass the Grade II
THURSTASTON window listed Hadlow Road
10
beginning Station. Today it’s a
13 from 9am. popular museum
FINISH celebrating a bygone
BARNSTON
age, with a signal
RIVER DEE 9 box, platform and
BRIMSTAGE red phone box to
enchant its visitors.
8 HESWALL
BROMBOROUGH
THORNTON
HOUGH
7 M53
MILE 5
The trail now follows
RABY
the shoreline of the
6 Dee Estuary and
ofers dramatic views HOOTON
across it towards
the hills of North
START
Wales and beyond.
MILE 11 PARKGATE
5
As you look WILLASTON
out across
the estuary, NESTON 3 1
2
you will 4
spot an
archipelago
of tiny isles,
the biggest MILE 11.5 MILE 12
being Hilbre You pass irst through As you look
Island, which Cubbins Green, the site inland, you
is home to of a nature reserve that will spot
a pod of attracts a variety of a hill that is
grey seals, birdlife, and then dominated by
and which by West Kirby, Thor’s Stone,
can only where actors a large and
be reached Daniel Craig and dramatic
by foot at Glenda Jackson sandstone
low tide. went to school. outcrop.
All inishers
can enjoy FINISH
ELEVATION (ft) whatever You end in Wirral
they fancy Country Park – the irst
WO R D S : A D R I A N M O N T I
188
141 for free from park to be designated
94 the laden a Country Park when
47 cake stall just it opened in 1973.
beyond the A coach will ferry
0 3 MILES 6 9 12 1 3 .1 inish line. you back to the start.

RACE
SHORT HAUL
LONG HAUL
Look further aield for your race ix GRAND CANARIA
MARATHON
The perfect place
to enjoy some
winter sun
Gran Canaria Marathon Bahamas Half Marathon

CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN, JANUARY 29 NASSAU, CARIBBEAN, JANUARY 20
Always a sound bet for a spot of If your only point of reference for
winter sun in a place that won’t Nassau is Sean Connery swaggering
break the bank, Gran Canaria around looking for Spectre and
also puts on a cracking marathon, random women, then…you won’t
which will celebrate its 10th outing be disappointed; it really is that
in January. It’s a comprehensive trawl glamorous. It’s the capital of the
through the best parts of the capital 700-odd islands that make up the
city of Las Palmas, such as the old Bahamas, and the half marathon (or
town of Vegueta – with its treasure full, should you fancy it) takes you
trove of 15th-century buildings – the through historic downtown and along
beautiful beach of Las Canteras and the coastline to a seafront finish
the stunning Alfredo Kraus concert – before you get on with the real
hall. The route also takes in the city’s business of canasta competitions,
Atlantic coastline. stone-crab shacks and rum cocktails.
Flights Regular flights from multiple Flights BA flies direct to Nassau from
UK airports, from £69 return Heathrow, from £661 return
While you’re there…visit the While you’re there…enjoy a varied
Camel Safari Park La Baranda day tour with nassaugonative.com.
BAHAMAS HALF (camelsafarigrancanaria.com), where They will take you scavenger hunting
Runners are not you can trek through the Oasis through the island, as well as on a
expected to dress of 1,000 Palms and smooch with delightful crawl of the best food
this flamboyantly D. Gustavo, the kissing camel… shacks and locals’ bars
grancanariamaraton.com marathonbahamas.com.
The race venn Two races, one thing in common

PICK ’N’ MIX MOVIE RACE
WATERWAY 30 PICK ’N’ MIX MOVIE RACE

WATERWAY 30
A 31-mile trot along the grassy Complete as many laps as you like
WO R D S : K E R RY M C CA R T H Y
towpaths of two waterways: the of the 5.3km route along the tranquil ULTRA WATERSIDE AWESOME
Cuckoo Way (Chesterfield Canal) River Stort Waterways. Afterwards, DISTANCE ROUTE MEDAL
and the Trent Valley Way (River pick a medal from the 1980s-movie-
Trent). It’s extremely scenic, so themed selection. Ghostbusters, The
you can switch off, zen out and Goonies and The Breakfast Club are
enjoy the peaceful surroundings. all expected to feature.
January 26, Notts, hobopace.co.uk January 26, Essex, phoenixrunning.co.uk

THE START LIST
Our selection of the best, fastest,
toughest, quirkiest and most
enjoyable UK races this month
Tadworth 10
Seven hundred runners pounding RW POLL
along 10 miles – half on the roads,
half on grass and tracks – with some What’s the minimum
lovely North Downs scenery along requirement to make
the way. Bookending the route are a you pull out of a race
couple of short sections along the on the day
track at Epsom Downs race course.
A race with real pedigree…
January 6, Epsom, Surrey,
tadworthac.org.uk/tadworth-ten 3%Bad weather
Maverick Inov-8 Original

Every Maverick event has three
distance options; this new one offers
5% Hangover
24km, 16km or 6km along a New ULTRA FUN
Forest route, where you’ll share your
surroundings with deer, ponies,
cattle and even the odd peregrine
falcon. The organisers promise
32% Death
Country to Capital
This is a 45-mile ultra event, but the fact that half the RW editorial team has
– rather inexplicably – signed up to do it should reassure you that this is at
‘a magical event with the crunching
60%
the beginner-friendly end of the ultra scale. The race starts in Wendover,
of frosted leaves underfoot’.
heads south and features a long stretch along the Grand Union Canal before
January 12, Christchurch, Hampshire,
finishing at Little Venice in central London.
maverick-race.com Injury January 11, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, gobeyondultra.co.uk
Northumberland. As you scale the

TRICKY TERRAIN summit of Hedgehope (the second-
highest of the Cheviot Hills, at 714m)
Cambridge Harriers you’ll have to contend with rocky
10 Mile Cross Country outcrops, crags, howling winds,
This one is not actually in occasional snow and the odd river
Cambridge, but on the border crossing. Winter (and possibly a
between southeast London and hamstring strain) is coming.
Kent. It’s a tricky little customer due January 13, Ingram, Northumberland,
to numerous undulations and the highfellevents.co.uk
varied terrain. The location is the
rather lovely environs of Joyden’s
Wood, the field is competitive and
the caveat is that you have to jog Sir Titus Trot
1.5 miles to and from the start/finish The name of the company organising
from the race HQ, so you’ll be this event is It’s Grim Up North
covering a half marathon in total. Running, but this race is anything
January 12, Bexley, London, but grim. It’s a lovely out-and-back
cambridgeharriers.org.uk meander along the Leeds-to-
Liverpool canal path. There are
Richmond Park 10K seven distance options, from 5K
If you’re new(ish) to running, you think you’ve got to ultra, but all pass by the village
6.25 miles in you and you fancy a gentle introduction TRUE GRIT of Saltaire – named after a 19th-
to the world of races, this is the perfect option (there century fabric magnate, Titus Salt,
is also a 5K). It’s two laps of a mildly undulating multi- High Hills of Hedgehope whose woollen mill was on the banks
terrain route through one of London’s loveliest Royal If brooding Jon Snow from Game of the River Aire, which afforded him
Parks. Deer act as unofficial crowd support on the day, of Thrones was going to do a race, easy access to the canal.
though they are easily distracted by grass. this is the type of event he’d do. It’s January 5, Bradford, West Yorkshire,
January 6, London, nice-work.org.uk 13.1 miles of tough fell running in itsgrimupnorthrunning.co.uk

START LIST RACE
(and, perhaps, slightly unhinged, we Passports and visas are not required
DOWN AND DIRTY politely venture) bunch. Both days to make the crossing, but some
are the same; run four out-and-back warm layers most definitely are.
Dark Star River Marathon laps of a 3.27-mile route along the You have been warned.
This will be the sixth outing for this Liverpool Otterspool Riverside WE ASKED January 27, Carlisle, Cumbria,
impressive race. In each of the first Promenade. There are grand views READERS: x-border10k.co.uk
five years the event was sold out, out over the Mersey and once
which is a good indication of how you’re done you’ll have the smug Tell us about your
well it is regarded. It’s actually a knowledge that it’s only January 1 biggest postrace
little longer than a marathon, at and you’ve already done one more celebration Windsor Winter
28.2 miles, but just consider that marathon than almost everyone else Half Marathon
extra distance as the perfect in 2019. Not a bad start to the year. ‘I can’t really You know what you’re getting when
remember. All I can
opportunity to spend two more December 31-January 1, Merseyside, you sign up to one of the many races
say is that cider and
miles looking at the River Adur, marathonandahalf.co.uk hosted at Dorney Lake (which is
tequila are a bad
which will keep you company for combination.’
home to international rowing events
much of the route. There is also – Kev Lewis the rest of the time): what it lacks
some spectacular South Downs in variety in terms of stunning
scenery to take your mind off the BORDER JOLLY ‘Many Brooklyn scenery – the route is 4.5 laps
miles. The going can be muddy but lagers after the New around the lake – it makes up for
the sense of achievement afterwards X-border 10K York Half for my in the fact that the route is wide,
makes the effort worthwhile. One of the treats of this race – now 50th last year. I was flat and almost purpose-built for
ine but mother was
January 27, Shoreham, West Sussex, in its eighth year – is that over a cracking out a PB. This predictability
hammered.’
sussextrailevents.com distance of just 6.25 miles you means it’s also ideal for practising
– Jeff Finnie
and 450 or so other runners will steady pacing. And if you bring a
travel to another country under ‘Going to Nobu support crew they’ll be able to roar
your own steam. The road route [restaurant] in Beijing sarcastic comments at you from the
Liverbird Double takes you from Kingmoor Park after running the sides on four occasions. Lucky you.
Day Marathon in Carlisle, England, to a rather Great Wall Half January 20, Dorney Lake, Windsor,
The field for this modest turn-of-the- raucous finish outside Greens Hotel Marathon with f3events.co.uk
year event is predictably boutique- in Gretna, just across the border 20+ girls from my
running group.’
sized but the 100 or so runners who in Scotland. Buses will then take
– Alyson O’Brien
turn up are always a hardy, jovial runners back to Kingmoor Park.
‘There isn’t just
one, but after
every marathon I get
a new tattoo.’
– Kelly Cooper
WO R D S : K E R RY M C CA R T H Y. P H OTO G R A P H S : A D R I A N H OW E S P H OTO G R A P H Y (C O U N T R Y TO CA P I TA L )
TRUE GRIT
The Knacker Cracker

This is a race that’s as much a part of
the early-January running scene as
Tiger Balm on aching legs and alarm
clocks on snooze (for one more day,
anyway). There’ll be no snoozing at
RW ONLINE this 10K, however: it’s a brutal way
RACE LISTINGS to see in the new year, as you run
Thirsty up and down fearsome Box Hill in
for more? Surrey. There’ll be plenty of runners
OLYMPIAN EFFORT Simply go to in fancy dress (last year’s event
runnersworld. featured a dalek, Ziggy Stardust and
co.uk/events, noted athlete Donald Trump), the
Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10K the UK’s most odd hungover runner tacking off to
The ‘legacy’ part of the race name comes from the fact that the venue for comprehensive the side to ‘gather’ themselves, and
this extremely hilly and muddy 10K is the mountain-bike circuit in Hadleigh race database, great camaraderie. The fact that
Country Park, which was used in the London Olympics. The climbs are not where you can there is a ‘bonus’ hill – the Eiger
for the fainthearted, but there are distant views of the Thames estuary (if you search over Steps – thrown in because of
can lift your head up long enough to take them in), the number of people 4,500 races popular demand, tells you all you
doing comedy banana-skin falls in the mud quite hilarious and the general by location, need to know about the masochistic
‘mucking in together’ vibe is just what you want if you’re looking for an event terrain, mindset required for this event.
to kick-start your 2019 mojo. distance Box Hill, Surrey, January 1,
January 27, Hadleigh, Essex, nice-work.org and more. trionium.com

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READING ROADRUNNERS PRESENTS THE

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motivation, nutrition and health
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17th February 2019 ฀฀
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Bramley, Hants 10.30am start ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

)DVWÁDWUXUDOFRXUVH7ZR0LOHODSV
0HGDOWRDOOÀQLVKHUV
([WHQVLYH3UL]H/LVW7HDP7URSKLHV
&KLS7LPLQJWREUHDNFRXUVHUHFRUGV
(QWHU2QOLQHDWZZZUHDGLQJURDGUXQQHUVRUJEUDPOH\
12(175,(6217+('$<
Entries close on the 3rd February 2019 unless
the race limit is reached before this date
Entry form at www.readingroadrunners.org/bramley

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SD\DEOHWR¶5HDGLQJ5RDGUXQQHUV· and be part of a growing community
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I’M A RUNNER
STEVE DRAKE
THE ULTRARUNNING CHEF, 45, ON CHI RUNNING AND TRICKING HIS WIFE INTO RACES
but the benefits are incredible, and

it’ll last for years if you look after it.
WATCHING YOUTUBE VIDEOS

REVOLUTIONISED THE WAY I RUN.
I used to get knee pain and shin splints.
My physio told me not to change my
running style, in case I made my
injuries worse. I ignored him and did
loads of research online. I discovered
Chi running – you lean forward, raise
‘I think running the knee and land on your midfoot
is about being and forefoot. Over a few months, I
sociable tweaked the way I run. That was six
rather than years ago. I haven’t had an injury since.
competitive’
I KEEP MY KIT IN THE CAR SO I CAN
RUN AT ANY OPPORTUNITY. I might
drop my daughter at school, then go
for a run to avoid the rush-hour
traffic on the way back. When I’m
working in the restaurant, I’ll finish
service at lunchtime, then I’ll run
before I’m back to work in the
evening. I’d run every day if I could.
ULTRAS ARE AMAZING FOR YOU,

MENTALLY. I used to listen to music
or play podcasts like Marathon Talk.
Lately I tend not to – I just like to
clear my head. It’s like therapy. In
the first couple of hours of an ultra,
you’ve got a lot of stuf running
through your mind, but you get it
all out and you feel so much better.
MY FRIENDS AND I RUN INSTEAD

OF GOING TO THE PUB. It’s less
glamorous, but a long run is a great
way to catch up. I like to run with
people who are better than me, so I
have to try and keep up with them.
But, overall, I think running is about
being sociable rather than competitive. I N T E R V I E W: S A M A N T H A R E A . P H OTO G R A P H : TO M WAT K I N S
MY WIFE THINKS I’M MAD WITH THE

RUNNING. We got married this year
MY FIRST MARATHON WAS A CAR now-defunct Greensand, which Steve Drake is the and I plan to get her involved more
CRASH. It was the 2005 London started in Dorking and went through Michelin-starred with travelling abroad for races. My
Marathon. I thought I’d trained the Surrey Hills. It was brutally hilly, chef patron of Sorrel tactic for the future is to say, ‘Would
enough, but I hadn’t. I was also but had stunning scenery and great restaurant in Dorking, you like to come to Paris? By the way
dehydrated and the last six miles camaraderie; I love races that are an AA Restaurant of the I’m doing a race while I’m there!’
were the most torturous of my life. antidote to big-city marathons. Year, England.
I’ve done it twice since and it’s NOW I’M IN MY MID-FORTIES, I’m
second nature to me now. I’M NOT INTO ALL THE LATEST KIT. less competitive. If I haven’t had time
When I train, I like to wear T-shirts for the long runs, I’ll still do the race,
MY FAVOURITE PLACE TO RUN IS IN I’ve been given when I’ve finished a but try to be realistic. Sometimes the
SURREY, WHERE I LIVE. I’ve done race. If I have to buy stuf, I go for self-control isn’t there; I’ll intend to
marathons in Paris, Dublin and Adidas or Nike for kit, and Salomon and go slow, but start chasing someone
Berlin, but my favourite is the Brooks for footwear. It’s expensive, and by mile 15, I’m regretting it!

Runners World UK

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JANUARY 2019 £4.

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