Inhaltsverzeichnis für June - July 2021 in Trail Running

WEEK #1 LEARN NEW SKILLS You need to be agile with fast reactions and be able to read the terrain ahead to know where to plant your feet. These skills are gained by repeated practice, so make time in your training runs to include short, technical downhill sections and repeat them several times. WEEK #2 TRY THESE Pick a testing slope you can run up for 30-60s. Attack the hill but maintain your effort on the way back down, turn and go up again without rest. Continue for 10 minutes, trying to keep a consistent pace. Then rest for three minutes. Repeat. WEEK #3 LEARN TO CONCENTRATE You need to anticipate every rock, tree root and mud patch. And to do that you need hyper-concentration on where your foot is…

One of the main reasons we love running is the ‘runner’s high’, which is often referred to as an endorphin rush. However, it is less down to endorphins than once thought, as a recent study corroborated. Scientists at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf confirmed it was the endocannabinoid system, the same also stimulated by the drug cannabis, which was more likely to be responsible for the exercise-induced euphoria. Participants showed increased levels of pleasure and decreased anxiety after 45 minutes of moderate-intensity running compared to walking.…

One of the biggest races on the calendar is set to return with a bang, with no less than six former winners on the start list for Chamonix. On the men’s side, three-time champs Francois D’Haene and Xavier Thevenard, as well as Pau Capell and Ludovic Pommeret, are the past victors toeing the line this year (between them they make up the past eight winners!) but will be joined by Jim Walmsley and Britain’s own FKT machine and former fifth placer, Damian Hall. In the women’s race, Courtney Dauwalter will attempt to defend her title from 2019 against the previous year’s champion Francesca Canepa of Italy. Beth Pascall and Kaori Niwa will look to get to the sharp end of the field for the UK and Japan respectively and will…

A host of leading figures have joined in a collective to launch the #WEWILL Campaign to raise awareness of harassment of women runners. Following data by Women’s Running magazine which states 79% of women have been harassed whilst out running, and 1-in-3 feeling forced to stop running altogether, the collective states that it will focus “on the positive actions men and women can take to enable women to run free from fear, to be safe, and to feel safe in every part of their lives.” Amongst those leading the campaign are Women’s Running editor Esther Newman; Mel Bound, CEO of This Mum Runs; Lisa Parfitt, Founder of The Space Between agency and Women In Football board member, and Ruth Hooper, who has worked as a brand director with Nike Women…

You wouldn’t expect a former rugby league prop weighing in at more than 16 stone to be into ultra-running. However, since retiring, Jamie Peacock has turned a need to keep fit and a love of running into a means of raising money for charity. While his body may not be suited to running long distances, it’s his mind that has helped to get him over the line. In March, he ran 45 miles around London with friend Simon Dent to raise money for the Greenhouse Sports charity. Last year, he ran 45km in Devon over tougher terrain and through Storm Alex. That was to help fellow Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow’s fight against motor neurone disease (MND). He also supported fellow player Kevin Sinfield by running part of the way…

MONTANE Innovative, lightweight, breathable clothing for endurance sports and activities in extreme environments. montane.co.uk SILVA Best known among runners for its headtorches, Silva has designed and produced gear for over 85 years. silva.se ORDNANCE SURVEY OS creates, maintains and distributes detailed location information for Great Britain. Its app is a must-have. ordnancesurvey.co.uk RUNDERWEAR The finest performance underwear that’s guaranteed to support you no matter how hard you train. runderwear.co.uk SPORTSSHOES.COM The UK’s No1 online retailer for running, trail and hiking kit. It stocks the widest trail range the UK has to offer. sportsshoes.com LA SPORTIVA Renowned for its mountain footwear, in fact La Sportiva is equally successful as a running shoe brand. lasportiva.com BRIDGEDALE Purveyors of the finest technical socks, developed to offer you the maximum comfort off-road. bridgedale.com FORESTRY…

An annual (£23.99) or monthly (£2.99) subscription to the OS Maps app opens up a whole new world of exploration, right from your doorstep. Here’s why… It’s all there You get access to all 607 OS Explorer and Landranger maps for the whole of Great Britain, to view, print or download to your phone. Sharing is caring You’ll find routes already plotted in your local area. Or, if you’d rather, you can create your own and share them with other users. Save your data Heading somewhere lofty? Live in a cave? Don’t panic if you don’t have a mobile signal on your run – you can download all the maps for offline use. Print’s not dead You can print out maps from your computer, choosing the scale, size and orientation…

1 Forget the watch, leave it at home and just run how your body wants to. If you stop and walk, so what? Dropping the use of a watch for a couple of years was the best thing I did when I lost my mojo. This method is simple and effective. 2 Learn SMR (self-myofascial release) and always take a few minutes before each workout to use it. Basically, it’s a self-massage technique using a foam roller, to massage the muscles and the fascia around them that have been affected by pain and tightness. 3 Take a few minutes to get in the zone. Listen to motivational music or a podcast. Get away from your day before starting training. It’ll be time well spent! 4 Try 20 minutes of one…

Take a selfie of your sunrise run and for every #SunriseMind selfie shared, Asics will make a donation to mental health charity Mind to fund research into mental health in sport, and fund support services for people experiencing mental health problems. • Get up, get out and move at sunrise by going for a run, walk, or taking part in any kind of sport or activity • Take your sunrise selfie. Upload to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter hashtagged #SunriseMind More info: asics.com…

Dr Brendon Stubbs has been working in mental health and mental wellbeing for 18 years and has been researching the subjects for well over a decade. He is also a clinician who helps people with mental health conditions to become active. His research covers two overarching areas. The first is how the mind and body are connected, so he is working with Asics, looking at that relationship between having a sound mind and a sound body. But also he researches how they can be disconnected and what we can do to reconnect them. The other area of his research is lifestyle interventions and looking at how, through movement and through running, we can promote better physical and mental health and treatment for a range of different mental health conditions. He…

Curing issues is one thing, but preventing them from happening is the mark of a professional-standard DIYer. Take the resistance band; a humble tool with sizeable benefits. Less than £20 will pick up a set of these stretchy rubber bands that can be used for all kinds of strength and rehab exercises, particularly around the hips and glutes which are crucial to running. Even better is that unlike, say, weight training, the use of resistance bands requires very little space and specialist coaching and is great as a warm-up, as a 10-minute circuit after a run, or even as a standalone workout. Good strength and stability around the major joints is particularly important in preventing injuries in running. Not only does it help improve form and efficiency, but it also…

Many of these tools are great as ways to heal existing injuries, but are even better as methods of prevention. Staying on top of injuries is the best way to maximise your training benefit and your general wellbeing. An invaluable skill that will help is understanding your body. I know my natural gait leaves me more prone to calf, Achilles and plantar issues, so I focus my attention there. Similarly, if you have areas that are sore after tough sessions or have been injured in the past, being prepared in advance will aid in recurring issues over time. Most prevention methods should include strength work as well as massage and stretching. By building a routine around a few methods, you’ll be straight on to any initial aches and pains as…

inov-8 footwear manager Bodil Oudshoorn offers some tips on how you can make your running shoes last longer. • Remove the footbed and, using cold water, hand-wash or rinse the shoes inside and out. • Always allow them to dry naturally with the footbed removed. Stuff them with newspaper to speed up the drying. • Never wash the shoes with warm water or in a washing machine. • Never leave shoes to dry on a radiator or expose them to other forms of heat. • Removing the footbed after a run allows the shoes to air properly. Ensure you tip out all the grit from inside the shoe, too.…

SOBRE LA TRAVESERA INTEGRAL The most famous and prestigious mountain race in Asturias, the Travesera Integral Picos de Europa is the result of a group of friends, Asturian mountaineers wanting to complete a route that crosses the three massifs of Los Picos ‘on the fly’. Today, it’s an Ultra-Trail that covers more than 74km and has 13,145 metres of accumulated ascent, through a limestone terrain of high mountains. It’s a challenge and an experience that leaves its mark, crossing a unique environment such as the Picos de Europa National Park. It is a test approved by the ITRA (International Trail Running Association) and FEMPA. It is also qualifying for the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) with 4 points. One of the most difficult and technically demanding in the world. PUERTA DE…

The Rise and Fall of an Ultra-Distance Runner by Glyn Marston £8.99 Many years ago, we challenged a group of readers to run Rim to Rim across the Grand Canyon – and Glyn was one of those ready for such a brutal run. In his own words, he is just a normal bloke with a love for ultra-running. Many years have passed and now Glyn has once again shown us his modesty knows no bounds – he’s gone and written a book! Glyn decided to quit smoking and focus on the London Marathon to help him kick the habit, but little did he know what his future held when he set off on his very first training run. Gruelling challenges followed as Glyn’s desire to run beyond the 26.2-mile marathon…

MERRELL AGILITY PEAK 4 295g (UK 8) merrell.com The first thing you notice when slipping your feet into the Merrells is the amount of cushioning on offer – a far cry from the brand’s previous focus on zero-drop, barefoot footwear. And this FloatPro foam is one of the Agility Peak 4’s trump cards; hard-packed ground is bounded over with ease. An aggressive tread pattern provides grip where you need it, and the sticky Vibram MegaGrip sole has more than ample traction. The lacing is secure, there’s a rock plate for protection, a decent toe bumper, and even a D-ring attachment point for gaiters. A 6mm drop puts them just on the right side of ‘pacey’, too. VERDICT Really good all-rounder that's easy to get on with. ADIDAS TERREX SPEED ULTRA…

GET HERE Trains to Taunton then bus 28 to Minehead, change to bus 10 for Porlock. Seasonal bus 12 from Porlock to County Gate (for Cloud Farm and route 1). EAT HERE The Periwinkle Cottage tea-room in Selworthy or Lorna Doone tea-room at Cloud Farm. STAY HERE The newly refurbished National Trust Cloud Farm campsite in the Doone Valley (nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/cloud-farm-campsite), stay in a basic bothy (nationaltrust.org.uk/holiday-lists/ bothies-and-bunkhouses-in-devon) or in comfort at the Hunters Inn (nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/ the-hunters-inn-exmoor).…

Thanks to the teams at Votwo Events and Asics, we have six prize packs available to Trail Running readers. The prize packs include entry to either the Asics Coast Ultra Xtreme (October 6-10, 2021) or its sister three-day event the Atlantic Coast Challenge (October 8-10, 2021) with camping pitch provided and an Asics trail running kit pack. Visit trailrunningmag.co.uk this May and read the article on the Coast Ultra Xtreme for full details and how to enter.…

Meet Trail Running editor Paul’s faithful training partner, Benji the dog. His PBs are creeping down with some regular runs! When we news writer Liam Dee D does d a say lot of mileage, we mean he does A LOT of mileage. Rest in peace, his trusty Altras... Online editor Paul Halford takes in the scenic banks of the River Nene after making his shoes shoe-selfie-suitable in a nearby stream Don’t tell the farmer, but production editor Marc took a well-earned mid-run rest among his crops... Art editor Laura takes a look down during a lunchbreak forest bathing session (mug of tea just out of shot)…

Your winter excuses are no longer valid and our endless amazing trails are ready and raring to go. Races, personal bests and just feeling good, floating along without a care in the world, smooth as you like, are all something we promise you. We had a great chat with Dr Brendon Stubbs who says, “It is impossible to overstate how significant the impact sport and exercise have on our mind. Never has there been a more important time to become active and experience the mental health benefits sport and movement bring.” With that in mind, this issue we’ve got super coach June Whitehead to guide us all through a motivating hour (p46). You probably have your own favourite but if you get nothing else from June’s wise words, make sure…

We’re all familiar with the expression ‘five a day’, but now research is showing that two fruit and three veg per day may be the ideal combination. Researchers publishing in the journal Circulation reviewed 26 studies which documented nearly 34,000 deaths. They found that higher intakes of fruit and vegetables were associated with lower mortality but that this plateaued at five a day. More specifically, the two-three ratio was noted as being statistically beneficial.…

The Achilles tendon has been suggested as crucial to humans’ evolution as good distance runners. Yet, when this strong tendon fails us, it can lead to a common and troubling injury. A recent study from University College London, published in eLife, has shown variations in the structure of the tendon could account for our individual risk of injury as we age. The older participants in the study showed less sliding within their sub-tendons, suggesting why Achilles problems tend to be more likely as we age. So, studying individuals’ tendon shape could help identify patients at risk and help develop personalised treatments and preventative measures.…

How did you approach the race? Since I’ve mainly been doing marathon/50km distances more recently, my main goal going into Tarawera was to really practice a nutrition plan going into longer races like Western States. It also allowed me to really see where my fitness was at as I’m also training for a marathon. So I was going into Tarawera with more of a road focus, but since it’s not too mountainous (about 3000m of vert) it wasn’t too bad. This must have been your first competitive ultra for a while? I went to Europe last year to do a few races, and I guess the last race I ran would have been the Golden Trail Series final in the Azores in October. I had a break after that and…

RunFestRun Guided running routes with celeb guests by daytime, music festival by night! The weekend of trail running and partying is held on August 27-29 at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire, Snowdon SkyRace Head to North Wales to run or watch the newest addition to the premier Skyrunner World Series. The world’s best mountain runners will battle it out on the Welsh peaks on October 3 in Snowdonia. Salomon Festival Join Salomon athletes and experts to run and hike through the Chiltern Hills, whilst testing brand new gear, before workshops on all things trail-related. August 7 in Tring, Hertfordshire Montane Dragon’s Back Race Fancy tackling 380km, 17,400m of ascent and crossing Wales north to south? With new sponsor, Montane, the race has unveiled an all new route for 2021 September 5-11…

Don’t worry if you saw a troop of gorillas racing around the Lakes recently; you hadn’t taken leave of your senses! That was the Kong Running relay team running the Bob Graham Round dressed as the apes to raise money for Calvert Trust outdoor centre for the disabled. After a year off, the Skyrunner World Series made its return this year with the Mount Awa Skyrace in Japan. What do you do when you’ve run a marathon in every country of the world? Easy – you run the entire coastline of Britain, of course! Nick Butter began his RunBritain adventure on April 17 and is aiming to complete the mammoth challenge in 100 days. Best of luck, Nick!…

During our phone interview with Wayne Edy, founder of one of the world’s most famous trail running brands Inov-8, he told us he was wearing a pair of the new Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G 300 Max. We believe him – such is the passion that he clearly has for the company. It’s a fervor that led him last year to buy back the company he set up in 2003 – despite the world being near the peak of the biggest period of financial uncertainty in decades. The Zimbabwean businessman, who now lives in South Wales, explained how tough a decision it was to buy a brand that’s very much all about the outdoors at a time when people were being told to stay at home. “It was very tough,” he…

1 SIGN UP ONLINE Visit run1000miles.co.uk to register. We have special 2021 #Run1000Mile ruffs (pictured, left) for you to wear while you complete your challenge. They’re on sale now for £8.99 – so make sure you order yours today. Stock is extremely limited! 2 DO A PLEDGE Visit the website, download the #Run1000Miles pledge, sign it, take a picture of it and post it on social media to commit to the challenge. 3 JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Sign up at facebook.com/ groups/run1000miles. You’ll be part of a buzzing community sharing the joys and toils of the experience, boosting you to achieve your aims. 4 FILL IN THE TRACKER Download the mileage tracker from run1000miles.co.uk to record how you’re progressing towards the big 1000. 5 GET…

Hi, I’m Verity, and I’ve just bet everything I have on red (blood cells) by setting out on a six-week altitude camp in Flagstaff, Arizona with my good friend Holly Archer . We’re after some 7000ft mountain blood to help us chase the Olympic standards for T okyo 2021. I’ll need to break 15:10 over the 5000m, or 31:25 in the 10,000m and Holly’ s after a sub-4.04 1500m. I booked this trip last March, but postponed it until now, training out of my grandmother’ s bungalow in Hertfordshire for three months instead. That still got me some pretty good results, but I can’ t wait to find out what a real training camp can do for performance Finally finding myself with suitcase in tow felt far different to how…

Dr Emma Short is a pathologist, trail runner and 'forest bathing' advocate... "As trail runners, we already know the tremendous physical benefits that exercising in nature brings. In addition to these, spending time amongst trees has its own independent and positive impacts upon our health and wellbeing. Forest bathing, or Shinrin Yoku, simply describes being in nature and connecting with it using all of our senses. Many people experience a feeling of calm or rejuvenation after taking time out in the wild. These beneficial effects are backed up by scientific research. "Studies have shown that, in a forest environment, individuals can experience a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure, improved mental wellbeing and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Spending time in green areas can reduce the perception of…

Email tr@ bauermedia.co.uk, post on our wall at facebook.com/ trailrunningmag or tweet your question to @trailrunningmag SIMON JAMES International mountain leader and founder of the Run The Wild. runthewild.co.uk SIGNE SVANFELDT Nutritionist for digital self-care mobile app, Lifesum. lifesum.com FINN JOHANNSEN Specialist doctor in rheumatology and sports medicine. injurymap.com JONTY NORRIS Running and strength coach with PhD in sport performance. @forgefitnesscoaching RACHEL SHELDRAKE Running coach and mountain leader with a passion for trails. mudandmiles.co.uk…

On a basic level, what is pain? Pain is one of those ‘know it when you feel it’ sort of things, and we can all quickly come up with examples of pain or discomfort while running – torn or pulled tendons, aching backs and hips and knees, blisters and chafing, cramps. This kind of pain is largely related to nociception, which is the way we describe the alarm signals sent to our central nervous system from the periphery indicating that damage is occurring or, and this is a really important distinction, about to occur. These are real signals and paying attention to them is incredibly important for health. At the same time, there is room for a little bit of… negotiation, shall we say? Can pain be a good thing?…

Saving the planet conjures up images of Will Smith in Independence Day. It sounds like too big a task for any of us to take on – probably why eco-warriors are sometimes given a bit of a hard time. However, when we start to think about small ways in which all of us can help the environment, it becomes a more realistic endeavour. Rest assured, this article isn’t designed to get you to go vegan or stop you flying ever again. It’s aimed at people just like me who are, well, essentially selfish – people who care about the planet but want to enjoy life now and would rather not have to pay more to do so. After all, being green can be an inconvenience, or it can cost us.…

• RECYCLE SHOES AND KIT Companies such as ReRun clothing and individual sports shops can help. Plus, when your shoes are no longer good enough for running, you can wear them as everyday items. Also, sell or give away kit. • BUY ECO-FRIENDLY KIT The newly released Salomon Index.01 is totally recyclable. Meanwhile, manufacturers such as Inov-8 produce only vegan shoes. Other kit is billed as being produced using environmentally friendly measures or using recycled materials. • WEAR KIT LONGER Ask yourself if you really need new kit just because your existing gear is old. • WASH YOUR KIT LESS Microfibres from certain clothes can end up in the water systems during the wash. To cut down on this and on overall clothing consumption, how about wearing your sports gear…

New metabolism-tracking breathalyser maximises your nutrition Lumen Metabolism Tracker, £349 Checking your metabolism on the move is now a reality using this amazing piece of kit. It’s a handheld breath analyser than will tell you how efficiently you are using fats and carbs. Using the latest science, literally just one breath is all it takes to measure your body’s carbon dioxide concentration and calculate how your body produces energy. It could be that you’re using mostly carbs to fuel your engine, mostly fats or – even better – a mix. Using it is as simple as it sounds; blow into the Lumen and read the numbers provided on your phone’s app. Simply use it over time to create a comprehensive picture of your needs. It provides you with a daily…

Patagonia men’s Airshed Pro pullover, £100 A lightweight, fast-wicking and highly breathable layer for mountain running, the Airshed Pro packs down into its own hood so can easily be stashed for when the time comes. A DWR finish also supplies a modicum of weatherproofing. Patagonia women’s Houdini Air jacket, £150 The Houdini Air jacket comes in men’s and women’s cuts, and treads the line between full-on waterproof and windproof mid-layer. It’s breathable, has elasticated cuffs, a peaked hood, and packs down into a tiny carry pouch. Patagonia Air Full Zip hoody, £130 Made from recycled polyester jacquard fleece with hollow-core yarns this warm hoody also features a unique zigzag texture that wicks moisture, dries fast and is highly breathable for high-output activities. Patagonia Endless Run shorts, £70 Designed as part…

We believe it’s the little things that make the biggest difference to our lives. It’s the little things that put a smile on our faces and a spring in our step. It’s the little things that come together to make big things happen. For over a century, our socks have been one of the little things that transform your journey. Our passion, experience, and care for every tiny detail – from our fit, our 'fusion technology' and our guarantee – have helped us create the world’s most comfortable and enduring socks. Little by little. Step by step. We’re changing the world beneath your feet. After all, for such an innocent piece of everyday kit, the Trail Run sock has a big, big part to play when it comes to creating…

PAUL LARKINS Paul is currently a club coach (and England team manager) concentrating mostly on middle distance, but the odd member of his training group loves to tackle something longer. One even won the Everest 100-mile stage race a few years back, while Paul has now turned his attention to the MCC, part of the UTMB race programme – targetting it himself! In the far distant past, Paul was an area cross-country champion and an England international on that surface. But these days he lives for the trails. PAUL HALFORD Paul found his love of trail running when he went to report on the Himalaya 100-Mile Stage Race and made a last-minute decision to run it, too. “It was a revelation for me that racing wasn’t all about trying to…

Keep fit While it is inevitable that we will slow down with advancing age, some have shown the body’s remarkable ability to belie our body clocks. An analysis, published in Frontiers in Physiology, of 40 marathoners who were able to break three hours for the marathon over five decades showed it was possible to keep the decline in performance to 7% every 10 years, often by consistent training. Fight dementia A recent paper gave stunning evidence that exercise can fight off dementia. A 13-year-long study by University of Queensland of more than 15,000 Europeans aged 54-75 confirmed the benefits for cognitive function in older adults. Weekly moderate or vigorous activity increased mental function by 8% in men and 15% in women. Enhance mobility A study involving more than 5000 older…

Spaghetti bolognese is the perfect post-run meal, as it is rich in simple carbohydrates that will quickly fill up your depleted glycogen store, and protein that will nourish and help your muscles to recover. This version is not only delicious, but also plant-based. This easy-to-cook version takes only 25 minutes to prepare. Servings: 2 Cooking time: 20 min Nutrition: 557 kcal, 72.1g carbohydrates, 26.4g protein, 16.9g fat INGREDIENTS • 200g ground soya mince • ½ tbsp olive oil • ¼ chopped yellow onion • 1 chopped garlic clove • One tin of chopped tomatoes • ½ vegetable bouillon cube • 240 ml water • ⅓ tsp chilli flakes • 140 g spaghetti • ½ tsp salt • ¼ tsp ground black pepper • ½ handful fresh basil METHOD Fry the…

We’ve heard of people running for mayor before, but have you heard of a Running Mayor? Well down in Somerset, Laura Briggs has become the first Running Mayor, a position that aims to promote running around the community. The initiative finds people across the country who are involved in the sport and can inspire others to demonstrate all that is good and great about running. To celebrate, Laura decided to run an accumulator throughout March, running the corresponding amount of miles for the date. In total, she racked up over 500 miles for the month!…

Barkley Marathons, the race that is self-proclaimed to “eat its young”, once again yielded no finishers for 2021. After a virtual event last year, the infamously rugged trail race returned to Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee, for 2021 with three-time Barkley finisher Jared Campbell amongst the starters, as well as Liz Canty and Maggie Guterl who have both won events devised by Barkley organiser Gary ‘Lazarus Lake’ Cantrell. It was Campbell and first-timer Luke Nelson who completed three of five loops, known as a ‘Fun Run’, sharing the victory despite not completing the full race. It has now been four years since the last time someone finished Barkley, when John Kelly went the whole-hog in 2017.…

As lockdown eases, outdoor spaces saw an influx of people. Unfortunately, we heard stories of visitors chasing livestock for selfies and worrying locals with irresponsible behaviour. Don’t forget to be safe and responsible wherever you are in the world to protect places for runners and everyone else. Following a number of incidents of injuries, fatalities and risky rescues, officials for UK National Parks have urged patience and safety as we begin to return to these wild spaces. Yorkshire Dales, Cheviots and the Trossachs have all reported such incidents and have called for visitors to consider their preparation and have safe adventures.…

Even before Covid restrictions were relaxed in March, our group of #Run1000Milers were clearly making the most of the local trails. Whether you live in the hills or the town, you can still find mini-adventures on your own doorstep. Try to turn at least one run a week into an exploration. It’ll make the 1000 miles a breeze. And don’t forget to tell us all about it on the #Run1000Miles Facebook group! PB HUNTING Managed a HM PB on the trails this morning! One year since I started exercising daily (walks and bike rides) and six months since I started running. The inspiration of trying to reach 1000 miles this year is definitely a great motivator. Alex Hughes PERFECT PAIR Steve Dawson (left) and I have been running partners for…

U-T-M-B. Just four letters, but four that have been ringing in my ears since I first took part in the race’s shorter relation, the CCC, in 2011. Since then, I’ve been wondering if I could finish the world’s most famous trail running race. And this year – at the third attempt – I’ve been successful in the ballot. If all goes well (injury and travel bans notwithstanding) I’ll be on the start line in Chamonix on Friday, August 30, 2021. But just how do you train for a 170km race with almost 10,000m of ascent when you live in the UK? I’m based in Brighton on the south coast of England, literally at sea level. I’m fortunate that the South Downs are on my doorstep, but it’s a long way…

If you’re time-pressed, what is the minimum length of run that will benefit you? There is no hard-and-fast answer to that, but around 30 minutes should be enough unless you’re a beginner. Either do this as a steady ‘recovery’ run or consider speedwork. As long as you include 10 minutes to warm up and warm down, five 60-second sprints with 60-second recoveries will work wonders for your top-end speed. Perfect for a lunch-hour.…

We used to think it was by chance that our college coach insisted we ran all of our pre-sunrise morning miles on the rolling dirt roads that surrounded campus. But now, in hindsight, I suspect he knew something we teenagers didn’t – fabulous scenery and peace and quiet are good for you! NO WATCH He had a few rules as well – the most important of which was ‘no watch’. Never time that six-miler, indeed never even measure it. If it feels good, well then it is good for you. All he wanted was that we got out and enjoyed ourselves. It doesn’t sound quite right given we were out there to perform on race day, but we always came up trumps on the big day. VARY THE PACE Of…

Salomon and On Running are two companies that are on board with this idea. The new Salomon Index.01 has just gone on sale and is constructed of only two materials – one for the upper and one for the bottom unit. The shoe can be sent back at the end of its life when the lower section will be broken down for use in the next season’s Alpine ski boots and the upper will be ground down and used to weave a fabric. On’s Cyclon will be loaned out for a monthly subscription of £25 rather than sold and can be sent back for 100% recycling when they’re no longer fit for running in. It remains to be seen whether such shoes will catch on. After all, to have an…

In-house testers ed Claire, writer Sarah, assistant Hannah and intern Jack are joined by our four trusted independent experts with sports & exercise science backgrounds. PAUL LARKINS TR editor Paul has rounded up three pages of the hottest new kit to see you through the long hot summer ahead. JOHN BREWER Professor Brewer has spent two months running in the best gear to help select our award winners, p80. SARAH ROWELL Ex-Olympic athlete Sarah has been John’s testing partner in our search for accolade-worthy kit. LIAM DEE You want more shoes? Young Liam has eight pairs of the latest trail-ready footwear for you, p88.…

The design process for Bridgedale's Trail Run socks started back in August 2018, with initial concepts, designs, colours, and leg heights. These concepts were modified over the next two months to achieve a design that could be converted into a sock within the knitting machine's capabilities. Initial prototypes of one of the styles were started in November 2018 and tested by our Trail Running Testing Team. This process was repeated until March 2019 when we achieved our desired prototype. Here's the eight-step manufacturing process in full... COLOUR SAMPLING The different yarns that make up the socks are collected and positioned on the knitting machine using the colour specification, which is a type of recipe for that style. KNITTING The knitting machine operator knits a sock and checks it against the…

1 FORELAND POINT, EXMOOR Hit the north... of Devon 2 PORLOCK, EXMOOR 19k to blow away the cobwebs 3 TENNYSON TRAIL, ISLE OF WIGHT 22k point-to-point challenge 4 BOX HILL, SURREY It’s not just for cyclists 5 ROSEBERRY TOPPING, YORKSHIRE Short but bumpy 8k blast 6 NEWLANDS HORSESHOE ROUND, CUMBRIA Ups and downs in the Lakes 7 CORRIS, SNOWDONIA Can you beat Huw and Tom? 8 SARN HELEN, SNOWDONIA Easy running, stunning views 9 TARMACHAN RIDGE, PERTH Technical, 13k Munro bagger 10 CHANONRY POINT, BLACK ISLE, SCOTLAND Wildlife spotter’s paradise…

For 2021 I’ve have partnered with the team at Votwo Events ( votwo.co.uk ), organisers of the Asics Coast Ultra Xtreme, a five-day ultra event on the stunning Cornish coast. Covering a total distance of 214km with 7400m of vertical ascent and individual stages between 27-60km, the event – held on October 6-10, 2021 – provides a significant but accessible challenge in comparison to other extreme multi-day events such as Marathon des Sables, Dragons Back and UTMB. For the avid ultra-runner, it offers a fast and unique course with four UTMB qualifying points and, for those running at the front, a guaranteed minimum of £2500 in prize money. For the first-timer, it’s tough but achievable. A single overnight site with accommodation or camping on offer, and daily transfers to and…