Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 - January 2018 i Trail Running

EAT TO BEAT ANXIETY Hitting the trails is as good a way as any to tackle anxiety and depression, but new research suggests your diet could help too. According to scientists writing in Microbiome , gut microbes may affect areas in the brain responsible for controlling anxiety, by managing protein production. While the relationship is not conclusive, squeezing probiotics into your diet will help you reap more nutrients from your food anyway. BRAIN FOOD What’s the real relationship between food and the brain? That’s the question researchers at the University of Illinois set out to answer, using MRI scans, intelligence tests and blood samples. The answer? Foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids are linked to general intelligence, as their nutritional composition correlates well with the brain’s attention network. So, if…

What? Modern suction cupping is a take on alternative Asian medicine – it’s been around for thousands of years, but came into the spotlight during the 2016 Rio Olympics, with athletes such as Michael Phelps sporting red circles on their skin. How? Therapists use a pump to create a vacuum inside a cup placed on your skin, which causes the skin to swell and redden as the blood vessels expand – unsightly but painless. The cups can be left on for a number of minutes or, with some modern silicone versions, moved across the skin as a type of deep-tissue massage. Why? Few studies have been conducted on cupping, but advocates claim the treatment can help to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and pain, and increase lymphatic drainage, which helps…

Ally Beaven has set a new record for the Munro 4000s, running the circuit of the five 4000ft Munros in the Cairngorms (starting and finishing at Glenmore Lodge) in 3:57:52, beating the ten-year-old record of 4:00:16. “I first ran it on the summer solstice in 2014 and thought then that the record wasn’t bulletproof,” Ally told Trail Running. “I bought a bottle of whisky to incentivise myself and I went for it in May this year, then again in September. The weather was ace. Clear, mostly calm, no snow on the route. Perhaps a little hot lower down.” How did he celebrate? “There were no celebrations, I was exhausted. I had a can of Irn-Bru though. Particularly pleasing as my Inov-8 X-Talons 200s are Irn-Bru coloured.”…

Living in the beautiful Wiltshire town of Bradford on Avon, which sits on the Kennet and Avon Canal and the River Avon, just 9 miles from the city of Bath, I consider myself pretty lucky. Our little town ticks every box in terms of the ‘best place to live’ competition. But, for me, there is a place that goes one better: Chamonix. Chamonix is best known as one of the most famous ski destinations in the world. Each year, people flock from far and wide to ski its famous peaks and glaciers, enjoy the stunning scenery and soak up the cool vibe. It was also the first-ever venue for the Winter Olympics in 1924. As well as the winter scene, Chamonix enjoys a vibrant and busy summer season, and never…

YOU’VE BEEN EMAILING Send your thoughts to tr@bauermedia.co.uk Job done! It’s November and I have just completed my #Run1000Miles challenge for the year. Having only run a couple of times on a treadmill before 2017, I committed to it on New Year’s Day to give myself a fresh focus, and I only intended to do it for one year. Thanks, Trail Running, for giving me the inspiration to get off the sofa. I’m particularly grateful to the #Run1000Miles Facebook group, which was the source of much motivation when injury struck or I needed a boot up the backside. I’m 5kg lighter than I was at the start of the year, despite the fact that all this running has given me something of a greater appetite. In fact, such…

Are you near the end and struggling to find motivation? Or further away than you hoped? Here are five things you should keep in mind, says Jeff McCarthy… 1 Remind yourself why you started running in the first place, of the pleasures you get from running outside, and how good you feel having completed a run, regardless of distance or speed. 2 Congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come since 1 January, 2017. Have you done the equivalent of crossing the Gobi desert or running the Pennine Way twice? 3 Try a new route. There’s always a new path to explore and you never know where it might lead. 4 Celebrate with pals. Why not ask some family and friends (running or not) to join you for the last miles…

START YOUNG To maintain a basic level of health, children aged five to 18 should get at least one hour of physical activity every day, according to the NHS. Playing outdoors, doing things for yourself, like building dens or making perfume from petals, is incredibly important in developing emotional resilience. SPEED UP We may think treadmills are quicker, but the reality is very different. Science says runners need to move 15 per cent faster on a treadmill to burn the same number of calories as jogging outdoors, research reveals. Researchers found running on treadmills significantly reduces the amount of oxygen runners use, suggesting that less effort is required. MOOD CHANGER A 2011 study found that outdoor exercise was associated with greater decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression when compared…

Copywriter and mum-of-three by day, Sally is a compulsive runner by night, pounding the local hills and trails of Deeside, Aberdeenshire. Winner of the 2016 Illuminator Night Trail Half Marathon (www.illuminatorrun.co.uk), here she shares her tips for safe and satisfying night running… START SLOW Running in the dark can be daunting at first – your whole environment changes significantly and can take some getting used to. Take it steady if you’re new to night running. JOIN A TEAM Run with others, preferably those familiar with running in darkness. Company will ensure that night-time running is fun, sociable, safe, and something you want to keep doing. LIGHT UP Your most essential piece of night-running kit, a decent head torch is a must. I use the Silva Trail Runner 2, which is…

Pilates works to some pretty simple principles, which when put together create a perfect platform for any runner to work from. Some of the best runners in the world swear by it, and for more… er… mature athletes, it’s a must. Indeed, Nick Rose, one of the greatest runners in the 1970s, and still a world leader in masters distance running, says he owes much of his longevity to one session a week. Put simply, Pilates helps with concentration, breathing, centring (working your core), alignment (helping with posture), relaxation, flow (range of motion) and endurance. Now, you can’t argue with that, can you? MEET THE EXPERT Harri Angell is an experienced mat Pilates instructor, marathon runner and England Athletics leader in running fitness. She guides her local running team in…

HIT THE HILLS Former marathon great Steve Brace had a simple philosophy when running hills: accelerate hard and wait for the rest of the group at the top. It broke the run up for him and turned him into a running legend! THROW AWAY THE WATCH The best ultra runners simply head out of the door and run. Turn left where you normally turn right and explore. Don’t be afraid to stop and walk, make sure you see the sights, and very quickly you’ll find you’ve covered more miles than ever before. MAKE RACES WORK FOR YOU A great way of getting longer miles in is to enter a race. But run 4 miles warm up, then the race and then 3 miles cool down. Easy extra miles – great…

Fitbit Ionic smartwatch £300 Fans of Fitbit seemingly always add an asterisk to their description of their watch: ‘Fab piece of kit’ they’ll invariably say, pausing for effect, before adding something along the lines of ‘if a little imprecise for runners looking for total accuracy’. Good news, then – we’ve taken a look at the new Fitbit Ionic and can confirm you can now remove the ‘but’; this is by far the best wearable that the company has ever created. The Ionic offers all the key features that Fitbit users know and love, alongside great new features, such as a personalised fitness coach to guide you through a series of exercise classes – helpful for completing the core exercises us avid trail runners all like to neglect. It can play…

BERGHAUS HYPER 100 100g Men’s M www.berghaus.com £260 Stripped back to the essence of a racing waterproof, the Hyper 100 is unbelievably light for the protection and durability it offers. Made from nylon, the cut is athletic and the fit good, without the need for adjustment. Sleeves are wide enough to roll up. A small internal zipped pocket is useful, and it looks stylish, with reflective details. VERDICT A lightweight jacket for when every gram matters. 9/10 ARC’TERYXNORVAN SL HOODY 135g Men’s M www.arcteryx.com £240 Arc’teryx has used a Gore-Tex Shakedry membrane on a nylon backing to create its most breathable waterproof ever. It’s pricey, especially as it’s not really designed for use with a rucksack, but the cut is good and the workmanship top quality. For training or racing…

The colder mornings over the next few months can make it a testing time for racing – few of us love the idea of stripping down to running gear in temperatures close to zero. However, once you’re on the move and warmed up, it can be a great time to race. An added attraction of this time of year is the longer hours of darkness, which gives rise to the chance to take on a bit of a different challenge. The proliferation of head-torch races now offer plenty more opportunities to race during the week as well as at the weekend. Turn the page to discover just a few… WHERE’S MY RACE? Are you organising an off-road race? It could be a route through the fells, an obstacle course race,…

DRINK TO THIS Red wine is surprisingly healthy (in moderation). It’ll lower cholesterol, it contains antioxidants that help protect your heart, and there have been a host of studies which suggest it fights colds. WORLD LEADER Brussels sprouts are packed with such a huge range of vitamins that they truly can claim to be one of the world’s best super-foods. But preparation is the key – no boiling, ever! BASIC FUEL Potatoes contain fibre, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 content, which coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. Of course, cooking them in goose fat may affect this! RELAX Turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, which produces serotonin and plays an important role in strengthening the immune system. It also helps you doze off in the…

DAMIAN HALL Fresh from a top UMTB finish, Damian finds time for some news, p16 MARK BULLOCK Coastal-running fan Mark takes a look at the psychology behind trail, p32 PAUL BARTON Hill-running machine Paul explores the strange and exciting world of the fells, p46 SARAH ROWELL Super Sarah asks: just how hard is a two-day mountain marathon? p60 JEN & SIM BENSON The authors of Wild Running reveal their top 10 trail routes this issue, p91 HARRI ANGELL A great introduction to core strength and its undoubted benefits, p68 /trailrunningmag @trailrunningmag /trailrunningmag tr@bauermedia.co.uk…

Drinking too much caffeine is often claimed to be bad for heart health, but cardiologists in Spain claim that up to four cups of coffee a day is actually the healthy choice, and is associated with a lower risk of death. The new research study observed nearly 20,000 people over a ten-year period and found that those who drink at least four coffees a day had almost a 64% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who had never drank it. Clearly coffee can remain part of a healthy diet – for which we are very, very thankful. ‘No food has a morality. All food can be a healthy choice in context.’ Anthony Warner, AKA The Angry Chef – chef, author and food blogger. EAT ‘N’…

Before you nudge up the thermostat, consider a new finding from the University of Utah. Scientists there have discovered that L-carnitine – a waxy lipid, or fat – can be metabolised by brown fat in the liver; what’s interesting about the finding is that brown fat’s primary role is to generate heat. The researchers also suggested that beyond helping to fight off cold, brown fat could be utilised to combat obesity, with L-carnitine as a direct activator. As the thermostat drops and running becomes less attractive, that’s all we need to hear.…

Less than a month after placing 7th at CCC, GB trail runner, Asics UK FrontRunner community manager, and athlete, Holly Rush, won the 102-mile Cotswold Way Century, with a course record. Don’t miss Holly’s column, p18 How was CCC? Much better this year, mainly due to being fit. Last year I fell and tore my hip flexor four weeks before the race, so I was preparing in the gym and pool – not ideal for a mountain ultra. This year I managed to get in some solid training. What did you do between the two races? I took three days off after the CCC, but kept hiking, and then got back into easy running by the end of the week. I still managed a reasonably high-mileage week. The following week…

American Darcy Piceu has set a women’s supported FKT on the 223-mile John Muir Trail of 3d 8hr 12min, beating the previous time of 3d 20hr 32min. “Whoa! 223 miles is a long way” the ultra-runner wrote on Instagram. As we went to press, the remarkable Mimi Anderson had run halfway across America. “Her legs are pretty heavy,” report her crew. “But her sheer strength of spirit has not left her.” Follow her progress at www.facebook.com/ MarvellousMimi Transvulcania winner Tim Freriks has set a new Grand Canyon Rim to Rim FKT of 2:39:38. The previous FKT was 2:46:08, set by his friend Jim Walmsley during his R2R2R FKT in 2016.…

For most of us, there are times during a run when we’re meticulously aware of what we’re doing, writes Sally Wallis. Some of us are painfully aware, while others glean huge satisfaction from it; some actively seek this state of heightened consciousness, others would rather avoid thinking too much lest they question their actions and grind to a halt. Mindful running, the process of being fully aware of our limbs, our breathing, our bodies as dynamic systems, while we run, can be both good and bad for performance, depending on the individual… DISASSOCIATORS Runners who disassociate don’t just let their minds wander, they deliberately think of unrelated things in order to distract themselves. Disassociative thoughts could be about events in the past or future, while admiring the view; listening to…

We’ll assume you’re a trail runner already, so you’ve got the shorts or tights and a top, and you’ve got the trail shoes. You could go fell running in your trail running gear but, remember, fells are more exposed and therefore colder and wetter than the valleys. We’ d always recommend packing a jacket, as the weather can change quickly. A windproof is fine but a full waterproof is one of the best investments a mountain runner can make. Pack a phone and a map, too – getting lost is easy in poor visibility – and consider food and water, with more provisions than a road run. The only item that’s noticeably different to its road brethren is the fell shoe. Critical through the winter months, fell shoes feature a…

More and more people of all levels are finding a marathon is just not enough of a challenge, and want to go further. Here are some of Marcus Scotney’s philosophies on training: TAKE HEART Use heart rate to gauge your pace in training, which is particularly useful on hills. He says: “All of the Cape Wrath and Dragon’s back training was at level one or level two heart rate (no more than 70% of maximum), so I’m just developing this big diesel engine, teaching my body to burn fat, and that just means I don’t get injured and I can just keep going and going. It may feel like you’re running slow when you do it, but over a period of months you start getting quicker and quicker.” PRESS PAUSE…

It’s free and simple to do. You sign up. Walk up a hill, a steep street, anything pointing up. Measure your metres of ascent using a fitness tracker, an online route plotter or a map. Then just add up the metres of ascent with each walk until you reach 8848m: the top of the world! You’re guaranteed to find some new and amazing photographic locations on your way, with all the health benefits of the great outdoors and exercise! Q Sign up now to receive your ascent tracker and exclusive access to Marmot competitions at www.lfto.com/everestanywhere Join our Facebook community to post us your own challenge photos and videos ‘Trail Everest Anywhere’; or use the #EverestAnywhere on Twitter and Instagram … IN ASSOCIATION WITH…

PLANK In a prone position, prop yourself up on your elbows, with them directly under your shoulders. Ensure your body is aligned. Hold for 30-60sec. If you start to shake, you are holding for too long. SINGLE-LEG SQUATS Face forwards with your arms by your sides and your feet hip-width apart. Do not lock the knees. Lift the ankle of one leg behind and hold it. Perform a squat by bending the standing leg slowly. Hold briefly while keeping the body aligned, then return to original position. Do 2 x 5 reps on each leg. CLAM SHELL Lie on the floor on your side, with your legs stacked. Bend both knees to 90 degrees. Open your knees like a clam shell, keeping your feet together. Relax your lower back. Hold…

Ethical sportswear is on the rise and using recycled materials for clothing is becoming increasingly popular. Luckily for us, gone are the days of rough recycled fabrics and itchy fleeces. Sundried Activewear has just launched a new range – Trail Running quizzed the company on how it turns recycled bottles into brilliant sportswear... www.sundried.com HOW IS IT DONE? STAGE 1 Plastic bottles are shredded to remove any liquid residue. STAGE 2 The bottles are put in baths to remove the lids and stickers. STAGE 3 The bottles have now become a pile of soggy clear plastic shreds, so it’s time to dry it off. The plastic spends around ten hours in what is effectively a slow cooker. STAGE 4 Next, the mixture is sent through a rotating screw where it…

RAIDLIGHT ULTRALIGHT JACKET 145g Women’s S www.raidlight.com £160 Made from a nylon/PU mix, this jacket combines cool looks with a light weight. Features include a zipped pocket, elastic thumb loops, fully adjustable hood and a watch window on the left sleeve. There’s soft trim on the cuffs and hem, and good reflective detail. The fit is quite small around the shoulders, and it’s a bit sweaty to run in. VERDICT Great looks and features, but lacks breathability. 7/10 ASICSACCELERATE JACKET 255g Women’s M www.asics.co.uk £100 Designed as a protective, heavier-weight jacket for running in cold, wet conditions, the Accelerate is soft, stretchy and comfortable to wear. It has two zipped side pockets, a zipped MP3-compatible chest pocket, and a large zipped vent for variable air flow. The hood is adjustable…

PETZL ACTIK CORE 82g, 350 lumens  www.petzl.com £50 This compact head torch has a multi-beam design with red lighting for night vision, a reflective headband, and useful emergency whistle. You get an impressive 350 lumens output, and it comes with a rechargeable core battery unit. It can also take standard AAA batteries. Rated IPX4 water-resistant. Maximum beam distance 95m. COLEMAN CXS+ 300R 121g, 300 lumens  www.coleman.eu £55 This re-chargeable head torch adapts the beam pattern to the surroundings. It also has gesture control, taking only a swipe of the hand to cycle through five modes. A battery lock prevents the batteries from running down. It’s extremely durable, and rated at IPX4 water-resistance. Maximum beam distance is 50m. NITECORE NU20 CRI 47g, 360 lumens  www.nitecore.co.uk £32 The NU20 CRI is lightweight…

WHITE POTATO The humble spud is one of our most abundant vegetables for a reason – they’re delicious, nutrient-dense, cheap and incredibly versatile. Packed with high-GI carbs (i.e. quickly digestible), white potatoes are also prolific for their vitamin C content, with 100 g serving up 32% of your RDA. That’s more than tomatoes – and sweet potatoes. SWEET POTATO The #cleaneating movement can’t get enough of sweet potatoes, which is likely just as much to do with how well they photograph as their nutritional content. With a lower GI rating than their white cousins, sweet potatoes deliver carbs more slowly and contain a huge amount of vitamin A, which is essential for maintaining healthy skin, teeth and bones. VERDICT There’s little to separate these – both are loaded with carbohydrates…

HORMONE REGULATION Hormones are chemical messengers in the body, which act as catalysts for all major bodily functions – a study in Nutrition & Diabetes, for instance, suggests a strong relationship between gut hormones and obesity. Hormones are primarily derived from amino acids and peptides, which, in turn, are derived from protein. Hormone imbalances can affect everything from weight gain to mental health issues, so ensuring a steady intake of protein from a wide range of sources is essential. NEUROTRANSMITTERS Also a type of messenger in the body, neurotransmitters are best known for passing chemical and electrical signals in the brain. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry established a relationship between neurotransmitters in grey matter and symptoms of depression, and dopamine – the ‘happy chemical’ released when you…

RaidLight athlete Dan Lawson won the 400k (248 miles) Ultra Gobi, a non-stop, self-navigated and self-supported race through the southern Gobi desert in western China. “I’m often asked what’s the toughest race I’ve ever run,” he said. “Before, that’s been hard to answer, but not now. Wow! This desert is so beautiful but such a beast. An ever-changing environment that challenges you physically and totally twists your melon man! A jaw-dropping and possibly life-changing experience. Ultra Gobi, you frickin’ rock.” Lawson, who has been on the podium at Badwater, Spartathlon and the 24H European Championships, set a course record of 2d 22hr. Brits score big at Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc races. In the 63-mile CCC, Tom Evans placed 4th, Tom Owens came in 5th, and Michael Jones finished 8th. While in…

WATCH IT! Lose yourself in a short film about Eoin Keith’s record-breaking run across Ireland this summer – prepare to be inspired: www.vimeo.com/227906416 LEARN IT! Inspired by Brits’ performances at this year’s UTMB? Learn how to survive the Alps from Nicky Spinks, Anna-Marie Watson and Damian Hall at XNRG’s popular UTMB seminar on 3 March www.xnrg.co.uk LEARN MORE! Join Lakeland 100-winner Paul Tierney, Charlie Sproson and other experts for a weekend of all things trail ultra-running in the beautiful Lakes, on 9-11 March www.mountainrun.co.uk READ IT! Read Running South America with my Husband and Other Animals, the story of Katharine and David Lowrie’s 15-month run www.5000mileproject.org/shop RUN IT! Run with US ultra legend Anton Krupicka at the Kendal Mountain Festival, from 2pm on Saturday 18 November from Kendal Leisure Centre.…

2017 World Mountain Running Long Distance champion Eritrea’s Petra Mamu has been suspended for nine months after testing positive for banned asthma medication. Mamu’s cooperation with the IAAF reduced his ban from two years, leaving him eligible for 2018’s WMRA championship events. Over 5000 runners were disqualified at the Mexico City Marathon amid accusations of widespread course-cutting. A photo on Facebook appeared to show runners taking a train during the race. Gwynn Stokes became at the least the third person to unsuccessfully attempt a 132-mile Double Bob Graham Round this year. Nicky Spinks’ 2016 record of 45hr 30min still stands.…

With 847 miles down, and just 153 to go (at time of writing), never did I think I’d get near 1000 miles in 2017, let alone achieve it. But I knew that it was worth giving it a go. And I knew that it would help me get fitter than I was in 2016. Looking as far back as 2014 and 2013, I’d barely covered any miles at all (fewer than 200), due to contracting Lyme disease and associated infections. In May 2013 my body crashed completely after suffering bouts of illness for 15-18 months. I lost 6kg, and was bedridden for ten days and off work for six weeks. Ultimately, a 2015 trip to Brussels to see a Lyme-disease specialist resulted in a thorough treatment plan and the beginning…

‘Trail running is a contradiction for me some days; there are times I force myself to run just so, later, I can be still.’ It was GM Trevelyan who said, “I have two doctors: my left leg and my right leg.” Although I’ve long been a believer in exercise as pre-emptive medicine, recently I’ve become more mindful of the mental benefits of trail running, too; we all know that running and exercise help keep the doctor away, but what about the other type of doctor, the one that people talk about less frequently? What about the mental doctor? Mindful miles “The hills are my church, they’re where I go to heal my hurts,” says champion trail runner Ricky Lightfoot. At first I thought: ‘Blimey, Ricky must have a lot of…

BIG TOE UNDER This can be uncomfortable, so use a soft surface. Bend the big toe underneath the foot (using hands to assist). The emphasis is on mobility at the first metatarsal joint. If done correctly, viewed from above it appears as though the big toe has been chopped off. BIG TOE OUT Bend the four smaller toes under your foot, leaving the big toe pointing forwards. Root the big toe into the floor to improve strength. Again, emphasis is on mobility at the first metatarsal joint. Viewed from above, it appears as though the toes have been chopped off. ROOTING THE BIG TOE This is a challenging one. When standing, push the big toe down into the floor and raise the other four toes off the floor. Keep the…

Five o’clock in the morning. You and your partner have managed a small amount of sleep, delicately co-ordinating who turns over when, due to sharing a tent made for one. Scotland the Brave on bagpipes breaks the silence. It’s time to go through some finely tuned actions as you prepare for another day on the hills, not least, timing your dash to the on-site toilets (or the infamous slit trench that is as alarming as it sounds) to ensure minimal queuing and, hence, minimal midge exposure. Welcome to day two of the LAMM – SPORTident Scottish Mountain Marathon, known for very good reason as the connoisseur’s mountain marathon. Held in early June each year, always in the Highlands, and very often with an unexpected twist (boat or train rides to…

ASK THE EXPERTS Email your questions to tr@bauermedia.co.uk or send a message over social media to get your training queries answered by the pros. ROBBIE BRITTON GB ultra runner sponsored by TomTom and Profeet www.robbiebritton.co.uk MATT BUCK Coach Matt offers training for the Marathon des Sables www.runningadventures.uk RENEE MCGREGOR Top nutritionist and author of Training Food www.renee mcgregor.com DAVE TAYLOR Former English veteran champion who offers navigation courses www.fellrunningguide.co.uk OLLIE ARMSTRONG Sport physiology lead at University of Birmingham www.sportandfitness. bham.ac.uk Q How can I find new trail routes without getting lost? Ella Saunders, Caerphilly A Assuming you don’t have an advanced GPS device, it’s not as easy to find your home on a trail route compared to an urban one, where you are likely to have pubs, petrol stations…

OUR EXPERTS We use in-house and independent experts with sports and exercise science backgrounds and many years of trail-kit testing under their belts so you can trust our kit reviews. JEN AND SIM BENSON Authors of Wild Running, married couple Jen and Sim get set for winter with the best waterproof jackets, p80. TOM STAGGS When it comes to cool kit, nothing gets past gear guru Tom. Read his round-up of top trail running buys, p77. JULIE BROWN No stranger to testing, Julie has tested a fantastic set of gilets and head torches to find the best, p86 and p89. PAUL LARKINS Editor Paul puts GTX waterproof shoes through their paces out on some soggy, boggy runs, p84. LISTEN TO YOUR COACH KuaiFit Sport Headphones, £159 Motivation, monitoring and music…

A LITTLE CHEEKY Happy Bottom Bum Butter £18 What can we say, it does what it says on the tin. True, it's soothing nature is probably best suited to mountain biking-types, but come on, you can't argue you'd love to see this in your Christmas stocking. www.buffmonger.co.uk DRESS FOR SUCCESS #Run1000Miles Ruff £7.50 Run1000Miles 2017 may be coming to an end, but the winter and its cold weather loom on the horizon. So great news: we can offer the 2017 ruff for a discounted price of £7.50 if you fancy a bit of warmth and style! Stocks are limited, so get in there quick. www.trailrunningmag.co.uk/ruff/ READ ON Run Smart John Brewer £12.99 Professor John Brewer (a regular contributor to Trail Running) confesses that his latest book, Run Smart, will not…

SAUCONY XODUS ISO GTX 385g Men’s 10.5  www.saucony.com £140 There’s general agreement among trail runners that GTX shoes can be rigid and unforgiving. But that’s certainly not the case with these amazingly flexible, lightweight, performance-loving shoes. More than any other shoe on test, they're as at home on the road as they are off it, making them supremely versatile and a great bet for urban trail types. The technology is old-school Saucony, featuring a resilient Everun topsole and an ultragrippy PWRtrac outsole, all working off a competitively fast 4mm drop. Fit is less of an issue with shoes today and this is no exception – it feels comfortable from the off. VERDICT As close to a racing shoe as you’ll get in the world of GTX shoes 9/10 LA SPORTIVA…

As one year draws to a close and another looms on the horizon, it’s important to look back at the past 12 months, as well as planning the next. Take time to bask in the glory of those things that went right: the mileage targets you met; the races you nailed; those runs that were a joy from start to finish; and even the times when you struggled but still managed to get out there. It’s important, too, to spend time thinking about what didn’t go so well – the frustrations and limitations that meant you didn’t achieve what you set out to. Because it’s a combination of these things, the good and the bad, that make you a better runner. Next year, instead of starting anew, begin with everything…

The Thames Ring 250 is not just a simple running race. To travel 250 miles, non-stop, on foot, in no more than 100 hours (four days and four hours) means a mental battle to combat injury, lack of sleep, and a protesting digestive system that does not cease, all the way to the end. It is a distance that tries to break you constantly, telling you after you’ve travelled 100 miles that you are not even halfway, and it’s going to get much harder before it gets easier. The route follows the Thames Path into London, then the Grand Union Canal northwards, before turning south to the Oxford Canal and then back to the Thames Path – a lovely circle, all on leafy trail, which made it a magical experience,…