Ever feel your knees giving you grief when you embark on a long walk or run?

That's exactly what happened to me a few minutes into a gentle-paced run last weekend.

Normally, I’d have called it quits or slowed down my pace, but I'm currently halfway through a four-month marathon training block and I can't afford to drop any mileage.

An hour later, with the patellar tendons below my kneecaps feeling a little sore, I resolved to ask an expert what I could have done differently.

“The honest clinical answer is that pain during running exists on a spectrum, and the right decision depends on the type, location and behavior of the pain," says Dr Andrew Gorecki of Superior Physical Therapy, a practicing physical therapist who specializes in treating people with chronic pain.

In other words: what hurt for me might not hurt for you.

It’s important to seek a professional diagnosis and help for any persistent running or walking pain, but Gorecki has a framework he uses with all his patients to help them identify when they should stop a session and when they can keep going.

Here's how it works.

How to know if you should stop the workout

Gorecki says you should stop your walk or run immediately if the pain is “sharp, stabbing or feels like something is pinching inside the joint”.

That's different from a dull ache and usually means the tissue is irritated.

“Stop if the pain gets progressively worse as you run,” he says.

“If mile one is a three out of 10, mile two is a five out of 10, mile three is a seven out of 10, stop. Continuing turns a manageable issue into a bigger one.”

You should also pack it in if the pain changes your walking or running form.

“If you start compensating—limping, favoring one leg, shortening your stride—your body is telling you something is wrong. Compensation causes new injuries,” he says.

The same is true if the pain radiates.

“Knee pain that spreads down the shin, up into the thigh, or wraps around the joint is a signal to stop and evaluate.”

If you feel a pop, snap or catch you should also pump the brakes.

“That's a mechanical warning sign. Don't try to run through it.”

If you notice any swelling or visible change in the knee, walk home—gently. Or call someone to pick you up.

How to know if you can continue with your workout

Fortunately none of those issues occurred during my 11-mile run and I felt fit enough to pick up my training the following day.

Mostly what I felt was a dull ache that wouldn't budge.

If pain stays constant at a low level like this, such as a two or three out of 10, and doesn't get worse, you can generally carry on, Gorecki tells Fit&Well.

Likewise, you can probably keep going if the following applies:

• a dull ache that warms up and fades after the first mile;
• you're able to maintain normal running form without compensating;
• the pain fully resolves within an hour of finishing the run.

“The rule of thumb I give patients is that if the pain is worse tomorrow than it was during the run, that’s the warning sign. Run smart today, evaluate honestly tomorrow,” adds Gorecki.

What you can do to adjust the session

If you do decide to carry on, Gorecki recommended making some modifications to your session.

Here are his suggestions, in order of impact.

1. Slow down

Reduce your pace by 15-20%.

“Faster running loads the knee much more than slower running, and speed is often the variable that pushed you past the threshold in the first place,” he says.

Just slowing down often eliminates the pain without any other changes.

2. Shorten your stride

“Overstriding is one of the biggest contributors to knee pain in runners at any level,” says Gorecki.

“When your foot lands too far in front of your body, the knee absorbs a much bigger impact than it should.”

Shortening your stride by 10% and letting your foot land more directly under your body reduces peak knee load significantly.

Cadence (steps per minute) increases naturally when the stride shortens, and that’s a good thing, he adds.

3. Adjust your foot strike

If you’re a heavy heel striker landing hard on your heel with a fully extended knee, transitioning to a slightly more midfoot strike can help.

“However, altering foot strike is a change to make gradually over weeks, not mid-run,” cautions Gorecki.

“Sudden foot strike changes create new injuries. If you’re already midfoot striking, don’t change anything.”

4. Change terrain

Running, hiking or even walking downhill can dramatically increase knee load.

“If your knee is bothering you, switch to a flat route or turn around before the downhill portion,” suggests Gorecki.

“Downhill sections can turn manageable knee pain into significant injury.”

5. Shift gears

An overzealous volume or intensity is often the primary culprit of knee pain.

“For relative beginners, it’s usually volume,” says Gorecki. “You’re doing too much too fast.”

Taking walking breaks throughout your run and reducing weekly mileage by 30-50% for two weeks usually resolves most beginner knee complaints, he says.

For more advanced hikers or runners, the issue is more often intensity or form drift late in a training block.

“Reduce the intensity or speed of your quality sessions and add in extra recovery days.”

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Emma Bord is a personal trainer and marathon runner based in the UK.

She ran her first marathon in 2005, having been dared to enter the London Marathon by some friends at university. She ran the race in just over five hours.

Eleven years and three children later, her marathon personal best is now three hours and 16 minutes.

Not only that, but she’s run all six original World Marathon Majors, completed ultra-marathons and run the London Marathon as a support runner for a disabled participant.

“Marathon running has become my peace and quiet among the chaos of life,” Bord tells Fit&Well.

After the publication in June of her book, Mum Power, all about returning to exercise after having children, Bord has shared a look at a typical week of workouts, as well as her advice for developing a consistent exercise routine.

Emma Bord’s weekly workout routine

Monday
6am: steady-paced run (30min)

7.30pm: Teaching a full-body dumbbell workout class (60min)

Tuesday
6am: swim (40min)

9am: Teaching a Pilates class (60min)

Wednesday
7am: easy run (45min)

Thursday
8am: interval run (60min)

Friday
9am: Teaching a strength and cardio class (60min)

2pm: swim (30min)

Saturday
7am: Long run

Sunday
9am: parkrun with kids

7pm: Pilates reformer and stretch

Emma Bord's tips for developing a consistent exercise routine

1. Start slow

Bord says that she didn’t rush into extreme exercise after having kids.

“Starting slowly really helped,” she says. “I did a lot of walking and slow core rehab in the initial stages for all three kids.”

She says that the same should apply to people who are new or returning to exercise.

“Going slowly and rebuilding from the inside out puts you in good stead to then progress further,” she explains.

2. Set achievable goals

“I often see people starting out saying that they’re going to do five days on the trot, but it’s not good for you—it’s going to shock your whole body—and it’s not sustainable,” Bord says.

“Start with three 10 to 15 minute workouts three times a week because that’s achievable,” Bord suggests.

“You’ll feel encouraged to carry on because you’re not going to be in agony from it and you’re going to be able to slowly build up.”

3. Schedule your workouts and stick to them

“I always say to people that you should put your workout in your calendar like it’s a meeting,” Bord says.

“Often, people find something else that might feel more important in their heads at the time. But putting it in the calendar as a non-negotiable is a great way to see it as part of your daily life.”

“If you want to stick to a routine, you have to be disciplined and know that some days it won’t feel cozy and lovely or like you’re ready to bounce out of bed and work out,” Bord says.

4. A varied routine will help you with motivation

“Some mornings I have a run in the calendar and I feel exhausted, so instead I’ll scale it back and do something different,” Bord says, explaining in this case she might go for a swim or do Pilates instead.

“If you get some sort of movement in, you’re almost guaranteed to feel better after it, whichever route you take,” she adds.

As a runner, it’s easy to neglect strength work in favor of building up time on your feet.

Throughout my half-marathon training, I was guilty skipping the gym and going for another speed session or long run instead.

And, you guessed it, I paid the price.

Aches and pains in the lead-up to race day, followed by glute and lower back pain when I crossed the finish line.

I learned the hard way that core work and strength training in general is essential for runners.

So I resolved not to make the same mistake again and sought advice from Claire Mills, physiotherapist, Pilates instructor and founder of Core LDN, who explained why developing a strong core is worth the investment of time and effort.

“It’s about creating a stable foundation that allows the arms and legs to move efficiently while controlling the forces traveling through the body,” Mills tells Fit&Well.

Every time your foot hits the ground when running, your body absorbs forces of around two to three times your body weight.

“Your core muscles—including the deep abdominal muscles, diaphragm, pelvic floor and muscles surrounding the spine—work together to stabilize the trunk and pelvis so these forces are managed effectively,” Mills explains.

“A strong, well-coordinated core helps runners maintain efficient mechanics throughout a run, rather than just during the first few miles.”

A strong core could also reduce your risk of injury.

“While no exercise program can completely prevent injuries, better lumbopelvic control may help reduce excessive movement that contributes to common running problems such as patellofemoral pain, iliotibial band syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy and lower back pain,” Mills says.

As I’m a runner who is guilty of skipping core work, I asked Mills to share her best core strengthening workout—and there isn’t a sit-up or regular plank hold in sight.

“My advice is to move away from thinking about endless sit-ups or planks held for several minutes,” Mills says. “The goal is functional strength that transfers into running.”

“Include exercises that challenge anti-rotation, anti-extension and lateral stability,” she says.

As well as the right selection of exercise, they must be done consistently, and Mills recommends runners do 15 to 20 minutes of core strength training two to three times per week.

“The key is consistency rather than intensity,” she says.

How to do the five-move core workout

Mills has created a workout that focuses on building core strength with five Pilates-inspired exercises—so be sure sure to focus on your breath.

“Coordinating your breathing with your deep abdominal muscles improves stability and control,” Mills explains.

The five exercises are:

• Dead bug
• Modified side plank with leg lift
• Bird dog
• Single-leg glute bridge
• Pallof press

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and lift your legs so your hips and knees are bent to 90°.
• Reach both arms straight up.
• Gently draw your lower ribs down and maintain a neutral spine, engaging your core.
• Exhale as you slowly lower one arm behind you and lower and extend the opposite leg until both are just above the floor.
• Inhale as you reverse the movements back to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Benefits: Improves deep core control, builds trunk stability while moving the limbs and reduces excessive movement through the lower back during running.

2. Modified side plank with leg lift

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with your knees bent and legs together, propped up on your forearm, with your elbow directly under your shoulder.
• Exhale as you lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulder to knees.
• If you can, straighten the top leg and lift and lower it as you hold the side plank position.

Trainer tip: Keep your shoulders, hips and pelvis facing forward. Avoid letting your top hip rotate.

Benefits: Strengthens the oblique muscles and lateral hip stabilizers, improves pelvic control during single-leg stance and helps reduce excessive hip drop, which is common in runners.

3. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees with your pelvis in a neutral position.
• Exhale as you engage your core and raise one arm in front of you and extend and raise the opposite leg behind you.
• Inhale as you reverse the movements back to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Benefits: Develops coordination between the trunk and limbs and posterior chain, improves spinal stability and reinforces efficient movement patterns that transfer well into running.

4. Single-leg glute bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your left knee bent and your left foot on the floor, and your right leg raised, knee bent and foot off the floor.
• Exhale as you push through your left heel to lift your hips, keeping your pelvis level throughout.
• Inhale as you lower slowly back to the start.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Benefits: Strengthens the glutes while challenging core stability, improves pelvic control during running and helps reduce compensation through the lower back.

5. Pallof press

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side

How to do it:

• Stand side-on to an anchored resistance band or cable machine.
• Hold the handle, or end of the band, close to your chest.
• Exhale as you extend your arms in front of you, resisting the band pulling you to the side.
• Inhale as you bring your hands back to your chest.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: Keep your torso facing forwards throughout and keep your rib cage over your pelvis.

Benefits: Builds anti-rotation strength, improves trunk control during arm and leg movement and enhances stability during faster running and hill work.

There’s nothing like a sharp cramping in your side to bring your run to a premature halt. While stitches can hinder even the most experienced athletes, they’re especially common if you’re new to running, but they're also easily preventable.

Officially known as exercise-related transient abdominal pain, stitches typically present as a sharp pain around the ribcage.

According to Jill Becker, a certified running coach and personal trainer at Life Time Westminster in Colorado, “cramps can be caused by a spasm in the diaphragm or stomach irritation”.

Although the exact cause is still debated, the current consensus is that stitches result from irritation to the parietal peritoneum—the membrane that lines your abdominal cavity.

Whatever the underlying cause, one thing is for certain: no one wants a stitch to derail their run.

That’s why I asked Becker to explain what might trigger a stitch and offer some guidance on what to do when one strikes.

From eating too close to your workout to irregular breathing patterns, here are all the common missteps you could be making.

Five things that may cause a stitch

1. Eating right before a run

Whether you’re embarking on a 20-mile trail run or an easy three-mile route around the block, fueling mistakes could bring on a stitch. To avoid one, Becker says that you should never eat right before a run.

“Always allow 30 minutes to two hours depending on the intensity of your run and your experience,” she says, adding that high-fat and high-fiber foods should be avoided in particular because they take longer to digest.

The same applies to hydration. While drinking enough water before you head out could help reduce your risk of getting a stitch, Becker advises against drinking large amounts too quickly, especially during a run, because overloading your stomach can increase your chances of getting a stitch.

2. Breathing irregularly or shallowly

For new runners, erratic breathing can cause a multitude of issues, but the dreaded side stitch is the most common.

An uneven breathing pattern may disrupt the normal function of your diaphragm, so Becker urges you to focus on controlled breathing.

“Consider walking and building up to a run to keep your breathing even,” she says.

The same goes for shallow breaths, which leave your diaphragm in a high, tense position. For this, Becker says you should focus on deep belly breathing, which activates deep core muscles.

Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this is the practice of drawing air deep into the lungs by contracting your diaphragm rather than expanding your chest.

3. Improper running form

Few of us will achieve perfect running form and that’s OK. Unless the way you run is causing injury, it’s often wise to let your form naturally improve as you run more.

But Becker identifies some elements that may cause a stitch. “Sluggish posture and an improper foot strike can all bring on a stitch,” says Becker.

Slouching, for example, can constrict your chest and interrupt your breathing, while fatiguing your core can overwork the diaphragm, consequently causing a stitch.

An inefficient foot strike or excessive twisting through the torso can also create jarring forces that contribute to the problem.

4. Starting out too quickly

To keep stitches at bay, avoid the temptation to set off too quickly at the start of your run. By pushing your pace too early, you risk an irregular breathing pattern and bad form, both of which can bring on that cramping sensation.

“Always start runs conservatively instead,” says Becker. “Don’t go out too hard, and ease into your run gently to regulate your breathing rhythm, and focus on your mechanics.”

5. Skipping a warm-up

Warming up before a run is essential for priming your muscles and avoiding strain or injury. It can also help to prevent a stitch during your workout.

By gradually increasing your heart rate and stimulating blood flow to the core, you avoid a sudden onset of physical stress on the diaphragm.

“A dynamic warm-up is key,” says Becker. She suggests working on all planes of motion, including movements like overhead side bends, trunk twists, side steps and high knees.

How to get rid of a stitch

If a stitch does strike, don’t try to run through the pain as this can make it worse.

“Stop running or slow down to a walk,” suggests Becker. “Lean to the other side of where your stitch is to try to stretch your core and lengthen the diaphragm.

“You can also try putting your arms overhead in an upright posture, exhaling forcefully when your opposite foot strikes the ground, and pressing fingers into the cramp and massaging the area.”

With four Marathon des Sables finishes and a 12-hour treadmill world record under her running belt, you’d assume every training session would be equally demanding.

Refreshingly, the reality for 51-year-old Susie Chan is quite the opposite.

“My favorite thing to do is a steady state run,” the Peloton instructor tells Fit&Well.

A classic tool in any runner's toolbox, the long, slow, steady-state run has been a constant in Chan’s training plan since she picked up the sport in her mid-30s.

Why? Because it’s the perfect opportunity to combine exercise and catching up with friends.

“There’s a lot of enjoyment to be had in that steady state space. And for me, definitely, it's the social element,” she explains.

“I love running with other people. It’s a really nice distraction to have other people there rather than being in your own head.”

And when running with others, Chan says you “get carried along by them.

“Steady-state runs are not so hard that you're dreading them. They feel manageable. You can hold a conversation. You can chat.”

The one running workout Susie Chan never skips

Chan says it doesn't matter how far you run.

Instead, the key is to stick to a conversational pace that allows you to keep running—or walking—for a long time.

That means slow enough that you can talk in complete sentences rather than having to gasp for air after every few words.

“It’s one of the foundations of your running,” she says, and it taps into a form of zone 2 cardio training that will help improve your aerobic fitness, making everyday tasks feel easier.

“You could be one of those runners who goes to the track and runs really hard or really fast. But to be able to run for a long time—that, for me, is a joy.”

To put this into practice, Chan suggests running or walking with friends or colleagues, joining a social run club or walking group.

Most Sundays, for example, she will meet up with friends—many who have joined her on her record-breaking running feats over the past decade—and hit the trails around Hampshire.

“For me, if you have other people to work with, it just takes the edge off,” she says.

Starting running is often simple. Fueling for it usually isn’t.

If you’ve recently taken up running and find yourself constantly tired, sore, or struggling to recover between sessions, your training plan may not be the problem.

According to Dr Linia Patel, a registered dietitian and performance nutritionist, nutrition is often the missing piece.

Here are the most common fueling mistakes she sees in new runners—and the simple switches that can make a real difference.

Mistake 1: Not eating enough

Many recreational runners underestimate how much energy running actually demands and assume that fatigue and soreness are part of training. In reality, that’s not always the case.

“Persistent fatigue, poor recovery between sessions, heavy legs, low mood and struggling to hit usual training paces can all indicate that your body isn’t getting enough energy to support both training and everyday life,” says Patel.

When the body doesn’t receive enough fuel, it enters a state known as low energy availability. “Think of it like your phone switching to power-saving mode when the battery is low,” she explains. “The body starts conserving energy by reducing functions that aren’t immediately essential for survival.”

Fueling tip: If you’re regularly feeling drained after runs, look beyond your training schedule and consider whether you’re eating enough throughout the day to support both exercise and everyday life.

Mistake 2: Avoiding carbohydrates unnecessarily

Carbohydrates have been unfairly demonised in recent years, but they’re the body’s preferred fuel source during running.

“When carbohydrate stores are low, runners often experience fatigue, reduced performance, slower recovery and a higher perception of effort during training,” says Patel.

The trick is choosing the right types. One of the most common misconceptions, says Patel, is assuming all carbohydrates are equal. She recommends building your diet around nutrient-rich carbohydrates such as oats, wholegrain bread, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils and other wholegrains, because these provide sustained energy alongside fiber, vitamins and minerals.

“For runners, the question shouldn’t be whether to eat carbohydrates, but rather choosing the right types and eating enough of them to support training,” says Patel. “A well-fueled runner will almost always perform, recover and feel better than one trying to train on an empty tank.”

Fueling tip: Include carbohydrate-rich foods regularly throughout the day—not just around your runs—to help support energy levels and recovery.

Mistake 3: Neglecting hydration

If Patel could encourage new runners to focus on just one habit, it would be to drink water regularly throughout the day.

“Hydration underpins almost every aspect of performance and wellbeing,” she says.

Being properly hydrated can support recovery, temperature regulation, energy levels, concentration and mood. Even mild dehydration can make a run feel harder than it should and may negatively affect performance.

That’s why Patel recommends starting every run well hydrated, rather than trying to catch up on fluids once you’re already exercising.

Fueling tip: Check the color of your urine before heading out for a run. Pale straw-colored urine generally indicates good hydration, while darker urine may be a sign that you need to drink more fluids.

After a major weight loss, I spent years training hard and going above and beyond to be the best athlete I could be. At that point in my life, I had the time and motivation needed to follow a rigid and demanding training schedule for my running.

Over time, my circumstances changed and training was put on the back burner. I realized it was going to be impossible to keep up with the training program I had become accustomed to and something needed to change.

After a year of trying to force myself into old training habits, I finally decided that the one thing I needed to incorporate into my training was flexibility. I needed to stop having an all-or-nothing mindset, and start allowing myself to adapt on the spot when needed—and do what felt right based on my recovery, energy and motivation levels.

The only thing I knew for sure was that movement had to remain a priority, and I had to find a way to keep it a part of my daily routine without burning out.

I did this by regularly checking in on how well I was recovering from exercise and changing my plan when needed. Here’s how I did it.

1. Gauging recovery

Checking in with how recovered you are is key to avoiding burnout and overtraining. I’m not just talking about checking your Garmin or Oura ring stats, though I do find these helpful.

I’m talking about checking in daily on your energy level, any lingering soreness you may have, and how you’re feeling mentally about the workout you have planned.

Being sore is normal, but not allowing your muscles time to rebuild between hard or long efforts can cause injury in the long run, so it’s important to consider whether your soreness is typical or abnormal.

As far as energy levels go, getting proper rest is a challenge for many people—as life can be chaotic and demanding.

I tend to function decently on little sleep, but continuing to train after days or weeks of poor sleep can run me down to the point that my body can’t recover well from workouts and injury becomes more likely. If I feel unusually tired, I know it’s time to make adjustments to the week’s training plan.

I also like to consider how I am feeling mentally. Am I excited for my workout or am I dreading it? If I feel like my workout is going to take away from my day rather than add something good to it, I might allow myself a nap or time with a friend instead.

2. Adapting when needed

I started working out as a way to lose weight but it also turned into a way to manage my mental health, build confidence and improve my physical health. It made me happy, and it’s important to me that it continues to do so rather than feeling like a punishment.

I make sure this happens by adapting my workouts when I feel the need to. If I feel like my legs are taking longer than normal to recover after a hard effort, I may cut my workout a bit short and instead add in a mobility session.

If I’m just not feeling the run I have planned, but I still want to be outdoors and get some movement, then I may swap my long run for a hike. Sometimes, I simply put speed work on the back burner and do a lower-intensity workout instead.

There are even times when I just feel like I need a break, and I go for a walk and get lunch with a friend, or even take a nap, instead of doing a workout.

I try not to make this a regular occurrence, but if it really calls to me, I listen. I find that by doing this, I can more easily keep training without burning out.

Why it worked

In a nutshell, flexibility means consistency. By shortening an occasional run, opting for a hike or walk with a friend, or deciding to do strength or mobility instead of speedwork, I’m able to stay more consistent with training.

It might look different, but I’m consistently moving and feeling the benefits of that movement.

Remaining mentally engaged with training is just as important as being able to withstand the physical demands of a workout—being flexible in training helps me to stay mentally in it.

If you’re struggling to work out regularly, especially if you’re someone who typically follows a rigid plan, I highly recommend giving yourself some grace and flexibility. Doing so has made a huge difference for me.

I’ve also enjoyed journaling about the process. I find that writing about how I feel before and after a workout, nap or walk, means I am able to see how being flexible positively impacts the process. It’s worth a shot if you’re feeling nervous about allowing more flexibility in your training plan.

In just 16 years, Susie Chan has accumulated more miles and conquered more feats of endurance than most of us achieve in a lifetime.

All seven major marathons? Check. The notoriously punishing 156-mile Marathon des Sables more times than any other British woman? Check. A 12-hour treadmill world record? Check. Check. Check.

Now 51, she’s just added the 81-mile Badwater Salton Sea ultra to her collection, featuring 9,000 feet of total elevation up Palomar Mountain in Southern California.

All while holding down a physically and emotionally demanding job as a Peloton instructor, and raising her daughter.

What makes it all the more inspiring is that Chan had zero interest in sport or fitness until her brother signed her up to the Farnham Pilgrim Half Marathon in 2010.

“I didn’t even have trainers,” she tells Fit&Well. “I had gym shoes on. I had no clue.

“It really hurt—I’m not going to pretend it didn’t—but it showed me what I could actually do if I really wanted to.

“That’s something I’ve maintained. That one little spark of what I can do if I really want to has propelled me to do all of the other long endurance races since.”

It has also propelled her into a new career as a running coach, to writing a book called Trails and Tribulations about the trials and tribulations she’s encountered along the way, and to inspiring others to lace up their running shoes—or gym shoes—for the first time.

Recently returned from the Salton Sea ultra, I caught up with Chan to discuss what her weekly workout routine typically looks like when not scaling mountains or traversing deserts.

Susie Chan’s weekly workout routine

For the past decade, Chan has been clocking an average of 50 miles a week. When not hitting the road or trails with friends, she's leading treadmill workouts in Peloton's London studio or at fitness festivals around the country.

“If I haven’t got a race, I’ll typically run five times a week—minimum,” Chan says, casually.

“It’s my main source of exercise, but I’m also really enjoying my Peloton bike right now. I love it as an alternative. And I’m trying to dial down my mileage and build more strength.”

Here’s how her week typically breaks down.

Monday
30min run or Peloton Bike class for recovery.

Tuesday
Leading Peloton treadmill classes and full-body strength workout.

Wednesday
Leading Peloton treadmill classes and easy eight-mile run with friends.

Thursday
30-60min interval or speed run, plus leg workout.

Friday
Leading Peloton treadmill classes and easy 60min run or ride with colleagues.

Saturday
45-90min long run.

Sunday
60min slow yoga class focusing on single-leg strength.

Susie Chan’s advice on how to get started with running

Start slow and steady

If you’re completely new to running, or you’re getting back into it, think tortoise, not hare.

“You’ve got to start off slow and steady,” Chan says. “In my very first run I just ran as fast as I could. It was awful. Don’t do that!”

Instead, Chan recommends using run-walk intervals at a 1:1 ratio.

“If you're brand new to running, alternating two minutes of running with two minutes of walking, or whatever it is that you can maintain, is a good place to start."

After a couple weeks, you can increase the running intervals or reduce the recovery period to progress toward a 2:1 ratio.

Make it social

Chan says everything hard becomes easier when you share it with others. That's especially true when trying to build momentum at the start of your running journey.

“I’m very much not a lone wolf,” says Chan, of the way she prefers to keep active.

“If you have other people to work out with it just takes the edge off. They help drive you, encourage you, enable you. For me, that’s the number one life hack for training. It just makes everything feel easier.”

The urge to improve your health comes to us all at some point, and often that leads people to try running. The first time you set off, however, will probably be a shock to the system.

Our bodies take time to adapt to new activities and going straight into non-stop running—even for a short period—puts the body under stress it just isn’t used to.

As well as feeling awful, you may suffer an injury, or at the very least feel uncommonly sore the next day.

But there is a better way.

When you start running for the first time, you should spend more time at a walking pace than running, says Marwa Ahmed, founder and CEO of The BodyMind Coach.

The NASM-certified personal trainer and running coach, with more than seven years of experience in turning walkers into runners, tells Fit&Well that while you may have your heart set on running a 5K tomorrow, your lower body just can’t make the jump that quickly.

“When transitioning to running, the impact forces jump up significantly, from about one to one and a half times your body weight per step in walking to two to three times your body weight in running,” she says.

“That means your connective tissues, like Achilles tendons and plantar fascia, need weeks to adjust and adapt to the new load.”

She adds that rushing this process is how people end up with pain and injury, which takes months to recover from.

If you have never run before, Ahmed suggests building up gradually, taking at least eight weeks.

In fact, she has an eight-week plan that can follow.

How to do the eight-week walk-to-run plan

Ahmed sets one walk-run workout per fortnight, which is to be performed three times a week, leaving at least one rest day between each session.

“Your body rebuilds and strengthens during recovery, not during the workout itself,” she says.

Each workout follows the same pattern. You begin with a five-minute warm-up, walking at a slow pace. Then you jog for a set period of time, followed by two minutes of walking to to complete one round of the workout. Complete five to six rounds in total. Finally, you cool down with a slow walk for five minutes.

Note that the jogging part of each session should feel easy. You should be able to chat comfortably with no gasping or heavy breathing.

The first time you do a workout, do the fewest number of rounds. After repeating the workout a few times, add another round—this will help you to progress safely.

Keep in mind that you may need more than eight weeks to complete the plan, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

“Pay close attention to how your body feels during and after the session,” says Ahmed.

“A bit of muscle soreness 24-48 hours later is totally normal as you're building new capacity. But sharp, localized pain in your shins, knees, or the bottom of your foot is your cue to drop back to the previous week's progression for another full week.

“Give your body the time it needs to adapt and don't rush the progression.”

Ahmed also suggests selecting an easier terrain to run on.

“When you can, start your walks or runs on softer surfaces like grass, dirt trails, or tracks,” she says.

“Concrete and asphalt place more stress on your joints over time, especially if you’re doing higher volume or higher speeds,” she says.

“Slow down and focus on building endurance first, not speed.”

Here’s the exact eight-week plan Ahmed gives clients who don’t run at all.

Weeks 1-2

Warm-up: 5min slow walking

Workout: 1min jog / 2min walking recovery x 5-6

Cool-down: 5min slow walking

Weeks 3-4

Warm-up: 5min slow walking

Workout: 2min jog / 2min walking recovery x 5-6

Cool-down: 5min slow walking

Weeks 5-6

Warm-up: 5min slow walking

Workout: 3min jog / 2min walking recovery x 5-6

Cool-down: 5min slow walking

Weeks 7-8

Warm-up: 5min slow walking

Workout: 5min jog / 2min walking recovery x 4-6

Cool-down: 5min slow walking

What to do next

Once you’ve completed the eight-week plan without pain or injury, add one or two minutes to your run segments each week while trimming down the walking sections, until you’re stringing together 20-30 minutes of straight running.

“Stay at a conversational pace,” advises Ahmed. “If you can't talk in full sentences, you're pushing too hard.”

It’s widely accepted that runners shouldn’t neglect resistance training if they want to run well, faster and injury-free—but where should you start?

There are hundreds of exercises you could use and dozens of workouts you could follow, but Pilates instructor Brittni Johnson says all you need is four strength moves.

A Bulgarian split squat, a Romanian deadlift, a calf raise and a side plank are her recommendations.

“These four exercises target what distance runners actually need: staying stable under fatigue, absorbing impact and pushing off with power,” the BetterMe trainer tells Fit&Well.

These moves, she insists, effectively mimic the demands of regular running.

The unilateral nature of the Bulgarian split squat will develop strength and length in your muscles, tendons and ligaments on each leg individually.

“This focus on single-leg movements is deliberate because running is essentially a series of single-leg landings,” says Johnson.

“Your body needs to be able to handle that repeatedly without breaking down.”

On every rep, Johnson says to pay extra attention to the lowering phase. So with the Bulgarian split squat, Romanian deadlift and calf raise, lower your weight slowly.

“That’s where you build the strength to handle the unforgiving nature of pounding the pavement, so take it slow and you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble down the road.”

How to do the workout

To support your running workouts, Johnson recommends using this routine once or twice per week—“ideally on your lighter run or rest days. If you’re limited on time to work out during the week, this can be paired on your longer run days, but just keep the weight a little bit lighter.”

1. Bulgarian split squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 60-90sec

• Sit on a weights bench and extend your right leg, placing your right heel on the floor.
• Stand up and tip your right foot forward to it is flat on the floor.
• Place the top of your left foot on the bench behind you.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your right knee to 90° to lower, keeping your right shin vertical and your torso upright.
• Push through your right foot to extend your right leg.

Johnson says: “Training one leg at a time forces the stabilizers around your hip and knee to do their job, which stops the inward collapse that causes runner's knee.”

2. Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60-90sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing you.
• Engage your core.
• Keeping your back flat throughout, push your hips back and hinge forward to lower the dumbbells down your legs, until you feel a gentle stretch in your hamstrings.
• Squeeze your glutes and push your hips to stand upright.

Form tip: Lower your gaze toward the floor as you descend to avoid craning your neck.

Johnson says: “Most runners are quad-dominant. This move strengthens the pull phase of your stride through your hamstrings and glutes, where your power for hills and sprints actually comes from.”

3. Side plank

Sets: 3 Time: 30-45sec each side Rest: 60-90sec

• Lie on your side, propped up on your forearm with your feet together, or one in front of the other.
• Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.
• Hold this position, concentrating on keeping your hips still.

Johnson says: “Running demands lateral stability. A strong side core keeps your energy moving forward instead of leaking out through shifting hips or a twisting torso.”

4. Seated calf raise

Sets: 3 Reps: 15-20 Rest: 60-90sec

This can also be performed using a calf raise machine in the gym, or standing.

• Sit with dumbbells on your knees and the balls of your feet on a yoga block or similar platform.
• Allow your heels to lower just below the platform, to feel a slight stretch in your calves—this is your starting position.
• Press into your toes to raise your heels.
• Lower your heels slowly to the starting position.

Johnson says: “The soleus [one of the main muscles in the calf] absorbs up to eight times your body weight per step. Keeping it strong is the most straightforward way to stay clear of Achilles tendonitis and shin splints.”

Knee pain is one of the most common complaints among runners. And more often than you might realize, a knee injury can be down to the way you run.

Small inefficiencies in your running form can increase stress on your joints over time, making discomfort hard to ignore.

According to Rebecca Bossick, chartered physiotherapist (broadly equivalent to a physical therapist in the United States) and founder of One Body LDN, knee pain is rarely caused by one major mistake.

“Most knee pain in runners doesn’t come from one dramatic flaw, it comes from a handful of small mechanical habits that quietly add up over time,” she explains.

“The fix is rarely about overhauling your technique completely, but about identifying which of these patterns is loading the knee unnecessarily and making one small adjustment at a time until you find the correct form.”

Here are the four running form mistakes that Bossick sees most often, and exactly what you can do to correct them.

1. Overstriding

Overstriding happens when your foot lands in front of your body, rather than underneath your hips. According to Bossick, it’s the number one form mistake, especially in newer runners.

“When your leg extends forward on contact, the impact lands right into the knee joint rather than being absorbed by the muscles,” she says.

You might notice a heavy, stomping feeling when you run, or discomfort around the knee—especially on downhill sections. It can also cause patellofemoral irritation, a dull ache around the kneecap that may linger even after your run.

Form tip: Aim to land with your foot under your hips. Increasing your cadence by taking slightly quicker, shorter steps will naturally reduce overstriding.

2. Heel striking with a locked-out leg

Heel striking isn't necessarily the problem, but landing with a straight, stiff leg can be, explains Bossick.

“When the knee is fully extended on landing, there’s little mechanical give in the joint, meaning the impact load has nowhere to go and gets transferred straight up into the knee and hip,” she explains.

Look out for a dull ache around the front of the knee, particularly during longer runs.

Form tip: Keep a slight bend in the knee as your foot makes contact. A slight forward lean from the ankles (not the waist) can also encourage a softer landing.

3. Hip drop

Hip drop happens when the hip on the opposite side to your standing leg dips downward with each step, often due to the glute not stabilizing the hips properly.

“When the hip drops, the whole leg below it compensates and the knee ends up rotating inward, which increases stress on the joint and is a major contributor to one-sided knee pain,” Bossick says.

If knee pain consistently affects the same side, or you notice your hips rocking from side to side, hip drop could be to blame.

Form tip: Focus on keeping your hips level as you run. Strengthening your glutes with single-leg bridges, lateral band walks, and single-leg squats can also help improve stability.

4. Leaning forward from the waist

Bossick says that while a slight forward lean can improve efficiency, when that lean comes from the waist rather than the ankles, it can cause problems.

“When runners hunch forward through the lower back and hips, the pelvis tilts forward, which shortens the hip flexors and puts more load onto the front of the knee,” she explains.

This tends to worsen as fatigue sets in. “The issue tends to show up as tightness across the front of the hip or a nagging ache around the kneecap that builds as the run goes on,” Bossick says.

Form tip: Imagine a string pulling the top of your head upward and think about running tall, keeping your eyes forward rather than down at your feet for a more upright posture.

The running form advice to be cautious of

One of the most common pieces of advice is that switching to a forefoot or midfoot strike—landing on the front or middle of your foot rather than your heel—will protect your knees. However, Bossick argues that the evidence doesn’t support this as a universal fix.

“Changing foot strike patterns too quickly, without building the calf and Achilles capacity to handle it, can swap one injury for another,” she explains.

“For most beginner runners, working on cadence, posture, and hip strength will do far more good.”

When to see a physiotherapist or physical therapist

If you experience stiffness or mild achiness that settles within 20 to 30 minutes after a run, it’s reasonable to try small form adjustments. But Bossick recommends only tweaking one thing at a time, so you can see what’s actually helping.

If the pain is present during the run, worsens as you go, or lingers into the following days, pushing through it won’t help.

“This is when you should get a proper assessment,” advises Bossick. “Gait analysis can identify what’s happening mechanically, while a physio can distinguish between something that needs a small technique change and something that needs more targeted treatment.”

The transition from walking to running might sound easy—it’s the same movement, but faster, right?

However, the physiological load, injury risk and energy required are significantly higher when you run than when you walk.

Catch Hurst, a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy with ATI Physical Therapy, says that rather than leaping from a walk to a run, you should aim to build a bridge between the two activities.

“If someone has only been walking, I would not have them jump straight into a 20-minute run,” he says.

“I’d keep the habit familiar and just add small pieces of running into the walk.

“Walking breaks are not a sign you are bad at running. They are one of the best tools we have to build running tolerance without overloading the body.”

He explains that the crux of the issue is not whether you can run. It’s about how well you recover after running.

“Mild muscle soreness that improves within a day or two is usually fine, but sharp pain, limping, swelling, or the same ache getting worse from run to run is a sign to back off.”

How to start using walk-run intervals

Hurst’s recommended approach means that you should be progressively overloading—challenging your body while giving it time to adapt to the new activity.

“Walk five minutes to warm up, then alternate 30-60 seconds of easy jogging with one to two minutes of walking for 15-25 minutes,” he suggests.

“Do that two or three times per week, with a rest day or normal walking day between.”

Begin at the low ends of those ranges and gradually increase the challenge of one factor (increasing the duration of each jog interval, decreasing the duration of the walk interval, or total duration) each week.

It’s also worth being aware that you can inadvertently add stress on your body by walking faster or tackling hills, and your body needs to be able to recover. “Start on a flat, predictable surface before adding hills, trails, uneven sidewalks, or slanted roads,” he says.

“Space your sessions out and remember that a lot of running injuries come from stacking too many small stressors without enough recovery.

“Be patient early so you can be consistent later.

“I’d also keep regular walking in the week and add basic strength work twice per week, things like calf raises, step-ups, squats, hip hinges, and single-leg balances—running is basically a long series of single-leg landings.”

Do you need new shoes?

“You do not need fancy gear to start running, but you do need the right setup to keep going,” says Hurst. “Shoes matter, but they are not magic.

“New runners do not need fancy race shoes, they need comfortable daily running shoes.

“If your walking shoes are old, compressed, or already causing hot spots, I would not start running in them.”

"And they need a flat, predictable route—and enough restraint not to turn every session into a fitness test.”

Swept up in running fever at the start of spring, I jumped at the chance to sign up for the Berlin Marathon at the end of September.

The only issue was that I had hibernated through the winter and hadn’t laced up my running shoes in months.

I wanted to get to the start (and finish) line in one piece, so I asked an expert coach how to safely start running again after an extended break.

His advice applies to anyone—whether you have a long history of running or you’re coming to it completely fresh.

“The key is to build gradually, prioritize consistency and avoid doing too much too soon,” James Wauchope tells Fit&Well.

To achieve this, the Altra Running ambassador says it’s imperative you “progress time, not distance”.

“Rather than aiming for specific mileage targets early on, it’s often better to run for time. This allows for more flexibility and reduces the risk of overloading too quickly.”

Too much running too soon is usually how people get started, he adds, leading to discomfort, pain and, often, injury.

Why you should run for time not distance

Having retrieved my dusty Nike Invincible IIIs from the back of the cupboard, I resist the urge to fall back on my well-trodden 5K route for my first run in six months.

Instead, I set the goal of moving at a steady pace for 25 minutes straight.

I also follow Wauchope’s second piece of advice for new runners: start with run-walk intervals.

“Run-walk intervals are one of the most effective ways to rebuild fitness in a manageable, sustainable way,” he says.

This simply means alternating from running to walking for the duration of your session to ensure you don’t max out and can keep going as long as you intended.

“Start with something like one minute of running followed by one to two minutes of walking, and aim to build this up week by week.”

How to progress your running safely

Putting all of this into practice, my first month getting back in the groove of running feels manageable—and enjoyable.

I focus on taking in the scenery, exploring new routes, taking my running shoes on a weekend staycation in the countryside and not overthinking each session.

But now, four weeks in, with my body feeling fresh and enthusiasm undimmed, I feel ready to start dialling up the intensity and working on my race pace.

So, what's next?

If running for time, rather than distance, while using run-walk intervals feels manageable, Wauchope suggests starting to progress gently by adding 30-60 seconds onto each of your runs.

“The focus in the early stages should be on time on your feet, not intensity, so keep your running at a conversational pace rather than pushing the speed,” says Wauchope.

You should be able to maintain a conversation while running. If you’re panting or can only manage a few words at a time, you’re going too fast.

As your body acclimatizes to the demands of running and your fitness improves, Wauchope recommends patiently increasing your total running volume week by week.

“That could mean adding a few extra minutes to each session or moving from one run to two per week,” he says.

“Above all, listen to your body and progress gradually. Consistency over time is far more valuable than pushing too hard too soon.”

Luke Meessmann knows a thing or two about running.

A five-time veteran of the London Marathon, he started out in exercise science and rehabilitation before moving into Pilates as an instructor and owner of Absolute Studios.

From this experienced vantage point, the Australian believes there is one common postural imbalance holding most runners back from giving their all.

“Everyone is individual,” he caveats, speaking to Fit&Well. “But across the population, the most predominant postural imbalance we tend to see is an anteriorly tilted pelvis.”

This typically means the abdominals, glutes and hamstrings aren't as strong as they could be.

Instead, the hip flexors and quads on the front of the thighs take over, pulling the pelvis forward, forcing the lower back into too much of an arch.

This effect, he says, is compounded by a rounding or hunching of the upper back and shoulders due to our use of phones and laptops.

“For running specifically, if you have strong abdominals, glutes and hamstrings, you stand a much better chance of not having back and knee pain,” Meessmann explains.

“You need strong quads [for running], but you need a balance, especially around the hip and knee joint, because we tend to be overly hip flexor and quad dominant.”

Regularly strengthening the glutes, hamstrings and abs with the exercises Meessmann has suggested below will help tilt your pelvis back into a neutral alignment.

“When you train those areas and get them strong and get the balance back, you move better, you move more efficiently,” he says.

“You waste less energy because you have better balance around the joints and have much less chance of tearing a hamstring because it’s not used to working at a higher capacity.”

Best Pilates exercises for runners

Attending a mat or reformer Pilates class will likely strengthen all three of these crucial muscle groups for runners, but you can also target them at home with just your bodyweight.

Meessmann recommends dead bug, Superman and glute bridge marches.

“These moves target the glutes, hamstrings and abs, but also train neuromuscular control and coordination between your lower and upper body,” adds Meessmann.

“Running isn’t just a leg workout—it’s very much an upper-lower body coordinated exercise.

“You can absolutely do these exercises on the mat, but if you have access to a reformer, that will challenge the neuromuscular component a little bit more.”

He suggests adding these moves to your regular resistance training workouts, or tagging them onto the end of one of your lighter weekly runs.

Perform them as a circuit, working for 45 seconds, then resting for 15 seconds, repeated two to three times in total.

1. Glute bridge march

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core, gently pressing your lower back into the floor.
• Keeping these muscles switched on, push through your feet to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Lower your butt to the floor under control.
• Perform three reps like this to warm up your glutes and hamstrings, then pause at the top of the exercise and alternately lift your legs in a marching action.
• Focus on keeping your hips and pelvis stable as you alternate sides.

Meessmann says: “Adding a march introduces a great neuromuscular component. The glutes and hamstrings provide stability, but the abdominals, and especially the obliques, provide anti-rotation force. That’s why the obliques are massive for running as well.”

2. Dead bug

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with your knees stacked over your hips and bent to 90°, shins parallel to the floor, and arms extended straight up.
• Keep your lower back gently pressed into the floor throughout to keep your deep core muscles engaged.
• Start by keeping your arms still and alternate extending and lowering one leg at a time until it’s just above the floor with your ankle flexed.
• Once this feels under control, make it harder by lowering an arm behind you until just off the floor, moving your opposite arm and leg in unison.

Meessmann says: “A variation on the classic Pilates toe tap, variations in how you move your arms and legs challenge trunk stability, while simultaneously training upper and lower body control and efficiency.”

3. Quadruped (or superman)

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Get on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips and your hands directly below your shoulders.
• Gaze down at the floor throughout to maintain a neutral spine.
• Start by alternately extending your leg behind you, keeping your ankle flexed and moving with control.
• Once this feels comfortable, make it more challenging by reaching your arm in front of you, moving your opposite arm and leg in unison.
• Think about lengthening your body from your heel to your fingertips with each rep.

Meessmann says: “A reverse of the dead bug on all fours, this strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, while training abdominal control over the pelvis and trunk, plus coordination with the opposite arm and leg movement. That’s where the crossover into running comes into play.”

Motivation can be one of the biggest barriers to running. Often, I really don’t want to run because I’m busy, or tired, or I listen to the inner voice that tells me I’m not good at running.

But I also know that running makes me feel good (usually afterwards!). I also really value exercising outdoors because it gives such a boost to my mental health, and it helps to quiet the busyness in my brain.

So I went searching for ways to hack my motivation and found two therapists who were willing to help.

“Motivation is a fickle friend,” says Carina Tudor-Sfetea, a BABCP-accredited senior cognitive behavioural therapist and supervisor, and mindfulness teacher at Project Even Keel. “Many of us think we need to feel motivated to actually do something—we’re looking for that impulse of energy, excitement, buzz.

“The problem is that often, if we’re honest, those feelings don’t come.”

Talia Seder, a CBT and EMDR-licensed mental health counselor at a private Manhattan practice and former D1 athlete, agrees. “Lacking motivation is such a common feeling for all athletes!” The hardest part, she says, is starting, so I asked Tudor-Sfetea and Seder the psychological strategies they use instead of motivation to get them going on a run.

1. The two-minute rule

It’s often the thought of how long a run will take that puts me off, but Tudor-Sfetea has a solution to trick your brain into getting started: the two-minute rule.

“When you’re thinking about starting something new or complex in some way, it can feel overwhelming,” she says. “So, tell yourself you’ll only do it for two minutes. After two minutes, you can stop—but often, you’ll keep going.”

2. Warm up in a way that doesn’t feel like a warm-up

A strategy used by Seder is to try a less conventional warm-up. “Warm your body up in a fun way that doesn’t feel like work,” she says.

“You can start dancing or hyping yourself up while stretching to your favorite music and once your blood is pumping you won’t even remember why you didn’t want to go for a run in the first place.”

3. Use a grounding technique to get you started

“Sometimes starting off with a walk and then turning it into a run can work wonders,” says Seder. “A grounding technique I often use with clients is a color walk. You start by walking and pick a color in your mind.

“Then take time to notice everything around you that matches it, while staying aware of your surroundings. It helps shift your focus outward, regulates the nervous system and brings a sense of calm. When you feel ready, you can move that walk into a gentle run.”

4. Follow a plan, not your mood

You don’t need to rely on feeling like running if you’ve got a plan in place, Tudor-Sfetea says. “You need a very specific plan. As I like to teach my clients, plan it to death.

“Planning your route, what you need to wear and getting any kit—like your headphones and sports watch— charged and ready helps,” she says. “Think about what needs to happen before: do you need to eat earlier so you’re not hungry on your run? Or have something ready to eat for when you get back?”

Deciding exactly when you’ll run well in advance can also help.

“Saying sometime next week makes it easy for Friday to come around and for you to talk yourself out of it, but committing to Tuesday at 6.30pm gives it appointment status. You can even add it to your calendar.”

Seder adds that you should work with, rather than against, yourself. “Know your schedule and optimize to get the best results,” she says. “If you feel your best in the morning, try building that into your routine.”

5. Have a backup plan

You’ve got your plan, but you also need a backup, says Tudor-Sfetea. “Think about what you’ll do if things don't go as expected—you finish work late or you’ve not slept well the night before.

“Maybe you decide you’ll still go, but adapt by heading out later, or maybe you use what I call your one reschedule opportunity. You can reschedule once that week, but you’ll need to decide when you’ll do it again, specifically.”

6. Use your values rather than feelings to guide you

Tudor-Sfetea says that a useful exercise when you are feeling unmotivated is to figure out what kind of person you want to be and what kind of life you want to live. “There are many ways to do this, from worksheets to experiential exercises, but the idea is that you discover the qualities you want to live by, moment by moment.

“Write a list of values—these can be things like adventure, curiosity, self-compassion, ambition and authenticity—then every time you need to make a decision, you use these to guide you.

“Say you planned to go running on Tuesday at 6.30pm, but come that time all you can think is ‘I can’t be bothered’. What action would be more in line with your value of physical fitness? Probably to still go. And maybe you also hold a value of self-compassion—so you go and take it bit by bit without forcing yourself to achieve a personal best.

“And maybe you also hold a value of humour, and you laugh if you get lost along your route, rather than berate yourself.”

7. Check in with any internal and implicit beliefs

Sometimes not wanting to go on a run or do any exercise can be more about the deep-rooted beliefs we have about ourselves, or the arbitrary rules we set for ourselves. For example, you might think that you aren’t sporty enough to start running. Or, you might tell yourself that if you don’t run for an hour three times a week, then what’s the point?

“If these thoughts resonate,” Tudor-Sfetea says, “ask yourself how helpful they are? How much do they help you live the life that you want for yourself? If not so much, can you loosen them up a little? Instead, start telling yourself: ‘It’s better to start small and do a little, than to do nothing at all’ or ‘If I can’t run for long, I can walk in between’.”

She says giving yourself permission to make mistakes and not being so hard on yourself can reduce the barriers and critical self-talk that stop you from going on a run.

Despite my love-hate relationship with running, I’ve picked it up again in the last month—with the lighter evenings motivating me to get outside.

The last time I ran regularly was in January 2025, when I did a mile a day charity challenge for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Since then, I’ve been fairly inconsistent, doing the odd 5K Parkrun along the beach at my mum’s place in Exmouth or the 2km junior Parkrun with my daughters in Oxford.

I’m not a natural runner, but I started again a few weeks ago, aiming to run at least once a week, hopefully twice, for around 30 to 45 minutes, and my favourite route is a 3km run along the towpath and river near my house. Looking at the wildlife and scenery helps distract me!

I do a regular run every Wednesday lunchtime with my good friend Amy, and I’m hoping to do a few longer runs now that the weather is warmer.

But I know that the secret to becoming a better runner—and enjoying it more—is to include exercises that support running in my week, too.

As well as traditional strength training, runners should do core work, which aids balance, good posture and reduces the risk of injury.

Although I regularly tell my personal training clients what to do to build core strength, I don’t always dedicate enough time to it myself.

So, I decided to make a conscious effort to add a short core workout to my usual exercise regime, focusing on four essential core moves for a month—choosing the plank, side plank, dead bug and Russian twist.

I chose the plank because it works the transverse abdominis, one of the biggest abdominal muscles that supports and stabilizes the spine and pelvis. Strengthening that muscle should promote an upright running posture.

The side plank hits the obliques (colloquially known as the side abs) and glutes. Glute strength is important for runners because it helps generate speed, power and keeps the body upright so you are balanced when in motion.

The dead bug made my list because it involves moving the opposite arm and leg at the same time, mimicking the movement pattern of running. It also works the deep core muscles, helping improve stability and balance.

I wanted to include the Russian twist because it’s a rotational move that strengthens the obliques and deep core, which helps reduce excessive rotation from the torso when running, to save energy.

I aimed for 10-15 minutes a day to build up core stability—I generally did the workout as a standalone circuit before the kids got up for school, working my way through each exercise for 40-60 seconds.

I continued aiming for two runs a week, and at the end of the month, as well as being able to hold a plank for longer, the mini core workout had a positive effect on my running performance. Here’s what I discovered after 30 days.

My running posture improved

Before starting my core training challenge, I had noticed that when I tried to run further than my usual 3km riverside route I tended to slump forward a bit when I got tired.

But the core strength I built up from doing planks and side planks for a month really made a difference to my runs.

I found that I was able to maintain a good upright position, and my running stride was more consistent and efficient.

In the past, I think I’ve stepped too far forward when running (overstriding), especially when I’m getting tired, and this is probably contributed to those occasions when I’ve ended up rolling my ankle or tripping over something.

I felt that being more stable and stronger in my core helped me to run more efficiently, and not overstride—a common mistake new runners make.

Having not done side planks for ages, when I first started, I could only hold the position with good form for 30 seconds or so, but by the end of the challenge, I was able to stay up for over a minute.

I felt less injury-prone

I don’t want to jinx myself by saying this out loud because I’m naturally clumsy, but doing 30 days of core training—particularly exercises like the dead bug that involve control and coordination—made me feel so much more confident when I ran because I felt less injury-prone.

Previously, when I’ve run consistently, I’ve had issues with my left knee and hip. I’ve also had a few cases of twisting my ankle, which has put me off making running a habit. I wondered if my weak core had also been making injury more likely, so I spoke to a professional to find out more.

“The core’s job is to provide stability to your spine and pelvis so you can generate power in your arms and legs,” says Dr Ashley Katzenback, physical therapist and owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy.

“For runners, a weak core prevents sufficient power generation for forward propulsion, leading to excessive shear force through your pelvis and hips, which translates down to the knees.

“If our core is weak, we will land on our heel instead of our midfoot. This will put excessive impact through our knee, potentially causing it to give out or buckle under the load.”

By week three of core training, I realised I felt more stable in my stride, and I also had more confidence, too. I used to start every run assuming that at some point I’d trip and/or roll my ankle, but this fear soon faded.

I felt less tired at the end of a run

As a fair-weather runner, I often felt overly tired by the time I got home from a run—probably because I wasn’t doing it often or consistently enough.

My realisation after 30 days of core training is that rather than me not being cut out for running, I was just doing it inefficiently.

It’s fair to say that I could just be getting better at running because I’m doing it more often, but I also just feel like I’m doing it better. I’m more upright, I’m less clunky in the way I move, and I finally feel like I’ve found my running rhythm.

When the core is weak, you move and twist your torso a lot more during a run, which wastes energy. But a strong core helps you maintain good form, so your energy and effort are put into propelling you forward instead.

This was one of the top benefits of my core training—but it didn’t happen overnight. I’d say it was at least two weeks before I noticed a difference, and then I built on that week by week.

Bonus: It also stopped me slouching at my desk

Working as a freelance fitness writer means I’m often sitting at my desk for long periods without moving.

I’m terrible at sitting up properly, and over the day I tend to naturally slip down my chair or sit on my foot—or another awkward, back-bending posture.

But within two weeks of my core training challenge I found I was sitting up taller, not slouching as much, and paying more attention to how I was sitting. It’s also worked wonders on the neck and shoulder ache I used to get at the end of a shift.

I’ll definitely be keeping up with the core training beyond the challenge. I really feel like it’s helped me run better and, to an extent, enjoy it more—I’m still working on trying to love running!

To keep challenging myself, I’m going to add some resistance to the exercises, and plan to include more rotational moves, such as the wood chop, to work on mimicking the torso’s natural twisting motion when running.

The four core exercises

1. Plank

Time: 30-60sec

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Engage your core.
• Place your forearms on the mat, with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
• Step your feet behind you.
• Hold your body in a straight line.

2. Side plank

Time: 30-60sec

• Lie on your right side, propped up on your forearm, with your elbow directly under your shoulder, and your left foot on top of your right.
• Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.
• Keep your other arm by your side or stretched toward the ceiling, and hold.

3. Dead bug

Time: 30-60sec

• Lie on your back, with your knees raised and bent to 90°.
• Extend your arms up.
• Engage your core to gently press your lower back into the floor.
• Slowly extend and lower your right leg, and lower your left arm behind your head, until your right foot and left hand are just above the floor.
• If your lower back rises off the floor, stop lowering your leg just before your back lifts.
• Return to the start with control and then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides for time.

4. Russian twist

Time: 30-60sec

• Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels on the floor (or hovering just off the floor to make the exercise more challenging).
• Lean back, forming a 90° angle between your torso and thighs.
• Extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
• Keeping your knees and hips still throughout, rotate slowly at your waist to move your hands to one side.
• Pause, then return to the center.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides for time.

In February, Anna Gibson finished fourth for Team USA alongside mixed relay partner Cam Smith as ski mountaineering (aka skimo) made its Olympics debut.

It capped a remarkable rise for the Wyoming native. A prodigious runner from an early age, Gibson had only entered the sport 18 months earlier at the behest of teammate Smith.

Rather than in skis and skins on snowy slopes, it was on the dusty running trails of Grand Teton National Park and the vertical kilometer of Palisades Tahoe where Gibson, 26, forged her athletic prowess.

Now the Olympian is setting her sights on climbing to the top of the sport she first fell in love with, a sport she believes all runners would benefit from trying.

Here the 26-year-old explains why we should all head for the trails this summer.

Five reasons why you should try trail running

1. It's mentally stimulating

"You will never do the same run twice," Gibson tells Fit&Well.

"Even if you run the same trail every single day, the environmental conditions change so it's a different experience every time."

If you find road running monotonous, or you've run your local 5K route to death, Gibson says the trails will help you rediscover the joy of lacing up your trainers.

"Those hard days on the road or track, when it feels like such a grind, and you're trying to distract yourself by thinking about other things, those days just don't happen on the trails."

2. It'll make you fitter and faster

Trail running is an interval workout that you don't have to program.

"When running on the road your heart rate will be fairly consistent," Gibson explains. "On the trail there's such varying terrain and surfaces, you will run by feel rather than a certain pace."

You'll go from fast to slow to fast, alternating high-intensity bursts with periods of recovery, naturally as the terrain changes.

That process will boost your VO2 max and lactate threshold, both measures of cardio fitness.

"When starting out, you don't need to even do structured workouts," she adds.

"Just go exploring. Push the distance a little bit further each time and don't worry about your pace. That's how you fall in love with the experience and that will be challenging enough."

3. You'll learn new running skills

For Gibson, that's technical downhill running and staying light on her feet—attributes rarely tested on the road or treadmill.

"Trail running requires quite a bit of agility, depending on how hard the trail is, which is something that's been really fun to train," she says.

One of her go-to sessions involves doing a steady, hard climb straight up a mountain.

"Those are my favorite days," she says.

"Whenever I have them in my training log, I'm like, 'Oh, what mountain should I go up today?' Getting to choose a mountain to go stand on top of is something I just love."

4. It will help you connect with nature

Gibson's number one place to trail run is in her backyard: Grand Teton National Park.

"At altitude, it combines every type of trail going—hard, easy, some stuff that's basically climbing, some in the valleys that's flat, like running along a beautiful lake or river.

"It's one of the most world class places to train," she says.

When in such beautiful surroundings, enjoying the environment while fixated on the ground to avoid tripping on roots and branches, Gibson says she can enter a flow state.

"It's a very meditative experience," she says.

"You're very present in what you're doing, a little bit more so than when you're running on the road. I just really love that about trails. It feels like a really cool experience with the natural world."

5. It'll make you more resilient

"Above all, trail running has made me really tough," concludes Gibson.

"There are a lot of bumps in the road you have to adjust to. Sometimes you fall, sometimes it's too hot, sometimes the trail is really hard and it gets frustrating.

"Knowing I can overcome those things and practice overcoming them every single day I go out trail running has helped me take a lot of confidence in the things I can do.

"Then I go to the roads and I feel like I'm absolutely flying, I'm going so fast, like I can overcome anything."

For a long time, I didn’t think that warming up before a run was really necessary. I would just lace up my shoes and head out the door, starting with a slow jog, then eventually speeding up.

Sometimes, skipping a warm-up didn’t really seem to matter, but other times, I would feel stiff and heavy anytime I tried to pick up the pace. It made runs less enjoyable, which could put me off my next run. This affected the consistency of my running.

Fortunately, I wised up and started treating my warm-up as a non-negotiable before every run.

I still don’t like spending a long time on my warm-up because I’m almost always in a time crunch, so I have created a routine that takes less than eight minutes. Even though it’s short, it warms up everything I need to get going and always makes me feel ready to quicken the pace when the time comes.

Unlike a static stretching routine, which is better done as a post-run routine, this dynamic warm-up focuses on getting your body moving.

The movements raise your heart rate a bit, activate key running muscles such as your glutes, and open your hips so your stride feels confident and your body is ready to take on impact.

Most importantly, since adding this warm-up routine, I’ve been able to stay consistent with my running by avoiding the small aches and pains that sometimes come with working muscles hard before my body is ready.

My running warm-up

Here’s the routine in brief. Further down you’ll find explanations of how to do each movement.

1. Brisk walk or light jog x 1min
2. Leg swing front to back x 30sec each side
3. Leg swing side to side x 30sec each side
4. Walking lunge with rotation x 1min
5. Glute bridge x 1min
6. High knees x 30sec
7. Butt kick x 30sec
8. Strides x 2 sets of 30sec

Each movement builds on the previous one, so we begin by easing into the warm-up with a walk to gently raise your pulse.

The leg swings and lunges help improve your hip mobility, while the glute bridges are great for activating the muscles that provide you with power and stability during your run—this is especially important for people who spend a lot of time sitting. The high knees and butt kicks raise your heart rate and remind your body of proper running mechanics.

1. Brisk walk or light jog

Time: 1min

If you’re doing your warm-up indoors, try marching or jogging on the spot.

2. Leg swing front to back

Time: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Stand right side on to a wall and place your right hand lightly on the wall to help with balance.
• Moving from your hip, lift your left leg in front of you, then behind you.
• Continue, swinging back and forth with control, gradually increasing your range of motion.
• Repeat on the other side.

3. Leg swing side to side

Time: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Stand facing a wall and place your hands lightly on the wall to help with balance.
• Moving from your hip, lift your left leg out to the left side, then to the right side, moving it in front of your right leg.
• Continue, swinging side to side with control, gradually increasing your range of motion.
• Switch sides after 30 seconds.

4. Walking lunge with rotation

Time: 1min

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a big step forward with your right foot, then bend both knees to lower.
• Pause when your left knee is just above the floor, then rotate your torso to the right.
• Rotate your torso back to the center, then push through your right foot to stand upright, bringing your left foot forward to meet your right.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

5. Glute bridge

Time: 1min

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from knees to shoulders.
• Lower your hips back to the floor.

6. High knees

Time: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Run on the spot, raising your knees to hip height.
• Keeping your elbows bent, lift your left arm as you lift your right leg, and vice versa.
• Continue at pace.

7. Butt kick

Time: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Run on the spot, lifting your feet behind you, aiming to tap your butt with your heels.

8. Strides

Sets: 2 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Start running and smoothly speed up over the first 10 seconds of the set.
• Run fast, at around 90% of your maximum speed, keeping your body relaxed.
• Gradually slow down over the final 10 seconds to a stop.

New runners tend to focus on one thing: running more. But according to Pilates teacher and physiotherapist Claire Mills, skipping strength and mobility work in favor of more miles is one of the biggest mistakes runners can make.

“Running is a repetitive, high-impact activity where approximately three times your body weight goes through your leg when you land,” Mills tells Fit&Well.

If your joints and muscles aren’t strong and mobile enough to tolerate the load, injuries can quickly start to happen.

“If one area of the body lacks strength or mobility, another part has to compensate, and that’s when injuries can occur,” Mills explains.

Shin splints, poor hip strength, runner’s knees and lower-back pain are just some of the most common issues Mills sees in her London-based clinic Core LDN.

“Running is only one part of your training. Strength work, mobility, core training and recovery should be built in from the beginning—not added when pain starts,” Mills says.

This is where her top four Pilates-inspired exercises come in. Unlike lifting weights, Pilates targets the deep stabilising muscles, as well as posture and movement control, which runners need to move efficiently and reduce unnecessary strain.

The moves also focus on building strength in the glutes, hamstrings and core, while mobilizing the lower back and improving pelvic floor stability.

See below for Mills’ four favorite Pilates exercises for runners.

Four Pilates exercises for runners

1. Glute bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Gently engage your core, then tilt your pelvis back and press through your heels to lift your pelvis and hips.
• Lift until your hips are in line with your shoulders and knees.
• Lower slowly with control.

Trainer tip: Add a hold at the top of the bridge, or lift one leg at the top to challenge single-sided control.

Frequency: Three or four times a week, done before or after running.

Benefits: Helps strengthen your glutes and hamstrings, and mobilises the spine, particularly your lower back.

2. Hip flexor lunge stretch

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30sec each side

• Kneel on your right knee with your left foot flat on the floor in front of you.
• Tuck your pelvis slightly under.
• Gently shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch at the front of your right hip.
• Hold for the allocated time, then switch sides.
  

Frequency: Best done after a run, and also on rest days.

Benefits: Helps improve stride length, reduce lower-back strain, and prevent hip and knee overload.

3. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30sec each side

• Lie on your back with your arms extended straight up and a 90° bend at your hips and knees.
• Engage your deep core gently without flattening the spine.
• Slowly lower and extend your right leg and lower your left arm behind your head as you exhale.
• Return to the start as you inhale.
• Repeat on the other side, moving in sync with your breath.
• Keep your pelvis still throughout and don't allow your back or rib cage to arch away from the mat.

Trainer tip: For an extra challenge, hold hand weights or wear ankle weights.

Frequency: Three times a week.

Benefits: Helps strengthen deep core stabilisers and improves core control.

4. Single leg T-tilt

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 8-10 reps each side.

• Stand on your left leg with your left knee slightly bent.
• Gently engage your core.
• Keeping your pelvis level, slowly hinge forward from your hips while lifting your right leg behind you.
• Your body should form a straight line from head to heel, like a “T” shape.
• Return to standing with control, keeping your hips steady throughout.

Frequency: Two or three times a week. Acts as a good warm-up before running.

Benefits: Strengthens your glutes and hamstrings, improves pelvic stability, and trains balance and control in a single-leg stance similar to the running position.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am always tempted to skip my cool down after a run.

In fact, I used to swerve a post-run stretch all the time, and I paid the price the next day with extra tight hamstrings and an aching lower back.

Over time, I began to realize how much of a negative impact this was having on my mobility. I would wake up with tight hips, stiff calves and an overall heavy feeling that made me not want to run that day.

I knew I had to change something. That’s when I came up with this quick 10-minute stretch sequence. It’s just enough to reset the body after a run and help prepare you for the next one.

This 10-minute stretch sequence focuses on the areas of your body that are most impacted during a run. Your calves, hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors are all targeted in this routine.

It’s easy to do daily and takes minimal time. I always notice a difference in how I feel the next day if I skip this routine.

By doing this routine, I’ve found that recovery doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated to be effective. Having a short and focused routine like this one can reduce tightness, improve mobility, and make starting your next run easier.

Here’s the post-run stretch routine I use.

1. Standing calf stretch

Time: 30sec each side

After you finish a run, your muscles are warm and ready to engage in static stretching. The calf stretch helps relieve tension from the repetitive impact of running.

How to do it:

• Stand an arms-length away from a wall and place your hands on it.
• Step your right foot behind you.
• Lower your right heel to the floor and lean your torso forward to feel a stretch in your right calf.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

2. Seated hamstring stretch

Time: 45sec each side

The hamstring stretch focuses on the back of the legs, which can tighten up quickly. This is especially true after longer runs.

How to do it:

• Sit on the edge of a chair with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Extend your right leg, placing your right heel on the floor.
• Hinge forward from your hips and reach your hands towards your right toes.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

3. Figure four glute stretch

Time: 45sec each side

The figure four stretch is one of my favorites and also one I rely on the most as someone who struggles with lower back and hip pain. It’s great for opening up the hips and glutes, which are both really important when it comes to running efficiency.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right ankle on your left thigh, just above your left knee.
• Grasp the back of your left thigh in both hands.
• Gently pull your left leg towards you, you should feel a stretch in your right glute.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

4. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Time: 45sec each side

The half-kneeling hip flexor stretch is another one of my favorites and is great for people who sit a lot or struggle with tightness in the hips in general.

How to do it:

• From kneeling, step your left foot in front of you, with your left knee bent to 90° and your knee directly above your left ankle.
• Engage your core and tuck your pelvis under, then carefully move your hips forward to feel a stretch in your right hip.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

5. Child’s pose with side reach

Time: 1min each side

How to do it:

• Kneel with your knees wider than hip-width apart.
• Sit your butt back to your heels and lower your torso, reaching your hands forward as far as possible.
• Use your fingers to walk your hands to the right, feeling a stretch down your left side.
• Hold for time, then walk your fingers to the other side.

6. Foam rolling

Time: 2min

I love finishing with a simple child’s pose, followed by a few minutes with my foam roller. Just some gentle rolling to get the tension out of my calves and quads.

Shop foam rollers

I’ll admit, I do not like the treadmill. Not even a little bit. I prefer the fresh air in my lungs, dirt under my feet, and to feast my eyes on the great outdoors. However, I spend a lot of my time traveling, which means I often find myself in hotels where outdoor running opportunities are minimal, but treadmills are easily accessible.

Sometimes I choose the hotel treadmill due to safety reasons. Other times, it’s simply logistics. Either way, I don’t skip the run. I adapt. With the right structure, even indoor miles can be somewhat enjoyable.

I like to make my treadmill workouts short, sweet and to the point because if I’m in a hotel, I’m bound to have a busy day ahead. This 30-minute hotel gym treadmill routine blends tempo segments and incline changes to maintain aerobic fitness.

I like to do this workout in the morning because it makes me feel productive and ready for the day without draining too much energy.

The 30-Minute Hotel Treadmill Routine

1. Easy warm-up

Time: 5min

Jog at a relaxed pace with the treadmill set at 1% incline.

2. Steady effort

Time: 5min

Increase the pace to comfortably hard; you should be able to speak short phrases.

3. Rolling incline build

Time: 5min

Hold your pace at a moderately hard effort and increase the incline by 1% every minute for 5 minutes.

4. Recovery

Time: 2min 30sec

Return to 1% incline and run at a relaxed pace.

5. Intervals

Time: 6min

Run hard for 2 minutes, followed by a relaxed jog for 1 minute. Repeat once.

6. Recovery

Time: 1min 30sec

Run at a moderate, conversational pace.

7. Cool-down

Time: 5min

Gradually slow down into an easy jog, or brisk walk.

What I like about this 30-minute treadmill workout

When I travel, I struggle to sleep well and my diet isn’t always the best. Instead of trying to cover lots of miles or tackle complicated workouts, I like to do workouts like this that help me to maintain fitness without stressing me out or making me feel dead tired afterward.

The steady efforts in this workout support aerobic conditioning, while the incline segment helps build muscular strength and keeps my cardiovascular system in check. The tempo portions of the workout help my foot turnover stay sharp and efficient.

Most importantly to me, the shifting structure of the workout keeps me engaged so I don’t focus on counting down the minutes until I’m done. I’m forced to pay attention since I need to adjust the incline and speed and this helps pass the time.

The treadmill is never my first choice, but when I’m in a hotel and my running options are limited, it ends up being a great tool that I’m ultimately thankful to have.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when running my first 10K race was assuming that nutrition wasn’t really important for such a distance.

I had my usual breakfast of Greek yoghurt, homemade granola packed with seeds and blueberries. a few hours before the race, skipped the pre-race snack and, aside from a few sips of water, didn’t eat anything until I got home a few hours later.

Cue post-run cramps and a massive energy dip.

I learned the hard way that fueling properly before and after a run matters. Whether you’re running 10K or a marathon, getting it right helps maintain energy levels and supports both performance and recovery.

To avoid repeating the same mistake as I prepare for my next run, I spoke to sports dietitian and runner Amy Goblirsch—known online as The Running Dietitian—to get her advice on how best to fuel and refuel for a 10km race.

Here’s what she recommends considering before the start line, and after the finish line.

Pre-race nutrition

While carb-loading isn’t necessary for a distance of 10K, Goblirsch does recommend slightly increasing your carbohydrate intake the night before.

“Increase the carbohydrate portion you’d normally have at dinner to build up your glycogen stores,” she suggests.

This could mean adding an extra portion of rice, potatoes, pasta, or bread to your dinner to top up energy levels.

On race day, Goblirsch suggests eating breakfast two to four hours before the start line. Focus on a meal that’s mostly carbohydrate-based and easy to digest.

“Good options include oatmeal with fruit, toast with peanut butter and a banana, or a bagel with nut butter and honey,” says Goblirsch.

I had my pre-race meal just under four hours before my run, and I was already hungry by the time I crossed the start line. If you’re anything like me, Goblirsch recommends a pre-race snack for an energy boost.

“About 15–30 minutes before the start, you could have a quick carbohydrate source. Something like sports chews or gels, stroopwafel, or a banana.”

Post-race nutrition

Now comes the refuel. Goblirsch recommends eating 30-45 minutes after running, having a snack that includes carbohydrates to replenish energy stores, protein to support muscle recovery, and fluids to help with rehydration.

“Something like chocolate milk is often handed out after races because it hits all these marks,” she says. Chocolate milk contains what Goblirsch calls the “ideal carb-to-protein ratio”, and is easy to grab on the go.

Granola bars or fruit also work well as an initial recovery snack, but you should think about when you’ll have your next proper meal too.

“Ideally, you will have a balanced meal with carbohydrates, protein and fats within 90 minutes of finishing the race,” says Goblirsch. If that’s likely to be delayed, she suggests having another small snack to help bridge the gap.

Ultimately, you’ll discover what’s right for you with trial and error, so it’s a good idea to experiment with fueling and refueling during training. It’s something I’ll be doing in future.

What works for one runner, might not work for another, so use your training as an opportunity to test out different foods and meal timings. Find what suits you, and avoid trying anything new on race day.

Most runners know that their glutes are some of the most important muscles that they use to run, propelling them forward.

That’s just start though, as Erica Marcano, a strength and conditioning coach and the founder of The Notorious ATC, explained to me.

The glute max—the big peachy one— is your most powerful hip extensor, and, yes, it helps propel you forward, but it also stops you from sinking when your foot hits the floor.

The accompanying glute med and glute min help steady your pelvis any time you have only one foot on the floor. Together, they help keep your knee from caving in and your hips from swaying side to side

Marcano shared her top five glute-strengthening exercises for runners with Fit&Well. These exercises involve minimal equipment, so they are easy to do anywhere,” she says.

Along with your glutes, the routine will also develop your hip rotator muscles. These muscles help improve stride efficiency and aid with ground reaction force absorption.

Plus, rather than working muscles in isolation, these exercises also engage your quads, hamstrings, calves, core and upper body, priming your body for optimal movement.

As such, Marcano suggests you do them as a warm-up before heading out for a run.

Here are the exercises.

1. Quadruped hip CARs

“CARs stands for controlled articular rotation,” says Marcano, “meaning that they move your hip joint slowly and smoothly through its full range of motion.

“They are great for both mobility and stability. I like to do them in a quadruped position, as this also activates the core and shoulders.”

How to do it:

Sets: 1 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Get on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Maintain a neutral spine.
• Press your hands and feet into the floor and engage your core.
• In a slow and controlled motion, bring your right knee towards your chest, rotate and lift it out to the right side, move it behind you, then back to the start.
• Repeat the circular movement in the opposite direction.
• Continue, alternating direction for each rep.
• Perform all the reps on one side, then swap sides.

Form tips:

• Move more slowly than you want to, as though your leg is moving through peanut butter. You are aiming to find the greatest pain-free range of motion possible, without compensating with movement in any other part of your body.
• If you are unsure if you are holding your spine in a neutral position, warm up with a few cat-cows. The position between cat and cow is your neutral spine.
• If holding a quadruped position bothers your wrists, you can hold yourself on your fists instead to take that pressure off.
• Don’t forget to breathe!

2. Single-leg glute bridge with calf raise

“This is one of my favorite bridge variations for runners,” says Marcano, “as it not only targets single-leg strength and stability, but also pairs soleus activation with hip extension.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, palms facing up, so that your hands can’t help with stability.
• Lift your right leg so there’s a 90° bend at the hip and knee.
• Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push through your left foot to lift your hips while maintaining a neutral spine.
• Lift onto the toes of your left foot at the top of the movement and hold for 3-5 seconds.
• Reverse the movements to the start with control, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Form tips:

• Keep your hips square throughout.
• Avoid arching your back or tucking your pelvis under during any part of the movement. Instead, focus on keeping your spine neutral and working from your hips.

3. Side plank with knee drive

“This exercise pairs hip strength and stability with a little extra work for the obliques and a moving top leg for an added challenge,” says Marcano.

“The scissor position of your feet means that you’ll get a little bonus of adductor activation every time you return to the starting position.”

How to do it:

Sets: 3 Reps: 5

• Lie on your left side, propped up on your left forearm, with your left elbow directly underneath your left shoulder.
• Stagger your feet, with your right foot in front of your left.
• Engage your core and lift your hips so your body is in a straight line.
• Holding this side plank position, bring your right knee towards your chest.
• Pause, then return your right foot slowly to the floor.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

Form tips:

• If you can’t maintain the side plank position for the entire set, lower your hips to the floor mid-set for a rest.
• Your bottom hip and core should be working hard—make sure you aren’t dumping your weight onto your shoulder.

4. Lateral band walk

“These are a rehab favorite for runners and for good reason,” says Marcano. “Strengthening the hips in this lateral movement can improve overall gait and reduce compensation patterns that lead to injury and fatigue.”

How to do it:

Sets: 3 Reps: 5 each direction

• Place a resistance band just above your knees and stand with your feet hip-width.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a mini squat, also called an athletic stance, so there’s light tension in the band.
• Maintaining your athletic stance, take one step to the side, creating greater tension on the band while your legs are apart.
• Repeat this five times in one direction, then another five in the opposite direction, until you are back to the starting position.

Form tips:

• Stay low as you move from side to side.
• Be aware of your foot positioning. Make sure your toes stay facing forward during the entirety of the drill and that you move in a straight line sideways.
• Do not turn around when changing directions, and only stand upright in between sets.

5. Reverse lunge to high knee drive

“This exercise incorporates a single-leg balance and ‘runner’s arms’,” says Marcano, “along with a triple extension to help you gain stability and strength.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each side

• From kneeling, step your left forward, so your right knee is on the floor under your right hip and your left knee is bent to 90° and directly above your left foot.
• Push through your left foot to stand up, lifting your right knee to hip height.
• Pause for a second.
• Return to the starting position with control.
• Complete all reps on one side before you swap your leading leg.

Form tips:

• The balance at the top can be tricky at first, so go slowly and focus on control.
• If you have sensitive knees, use a towel or double up your mat to provide extra cushioning for your grounded knee.
• Hold for a second at the top of the movement to ensure you are moving with control. You never want to feel like you are falling back into your lunge.
• For an added challenge, you can progress your single-leg stance to a calf raise and hold your end position there, balanced on your toes.

I recently supported my partner through a 5K-every-day-for-a-month charity running challenge.

While it’s a great way to raise money for a good cause, it’s a lot to take on. Even when I was training for a marathon, I’d take rest days every week.

So I put on my certified personal trainer hat to help. One thing I insisted on was a post-run stretch. In my eyes, it's non-negotiable because of its importance for recovery and injury prevention.

It relieves tension from muscles and improves blood flow, which carries nutrients essential for muscle repair. This helps to reduce muscle soreness, stiffness and other symptoms associated with delayed-onset muscle soreness (commonly known as DOMS).

Combined with slow, controlled deep breathing, stretching also helps shift the body from an activated (sympathetic) state to a resting (parasympathetic) state.

The most important reason to stretch though, especially if you’re running every day, is to help prevent injuries.

Regular running puts your hamstrings and hip flexors in a shortened, contracted position. Tight, inflexible muscles reduce how well you can stride, lowers your capacity to absorb impact and increases your risk of injury. Stretching helps to increase their range of motion and flexibility.

But I know stretching is easily skipped, so after some trial and error, I stripped back my suggested stretches and focused on the two areas most impacted by running: the hamstrings and hip flexors.

If you also find it hard to devote the time to a comprehensive stretching routine, try these two moves instead. It’s one of the best things you can do for your body, and it takes just a few minutes.

Do them straight after a run when your muscles are still warm. Warmer muscles will enable you to stretch further and hold positions for longer.

1. Good morning hamstring stretch

Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
• Place your hands on your hips or by your ears.
• Engage your core and move your shoulders back and down.
• Hinge forward from your hips and push your buttocks back.
• Lower your torso until it’s close to parallel with the floor or until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
• Keep a slight bend in your knees, your shoulders pinned back and a neutral spine throughout.
• Drive your hips forward to stand upright.

Trainer tip: If you don’t feel the stretch in the back of your thighs, make sure you haven’t lost the slight bend in your knees. Performing the movement with straight legs will result in you feeling the stretch in your calves.

2. Low lunge hip flexor stretch

Hold: 20-30sec each side

• From standing, take one large step back with your right foot.
• Bend both knees to lower until your right knee rests on the floor, placing the top of your right foot on the floor too.
• Make sure your left knee is directly above your left foot.
• Push your hips forward, tuck your pelvis under and squeeze your glutes.
• You should feel a stretch at the top of your right thigh.
• Release and repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: Avoid collapsing your chest and hips over your front knee. Keep your chest and hips facing forward throughout to get the most out of the stretch.

If I’m being honest, I kind of dread the treadmill. I’m a runner who prefers to be outdoors, whether that’s on the trails or open roads. I like that the scenery and terrain change. The treadmill feels a bit too repetitive.

But over the years, chaotic travel schedules, sketchy weather and the occasional need to get a workout in when it’s no longer daylight have forced me inside.

To come to terms with the treadmill, I developed a structured workout that helps me stay mentally engaged and keeps the time from dragging on. I enjoy working towards that hard four-minute interval and then knowing that it only gets easier from then on.

On a physical level, my aerobic system is challenged by the effort and I get to work on foot turnover and speed. The efforts result in a rise in heart rate followed by a controlled decrease during recovery intervals. This develops both stamina and efficiency.

I recommend this session if you want to fit in quality work in less than 45 minutes, or feel the urge to do something a little spicy without being totally crushed. It’s a great way to maintain your current level of fitness or sharpen up the week before a race.

Try it and let me know what you think of it in the comments.

Treadmill interval ladder workout

The structure of this workout is quite simple. After a brief warm-up, you’ll gradually work your way up to four minutes of intensity while having consistent recovery periods between each intensity block. Once you reach four minutes of intensity, you’ll work your way back down and finish with one really intense minute.

The hard efforts should feel like you’re trying to run a fast 5K. You should feel like you’re working hard, but you should be able to maintain the same pace for the entire interval and feel in control.

You should truly be recovering during the recovery periods. This means an easy jog which could mean a small step up from walking. You want to make sure your legs and lungs are ready to push the next hard effort.

Warm-up

Five minutes of easy jogging with the treadmill set at 1% incline to better mimic outdoor running.

The ladder up

• 1min hard effort / 1min easy recovery
• 2min hard / 1min easy
• 3min hard / 1min easy
• 4min hard / 1min easy

The ladder back down

• 3min hard / 1min easy
• 2min hard / 1min easy
• 1min hard

Cool-down

Five minutes of easy jogging or walking.

I’ve got 15 years under my belt as a certified personal trainer and I’ve tried every workout from Pilates to powerlifting. Even though I enjoy most kinds of exercise, running will always be my favorite way to break a sweat.

But running is a demanding sport. Your hips, glutes, legs and core need to be strong and conditioned. If they’re not up for the job, there’s a serious risk of injury.

If you’re the type who hits the treadmill in the gym occasionally, but wants to start running more, try the following four exercises. They’re all part of my non-negotiable running warm-up, and have kept me relatively pain-free throughout the years.

Before starting any new activity, check in with your medical team for clearance. If you’ve never run before, start slow and with short distances. Alternating between walking and running is also a smart strategy. A certified personal trainer or running coach can help you with a beginning-level running plan.

How to do the exercises

You’ll need a looped resistance band, a 5-20lb dumbbell, and a yoga mat for these exercises. Here are three suggestions if you want to add them to your home set-up.

Aim to complete 12-15 reps of the banded clamshells, banded glute bridges and goblet squats, and aim to hold the side planks for 15-30 seconds.

Beginners should perform the goblet squats with a 5lb weight at first. As you get stronger, hold a 10lb dumbbell and eventually work your way up to a 20lb dumbbell.

It’s also worth learning how to engage your core before attempting these exercises.

If you’re new to running, start with one set of all exercises and slowly increase to three sets as your strength improves.

The exercises are:

1. Banded clamshell

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 12-15

How to do it:

• Place a small looped resistance band slightly above your knees.
• Lie on your right side with your knees bent.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Keeping feet together, lift your left knee.
• Lower your left knee to the starting position with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tips: Keep your hips stacked one on top of each other—as you lift your knee, don’t allow the top hip to shift backward. If you’re only able to achieve a limited range of motion when you lift your knee, remove the band and try the exercise with no additional resistance.

2. Banded glute bridge

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 12-15

How to do it:

• Place a small looped resistance band slightly above your knees.
• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Press your knees into the band, keeping it taut throughout each repetition.
• Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Slowly lower your hips to the floor.

Trainer tips: Don’t allow your lower back to arch as you lift the hips. If you’re unable to complete 12 reps with good form, remove the band and try the exercise with no additional resistance.

3. Goblet squat

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 12-15

How to do it:

• Hold a dumbbell in both hands in front of your chest.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Bend your hips and knees to lower, pushing your hips back as if you were sitting in a chair.
• Keep your chest facing forward.
• Pause when your hips are in line with your knees, or as close to that point as your mobility allows.
• Push through your heels to stand back up.

Trainer tips: Move your hips before bending your knees. Keep your feet flat, and don’t allow your center of gravity to shift towards your toes. Use a chair behind you if needed. If you’re unable to complete 12 reps with good form, try the exercise without holding a weight.

4. Side plank

Sets: 1-3 Time: 15-30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your right side.
• Place your right elbow underneath your right shoulder and extend your legs.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Lift your hips off the floor.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tips: Maintain alignment from your head to your feet. Don’t allow your hips to shift back or forward, and don’t allow them to drop towards the mat. If you’re unable to hold the position for 15 seconds, perform the side plank from your knees instead of your feet.

When people take up running, they may look at their fellow runners and feel like they, too, need expensive running shoes or smartwatches to glance at every 10 seconds. The truth is, you can enjoy running quite easily without either of those things, especially in the early days.

There is one item, though, that PT and running coach Sabrina Pace-Humphreys recommends women invest in right from the beginning—and that’s a well-fitting sports bra.

“It’s so important to have a supportive sports bra, we need to take care of our breasts when we’re exercising,” says Pace-Humphreys.

“No matter whether you’re flat-chested, full-chested or whether you’ve had a single mastectomy or double mastectomy, it’s really key that you find a style that’s right for you,” adds the coach and author, who has just released her new book Start Where You Are: The Beginner's 5km Running Guide for Women.

When you’re not wearing a sports bra that fits, not only is it uncomfortable and could cause chafing, but it can also stretch the skin, which over time may lead to breast pain.

So, how exactly do you find a well-fitting sports bra with so many different brands and sizes out there? “MAAREE is a great place to start,” advises Pace-Humphreys. “They have an online guide so you can measure yourself properly and [they offer] virtual fittings too.”

Intrigued? Me too. So, I asked the founder of MAAREE, Mari Thomas-Welland, how the virtual fitting system works.

“It gives you the same peace of mind you get from an in-person fittings, but you can do it from the comfort of your own home,” says Thomas-Welland.

“At no point do you ever need to remove your bra and, if you prefer not to, you don’t even need to remove your shirt,” she adds.

As long as you have a measuring tape to hand, MAAREE fitters will then guide you through the measuring process to make sure you’re doing it right.

No matter where you have your fitting, it’s always worth thinking about your non-negotiables beforehand too.

“Everyone is different, so there isn’t one sports bra that’s going to be perfect for everyone,” says Thomas-Welland. “Consider what styles you like—do you want a racerback? Do you like adjustable straps? Or, would having a bra with a clasp make things much easier for you?”

Once you find your perfect fit, it can be life-changing. “A properly fitted sports bra can not only get rid of any discomfort or distractions. but give you the comfort and confidence you need for your workouts,” Thomas-Welland adds.

As Thomas-Welland points out, we wouldn’t run 5K in the wrong size running shoe, so we should embrace the same attitude when it comes to our sports bras too!

Every winter the same thing happens. I’m not sure if it’s the shorter days or lack of sunshine, but I struggle to get out the door to exercise. I find myself struggling to stay consistent and motivated.

I know I’m not alone in this. I’ve seen it with the runners I coach.

Winter tends to change our routines, energy levels and even the amount of effort it feels like we have to put in to complete a workout.

I make a conscious effort to stop trying to force myself to perform the way I do in the summer and approach my winter workouts differently.

There are a few adjustments that have helped me to stay consistent without burning out, perhaps they’ll help you too.

Lowering the barrier to getting started

The hardest part about winter workouts, for me at least, is not the actual workout itself, but getting off my butt to do it. Between the cold weather, darkness and lack of energy, moving my body sometimes just feels impossible.

The more steps there are between me and the workout, the less likely I am to actually do it, so I make an effort to remove as many other barriers as possible.

I like to get my clothes ready the night before. In fact, due to the nature of my job, I can just wear my running tights and shoes to work. This reduces the amount of mental energy I have to spend getting ready in the morning. Instead of reminding myself that I have a workout planned, I just start by telling myself to get dressed and open the door.

Once I actually start moving the energy tends to start flowing. If simply getting dressed and out the door doesn’t do it, I still count the effort as a win. Lowering the starting bar makes it less intimidating and more likely to be a success.

Planning flexible workouts

It’s important to be flexible in winter. The weather changes on a whim, schedules shift with holidays and the new year, and though I may feel strong somedays, other days I may feel flat.

Instead of making a rigid plan to stick to, I build options into my week. I may fail at completing one planned run, but if I have three options laid out, the chances are that I can manage to pick one. For example, I schedule a fun speed workout, a short easy-paced run, and a walk-run. This way, rather than looking at one workout and deciding I don’t have it in me, I can look at the three and decide what I can manage that day.

This helps to avoid the all-or-nothing approach, so that instead of feeling like I’m failing and giving up, I’m adjusting and adapting. Research consistently shows that feeling in control can improve motivation. If you have choices, you’re more likely to show up over time. I know I do.

Building routines that work with winter energy

For most people, winter doesn’t tend to be the season of peak performance. Shorter days and colder temperatures can negatively impact sleep, recovery and overall mood. I find that when I try to fight that reality, it usually leads to me being more frustrated.

I like to reduce intensity and focus on consistency in the winter months. I prioritize easy miles, strength training and mobility. It’s important to focus more on recovery, and less on pace and mileage.

This doesn’t mean you have to lose fitness. It’s actually a great time to hold back a little so that you’re at your peak come spring. I see winter workouts as a way to maintain the habit rather than chasing new personal bests.

During this time of year, I try to focus on just keeping one foot in front of the other rather than pushing as hard as possible.

There’s one piece of advice that every new runner has probably heard: You need to slow down.

I’ve dished out this advice to nearly every new client I coach—not to mention friends and family members who tell me that they hate their runs.

While boring routes, darkness, or bad kit certainly play a role, more often than not, it’s because they’re out of breath.

Slowing down will relax your breathing and make the physical exertion feel more manageable.

It can also give you the time and mental capacity to think about—and improve—your running technique. These factors can all lead to a much more enjoyable run—and stop you from giving up on running altogether.

And for seasoned runners, incorporating some slower runs into your schedule can actually help improve your aerobic capacity and make you a faster runner.

But how do you slow down? It’s easier said than done. Running slowly doesn’t come naturally, and can feel weird when we live in a world that encourages us to get things done as quickly as possible.

I’ve got a number of techniques that I share with running clients to help them slow down, and I still use many of them myself. Give them a try and share which worked for you in the comments.

1. Pivot from distance to timed runs

I’ve had clients come to me because they are frustrated that, despite the fact they’ve been running for a few months and managed to increase the distance they’re running, the runs are not getting any easier, and still aren’t enjoyable.

My advice is always to stop worrying about distance and instead start concentrating on time.

A lot of runners become fixated on running further or faster. Instead, set yourself a time for how long your next run will be, this could be 15, 20 or 30 minutes—or longer depending on your current ability.

Run at a relaxed pace, slowing down or even walking if you get out of breath.

Remember that going faster isn’t going to make the run end any sooner—you still have to finish the allotted time.

Increase the time by five minutes every few weeks and you’ll find that you’re running further without hating your runs.

2. Find a running buddy

Running with a friend is a good way of slowing yourself down, especially if they happen to run at a slower pace than you.

If that’s the case, let your friend set the pace, keep at their side or a step behind so you don’t encourage them to run faster than they otherwise would. It’s a good idea to let your friend know what your aim is to discourage them from speeding up.

If you don’t have a friend who runs at a slower pace that’s still OK—any running buddy will do. Make a pact to run slow enough to keep a conversation going, and you will automatically run a bit slower than normal.

Another good tactic is to think of the run as a catch-up rather than exercise; this will help take the pressure off even more.

3. Use a treadmill

The best way to force yourself to run slower is to put someone or something else in charge. Take the responsibility away from yourself and jump on a treadmill.

Set a slower-than-usual pace on the machine and stick with it—the only way you’re allowed to change the setting is to make it slower.

If you have access to a treadmill with a TV screen, watching something you enjoy can make the time feel like it’s passing a little quicker.

4. Check your heart rate

One of the techniques I often use on my own slow runs is to monitor my heart rate. I do this by using my Apple Watch, but every smartwatch and fitness tracker nowadays will have a built-in heart rate monitor.

Personally, my strategy is to make sure my heart rate never goes above 145 beats per minute (BPM). If it looks like it’s getting close, I’ll slow down even more.

This number will be different for everyone and there are a few ways of establishing the best BPM target for you.

The simplest way is to check your average heart rate at the end of a run, then choose a number that’s lower than that.

If you want to be more accurate, you can use a slightly more complex measurement, which relies on heart rate zones to work out a BPM range to stay within.

There are five zones, if you can stay in zones 2 and 3, you’re likely to be running slow enough. If you know your maximum heart rate (if you don’t, you can estimate it), you can use this zone calculator to work out your zones 2 and 3 BPM.

5. Switch music to a podcast or audiobook

One of the techniques I use to run faster is to listen to music. I’ve made many dance music playlists for racing in marathons and ultramarathons, because I can normally synchronize my stride to the faster BPM, which makes me run faster.

So, when I want to run slower, I do the opposite. Fast beats are switched out for podcasts and audiobooks.

Not only does this slow your stride, but concentrating on stories and opinions gives you something else to think about during the run, which can also help you slow down.

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Emmanuel Ovola is an expert running coach, physiotherapist, the founder of London Select running community and a Technogym ambassador.

“I’m a passionate advocate of sport, exercise and activity. I think it’s so powerful—it changes people’s lives,” he tells Fit&Well.

Since a promising career in professional soccer was cut short by an ankle fracture, his interest has turned to injury prevention, rehab and helping others be as active as possible.

“I worked as a physiotherapist in the NHS for 10 years, working in acute medicine and orthopedics, before moving into the private sector,” says Ovola.

Along the way he earned a degree in sports therapy and a master’s in physiotherapy, all while moonlighting as an expert running coach.

“This led me to become a Nike running coach and a Technogym ambassador,” he says. “I want to always improve people’s access to sport and enable people to be the best version of themselves.”

At the time of our interview in mid-November, Ovola was deep in a training block, including punishing Norwegian 4x4 interval drills, aiming to shave almost a minute off his 5K PR.

“I love running 5K—it’s short and sweet and the pain is just about bearable,” he says, adding that his previous best is an astonishing 16min 40sec.

“That was a while ago. I’m actually building up to try and break 16 minutes in the next few weeks and months.’

At the same time, he’s built London Select into a community of over 700 runners, working together to “build speed and boost confidence.”

“We have a group of people who are running 15-minute 5Ks, which is super fast. We’re trying to give people the tools and understanding to develop their speed.’

Here, the running coach provides a snapshot of his typical training week, reflecting the even split of strength training, track work and long runs that he says should form the bedrock of any running routine.

Emmanuel Ovola's weekly workout routine

Monday 12pm
Rest or light recovery run.

Tuesday
8am: 30min strength workout
2pm: 60min run—Norwegian 4x4 intervals

“I coach a track session on Tuesday nights with my London Select community, but in the day I'll usually do some sort of intervals,” says Ovola.

“At the moment I'm doing the Norwegian 4x4 method—four minutes of fast intervals four times, with three minutes of rest between each. I”m trying to do that three times a week for 12 weeks, which the research shows is really effective for increasing VO2 max.

Wednesday 12pm
60min long run

Thursday 8am
60min run—Norwegian 4x4 intervals

Friday 8am
30min strength workout

Saturday 9am
60min run—Norwegian 4x4 intervals or hill repeats

Sunday 10am
1-2hr long run at a conversational pace

“On Sundays, I'll do a long run to build my aerobic base,” says Ovola. “That might be anywhere from 18 to 22km, so one to two hours. I try to keep it nice and gentle, to enjoy it, to even have a few stops if necessary. Time on feet is the focus, and to enjoy getting out there with no pressure.

“One of my favorite places to run is the Seven Sisters hills. The expanse of space, leaving London, getting out of the city, it’s a really invigorating feeling and really good for my mental health.”

Emmanuel Ovola’s tips for building a workout routine

Allow flexibility in your routine

You don’t always need to think of your training routine as a seven-day series, says Ovola, which means you should be able to adapt it around life events.

“You could extend [your plan] to 10 or 12 days, depending on what’s going on in your life,” he explains.

“The key is to be able to auto-regulate your training. Understand that some days you’re not going to be feeling the best, but doing something is always better than nothing.”

Keep your hard days hard

“I like to keep my hard days hard,” says Ovola, pointing to the example of the Norwegian intervals and strength work he performs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Structured wisely, ensuring he never pushes himself to breaking point, it means his body can work hard when required, and recover fully on lighter rest days.

“If I feel like I need to, I will always have a rest day to avoid burnout.”

Give yourself time to adapt

When undertaking a new training plan, Ovola prefers to start easy, and finish fast, just like he would a race.

“If in a 12-week training block, I tend to be a bit more conservative in the first four to six weeks,” he says.

“From weeks six to 12, that’s where I will train more fatigued—when I’m more sore—to develop overload and ensure I’m progressing,” he says.

“I find people go too aggressive initially and then have aches, pains, injuries. As a physio, I’m always trying to encourage specificity and progression.

“[The workouts] have to be specific to what you’re training towards and really progressive, rather than too aggressive, so you don’t struggle to finish [the plan].”

None to Run (N2R) founder Mark Kennedy likens building a body fit for running like building a car fit for the road.

Cardio, he tells Fit&Well, is the engine; the muscles, ligaments and tendons are the chassis.

“[When you start running] cardio tends to develop quickly—that’s your engine,” he says. “Connective tissues take a lot longer to develop.”

Most beginner running plans forgo strength workouts. This, according to the RRCA-certified running coach, is a big mistake.

As a result, new runners who don't take time to build strength and mobility are at a greater risk of common injuries like shin splints, runner’s knee and IT band syndrome.

“You’ve got to take time to develop the rest of your running system. That means getting stronger,” he continues.

“Adding a strength and mobility component [into your plan] will really help build durability and give you a better chance of success.”

N2R has a number of routines on its YouTube channel, and Kennedy talked me through one of its most popular sessions and a smart option for new runners.

How to do the workout

• 1. Bodyweight squat (Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec)
• 2A. Reverse lunge right (Time: 23sec Rest: 5sec)
• 2B. Reverse lunge left (Time: 23sec Rest: 15sec)
• 3A. Side leg raise right (Time: 23sec Rest: 5sec)
• 3B. Side leg raise left (Time: 23sec Rest: 15sec)
• 4. Plank (Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec)
• 5A. Side plank right (Time: 23sec Rest: 5sec)
• 5B. Side plank left (Time: 23sec Rest: 15sec)
• 6. Glute bridge hold (Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec)
• 7. Bird dog (Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec)

“This workout builds general strength for runners,” says Kennedy.

“It hits the quads, hamstrings, glutes, core and abductors, which are important to help negate IT band syndrome for new runners.”

It’s intentionally gentle.

“We get a lot of people who have not done much, so they need a gentle intro to some of these movements, to help develop some basic strength.”

Kennedy recommends performing this workout on a day off between running or at the end of a run, rather than before.

“The idea there is that your focus is running, so let’s not get you tired and fatigued before you go on a run. We want the run to be the focus,” he says.

“[When new to running] your focus should be all about building up endurance and a love for running very gradually.”

To complete this workout, perform each exercise in order, noting the reduced working and rest time for exercises that work one side of your body at a time.

Don’t rush the reps, take your time and focus on the muscles that the exercise targets.

One round is all you need to do at first. As your fitness improves, and if time allows, you can repeat this circuit two or three times.

As a certified running coach, I’m used to hearing people’s concerns around their own running, especially from those who are just starting out. I often hear worries that include: I’ll be too slow, or I’ll get tired too quickly, and simply that they don’t feel like a “real” runner.

And I totally get it, I had a lot of those concerns too. I didn’t always go through life feeling like a runner. My confidence as a runner didn’t come from pushing harder or going longer—it came from learning how to structure my runs in a way that made them feel achievable.

I often remind beginners that confidence comes over time and is built through small wins along the way. You don’t need to run long distances or fast times to feel successful. Having a short but well-designed routine in place can teach your body and brain that running is manageable.

This 20-minute run-walk routine is one of the best ways to build that confidence because it emphasizes preparation, pacing and recovery. It helps you end your workout feeling like you’re capable rather than defeated, and it will help keep you coming back for more.

20-minute run-walk routine

1. Dynamic warm-up

Time: 5min

Before you start your run properly, use the first five minutes of this 20-minute confidence-building routine to get your body warmed up. Start by doing some brisk walking, then add gentle movements like leg swings, hip circles, toe walks and neck circles.

These movements will help increase blood flow and reduce stiffness throughout the body, making your run feel smoother. Skipping a warm-up is one of the easiest ways you can make your run feel harder than it needs to be.

2. Run-walk intervals

Time: 10min

For the next 10 minutes you will alternate between one minute of running and one minute of walking.

The running portions should feel easy and controlled—don’t get crazy and try to run fast. You should be able to maintain your pace for the entire one-minute interval without gasping for air. If you can’t do that, slow down.

Also, remember that walking isn’t a break you have to earn, it’s part of the plan.

This training structure allows your heart rate to gradually rise while giving your muscles the time they need to recover before overdoing it. Over time, your body adapts, and the running intervals start to feel more comfortable.

The feeling of control that comes from this setup can be a major confidence booster for new runners.

3. Cool down and reset

Time: 5min

Finish this routine with five minutes of relaxed walking. Make sure to let your breathing return to normal and focus on how your body feels.

This is a great time to recognize what went well rather than focusing on any discomfort you experienced.

Ending your run with a calm walk helps to reinforce a positive association with running.

The importance of pacing

The element that makes this routine work is pacing. Many new runners run too fast during short intervals because they assume they need to push harder. In reality, confidence comes from having restraint. Your running pace should almost feel too easy at first. Think of it as a pace you could do again tomorrow.

If you finish the run-walk section and feel like you could continue, then you paced it correctly. That feeling of having something left to give helps you build trust in your body and reduces anxiety about future runs.

How to build off this routine

Once this routine starts to feel comfortable, you can build more confidence by adjusting the intervals. Try running for 90 seconds and walking for one minute, or extending the total run-walk section by two minutes—from 10 minutes to 12 minutes.

Once that feels comfortable, add another two minutes, and so forth. Keep the pace of the intervals easy and focus on consistency rather than speed.

Running confidence isn’t about proving that you’re tough, it’s about learning that you can show up, follow a plan, and finish strong. This 20-minute routine teaches you exactly that, which is why it’s great for beginners.

Time, not distance, is your friend if you’re new to running.

That’s according to Mark Kennedy, a RRCA-certified running coach and founder of beginner running platform None to Run (N2R). The Canadian father-of-two set up N2R a decade ago to plug what he saw as a gap in the market.

Fed up of seeing new runners start a plan, like Couch-to-5K (C25K), and give up before they’d made much progress, he identified one major problem that he felt needed solving.

It’s now advice he volunteers to anyone looking to lace up their running shoes for the first time in a while. “I’m a big proponent of running for time, not distance,” Kennedy tells Fit&Well.

“When you’re running for time, you’re less tied to a distance, you’re less tied to pace. When you’re running for time, it calms things down.’ The pay-off, he adds, is more gradual progress and reduced risk of injury.

Pointing to the N2R introduction to running plan by way of example, the end goal after 12 weeks is 25 minutes of continuous running, rather than a set distance or pace.

“C25K, by contrast, starts with a minute of continuous running, whereas ours starts with 30-second running intervals and two-minute walk intervals,” explains Kennedy.

“C25K has people running 22 minutes continuously by week six, whereas we don’t get into 20 minutes of continuous running until week 10.”

Kennedy says that’s all by design. “We progress way slower because people’s cardiovascular systems often develop faster than their connective tissues, muscles, ligaments and tendons,” he explains.

“What often happens with people doing C25K is they”ll feel good, their cardio will develop quickly, but their connective tissue can take a lot longer to catch up.

“Eventually what happens is you get burnt out or suffer an injury. You need time for your connective tissue to catch up with your cardio, hence progressing slower.”

Kennedy is essentially “holding people back from self-sabotage.”

“[When you start a program] you might feel good and want to squeeze an extra workout in. Don’t do that. Just stick with the plan. Play the long game and you will have the best chance of building the habit, [finding] enjoyment and avoiding a running-related injury.”

That means, he concludes, if you’re committed to running for 25 minutes—rather than, say, a 5K—you’re more likely to think that you’re out for 25 minutes regardless, regardless of how fast you run, so might as well slow down and enjoy this.”

Not only will this more patient approach reduce the risk of injury, it'll unlock the bountiful benefits of zone 2 training to help boost your aerobic capacity and improve your general fitness for sport, exercise and everyday tasks.

Ready to put this into practice? Join None to Run's eight-week challenge for free in January where you can choose from five plans, including Race to 5K and a Half Marathon Plan.

Running is a popular form of exercise at any time of year, but especially in the New Year when fitness resolutions abound.

If you're new to the sport, you might have heard of the popular Couch-to-5K (C25K) plan, a nine-week program involving three run-walk days per week that build up to 30 minutes of continuous running.

While it’s often recommended for beginners, its completion rate suggests it might not suit everyone starting from scratch.

One small 2023 study of 110 participants found that only one in four (27.3%) completed the C25K plan, with injury and the plan progressing too fast cited as the main barriers.

If that sounds familiar, then an alternative worth considering is None to Run (N2R).

“C25K has obviously helped thousands and thousands of runners,” says N2R founder Mark Kennedy, a former investment banker turned RRCA-certified distance running coach with a background in kinesiology.

“It’s a great starting point, but I thought with my background, I could make this a bit better,” he tells Fit&Well.

“That was the impetus to come up with a beginner running plan that was a little more forgiving, involved a little more structure, and a little bit more science.”

What is None to Run?

Kennedy started N2R over a decade ago as a blog, which evolved into a PDF program and then eventually the None to Run app.

He says he wanted to start a program that was more about running and not attaining a certain distance, hence the name. "None, as in starting from zero, and running, not a 5K.”

The N2R beginner plan lasts 12 weeks, consisting of three run-walk workouts and two strength and mobility workouts per week.

“The end goal is 25 minutes of continuous running, so it’s not a certain distance or pace,” explains Kennedy.

“The first week the workouts are intervals of 30 seconds of running and two minutes of walking, which is pretty low, but that’s the point.

“We want people to have early success and not go through the first workout feeling defeated. We almost want them to go, ‘Huh, that wasn't that bad.’

“We want them to have the feeling like they could skip ahead, but we encourage them not to. It’s designed like this on purpose to give them momentum and help build the habit.”

Ready to give the N2R beginner plan a try? Here is a breakdown of the plan’s first week followed by a free eight-week January challenge.

Week one of None to Run 12-week beginner plan

Each week the None to Run plan follows the same structure:

• Three 25-minute runs
• Two 10-minute bodyweight strength workouts

That adds up to one hour and 35 minutes a week of movement.

Keeping the run and strength workouts consistent each week, also helps build confidence through familiarity.

The running workout

Begin by walking for 5 minutes to warm up, then complete the following a total of eight times.

• 30sec slow run
• 2min recovery walk

You can do your workouts any day, outside or on a treadmill, but Kennedy advises to avoid running two days in a row.

“Rest days are essential for beginners to reduce the risk of injury and allow the body to recover,” he says.

The strength workout

Kennedy recommends performing this bodyweight strength workout after you run or on a day off.

It's designed to target lower-body muscles and work your body unilaterally (one side at a time) to replicate the nature of running.

“Repeat this circuit three times for a total of 10 minutes,” he says.

1. Bodyweight squat

Time: 30sec Rest: 15sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, feet pointing out slightly, hands together in front of your chest.
• Sit your hips back and keep your knees wide as you slowly lower until your thighs are parallel with the floor or lower.
• Keep your chest upright.
• Push through your heels to stand, driving your hips forward.

Expert tip: Aim to lower with control for one to two seconds, then drive up for one to two seconds.

2. Glute bridge march

Time: 45sec Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms by your sides.
• Lift your hips high to align your shoulders, hips and knees.
• Maintaining high hips, lift one foot to extend the leg straight, then lower with control.
• Repeat on the other leg, and continue alternating the march.

Expert tip: Move slowly and with control to challenge your stability with each repetition.

3. Side-leg raise

Time: 30sec each side Rest: 15sec

• Lie on your side, head resting on one arm.
• Have your legs straight and feet stacked.
• Raise your top leg to roughly 45˚, then lower with control.

Expert tip: You should feel your glutes lighting up as you raise and lower your leg.

Enjoyed your first week? Join None to Run's eight-week challenge for free in January where you can choose from five plans, including Race to 5K and a Half Marathon Plan.

If you’re a new runner, you might assume that feeling uncomfortable, slow and out of breath means that you’re doing something wrong. I definitely felt that way when I started running.

I didn’t grow up as a runner and for most of my life I never saw myself as an athlete—however, after losing 100 pounds, I started running as a way to stay active. In those first few months, my runs were short, uncomfortable and quite humbling.

I quickly learned that running doesn’t get easier because you suddenly become faster or fitter, it gets easier because you start building foundational habits which support your body during runs—rather than fighting it.

These habits don’t require any fancy gear or complicated training plans, they’re just small shifts you can make when it comes to how you approach each run—especially when you’re first getting started.

If you want running to feel less intimidating, then focus on these three habits from the get-go. They helped me go from struggling through short runs to building both confidence and consistency as a runner. Even now, they continue to make my runs feel more sustainable.

1. Watch your pace

One of the most common mistakes that new runners make is trying to run too fast. I’ve been guilty of this myself. I was trying to challenge myself and thought running was supposed to feel hard right away. I pushed my pace until I was gasping, and this approach made all my runs miserable.

Your first runs should be slower and easier than you’d think. Your pace should be conversational, meaning you could speak in short sentences with someone if you needed to.

If doing that feels hard then take a minute to walk, that’s totally acceptable and part of the process. Run-walk intervals are one of the most effective ways you can build endurance without burning yourself out.

2. Think about your breathing

Breathing is a key part of running and its importance and effectiveness is often overlooked. Breathing “the right way” can completely change the way you feel during a run.

When I first started running, I held a lot of tension in my shoulders and chest, this made my breathing shallow and frantic. Once I learned to control my breath, I felt much more comfortable when running.

When you’re running, you should focus on breathing deeply into your belly rather than your chest. A simple rhythm—such as inhaling for two steps and exhaling for two—can be an effective way to help regulate your pace and keep your nervous system calm.

If you get panicked and out of breath at any point, slow down and reset your breathing before you continue.

When you breathe effectively, you support oxygen delivery to your muscles and this reduces the chances that you’ll feel the need to stop. It also keeps your mind relaxed, which makes running less of a mental challenge.

3. Aim for sustainable consistency

The best habit you can develop with running is showing up consistently in a way that is realistic for your lifestyle. Running doesn’t have to be something you do daily, and it doesn’t have to be long or intense to be effective. When I stopped chasing perfect training weeks and focused on doing what I could maintain, I progressed much faster.

When you’re getting started, you should aim for two or three short runs per week. Keep them easy enough that you’re not dreading the next one. Creating that positive association builds momentum and can keep you excited about running.

Also, be sure to make rest days a part of your routine—resting doesn’t make you weak or lazy.

Sustainable consistency turns running into something you can and want to return to. Over time, those small but manageable runs can help running become something you look forward to and thrive at.

When I first began my weight-loss journey, my goals were pretty simple: get healthy, get fit and feel comfortable in my own body.

I never expected that losing 100 pounds would turn me into a runner. I absolutely didn’t expect that running would change the entire trajectory of my life.

I was always overweight growing up, felt unsure of my athletic abilities, and was certain I would never be viewed as an athlete. Yet running became not only something I did, but a core part of who I am.

My story didn’t start with confidence or natural talent. It started at 265 pounds, exhausted, unmotivated, and unsure of how to begin again after years of losing weight and regaining it.

What changed was a single decision to try one more time and to do it differently this time. I vowed to myself that I would focus on building habits, not shrinking myself. Eventually, that choice led me to trails, finish lines, a 50km ultramarathon, and an athletic identity I never thought I’d claim.

Still, the early days of running were messy. I was intimidated and I felt behind. I didn’t believe I belonged because I felt I didn’t have a “runner’s body”. Looking back, there are a few things I wish someone had told me on day one. If you’re a new runner, a bigger runner, or someone who has always felt “not athletic,” here is the advice I needed the most.

Start slow—even slower than you think

When you’re excited or newly motivated, it can be tempting to jump straight into daily runs or high-mileage running weeks. That’s exactly how I got injured in the beginning. Don’t look down upon walk-runs, they could honestly be the key to your success. It’s smart training and can help build stamina, protect your joints, and keep you consistent enough to discover your love of the sport.

Your body is not a problem to fix—it’s the engine that moves you forward

After losing a lot of weight, I struggled with fueling properly. I spent so long trying to eat less that when I was learning to eat enough to perform well, it felt uncomfortable and scary. But eating enough protein carbs, electrolytes and overall calories in general is what allowed me to feel strong rather than depleted and to keep up my training routine.

If you’re in a bigger body or starting to run after weight loss, it’s important to remember that running isn’t a punishment, it’s a partnership and your body needs fuel to adapt and thrive.

Imposter syndrome is loud, but it isn’t telling the truth

I used to look around at group runs and think, I don’t look like any of these people. I didn’t realize at the time that almost no runner feels they look like a runner in the beginning. Running isn’t supposed to be about aesthetics; it’s about effort and heart.

When I stopped comparing my body to everyone else’s, I actually started to progress. Ironically, the thing that once made me so insecure actually inspired so many others around me who felt they weren’t represented in the sport.

Community will carry you even further than your own motivation

I wouldn’t have become the runner I am today if it weren’t for the people who surrounded me during my journey. When I joined group workouts, run clubs and started obstacle course racing, I suddenly had accountability, encouragement, and a place where my goals felt like they belonged.

You don’t need a huge team, just a few people who believe in you on the days when you struggle to believe in yourself.

Confidence is built over time

I didn’t magically wake up with confidence just because I lost weight. The confidence I thought I’d earn from the scales wasn’t the type that sticks with you. True confidence came from showing up on days when I didn’t want to, running ever longer distances, and continuing to surprise myself with my efforts and willingness to try.

If you’re beginning your own running journey, whether you’re starting from scratch, in a bigger body or starting again after life has knocked you off course, know this: every runner starts somewhere and the starting part is what truly matters.

I didn’t become a runner because I was fast. I became a runner because I kept trying, one mile and day at a time. You can, too.

The Norwegian 4x4 workout has been touted as the ultimate longevity-boosting workout, credited for significantly improving aerobic fitness scores over just eight weeks.

Popular among runners and developed by researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), it involves performing four sets of four-minute cardio intervals at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate, followed by three minutes of light recovery.

Emmanuel Ovola, an expert running coach, physiotherapist and Technogym ambassador, is currently using it in his training.

“I’m trying to do that three times a week for 12 weeks, which the research shows is really effective for increasing VO2 max—the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise,” Ovola tells Fit&Well.

I've tried it—once—and I’m in no hurry to try it again. While the NTNU says the workout is suitable for any fitness level, Ovola agrees it’s far from beginner-friendly.

So, I asked how he’d adapt the protocol for a more entry-level audience—like me.

Beginner interval running workout

A better beginner-friendly option, he says, would be to perform 6-10 intervals of 400 meters, with 60-90 seconds of recovery between reps.

But, rather than running those intervals flat out (or at 85-95% of maximum heart rate), Ovola suggests a different approach.

“I think it’s important to pace yourself and work on controlled running,” he says.

He recommends warming up thoroughly (this five-minute running warm-up is a good place to start), then running the first 400m at around a six or seven out of 10 RPE (rate of perceived exertion).

Time how long this first 400m takes, then aim to match that pace for the remaining intervals, which will get harder as fatigue sets in.

Benefits of this interval workout

As with the Norwegian 4x4 method, this interval training approach should make your legs more resilient so you’re better able to, according to Ovola, “run hard on heavy legs” over longer distances.

“I coach people who have shaved 30 to 60 seconds off their 5K times in just 6-8 weeks by following the Norwegian method,” he adds.

If you’re a relative beginner, this kinder version should deliver similar improvements, but you should always listen to your body because running fast puts more stress on your muscles and joints.

If your body is able to cope with these sessions, Ovola suggests performing this routine 2-3 times per week, with ample rest between each session, and not neglecting slower, longer runs to build overall running efficiency and aerobic endurance.

Overthinking technique, neglecting strength training and repeating the same route again and again are three of the most common mistakes new runners make.

That's according to Emmanuel Ovola, an expert running coach, physiotherapist and Technogym ambassador based in London.

Ovola teaches every new client three golden rules to encourage adherence, boost enjoyment and reduce the risk of injury. Apply them to your training to make running feel easier—whatever your level.

1. Run relaxed

Don't get bogged down by technique, Ovola tells Fit&Well.

"The first thing I will do is tell someone not to worry about whether they are heel striking or forefoot striking," he says. "Instead, I want them to try to run as relaxed as possible."

When you avoid tightening up, you will conserve energy and also allow your body to naturally find its rhythm.

Over time, Ovola might look to critique someone's form, advising them to increase or decrease their cadence to land on the sweet spot of 164 steps per minute (spm), but when starting out he prefers to encourage new runners to simply relax into their stride.

2. Keep it varied

Next, Ovola urges new runners to mix up their weekly running sessions.

"Create variability where you run different distances and paces to expose your body to different things," he says.

"Our body likes variability, rather than repeating the same 5K three times a week."

Ovola suggests mixing up your sessions with easy runs at a conversational pace, longer, slower runs, hill walks and intervals.

There’s one more element to keep in mind when planning your runs. "We need to run or walk at least four times a week to provide enough stimulus to improve," he says.

3. Build strength

Lastly, Ovola will prescribe a new client with bodyweight strength exercises.

"I like to get people to do bodyweight exercises immediately, as soon as they start running," he explains, adding that the single-leg glute bridge and single-leg leg press are two personal favorites.

"It's integral because [strength training] builds muscular capacity, meaning you can run for longer and more regularly while reducing the risk of injury, and most people tend to underload themselves."

He adds that depending on how fast you're travelling, every stride can load up each leg with "one to five times our bodyweight" so strength training will build resilience in all your joints, muscles and ligaments.

Ovola recommends fitting at least 75 minutes of resistance training into your week, which can be broken down into one-off workouts or tagged onto the end of each run.

Emmanuel Ovola's quick strength workout

There are sprinters, plodders, slouchers and over-striders. Me? I'm a heel-clipper.

Whether I’m feeling fresh or fatigued, I often catch my feet against each other when I run—no doubt slowing myself down in the process.

So when I recently interviewed Emmanuel Ovola, an expert running coach, physiotherapist and Technogym ambassador with a lightning-fast 5K time (16min 40sec), I asked where I was going wrong.

Ovola told me I had a classic case of cross-over gait, a running style that causes my feet to cross the midline of my body, like running on a tightrope.

“Often the issue stems from a weakness in the glutes and adductors,” he says.

These are the muscle groups responsible for internal and external rotation of the legs and stabilization of the pelvis.

Weaknesses or imbalances here can result in what’s called a narrow-knee window, which basically means my knees sit close together.

Ovola advises that strengthening the glutes should make it easier for my legs to perform hip abduction, which is when the leg moves away from the midline of the body.

This should create more space between my knees, so my stride doesn’t cross over as much.

“I'd also suggest looking at the adductors to help stabilize the hips,” he adds.

Here are three exercises Ovola prescribed me to strengthen my posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings and lower back) and help widen my narrow knee window.

He suggests starting with 6-8 repetitions of each exercise, building up to 10-12.

1. Copenhagen hold

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec

Ovola recommends experimenting with short- and long-lever versions of this challenging core and adductor exercise, which are both explained below.

How to do the short-lever Copenhagen hold:

• Position yourself side on to a bench.
• Lie down and place one knee and upper calf on top of the bench, keeping your lower leg underneath.
• Prop yourself up on your forearm, with your elbow directly under your shoulder so that you're in a side plank position.
• Lift your hips so you're in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds, tightening your inner top thigh to maintain your position.

How to do the long-lever version:

You can progress to the long-lever version by placing just the ankle of your top leg on the bench and leaving your lower leg bent underneath you.

2. Hip thrust

Sets 2-3 Reps 6-8

• Sit on the floor and rest your upper back on a bench or couch, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Lift your hips high to engage your glutes.
• Slowly lower to tap the floor with your buttocks and repeat.
• Keep your feet and knees hip-width apart throughout.
• To make it harder, rest a weight plate or bar across your hip crease.

3. Single-leg glute bridge

Sets 2-3 Reps 6-8 each side

• Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.
• Extend one leg straight, so that it's at a 45° angle from the floor.
• Lift your hips, keeping them level throughout, until they form a straight line with your shoulders and knees.
• Slowly lower your buttocks to tap the floor, then repeat.
• Perform all repetitions on one side, then repeat on the other.

Pilates can benefit almost anyone, but it can be especially helpful for runners.

Adding Pilates to your training regime is a great way to boost running performance as it helps build stronger core and glute muscles—two essential components for strong running.

That’s why Pilates instructor Jade Winter has designed a go-to sequence specifically for runners, focusing on strengthening the glutes and stabilizing the core.

“As both a former Olympic athlete and the co-founder of Studio Pilates International, I work with countless runners, and one thing is always true: strong glutes and a stable core are the foundation of injury-free, efficient running,” says Winter.

If you’re a keen runner looking for new ways to complement your training and recovery, give it a try—you’ll strengthen your core, glutes, and running performance all at once.

1. Pelvic curl single-leg lift

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 45sec

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart and hands by your sides.
• Extend one leg up, pointing the toes up toward the ceiling
• Keeping the spine in a neutral position, press through the heel of your grounded foot to lift your hips, keeping your pelvis level.
• Lift until your knees, hips and shoulders are aligned.
• Lower with control and repeat.
• Complete the repetitions on one side then repeat on the other.

How it helps: This one targets the gluteus maximus muscle and pelvic stabilizers. Strengthening these muscles can improve your ability to extend your leg from the hip, which is essential for running power and stride efficiency.

2. Clamshell

Sets: 2 Reps: 15 Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your side, one leg on top of the other, knees bent and heels together.
• Raise your top knee while keeping your heels connected and hips level with the floor.
• Slowly close.
• Complete the repetitions on one side, then repeat on the other.

How it helps: “Clams are a classic Pilates move for strengthening the glute medius—the muscle responsible for pelvic stability,” Winter says. “Weakness here is one of the biggest contributors to knee collapse and ITB pain.”

ITB, or “runner’s knee”, is a sharp, aching pain on the outside of the knee that can spread up the leg.

Practising clams daily might help if you suffer from this, but you should check with a physiotherapist before doing the move.

3. Swimming

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your front, legs straight and arms extended forward slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing down.
• Raise one arm and the opposite leg a few inches off the floor, keeping your hips grounded and core engaged.
• Alternate sides and continue for 30 seconds.

How it helps: This swimming exercise strengthens the posterior chain, which includes the glutes, hamstrings, spinal extensors and mid-back muscles, so you’re targeting several areas at once.

4. Horsekick

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 45sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Lift one knee and draw it slightly up and toward your chest.
• Next, extend it behind you, straightening it in line with your hips and shoulders.
• Return it to the mat and repeat.
• Complete all repetitions on one side before repeating on the other.

How it helps: “This is a great exercise to get all stabilizing muscles working together,” Winter notes. “It builds deep core stability, reinforcing the ability to maintain pelvic control.”

5. Hip circle

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each direction each leg Rest: 20sec

• Lie on your side, one leg stacked on top of the other, knees bent and heels together.
• Straighten the top leg, raising it to hip-height and pointing your toes forward.
• Keeping the leg straight, draw small circles moving from your hip.
• Complete the repetitions in one direction, then reverse the rotation and repeat.
• Repeat on the other leg.

How it helps: Hip circles target the hip abductors to build endurance in the muscles around the pelvis.

Running is often lauded as one of the most accessible sports to get into, because all you need are trainers. While true, anyone who likes to run regularly has probably found themselves acquiring accessories that either help performance, make the time they spend running more enjoyable or add a degree of convenience.

There are plenty of training aids I've come to rely on over the years that get my seal of approval—and most are available with sizable savings in the Black Friday deals.

Here's my selection of discounted running gear on offer this Black Friday.

If you want to shop a wider range of deals, have a look at our Black Friday fitness deals live blog—we're keeping this up to date with all our favorite discounts.

Mini resistance bands

The internet—and especially Amazon—is awash with mini resistance bands that all do virtually the same thing, despite the differing logos emblazoned on them and marketing spiel written around them.

That is: they provide resistance that you can work against to fire up your muscles. I swear by crab walks (side to side) and monster walks (diagonally forward and back) before every run to wake up my glutes.

Thankfully, given their ubiquity, they are destined to be heavily discounted in the Black Friday savings. Pocket a pair now and keep them handy next time you hit the road.

Apple Watch

I use the Series 9, which is a couple of generations old now, but it’s served me well for the past couple of years and—by all accounts—more recent models are improvements.

My Apple Watch has tracked every run, swim and workout while I’ve trained for and completed a half marathon, my fastest 5K ever, the Ötillö swimrun and couple of HYROX races, providing ample data to help shape my training.

Compatible with an abundance of running apps (my favorites are Strava and Runna) the bright, easy-to-read screen keeps me on track from the start line to the finish.

Headphones

I honestly don't think I'd make it to the end of a long Sunday run without music or a podcast to take my mind off what can occasionally feel like monotony.

But, fortunately, I don't have to thanks to this wireless pair of noise-cancelling earbuds from Bose.

The battery life on each bud is six hours—far longer than I could ever bear to run—and they sound fantastic.

Massage gun

I fell for the original Mini OG many moons ago. Small yet mighty, I find it's the optimal size for travel and packs plenty of punch to alleviate sore muscles after a heavy running block.

The Mini Plus has been upgraded with soothing heat therapy to complement its percussive therapy—perfect to prime the muscles pre-run and tend to them post-session.

Running vest

This running vest might divide opinion, with some preferring arm straps or waist bands to keep valuables safe, but since donning the Freetrain V1 five years ago I've never looked back.

It keeps my phone locked in place on my chest without compressing my lungs, I can quickly check and access the screen if I’ve taken a wrong turn, and there’s just enough space for my keys or an electrolyte sachet.

Foam roller

A staple for any runner worth their electrolytes.

I’ve formed a bit of a love-hate relationship with this foam roller, but the discomfort experienced massaging out tight spots in my calves and thighs is worth it for keeping me injury-free when it matters.

If this is my go-to roller for home, the massage ball is a handy travel-sized option when on the go—or to simply roll out the soles of your feet when sitting at your desk.

That annoying ache down the front or inside of your shins when running?

“That's shin splints,” says osteopath Danny Sayandan.

“It's your body's way of saying the muscles and tissues along the shin bone are working overtime.”

The clinical lead at The Livewell Clinic says it crops up in runners of all levels.

“And it’s rarely about 'bad luck'—it’s usually down to habits that build up over time,” he tells Fit&Well.

Fortunately, it's fixable.

“Once you understand what’s driving it and start working on your form, strength and mobility, the pain eases fast and your running feels lighter and smoother.”

Here, Sayandan runs through the five main culprits.

Five most common causes of shin splints

1 Poor footwear

Shoes are the first thing to fix if you want to rid yourself of shin splints.

“Shoes that have lost structure or don’t match your running style can channel undue load through your shins,” says Sayandan.

A quick—but not necessarily economic—fix would be to get new running shoes fitted by a specialist who can assess your gait.

2 Lazy running form

When fatigue sets in, form gets sloppy, you lose core engagement and slouch forward.

“As a knock-on effect, the legs start doing all the work instead of balancing exertion through the hips,” says Sayandan.

This puts extra pressure on your lower leg.

If you notice your technique start to falter during a run, slow down to tighten up your form or wrap up your session and come back stronger for your next workout.

3 Overstriding

“Landing your foot too far in front of your body creates extra braking forces,” says Sayandan, which can overload your joints and muscles.

If you notice yourself overreaching, reel yourself in and take smaller steps until you find a comfortable cadence.

4 Heel striking

Heel striking is when you land each step on the heel of your foot, then roll through onto your toes.

“This is a common error when walking or running,” says Sayandan, “especially in overly cushioned trainers. It's a bad habit most people don't realize they've picked up.”

You can check if you're a heel striker by examining the soles of your most-used shoes.

If you notice the heel being overly worn, correct your gait by making sure your midfoot hits the ground first.

5 Skipping legs day

“The tibialis anterior that runs down the front of the shin is one of the least stretched and most neglected muscles in the human body,” says Sayandan.

A gentle kneeling anterior tibialis stretch or roll of the shins with a foam roller can iron out any tightness in this often overlooked muscle.

Doing calf raises can also keep it strong, so it's better able to absorb force when running.

I've tested a lot of workout shoes, including sneakers designed for running, weightlifting, conditioning and walking.

Realistically, though, most of us don't have the space or the budget to invest in a shoe for every single activity we do.

That's why I've been on the hunt for a shoe that can do it all.

At the start of this year, I found it: The Saucony Ride 18, which is discounted by up to 56% on Saucony's website right now.

• Shop all Saucony shoes in the holiday sale

Best Saucony Ride 18 deals

This shoe might be designed for running, but it has become my go-to for every type of movement.

It’s stable enough for dumbbell workouts, comfy enough for long walks and stylish enough to wear casually.

As it’s a run shoe, it has a lot of cushioning underfoot, which means that it feels bouncy and light when you’re jogging.

I also find that it’s super supportive for my joints, which is useful as I have a long-term knee injury and generally weak knees.

The midsole foam is firm, which helps me feel stable when I move around—useful for someone whose knee regularly gives way.

And as it’s so comfy, I often throw the shoe on for daily walks and errands, so it’s definitely my most-worn footwear.

You can find more discounts on shoes, gym gear and apparel in our round-up of the best Black Friday fitness discounts, which we're updating throughout the day.

In March this year I completed the final run of my Couch to 5K plan. While I’d previously run two half marathons a decade ago, my cardio workouts (let’s be honest, any type of workout) had dwindled in the wake of bringing up a rambunctious five-year-old.

Determined to reclaim some sort of fitness, I’d downloaded the Couch to 5K app in January, and grunting and sweating my way through it, I worked my way up to running a 5K. Success!

But what next? I wanted to continue my running and to push myself further. Having followed a regimented programme for nine weeks that got me running three times a week through the winter, I was keen to follow another plan to keep me committed, but to my knowledge, there wasn’t a dedicated app to help me increase my distance from running 5K to 10K.

The editor at Fit&Well suggested I try the Garmin Run Coach that comes with Garmin’s running watches. He’d used it and one of his colleagues had used something similar on another brand of running watch to run a 5K under 30 minutes.

So I agreed to try the Garmin Forerunner 165 and Garmin Run Coach.

Here’s how I got on.

The watch was easy to use

The Garmin Forerunner 165 was a great introduction to wearables with its large touch screen interface and intuitive functions.

I simply downloaded the Garmin Connect app, configured the watch, and used the Garmin Coach Plans section of the app to set up a plan that would help me train towards a 10K.

I found it pretty straightforward. While I’d call myself tech-savvy, especially having started my career at Apple, I hadn’t previously used a wearable to track my running, but the setup was easy and quick.

There are plenty of plans to choose from, and you have the option of training for an event, achieving a milestone such as a certain distance or speed, or improving your general fitness without a set goal.

It’s easy to get overexcited when setting up the plan

I opted to train for an event—the Clacton 10K—which was seven weeks away. To set up the plan, I had to input my average weekly distance, average pace, the distance I was training for and the goal (e.g., to finish, or to finish with a certain time goal).

While there are set running plans from Garmin coaches to choose from, I stuck with the Garmin Run Coach, which offers the most personalised plan and adjusts your workouts based on the health and performance metrics gathered by your Garmin.

I then just needed to input how many days I was looking to train and which days my long runs would be. Rather ambitiously, given my work and child-rearing responsibilities, I opted for five training sessions a week.

I soon discovered balancing work, childcare and five runs a week was going to be tricky, but I made sure I turned up three days a week, and tackled a mix of the runs on the plan. Speaking of which.

I was introduced to running at different paces

Every week my plan required me to complete “base”, “tempo” and “threshold” runs. This terminology was new to me—until now, my approach to running had been to run until I couldn’t run anymore.

As explained on the Garmin app, a base run is a low-intensity, long-duration workout designed to build aerobic capacity and endurance. These were my preferred runs out of the three styles due to the slower pace.

Meanwhile, tempo runs fall under the category of high-intensity aerobic training runs with a set pace you need to adhere to, and are a great way of building fitness.

Threshold runs aim for you to run slightly above your lactate threshold—the highest intensity you can sustain before high levels of blood lactate hinder your performance. These really tested me and I found it tricky to meet the suggested pace at all.

It was hard!

I won’t lie—the initial runs really pushed me and felt like a departure from the Couch to 5K plan, which focused on the duration of the run, rather than the speed or distance. With the Garmin Run Coach plan, I had to run for a set amount of time, but also at a set pace. I had to quickly get used to my Garmin beeping at me if I fell out of the suggested pace range (which I often did!).

That said, I quite quickly began to make some gains, with my pace and endurance steadily increasing, even if it felt like I was failing a lot as my pace consistently fell out of range. The plan was designed to push me past my comfort zone and I was up for the challenge.

I got faster and felt ready to run 10K

While the runs still pushed me as the plan began to taper, I did achieve my fastest pace at the beginning of week five (10min 11sec/mile during a threshold run), before finishing with two runs on week seven. I did still struggle to maintain the pace that was suggested for me (short sprints of 8min 46sec/mile during a tempo run), but I decided to run at a pace that was comfortable for me.

During my training, the longest I ran for was 45 minutes. While I did not cover the entire 10K in one go, I was confident that being able to comfortably run for 45 minutes would put me in a good place for the race.

And I ran 10K without stopping!

Training complete, I felt confident heading into my 10K. It was a warm, blue-sky morning in August, and the route was a flat loop along the Clacton coast with just two small inclines.

It was clear I would have to adjust my pace to a slower tempo than that set for me in my training runs, especially if I was to keep my breath and not overdo it.

I ran with a friend and we maintained a steady 14min 2sec/mile, which meant I was able to hold a conversation and I didn’t need to stop at any point during the race. I finished the race with a time of 1hr 26min 46sec. Unexpectedly, I still had energy in the tank after crossing the finish line and felt like I could have run a few more kilometres.

My verdict

I started the year not thinking I could run 5K, let alone 10K. While the Garmin Run Coach plan did undoubtedly push me, and at times I really struggled to maintain the suggested pace, it certainly paid dividends when it came to the race and my overall fitness levels.

I would definitely follow a Garmin Run Coach plan again, although I would love to try one that focuses more on building distance rather than pace, particularly as I’ve now got my sights set on a half marathon (and beyond!).

Shop Garmin running watches

The Garmin Run Coach feature is available on a wide range of Garmin devices, many of which will be discounted in the coming weeks for Black Friday. Here are Fit&Well’s top three picks of the current discounts available—all of which feature the Run Coach feature.

Shin splints are one of those nagging aches and pains most runners encounter at some point in their training—but that doesn’t mean you should just grin and bear it.

“We see it all the time in the clinic,” osteopath and clinical lead at The Livewell Clinic, Danny Sayandan tells Fit&Well.

Common themes, he says, are runners in worn-out shoes, heel striking instead of landing midfoot, or overstriding.

“It’s often linked to the least stretched muscle in the body—your calves—and most neglected muscle—the tibialis anterior—found on the front of the shin,” says Sayandan.

When they’re tight or undertrained, the impact of every footstrike gets pushed straight into the shins, triggering a dull ache down the front or inside of your shins.

The solution? Add these five exercises from Sayandan to your weekly workouts to stretch and strengthen these often overlooked muscles.

5 exercises to try if you get shin pain when running

1. Toe raise

Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15 each side

Why: Lifting your toes strengthens the front of your shin.

How:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Lift your toes.
• Hold for two seconds.
• Lower your toes to the start.

2. Calf raise

Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15

Why: Build strength and endurance in the lower legs.

How:

• Stand with your feet together.
• Lift your heels to rise onto your toes and the balls of your feet.
• Pause, then lower slowly.

You can also perform these with your heels off a step (as in the video above), lowering your heels below the step to add a stretch to your calves.

As you get stronger, progress to single-leg calf raises, then begin to add weight with a dumbbell or kettlebell held in one hand.

3. Soleus wall hold

Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15 / Time: 30sec

Why: This bent-knee heel raise targets the deep-lying soleus muscle in your calves.

How:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a bannister or other sturdy anchor point for support (an alternative is to rest your back on a wall, as in the video above).
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower into a squat, with your knees bent at 90˚.
• Hold this position and either perform 12-15 calf raises (see above), or rise up onto the balls of your feet and hold for 30 seconds.

4. Tibialis stretch

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10

Why: This is a gentle stretch for the muscles in the front of the shin.

How:

• Kneel with your feet together, sitting on your heels with your hands or forearms on the floor to help control the load through your ankles.
• Push through your hands or forearms and carefully lift your knees to increase the stretch in the front of your shins.
• Hold for a few seconds, then lower.

5. Midfoot walking

Rather than an exercise, try to practice this continuously—and certainly as you move from exercise to exercise in this workout. Concentrate on landing softly through your midfoot to retrain your gait and reduce impact through your heel, ankle, calves and shins.

Everyone has to start somewhere—even elite marathon runner Anya Culling.

The Runna coach freely admits that when she laced up for her first marathon in 2019 she made some common mistakes that were totally avoidable.

“People find running really difficult when they start,” she tells Fit&Well. “Often because they are over ambitious, they run too fast or they’re trying to do too much.”

Since joining forces with Runna, she’s been keen to promote the message that running has to be sustainable, and that speed and endurance has to be built progressively.

“We always encourage beginners to start with a number of runs per week that you know your body can tolerate well,” she explains, adding that the number of miles you cover in seven days should never increase by more than 10% week on week.

“You don’t want to overload your body or you’ll increase your risk of injury and burn out, and lose enjoyment.’

To that end, here are the three biggest mistakes she’s noticed beginners always make—and three simple fixes to overcome them.

Mistake: Running non-stop

Fix: Use run-walk intervals

When starting out you don’t need to run non-stop. Culling recommends starting with one minute of running, followed by one to two minutes of walking.

As you improve, you can keep using this run-walk protocol to increase your pace.

One of Culling’s favorite sessions, for example, alternates one kilometer of running with two minutes of walking recovery, repeated five times.

“That’s a really good workout indicator of where your 5K pace is currently at,” she says.

Mistake: Running too fast

Fix: Learn to run at a conversational pace

Culling says running too fast is the second most common mistake beginners make—and a habit that can bring your run to an abrupt and early end.

“You want to start slow and be able to hold a conversation,” she explains.

Put another way, aim for a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) between three and five out of 10.

You should be able to maintain a conversation throughout your run. If you’re only able to speak in broken sentences, you’re going too fast.

One way to instill this—and practice your conversational running pace—is by joining a run club, just like Culling did when she started out.

“I knew I had to work hard enough to improve so I could keep up with other members, but not so hard that I would burn all my matches and wouldn’t be able to run with them in the next session,” she says.

And being able to keep running regularly is when the magic happens. “Being consistent was one thing that really helped me improve,” says Culling.

Mistake: Running without purpose

Fix: Set one clear achievable goal

Lastly, Culling says that running aimlessly is a surefire way to run out of steam.

“You want to challenge yourself but also keep things exciting,” she says, suggesting setting yourself small wins along the way to a bigger goal, like ticking off a 5K parkrun as you build up to a 10K or half marathon.

Culling also stresses the importance of rest days and taking deload weeks with reduced mileage rather than just building up fatigue.

“Deload weeks and rest days are super important to keep you motivated and give your body time to absorb all the hard training you’ve been doing,” she says.

So, before you next lace up, think about your end goal and work backward, including small wins, deload weeks and rest days along the way.

Hi. Let me introduce myself.

I’m a 38-year-old, distinctly part-time runner, but with a decent base of strength and stamina. I’ve tried, but never managed to run 5K in under 20 minutes.

There is, of course, no shame in that. Any internet article on what constitutes a good 5K time would say that getting anywhere near 20 minutes is excellent, but setting yourself a goal time to beat is less about how you compare to others, but whether you can improve on something when you set your mind to it.

I decided to attempt a sub-20-minute 5K earlier this summer when running app Runna (now owned by Strava) hosted a 5K challenge on a 400m track in London’s Battersea Park.

Led by coach Anya Culling, Runna challenged the participants to run 5K as fast as possible, then try to beat that time six weeks later with help from its app.

Now I’ve completed the plan, I can attest that having a structured plan to follow, with in-built accountability, training tips, detailed metrics and constant feedback, made a huge difference.

In fact, it made 52 seconds of difference, helping me finally dip under the 20-minute barrier.

So, here’s my plan in full, along with extra tips from Culling that should help anyone improve.

My plan was tailored to my experience level. If you’re completely new to running, you’ll be better off starting with a Couch to 5K plan, or even just one or two runs per week, primarily focusing on run-walk intervals as you build tolerance.

But if you run semi-regularly and are keen to test your limits, this plan should give plenty of helpful pointers to help you run your fastest ever 5K. Or at the very least, it will show you what Runna offers to subscribers. Good luck.

This is what it takes to run a sub-20-minute 5K

Before embarking on this six-week plan, I first had to set a time to beat.

Alongside 50 other runners on a balmy mid-August evening, I clocked a career best of 20min 42sec.

Next, I had to build my plan. Using the Runna app, I set 20 minutes as my 5K target, noted the deadline of October 1 and specified that I could run three times per week.

The plan consisted of easy runs, where the goal is to move at a conversational pace (around 3-5 on the rate of perceived exertion out of 10), long, slow runs ranging from five to nine kilometers, progression runs where the pace gradually speeds up, intervals and hills.

“I think 5K is such a great distance, whether it’s your first 5K or your fastest 5K,” says Culling, when I catch up with her at the halfway stage of my plan.

“I believe everybody can do it, but it’s all about finding consistency and making sure your training is sustainable.”

Week 1

Wednesday: 5K easy run

• Run at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 25sec/km (Most runs specified pace in this format, which is readily tracked on every running watch and fitness tracker, or you can use the Record on Device feature in the Runna app to keep tabs on your pace.)

Sunday: 6km long run

• Run 6km at a conversational pace

The first two sessions in my 5K plan are relatively gentle, showing that you shouldn’t start by throwing yourself off the deep end.

The easy and long run, as coach Ben explains in the app, will “play a big role” over the course of the next six-and-a-half weeks.

“It is important to take these slow,” he says. “Aim to stay at a conversational pace and save the big efforts for your harder session.”

Culling adds that if you’re just starting out, alternating one minute of running with two minutes of walking can help build your running fitness in a more manageable way.

“Our first 5K plans always start with a run-walk approach,” she tells Fit&Well. “The main thing we try to promote is [training] has to be sustainable and it has to build progressively.”

Week 2

Tuesday: Progression run

• 1km warm-up at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 20sec/km
• 1.5km at 4min 55sec/km
• 1.5km at 4min 30sec/km
• 1.5km at 4min 20sec/km
• 90sec walking rest
• 500m cool down at a conversational pace or slower

Thursday: 5.5km easy run

• Run at a conversational pace, no faster than 5min 20sec/km

Sunday: 7km Progression long run

• 2km warm-up at a conversational pace
• 2km at 5min 5sec/km
• 2km at 4min 40sec/km
• 1km at 4min 30sec/km

The intensity in week two noticeably cranks up, along with the distance and pace of both the easy and long run.

“The best way to improve your 5K time is to include a variety of runs that will work both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems,” explains Culling.

“So easy runs, long runs, tempo runs and interval runs.”

Long runs, she elaborates, build endurance, while intervals will train your body to run faster than your target 5K pace.

“The aim with intervals, like with this progressive run, is to increase the time in which you can hold the faster pace.”

Week 3

Tuesday: Hill repeats

• 1km warm-up at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 20sec/km
• 6 reps of 60sec running hard uphill, followed by 30sec walking rest and easy jog back down
• 1km cool down at a conversational pace—or slower

Thursday: 4.5km easy run

• Run at a conversational pace, no faster than 5min 20sec/km

Sunday: 5K long run

• Run 5K at a conversational pace

Despite my best intentions, week three is when my timetable slips and for the first time I skip the easy run.

In its place, I substitute a gym workout, using Runna to populate my plan with running-specific strength exercises like calf raises, single-leg deadlifts and step-ups.

Including these resistance workouts once or twice per week, Culling says, will help reduce the risk of injury in the long term and improve my top-end speed.

The hill repeats really leave their mark. Hot-footing it uphill for a full minute is easily the most punishing part of the plan.

Week 4

Tuesday: Pyramid interval run

• 1km warm-up at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 20sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 200m at 3min 40sec/km, followed by 60sec walking rest
• 400m at 3min 45sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 800m at 4min/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 1.2km at 4min 10sec/km, followed by 120sec walking rest
• 800m at 4min/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 400m at 3min 45sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 200m at 3min 40sec/km, followed by 60sec walking rest
• 1km cool down at a conversational pace or slower

Thursday: 7km easy run

• Run at a conversational pace, no faster than 5min 20sec/km

Sunday: 8km hotspot long run

• 4km at a conversational pace
• 1km at 4min 5sec/km
• 3km at a conversational pace

In week four, the intensity and distances crank up another notch.

“I enjoy the change in distances throughout this session,” says coach Steph in the app, referring to the pyramid intervals. Only an elite runner would say that.

Steph advises me to start fast in the first few reps, bring the pace down as the distances get longer, then try to beat my previous times as I climb back down the pyramid.

Conveniently, you can toggle your session on the Runna app from outdoor, with the pace in minutes per kilometer, to treadmill, with pace in kph, which I prefer for somewhat chaotic sessions like this one.

That said, it feels like the 1.2km at 4min 10sec/km (or 14.4kph) will never end. Yet the faster kilometer in the middle of the weekend’s long run (at 4min 5sec/km) flies by.

Week 5

Tuesday: Rolling 400s

• 2km warm-up at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 15sec/km
• 4 reps of 400m at 4min 15sec/km, followed by 400m at 5min/km
• 90sec walking rest
• 1.2km cool down at a conversational pace or slower

Thursday: 7.5km easy run

• Run at a conversational pace, no faster than 5min 15sec/km

Sunday: 9km hilly progressive long run

• 2km at a conversational pace
• 2km at RPE 5
• 2km at RPE 6
• 2km at RPE 6 (slightly faster than previous rep)
• 1km at a conversational pace

Another tricky week. The rolling 400s are punchier than they look because, explains coach Ben, “the recovery is active, making the session a little bit more challenging”.

It’s similar to Culling’s favorite training session, something she calls K repeats, where you run 5 x 1km at your target 5K pace, with 90-120sec recovery in between efforts.

“That session kicks my butt,” she says. “It’s almost harder [than the full 5K] because you’re going fast, then stopping, so you can’t get into that flow state as much.”

Learn to live with this pace, however, and you should be able to sustain it for the full 5K when “you’ll find that extra bit to continue without those rests and recoveries”.

Week 6

Tuesday: Drop set

• 1km warm-up at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 15sec/km
• 90sec walking rest
• 1km at 4min 10sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 800m at 4min 5sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 600m at 3min 55sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 400m at 3min 50sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 200m at 3min 45sec/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 1km at a conversational pace or slower

Thursday: 5.5km easy run

• Run at a conversational pace, no faster than 5min 15sec/km

Saturday: 6km hilly run

• Run 6km at a conversational pace

Week six is where the magic happens, I’m told.

It's when my weekly volume and intensity starts to taper down, which Culling says will give my body a chance to absorb all the hard training I’ve been doing.

I use a treadmill for the drop set workout, enjoying pushing my max speed, then take it nice and easy with the weekend run.

“No targets, paces or hard efforts today,” says coach Steph. “Pick a nice route and just enjoy running.”

Race week

Monday: Taper 400s

• 2km warm-up at a conversational pace—no faster than 5min 15sec/km
• 60sec walking rest
• 5 reps of 400m at 4min/km, followed by 90sec walking rest
• 1km cool down at a conversational pace or slower

Wednesday: 5K race

• With a target of 19min 59sec or quicker, my target pace was 3min 50sec/km-4min/km.

Crunch time. Lining up beside 50 returning Runna members on the track in Battersea Park, I find myself surprisingly nervous.

“The key to a good time is not heading out too fast,” notes coach Steph in the app.

“Keep 3min 55sec/km as your target pace. Don’t speed up beyond this pace until the halfway mark and you are confident that you won’t be slowing down before the finish line.”

With my legs feeling fresh and the miles in the tank, I find I’m able to cling on to a pace just under 4min/km for the first four kilometers.

Then, with the finish in sight, I kick on for the final two and a half laps of the track, propelled by the energy of my fellow PR chasers.

In just over six weeks, I’ve managed to cut my best time from 20min 42sec to 19min 50sec and finally earn my place in the sub-20min 5K club.

Just imagine what I could have achieved if I had actually completed all the training runs.

Hands up if you always skip the warm-up.

Just me? Lately, I’ve realized that nine times out of 10 I’m running cold.

I do a couple of windmills with my arms, the odd lunge, then launch into my lengthy plod.

Recently, I had the opportunity to quiz expert running coach Anya Culling on how the pros like her actually warm up and the answer was refreshingly uncomplicated.

The Runna coach, who boasts a remarkable 2hr 36min marathon time, typically spends just eight seconds per exercise warming and mobilizing her muscles and joints. Then she rattles through four short sprints and she’s good to go.

“I always like to keep it dynamic,” Culling tells Fit&Well. “You want to get your blood pumping, warm your muscles and ligaments up, and get your lungs and legs firing.”

As well as priming your body for exertion, an effective warm-up will improve your elasticity, helping you run further, faster.

“Warm-ups are really important because you want to be a bit more flexible before you start,” says Culling.

“They will help increase your stride length, even just by a centimeter, which will make a big difference over the course of a run.”

Here, Culling outlines the quick warm-up she uses before every run.

Steal Anya Culling's expert-approved running warm-up

“The rule of thumb is to spend eight seconds per exercise,” says Culling, “but generally you can just do it until you feel warm.”

If she's about to embark on an easy or long run, Culling will perform this routine, adding in exercises like squat calf raises to target any extra niggles or areas of weakness.

“These help warm up my calves and toes so I'll have a better toe off and a bit more propulsion with each step,” she explains.

When she's preparing for a faster-paced interval session, Culling will also tag on four 15-second sprints called strides.

“Each stride is almost an all-out sprint with a little walk in between. I'll let my heart calm down again after that. Then my body should be warm.”

Exercise explainers

1. Toe taps

Time: 8sec
Targets: hamstrings

• Stand with your feet wide apart and arms out to the sides.
• Keeping your legs straight, hinge at the hips and rotate your torso to reach your hand toward the toes on your opposite leg.
• Alternate sides, gently reaching further with each repetition to increase the stretch down the back of your legs.

2. Reverse lunge into side bend

Reps: 4 each side
Targets: glutes, quads, hamstrings

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Step back and bend both knees to lower.
• Push through your front foot to stand.
• Perform four repetitions on each side.
• Step your left foot back into a reverse lunge again.
• Reach your left arm up and over your head, to stretch the side of your torso.
• Lower your arm and return to standing.
• Perform four repetitions of this reverse lunge with a stretch on each side.

Alternative: Instead of reaching up and over, rotate your torso, turning your chest toward your front knee with each repetition.

3. Open the gate

Time: 8sec each side
Targets: glutes, hip flexors

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Raise one knee in front of you to hip height, bending your knee to 90˚.
• Rotate your raised leg out to your side, keeping your knee bent and at hip height.
• Move the knee back to in front of you.

Tip: Culling demonstrates the exercise by keeping her leg elevated throughout, but if balance is an issue, reset by touching your foot to the floor between each repetition.

4. Lateral leg swing

Time: 8sec each side
Targets: glutes, hip flexors

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding onto a wall for support.
• Swing one leg out to your side then back toward your body.
• Increase the range of movement with each repetition as your muscles heat up.

5. Squat calf raise

Time: 8sec
Targets: glutes, quads, calves

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower, keeping your knees wide apart.
• Push through your heels to stand, rising up onto the balls of your feet to target your calves.

6. Strides

Sets: 4 Time: 15sec
Targets: full body

• Walk for 15 seconds.
• Sprint for 15 seconds.
• Perform four times in total.

Tip: Take a couple of minutes of rest after performing the strides to let your pulse slow, then you're ready to begin your session.

In 2019, Anya Culling ran the London Marathon in a very respectable time of 4hr 34min.

It was her first attempt at 26.2 miles and she freely admits “I had no idea what I was doing”.

Three years later, Culling almost cut her time in half, racing home in just 2hr 36min, qualifying to represent her country in distance running in the process.

Now a coach at running app Runna, her story inspires others to rethink what they're capable of.

“If I can do it, why can’t you?” she says. But, how did she do it?

Using run-walk intervals, keeping an achievable goal in mind and making training sessions social by running with friends were some of her tactics.

She also started making time for gym work.

“I built really strong foundations before I started focusing on any sort of time goal,” she says.

“That meant when I did start a specific marathon block, my body was ready to absorb all that added load.”

She's now a dedicated fan of strength training.

“It can make you a more powerful, resilient runner,” she explains.

“It can reduce the risk of injuries and improve your longevity in the sport, allowing you to stay consistent and keep improving every session.”

Whatever level you're at, Culling says incorporating a few strength training basics into your training will help you run further, faster and for longer.

Strength workout for runners

To maximize time on the road and track, Culling keeps her strength training workouts short and simple.

She likes to mix multi-joint movements like squats and step-ups, with dynamic, single-leg exercises that mimic the demands and effort required to put one foot in front of the other when running.

“For running strength, it’s important to focus on compound lower-body movements, because your legs are doing most of the work,” Culling explains.

“Then you want fast, explosive exercises and also single-leg variations because when running, you're only ever on one leg at a time.”

Culling says you can build strength at home with just your bodyweight or use weights to gradually get stronger over time.

Here is the workout she now relies on week in, week out.

1. Back squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, resting a barbell across your shoulders (beginners should start without weights).
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
• Keep your knees wide to activate your glutes and your chest facing forward to avoid placing pressure on your lower back.
• Push through your heels to stand.

2. Single-leg deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 60sec

• Stand on your right leg, with your left heel lifted off the floor.
• Keeping your weight in your right foot and maintaining a slight bend at the knee, hinge forward at your hips, lifting your left leg behind you.
• Lower your chest until you feel your right hamstring engage, then drive your hips forward to return to standing.
• Perform all repetitions on your right side, then switch legs.

“Focus on explosive power as you stand and keep most of the weight on one leg,” says Culling.

3. Step-up with knee drive

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 60sec

• Stand in front of a box, bench or chair.
• Place your right foot on the platform.
• Push through your right foot to extend your right leg, bringing your left knee up to hip height and swinging your right arm forward.
• Keeping the right foot on the chair, step back down with your left foot.
• Repeat 10 times in total, then switch legs.

“My favourite single-leg explosive lower-body movements are step-ups with a knee drive,” says Culling. “Driving your opposite arm and leg mimics the running action, making it full-body.”

4. Calf raise

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 60sec

• Stand with one arm resting on a wall for support.
• Press through the balls of your feet and lift up onto your tiptoes, squeezing your calves at the top of the move.
• Lower slowly.
• Perform with both feet together or, as you get stronger, one leg at a time.

“Strong calves reduce the load on your shins, which beginners often struggle with, leading to shin splints,” Culling explains. “They are also vital for producing explosive power for running.”

5. Abs finisher

Sets: 1 Time: 40sec Rest: 20sec

Culling likes to pick five to 10 abs exercises and perform them in a circuit once or twice round. She will do each exercise for 40sec, rest for 20sec, then move onto the next one.

Typically these will include dead bugs, bicycle crunches, leg raises, Russian twists, planks, side planks and ankle taps.

“Core strength is really important to stabilize your torso,” says Culling.

“It should mean there are fewer imbalances down your legs and it will stop your lower limbs overcompensating or putting too much load on your joints.”

If you want to run strong, then you really need to be doing regular strength training.

That’s the advice from certified running coach and ultrarunner Yana Strese, posted in a recent Instagram Reel. To “run strong”, she does resistance exercises two to three times a week all year round, because it helps keep her “powerful, stable and injury-resistant”.

When you’re a competitive ultrarunner, your strength training is too complicated to fit in an Instagram Reel, but Strese has helpfully shared a selection of entry-level moves that will make a difference to recreational runners.

How these exercises help with running performance

I spoke to certified endurance and running coach Andrejs Birjukovs to find out more about how Strese’s moves could help runners.

“We can improve our running form in two ways—by releasing tight muscles and teaching the body to activate the right muscles, which then improve our running stride,” explains Birjukovs, who is also the author of The Resilient Athlete. “Exercises in this video by Strese are designed to do the latter.

“They work by stimulating the mind-muscle connection with the key muscles involved in running, thereby making form smoother and more efficient. In these moves, you are working the hip flexors that help to bring the knee forward, the glute medius to stabilize the body and the hamstrings and glutes to generate run power.

“For these exercises, it’s a case of activating the muscles that matter for runners, rather than how much weight or resistance there is, so frequency and control are more important than exercising to fatigue—until you can’t do any more reps.”

Birjukovs also explained which muscles each of Strese’s exercises target and how that can help running performance.

1. Knee drive: These target the hip flexors and glute medius. They are great for improving hip stability.
2. Straight-leg kick: These also strengthen the hip flexors that help drive the knees forward during a run.
3. Hamstring curl: Stronger hamstrings increase your running power and speed.
4. Side-step squat: This move works the glutes and quadriceps, which boost run power, hip stability and overall strength.
5. Knee drive hold: This exercise is good for hip stability and knee drive.
6. Alternating step back: This one is good for increasing glute and hamstring strength as well as run power and efficiency by means of a better butt kick.
7. Lateral walk: Doing this exercise improves hip stability, which helps keep you upright when you run.
8. Banded A-switch: This move helps with knee drive.
9. Lateral jump: This last exercise can improve balance while boosting hip stability.

“Outside of these drills and activation exercises, runners can try a variety of strength-focused exercises, for example, explosive jumps and hops, to develop the maximum force the muscles can produce, which translates into increased running power,” he says.

Here are two explosive exercises for runners recommended to Fit&Well by trainer Tess Glynne-Jones just last week.