Cross Training For Runners

For runners, cross training means doing any type of exercise which compliments your running training.  Almost any form of work out or exercise will complement your running fitness, though some are better than others.  Here, I explore the different options runners have when it comes to cross training – and which ones will have a … Read more

How To Prepare For Running At Altitude

Running at altitude comes with it’s own set of rules.  Altitude affects runners in different ways – shortness of breath is common, and dizziness or nausea are possible.  Older runners tend to get affected easier than younger.    Some runners are interested in training to run races at high altitude, while others use altitude training … Read more

How Nike Almost Broke The Two Hour Marathon

Nike’s audacious #Breaking2 campaign – attempting to run a marathon in under 2 hours – came up 25 seconds short on Saturday.  Despite not succeeding in breaking the 2hr mark, it set a new record. And Nike and it’s athletes are proving that challenging perceived limits can lead to breakthroughs. 

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Marathon Des Sables – An Honest Account From An Under-Prepared Runner

The Marathon Des Sables is a 250km self-supported race across the Sahara desert.

Now with over 1200 entrants each year, the event is the biggest of it’s kind on the planet.

Participants usually train for months to condition their bodies and prepare for the race – but often other commitments and time limitations mean many runners turn up at the start line under-prepared.  James Bowkett gives his first hand account of participating in the Marathon Des Sables, his first ever ultra-marathon, with less preparation than he would’ve liked . . .

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The Way Of Legends – Race Report

In September 2016 I ran the inaugural edition of the ‘ The Way of Legends ‘ stage race through Northern Spain.  Steeped in local history, culture and gastronomy, this fantastically-supported event is a first-class example of boutique ultra-running, and is set to become a regular race on the must-do multi-day lists.

By Thomas Watson

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Stoicism and Running Far

The act of going for a run and a 2000-year-old group of philosophers might not seem like an obvious pairing, but some of The Stoics’ key tenets can provide a great lens through which you can prepare yourself for going far by foot. Stoicism is an ancient school of philosophy that has seen a surge in … Read more

Racing The Planet Sri Lanka – 2016 Roving Race – Race Report

Racing The Planet Sri Lanka – From the highlands to the Indian Ocean, by shrines and stone Buddhas, through rice paddies, and jungles and sugar cane fields, this race pretty much covered the Sri Lankan landscape in all its variations and glories.   Despite getting stitches in her knee on day 2, Cynthia Fish survived the jungle to bring us her Race Report from the Pearl of the Orient…

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4 Deserts Sahara Race (Namibia) 2016 – Race Report

The 4 Deserts Sahara Race is part of Racing The Planet’s annual series of 250km global stage races. The Sahara edition has previously taken place in Egypt and Jordan, but the organisers have decided to switch the location to Namibia as of 2016. This year’s event took place from 1st to 7th May, and over 220 competitors gathered to test themselves against the new locale.

By Thomas Watson

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