Women's Running

A chance email from a passionate runner has made me count my blessings, and to feel even more grateful for our running community than I normally do. Sarah Donaghy is the founder of Food Bank Run – you can find out all about her on page 13. She knew, as we all do, that running has the potential to be so much more than putting one foot in front of the other. She wondered whether we could use our running to help others, by delivering food to those who need it. It’s appalling that food banks have to exist, but they’re here for a reason, providing vital help for people who are most in need, and right now they need our help more than ever. Times are tight for all…

EDITOR Esther Newman SENIOR ART EDITOR Alex Duce DESIGNER Alvin Weetman SUB EDITOR Rachel Ifans FITNESS EDITOR Tina Chantrey DIGITAL EDITOR Holly Taylor DIGITAL ASSISTANT Kate Sellers CONTRIBUTORS Louise Pyne, Lisa Jackson, Liz Hollis, Emma Kirk-Odunubi, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, Laura Fountain, Roger Richardson, Anne-Marie Lategan, Lucy Waterlow, Callie Foster, Anna Harding ADVERTISING MANAGER Megan Gibbings 01225 489984 megan.gibbings@anthem.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Ella Bywater ella.bywater@anthem.co.uk LICENSING Regina Erak regina.erak@globalworks.co.uk MARKETING MANAGER Cara Northcott CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jenny Cook MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Lewis CEO Jon Bickley COVER & WARRIOR PHOTOGRAPHY Joseph Branston THANKS TO Brooks IMAGES © Getty Images PRINT William Gibbons & Sons Ltd +44 (0) 1902 730011 DISTRIBUTED BY Marketforce (UK) Ltd 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP +44 (0) 330 390 6555 Anthem Publishing Piccadilly House, London Road, Bath BA1 6PL…

Emma Kirk-Odunubi Emma is a sports scientist and strength coach who has worked in the running industry for over 15 years and, with her partner, set up Bulletproof Athletic (bulletproofathletic.com) to empower runners to achieve their goals. This issue, she explains how to recognise, treat and prevent adductor strains, which are common for runners and – left unchecked – can turn into a niggly chronic problem. Discover more on page 16. Roger Richardson Roger is running’s leading writerhistorian. He has been married for 35 years to legendary women’s running pioneer Kathrine Switzer, and is a bit of a legend himself. He has written seven running books, he ran for England and New Zealand, and set age-group records at the Boston and New York Marathons. And in this issue, he has…

A new report from Myprotein (myprotein.com) has shown that running is one of the top three sports to be involved in if you want to improve your sex life. Yoga and dancing made the other two top smooch spots. The study looked at the impact of sport on 3,200 sportspeople’s love lives and revealed that two-thirds of runners (66%) said it has resulted in them having better orgasms. Not convinced? Tina M Penhollow, Professor of Exercise Science at Florida Atlantic University, says: “Running increases testosterone and libido levels, resulting in a greater sex drive and more intense orgasms.” If this doesn’t excite you enough to rush out for a run, studies have also shown that couples who run together have sex more often. A Brooks Running survey revealed that 66…

Get your hats on! Celebrities including Helen Skelton are partnering with GO Outdoors to launch a new range of charity hats and 100% of the proceeds from sales will go to the mental health charity, Mind. So come on, get outdoors and get your #HatsOnForMind. You can buy this gorgeous woolly hat at Go Outdoors, Blacks, Millets and Fishing Republic. £10, gooutdoors.co.uk No FOMO with this foam New Balance has done it again, managing to cram even more foamy goodness into the midsole of its FRESHFOAM X MORE v4 shoe. The soft cushioning is stacked high in the latest version so that more impact is absorbed and your legs stay stronger for longer. The super stretchy upper looks comfortable too. £140, newbalance.co.uk STAR BUY We have ignition! If you pair…

With the recent TV programme on BBC, Wim Hof’s popularity has risen and we’ve become more aware of the benefits of cold therapy. Hof earned his name ‘Iceman’ after undergoing a series of sub-zero challenges, including climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in shorts, running a half marathon above the arctic circle barefoot, and staying submerged in a container of ice cubes for almost two hours. This Dutch man has been using cold therapy for 50 years, with staggering health benefits. But what is the science behind cold water therapy? “In terms of exercise and sport, an ice bath – also referred to as cryotherapy or cold-water immersion – is where you immerse yourself in a bath, or similar-sized container, filled with water and ice,” explains Christian Allen, product trainer at Runners Need.…