Women's Running April 2021

I’ve spent a lot of this last month in reflection. This time last year, our entire world was thrown off its axis. The impact of the pandemic has been catastrophic, and sadly we have yet to see the full extent of the devastation. For the running community, one sadness during this time has been the cancellation of our racing calendar. This might seem shallow to some, but critics are short-sighted: without races, charities and communities suffer enormously; and without goals, we run less – our physical health deteriorates and, crucially, so does our mental health. In March 2020, we had just finished our April marathon issue, a glorious celebration of 26.2 miles and the women who had crushed it, as I looked forward to running in London that year. By the time…

Laura Fountain Laura Fountain is a running coach who has helped hundreds of women start and improve their running through her Lazy Girl Running groups. She’s a course tutor for England Athletics and the author of two books The Lazy Runner and Tricurious. Every issue, Laura creates our brilliant training plans for us, but this issue, we wanted more: we wanted her expert guidance on how to make the leap from 5K and what to aim for next on page 42. Lisa Jackson Lisa has been a Women’s Running contributor since its second issue, furnishing us with her expertise and positivity, having completed two 56-mile ultras and 108 marathons – and come last in 25. She is the author of Running Made Easy and the award-winning Your Pace or Mine? This issue Lisa…

PARKRUN TO RETURN Finally, a reason to get out of bed on a Saturday morning, and a sign for many of us that normality is not far off Clear your weekend diary dates (not that we’ve had any), as Saturday 5 June is when parkrun will, hopefully, return. For those of us with younger runners in our lives, there’s even better news – junior parkrun events will return from Sunday 11 April, with a temporary age restriction of 4-10 years old to help organisers manage numbers. Older children are encouraged to volunteer or spectate until they can hopefully also return on 5 June. “Bringing back parkrun events is a huge step for so many of us towards the return of normal life,” says parkrun Chief Executive Nick Pearson. “Of course, nothing is guaranteed,…

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WARP speed ahead The Under Armour Flow Velociti Wind will power you through all your runs with its innovative WARP upper. It’s got multi-directional tapes to secure your foot, and a one-piece midsole and outsole with FLOW cushioning to improve energy return and ensure superior traction. As with all UA shoes, an embedded sensor not only tracks your routes but analyses your running metrics to help improve your performance. A stunning, high-performance, lightweight shoe. £140, underarmour.com Fly me to the moon The Wuufly Fly Me To The Moon travel mat is a beautifully designed, extremely lightweight travel mat so you can do your stretching any time and anywhere. This 100 per cent recyclable mat features a tree rubber base and microfiber top, and the layers have been bonded together by heat, meaning there was…

If you suffer from low blood sugar, it may be helpful to start by looking at what is happening in your body when your blood sugar levels drop too low, a process also known as hypoglycaemia. When you eat food, your body breaks down the carbohydrate portion into glucose; this is the main energy source for your cells. In order to get glucose (sugar) into the cells, your body secretes a hormone called insulin which is made in the pancreas. Without sufficient insulin, your cells cannot access the glucose which may result in you feeling tired, hungry and irritable. Prolonged periods of fasting, insulin resistance (when your cells don’t respond to insulin) and diabetes are risk factors for hypoglycaemia. “To keep your blood sugar levels regulated, eating a healthy and balanced diet is…