Runner's World UK

THE LOCATION Alghero – s’Alighera in Sardinian – is also known as ‘Barceloneta Sarda’ or little Sardinian Barcelona – and despite being separated by a large stretch of the Mediterranean, there’s a palpable Catalan flavour to its irresistible Sardinian charms. It’s testament to a shared history that lives on with a quarter of the population still speaking a local dialect of the Catalan language. Away from the seafront, pictured here, the historic centre is a fascinating place to explore on foot. Just don’t expect to set any PBs as you wind through the tight labyrinth of streets and alleys that emerge into atmospheric hidden squares. If you fancy a bit of bling to reward yourself for your efforts, Alghero is famous for crafts made with coral and gold. As you’d expect,…

THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL ISSUE is born out of our belief that we’re in the midst of a new running boom – one that’s enriching our favourite sport. I’m not sure exactly when this idea popped into the RW office run chat, but I think it came out of a combination of factors – that we’re in a golden age of shoes; that a record-shattering number of people applied for next year’s London Marathon; and how there’s more interest than ever in events such as the Spine Race, Barkley Marathons and Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, which were previously thought to be very niche. But it’s also that, outside of races, more people are finding new reasons to run, ones that are less about performance and more about community, belonging and mental health. This issue’s…

AMBY BURFOOT The former Boston Marathon winner, author and former editor of Runner’s World US is one of the running world’s most insightful commentators. As we examine the current boom, he gives us his eye-witness take on the first two booms and this third wave on p36. DAVID SMYTH The RW regular likes to combine his passion for running with a fondness for socialising over a craft beer at the Beak Running Club. He’s one of many finding a place among the new breed of running crews. He talks to a cross-section of them in Group Dynamics on p54.…

FEMALE RUNNERS tend to report more knee injuries than their male counterparts. This is possibly due to the fact that women have a wider pelvis, which makes their knees more likely to turn inward. So what’s the solution? A new study* of 32 women with ‘chronic patellofemoral pain’ suggests a relatively straightforward improvement strategy: leg strengthening. The women followed an at-home, eight-week, high-frequency strengthening programme. They didn’t use seriously heavy weights, just 50% of their one-rep max. The result? ‘There was large and statistically significant improvement at eight and 12 weeks for average knee pain.’ WORDS: RICK PEARSON. ARTWORK: PETER CROWTHER AT DEBUT ART. *SOURCE: PHYSICAL THERAPY IN SPORT…

IN TRUE BORN TO RUN STYLE, two cardiologists* have recommended we all pay more attention to the lifestyles of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, who had fewer chronic diseases than contemporary man. While we might be keen to embrace certain parts of their way of living, such as eating unprocessed foods and running daily, it’s doubtful so many of us would be so quick to give up easy access to toilets, medicines or GPS watches. So, what would a hunter-gatherer lifestyle (hopefully with the addition of a few modern amenities) entail? The researchers suggest one total rest day a week and 10,000 low-intensity steps a day. Essentially, our daily exercise should mimic a hunt, with occasional sprinting (chasing animals is optional). For physical activity, a total daily energy expenditure of 800 to 1,200 calories…

FOLLOWING HEALTHY-EATING accounts on Instagram can increase young peoples’ consumption of fruit and vegetables – and reduce their junk food intake. So suggests a new study from Aston University in which participants ate 1.4 more portions of fruit and vegetables per day and 0.8 fewer ultra-processed items than those who didn’t follow healthy-food creators. However, sports dietitian and RW columnist Renee McGregor strikes a note of caution. ‘While we welcome good nutritional approaches for the younger generation, it’s important they come from reputable and credible sources, as even too much fruit and vegetables can displace the intake of nutrient- and energy-dense foods young people need,’ she says. ‘Celebrities and influencers are popular with their audience, but they can also provide information that can lead to dysfunctional and obsessive behaviours around…