To be able to follow any kind of running schedule, the chances are you’ll have to change your eating habits to provide the extra energy required, and the basic principles will be simple: cut out the junk food; increase your carbohydrate intake; and drink more water.

Choose ‘clever’ carbs

Carbohydrates make up 50 per cent of the average healthy person’s diet. As a runner you’ll need to increase this to 60-65 per cent. You should reduce your protein and fat intakes to compensate. Choose complex carbs such as wholewheat bread and pasta, whole grain cereals and rice, potatoes and fresh vegetables, as they provide the slow energy release you need on a long run.

Liquid asset

In general, we don’t drink enough water – men should drink two to three litres a day; women between one-and-a-half and two – and when running, even in cold weather, you need even more. Drink 500ml of your daily intake in the couple of hours before you set off, then top up with about 250ml every 15 minutes. Dehydration, which affects your cardiovascular system and hinders performance, comes on easily and if you wait until you feel thirsty, you are already in the first stages of it.

BEFORE AND AFTER YOU RUN

Warming up

The most common cause of running injury is failure to warm up properly. Your warm-up should last 15 minutes and be in two parts: pulse warming and dynamic stretching. The former is light jogging or jumping, which raises your heart and breathing rate, and diverts blood to the active muscles, increasing their oxygen supply. Dynamic stretching is a series of slow, controlled movements that loosen the muscles, thus reducing the risk of sprains or strains.

Cooling down

Over about ten minutes you should taper off through jogging and brisk walking to get your heart and breathing back to normal. Stretching (see below) increases overall flexibility. Looser muscles perform better than taut muscles; they warm up more quickly and they are less likely to become injuried.

STRETCHING DO’S AND DON’TS

Do Make sure you are wearing clothes that allow you to move and stretch freely.

Do Incorporate the time to stretch into your running schedule, so that it does not seem like an extra. This way it will stand less chance of being skimped on if you are short of time.

Don’t hold your breath while stretching; breathe slowly and evenly for maximum relaxation.

Don’t stretch any muscle that has recently been strained or sprained, until you are 100 per cent sure that it has recovered.

Lloyd Bradley is the author of The Rough Guide to Running, £9.99

DRESS CODE

It is more than worthwhile to splash out on some decent clothing and accessories that will give you hassle-free, comfortable running. Here’s the lowdown on some basic items.

1. HEART-RATE MONITOR

A heart-rate monitor shows when you’ve warmed up, how you’re cooling down, and it measures the intensity of your running regardless of timing or distance. You need only a basic model. Polar is the best; I’ve had one for nine years and have had to change the battery only twice.

Polar FCS3 heart-rate monitor, £54.50 polarelectro.co.uk

2. LAYERED TOPS

Buy your running tops with a view to layering, so that you can adjust your body temperature and are prepared for all weathers. All layers should be made of a breathable fabric, and the jacket should have reflective strips.

Base layer: adidas Climacool base layer, £17.99 totallysport.co.uk

Middle layer: Asics Mercury Duo-Tech Top, £25.99 jjbsports.com

Jacket: ClimaProof Wind Waterproof Running Jacket, £29.99 totallysport.co.uk

3. LEGGINGS

Although some scoff at the notion of wearing anything more than shorts, leggings are a must during cold months. Look for at least 10 per cent Lycra/spandex content. Nike Pinnacle for men or Nike Tech for women are excellent.

Nike Dri-Fit Terry Loop Tight, £38 store.nike.com adidas

(Climacool) Supernova Long Tight Running Pants, £35 adidas-shop.co.uk

4. SPORTS BRA

Absolutely crucial, but it has to fit correctly. There are two types suitable for runners, compression and encapsulation, which pretty much do what their names suggest, though the former isn’t recommended for those over a B cup. Sports bras should be soft all over, with wide shoulder straps, a wide stretch band around the ribcage and made of breathable fabric. There is an interactive test to help you find the right sports bra,:log on to www.shockabsorber.co.uk

Level 4 Maximum Support Shock Absorber Bra for women of Cup Size AD, £26 figleaves.com

Shock Absorber bra for D cup and up, £26 shockabsorber.co.uk

5. HAT AND GLOVES

It’s not unusual in winter to see runners wearing shorts and a singlet and a woolly hat and gloves. This is because you lose 40 per cent of body heat through your head, so a hat will stop you getting cold before you’ve warmed up; and as a chilly body diverts blood from the extremities to vital organs, your hands get cold. Don’t worry too much about what the gloves are made of, you’ll take them off once you warm up.

Run 365 Runner’s Glove, £6.99 jjbsports.com

Run 365 Skull Cap, £4.99 jjbsports.com

6. ACCESSORIES

If you run with music, buy the cheapest MP3 player you can, as Sod’s Law dictates that an expensive one will end up in a puddle.

Matsui MAT105MR Digital Audio MP3 Player, £9.98 PCWorld

aseline is worth its weight in gold to combat chaffing, notably runner’s nipple.

Superdrug chemist, £1.16

Ergonomic waterbottle – one with a built-in handle means that you can hold it loosely, stopping you from tensing your arm and, literally, cramping your running style.

Run Aid Feed Bottle, £3-£3.50 sweatshop.co.uk

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