A sound body is ready and able to handle the physiological demands that our bodies go through in times of stress.

Sound body workout Asics

Five workouts to help you achieve a sound body

<p><br />In our latest installment of Athletics@Home, join Olympic 400m champion Sanya Richards-Ross and her husband, NFL star Aaron Ross, for a home workout.</p>
<p>Oh, and look out for several cameos by their son, Aaron Jermaine Ross II.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZYL5vfGaXXY" width="500" height="288" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

In our latest installment of Athletics@Home, join Olympic 400m champion Sanya Richards-Ross and her husband, NFL star Aaron Ross, for a home workout.

Home fitness class with Sanya Richards Ross 

Athletics@Home - Lockdown fitness class with Sanya Richards-Ross 

<p><br />Are you looking to get in your daily exercise but you, or your kids, would like something different to your usual walking route?</p>
<p>Let 2004 Olympic 100m hurdles champion Joanna Hayes - and daughters Zoe and Aly - guide you and your family through a 25-minute home workout.<br /><br /></p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vH-XVsnbAME" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

Are you looking to get in your daily exercise but you, or your kids, would like something different to your usual walking route?

Family workout home exercise Joanna Hayes

Athletics@Home - Joanna Hayes' family workout

<p><br />Former marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe features in the latest instalment of Athletics@Home.</p>
<p>The 2005 world champion has put together a home fitness class that can be done as a family - perfect if you have kids with energy to burn while in lock down.<br /><br /></p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4W5hPHWTnog" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

Former marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe features in the latest instalment of Athletics@Home.

Home family fitness class work out Paula Radcliffe

Athletics@Home - Paula Radcliffe's family fitness class

<p><br />The latest installment of Athletics@Home features Australian sprint hurdler Sally Pearson, the 2012 Olympic and 2017 world champion.</p>
<p>Pearson, who is currently pregnant, takes us through her home workout.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cV5IlHBu5zg" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>

The latest installment of Athletics@Home features Australian sprint hurdler Sally Pearson, the 2012 Olympic and 2017 world champion.

Home workout Sally Pearson

Athletics@Home - Sally Pearson's home workout

<p><br />A week into lockdown &ndash; and home schooling &ndash; and I&rsquo;m trying desperately to cling to some kind of timetable.</p>
<p>At first I had noble thoughts about how kids need routine. Now I realise it&rsquo;s entirely for my own sanity. The day is so formless and endless without some kind of structure, and I fear the descent into constant screen time (and yes, again, that's just me).</p>
<p>For the kids, academic work is one thing &ndash; their school has been amazing in setting work online and in downloadable paper form &ndash; so there&rsquo;s plenty to occupy their minds. But what about their bodies? My two girls are pretty active but suddenly their tennis, swimming, athletics and school PE lessons are gone, and all those steps they effortlessly notch up running round the playground have vanished too. And there are, I know, still more active kids out there who must be feeling like animals in captivity. I keep thinking of trips to a zoo where there&rsquo;s a large cat pacing up and down &ndash; well fed but listless, not genetically programmed for captivity.</p>
<p>In England, at the moment, we are allowed out once a day for exercise. So of course we can take the children out for a walk or an informal interval run (by which I mean a walk on which I occasionally tell them to run to the next lamp post, or post-box, when the street is deserted). But they do generally need chivvying into things that aren&rsquo;t familiar to them.</p>
<p>However, from thinking there would be little for them to do at home to stay active, I actually now feel rather overwhelmed by the sheer number of YouTube live streams and classes and apps and brilliantly inventive obstacle courses on social media which I could never hope to recreate. Where on earth to begin?</p>
<p>My kids, at least, seem best to take to new versions of familiar favourites. Our local gym has put on a timetable of classes via Zoom, including a daily kids&rsquo; one. They&rsquo;ve been doing the real life version twice a week for a while, so this has novelty (&ldquo;He can see us at home!&rdquo;) combined with familiarity. If you are lucky, perhaps a sports club that your kids usually attend are doing something similar on an online platform. That way, they also get to feel connected to that community, and part of their lives that's so suddenly vanished.</p>
<p>But they also like silly stuff, particularly younger kids. When &ndash; in happier times &ndash; the weather is rubbish and my girls are reluctant to go out, I set up circuit sessions for them. That might seem a bit hard core but it&rsquo;s all just stuff that kids thrive on. So for instance:</p>
<p>4 or 5 sets of these exercises, 1 minute each, with 30 seconds rest between each exercise (Timings are of course, entirely discretionary!)</p>
<h3>Jumping jacks</h3>
<p><img src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeL/71bb2afd-06b5-45fb-a615-6dc714d0bf7f.png?cachebuster=f19d23e6-8a49-4ccb-bc81-949ca61cd3e5" alt="Jumping jacks" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<h3><br />Bear crawls</h3>
<p><img src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeL/fd351519-d228-4df8-b303-5ff8c0e2a27c.png?cachebuster=5f4bd619-8339-45d8-a4c2-c0a28a8af86a" alt="Bear crawls" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<h3><br />Jumps &ndash; imitating a frog on a hotplate</h3>
<p><img src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeL/8d1e90b9-5ff6-4b7d-b82d-1e6e6c14bcc6.png?cachebuster=b5327aab-fd70-42f1-bc7e-ccecfa9258b5" alt="Frog jumps" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<h3><br />Moving between plank position and downward dog, nice and slowly</h3>
<p><img src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeL/10432c70-c6e3-47dc-b431-6e30fdc60548.png?cachebuster=bd9416a2-9460-4acf-a55a-b6c518a36ac2" alt="Plank to dog" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<h3><br />Crazy dancing</h3>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oejgTGo-BCc" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Naturally, crazy dancing is everyone&rsquo;s favourite exercise, but be warned: it MUST be performed with the proper technique; if you wouldn&rsquo;t be utterly embarrassed to be caught doing it, you really aren&rsquo;t doing it right.</p>
<p>If you worry that sounds like a lot &ndash; do give it a try. You&rsquo;ll probably find the kids are far fitter than you think &ndash; often far more than the adults, and especially when it comes to anything that uses mobility or core strength. That&rsquo;s my other health advisory warning: never, ever, indulge in competitive yoga with a small child. You WILL lose.</p>
<p>Other indoor exercise options that don&rsquo;t need classes are utilising a games console. That's particularly good for reluctant exercisers &ndash; something like Just Dance which gamifies movement. It's the exercise equivalent of smuggling vegetables into a soup or smoothie.</p>
<p>Alternatively, if you have a flight of stairs, put something small &ndash; a Lego brick say &ndash; on each step in a flight. Make them go up to the top one to retrieve it, all the way down. Then the second to top one, all the way down again. Then third from top, etc. When they get to the bottom, they have to make something with all the bricks as quickly as possible, then dismantle it, and do the whole thing in reverse putting one brick back at a time. A small jigsaw would also work &ndash; they just have to assemble it at 'half time'. They don&rsquo;t need to run or race &ndash; don&rsquo;t want them falling of course! &ndash; but they&rsquo;ll get a good workout even if they just walk up and down that many times.</p>
<p>A final devious plan I invented the other day: send the kids to fetch things from the laundry basket to the washing machine (move the laundry basket if it&rsquo;s too near!) but ONLY one at a time. Yes, even socks. If nothing else, it might just encourage them to be a bit more careful about getting food all over their clothes, right?</p>
<p><strong>Kate Carter for World Athletics</strong></p>

A week into lockdown – and home schooling – and I’m trying desperately to cling to some kind of timetable.

family workout home exercise parent kids

Family workouts to do at home

<p><br />When Jimmy Watkins started running again, he didn&rsquo;t have much of a plan.</p>
<p>No training schedule, no set distance or pace in mind. He was just going to run.</p>
<p>One thing he did know, though: &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t going to wear lycra for my first run.&rdquo;</p>
<p>He elaborates: &ldquo;Imagine if a chicken dies and gets reincarnated as a peacock. It wouldn&rsquo;t turn up outside Cardiff Castle on its first day back showing off all his feathers. He&rsquo;d still act like a chicken for a little bit.&rdquo;</p>
<p>So Watkins simply wore something comfortable. &ldquo;I dressed up like I was going for a walk, just in case I had to start walking,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I also took money with me, just in case I needed to buy something if I stopped.&rdquo;</p>
<p>His attire and fitness were a far cry from his past life as an international middle-distance runner. Back in 2006 Watkins reached the 800m final at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, having clocked a PB and Welsh indoor record of 1:47.23 in the semifinals.</p>
<p>Up against a quality field that included defending champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, 2004 Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy and 2008 Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei, Watkins led up until half way and eventually finished sixth.<br /><br /></p>
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<div style="background-image: url('https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Small/e010051e-3da0-474a-9def-d315ce41046f.jpg');">&nbsp;</div>
Jimmy Watkins leads the 800m final at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>But despite that promising breakthrough, Watkins walked away from the sport just 18 months later.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I fell out of love with it,&rdquo; says Watkins. &ldquo;I used to play rugby, but it had a lot of rules and I was always being told off. I enjoyed running, so I thought if I just ran then I'd be free to do what I want. But I got to a level with running where I suddenly found there were loads of rules in athletics too.</p>
<p>&ldquo;My decision to stop was pretty clear-cut for me,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;A lot of it came from not being selected for the Commonwealth Games which, as a Welshman, is a big deal. But there was also this moment when I was warming up for a race in Nijmegen. Next to the track was a little wooded area. I was running through there and it just reminded me so much of running in Wales as a kid. I did not want to stop doing that and go and race on the track. I was just so happy running through those woods.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It used to be that I couldn't wait to get on a track; that was where I wanted to be,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;But this was the first time that I felt the opposite and it was the moment I realised I no longer enjoyed running on a track.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think I was always chasing this freedom. I just always felt better if I was left alone, doing what I want to do. That's when I decided that it's going to have to be rock and roll.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
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<div style="background-image: url('https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Small/0fd75294-57c8-4b35-aa00-be7dbf0d49ce.jpg');">&nbsp;</div>
Jimmy Watkins in action at the 2006 British Indoor Championships</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>After his last full season in 2007, Watkins pursued a career in music and went on to have considerable success as the frontman of rock band Future of The Left and, more recently, with The Vega Bodegas.</p>
<p>But as much as Watkins enjoyed the freedom outside sport, the rock n&rsquo; roll lifestyle took its toll and became increasingly more difficult to balance with work life and family duties.</p>
<p>Then in October 2018, Watkins was given a surprise gift from his wife for his 36th birthday.</p>
<p>&ldquo;She bought me a frame with two pictures of the World Indoor Championships final in Moscow,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I uploaded a photo of the gift on Facebook and someone posted a comment with a link to the video of that race. I'd never seen it before, but when I watched it I suddenly realised that I hadn't just got fat and lazy, I'd actually lost a version of myself.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I kept looking at that guy in the photo and he looked so happy, so after a few weeks I decided I was going to start running again. I wanted to get back to being that guy &ndash; that was a bigger motivation to get back running, more so than just to lose a bit of weight.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I didn't start running straight away,&rdquo; he hastens to add. &ldquo;I wanted to have one last Christmas with the fat guy. I wanted to give him a proper send off.&rdquo;</p>
<p>After enjoying that festive period &ndash; his last one before returning to running &ndash; there was one final wake-up call.</p>
<p>&ldquo;On New Year's Eve in 2018, my favourite shirt exploded on my body,&rdquo; he recalls. &ldquo;I'd put so much weight on, a button popped off my shirt as I sat down in a bar. That button was a turning point for me.&rdquo;</p>
<p>More determined than ever, he went for a run on 1 January 2019 around his hometown of Llanelli, covering 5km in 22 minutes. The next day he did another 5km run, this one just outside 20 minutes. By the end of the week, he had done four runs and logged 27 kilometres.</p>
<p>Instead of a training plan, he started with a blank diary and simply wrote the word &lsquo;run&rsquo; on selected days. &ldquo;I'd look four weeks ahead in the diary and see the word 'run' and I could put myself in my body in four weeks' time, and then think about how good I'd feel once I'd done four weeks of running.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B52rWbpA9CL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jimmy Watkins (@nutbushjimmylimits)</a> on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2019-12-09T14:03:30+00:00">Dec 9, 2019 at 6:03am PST</time></p>
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<p><br />Most of Watkins&rsquo; early runs were near to maximum effort, but a friend recommended the book &lsquo;80/20 Running&rsquo; by Matt Fitzgerald which recommends that 80% of training runs should be slow and 20% hard.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It made complete sense,&rdquo; says Watkins. &ldquo;I found that when I wanted to do the harder sessions, I could run so much faster. It sounds weird, but my biggest improvements came when I ran slower.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Some people on Strava seem embarrassed to post slow times, but I always like going against the grain. To me it became a challenge to post my slowest run possible, then two days later I&rsquo;d go out and run as fast as I can, just to blow people&rsquo;s minds.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Megabus to the Ritz</h3>
<p>Since returning to running, Watkins posts regular updates on social media as a way of charting his progress and inspiring other runners. He also recently launched a podcast entitled &lsquo;<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://anchor.fm/jimmy-watkins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Megabus To The Ritz</a></strong></span>&rsquo;.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Imagine this Megabus (a low-budget UK bus operator) on the motorway coughing exhaust fumes everywhere,&rdquo; he says, explaining the name of his podcast. &ldquo;It's slightly bloated, it's full of people eating crisps, it stinks of feet. That was me over a year ago. The Ritz is the end goal. It's somewhere everybody wants to go.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Watkins is still on that journey, but he is getting closer and closer to his destination with each month. He is now down to 17:13 for 5km, 34:37 for 10km and 1:22:56 for the half marathon.<br /><br /></p>
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Jimmy Watkins at the Ammanford 10K</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>After hearing of his comeback, two film makers from London met up with Watkins with a view to making a documentary about him. Their premise for the film was for Watkins to return to racing the 800m.</p>
<p>&ldquo;At first I thought there's no way I'm getting back on a track,&rdquo; says Watkins. &ldquo;Up until then it was honestly something I hadn't thought about, but I spoke to my old coach (Arwyn Davies) and he said, 'yeah, you can do it &ndash; come down and do a session'.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I did a session and I enjoyed it. I saw a load of people I hadn't seen in years and they were all really excited that I was on the track again. So I thought what the hell, let's do a 600m and see what happens and then take it from there.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In his first track race for more than a decade, Watkins clocked a respectable 1:30.47 for 600m.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I thought I could just jog through 400m in 60 seconds and then maintain that, but once I race started, I suddenly realised that 60 seconds is fast.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Although I've been kind of forced into doing it, I fell in love with the track again as soon as I started running on it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Watkins has now set himself the challenge of running a sub-two-minute 800m by the end of the year.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I've never run outside two minutes for an 800m so it would be really cool to have that long break from running and still run inside two minutes,&rdquo; he says.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A sub-two would be the biggest prawn cocktail ever at the Ritz. I would also love a 32-minute 10km. And a 15-minute 5km. Those are my three dishes at the Ritz.&rdquo;</p>
<hr />
<h4 style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Watch:</strong> Jimmy Watkins' five tricks to stay motivated</h4>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dwr4_BnNYZY" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<hr />
<h3><br />The difficult second album</h3>
<p>As a musician, Watkins knows all too well that it&rsquo;s never easy when trying to follow up a successful first album with a second offering.</p>
<p>But, as a runner, he also knows how to find happiness and satisfaction in what he does.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I would be totally happy simply using running as a way of keeping fit and motivating others,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;But if I get a bit miserable when training isn't going well and then overcome it by running a fast time, that would make me even happier. So I'm motivated by misery and happiness.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Whether he achieves the running goals he has set himself for 2020, Watkins has already benefitted from getting back into running.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A lot of athletes who stop early in their career don't want to go back because they&rsquo;re afraid to open those wounds,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;But for me it has made it so much easier to live with my past.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Before, the two parts of my life &ndash; running and music &ndash; just blended in. That combination of a runner's lifestyle and being in a band created a lot of regret. But returning to running has helped separate what I did as a runner and what I did as a musician.<br /><br /></p>
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Jimmy Watkins at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Everyone carries emotional baggage around with them. By chopping mine into two chunks, it's so much easier to carry. Now I know: that's when my running ended, and that's when I went on that weird rock and roll adventure. It's made it neater.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It's kind of made me prouder of what I did as an athlete,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;And it's made me happy that I did walk away when I did. I've had so many experiences that I wouldn't have had if I had kept on running.</p>
<p>&ldquo;And had I not gone back, I'd have probably looked back on my track career with disappointment at, say, not running a 1:45 or making a major outdoor champs team. But now I look back and I'm like, 'you know what, I did alright there'.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics</strong></p>
<p><em><strong>&bull;</strong> Follow Jimmy Watkins on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/nutbushjimmylimits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a></strong></span>, <a href="https://twitter.com/littletimmkins" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Twitter</strong></span></a>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKpp8KMWBgDvUIOfO9-6dMg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.strava.com/athletes/10561010" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strava</a></strong></span>.<br />His podcast, <a href="https://anchor.fm/jimmy-watkins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Megabus To The Ritz</strong></span></a>, can be downloaded from all the main platforms.<br /></em></p>

When Jimmy Watkins started running again, he didn’t have much of a plan.


When Jimmy Watkins started running again, he didn’t have much of a plan.
No training schedule, no set distance or pace in mind. He was just going to run.
One thing he did know, though: “I wasn’t going to wear lycra for my first run.”
He elaborates: “Imagine if a chicken dies and gets reincarnated as a peacock. It wouldn’t turn up outside Cardiff Castle on its first day back showing off all his feathers. He’d still act like a chicken for a little bit.”
So Watkins simply wore something comfortable. “I dressed up like I was going for a walk, just in case I had to start walking,” he says. “I also took money with me, just in case I needed to buy something if I stopped.”
His attire and fitness were a far cry from his past life as an international middle-distance runner. Back in 2006 Watkins reached the 800m final at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, having clocked a PB and Welsh indoor record of 1:47.23 in the semifinals.
Up against a quality field that included defending champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, 2004 Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy and 2008 Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei, Watkins led up until half way and eventually finished sixth. 
Jimmy Watkins leads the 800m final at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow
 
But despite that promising breakthrough, Watkins walked away from the sport just 18 months later.
“I fell out of love with it,” says Watkins. “I used to play rugby, but it had a lot of rules and I was always being told off. I enjoyed running, so I thought if I just ran then I'd be free to do what I want. But I got to a level with running where I suddenly found there were loads of rules in athletics too.
“My decision to stop was pretty clear-cut for me,” he adds. “A lot of it came from not being selected for the Commonwealth Games which, as a Welshman, is a big deal. But there was also this moment when I was warming up for a race in Nijmegen. Next to the track was a little wooded area. I was running through there and it just reminded me so much of running in Wales as a kid. I did not want to stop doing that and go and race on the track. I was just so happy running through those woods.
“It used to be that I couldn't wait to get on a track; that was where I wanted to be,” he says. “But this was the first time that I felt the opposite and it was the moment I realised I no longer enjoyed running on a track.
“I think I was always chasing this freedom. I just always felt better if I was left alone, doing what I want to do. That's when I decided that it's going to have to be rock and roll.” 
Jimmy Watkins in action at the 2006 British Indoor Championships
 
After his last full season in 2007, Watkins pursued a career in music and went on to have considerable success as the frontman of rock band Future of The Left and, more recently, with The Vega Bodegas.
But as much as Watkins enjoyed the freedom outside sport, the rock n’ roll lifestyle took its toll and became increasingly more difficult to balance with work life and family duties.
Then in October 2018, Watkins was given a surprise gift from his wife for his 36th birthday.
“She bought me a frame with two pictures of the World Indoor Championships final in Moscow,” he says. “I uploaded a photo of the gift on Facebook and someone posted a comment with a link to the video of that race. I'd never seen it before, but when I watched it I suddenly realised that I hadn't just got fat and lazy, I'd actually lost a version of myself.
“I kept looking at that guy in the photo and he looked so happy, so after a few weeks I decided I was going to start running again. I wanted to get back to being that guy – that was a bigger motivation to get back running, more so than just to lose a bit of weight.
“I didn't start running straight away,” he hastens to add. “I wanted to have one last Christmas with the fat guy. I wanted to give him a proper send off.”
After enjoying that festive period – his last one before returning to running – there was one final wake-up call.
“On New Year's Eve in 2018, my favourite shirt exploded on my body,” he recalls. “I'd put so much weight on, a button popped off my shirt as I sat down in a bar. That button was a turning point for me.”
More determined than ever, he went for a run on 1 January 2019 around his hometown of Llanelli, covering 5km in 22 minutes. The next day he did another 5km run, this one just outside 20 minutes. By the end of the week, he had done four runs and logged 27 kilometres.
Instead of a training plan, he started with a blank diary and simply wrote the word ‘run’ on selected days. “I'd look four weeks ahead in the diary and see the word 'run' and I could put myself in my body in four weeks' time, and then think about how good I'd feel once I'd done four weeks of running.”     View this post on Instagram           
A post shared by Jimmy Watkins (@nutbushjimmylimits) on Dec 9, 2019 at 6:03am PST

Most of Watkins’ early runs were near to maximum effort, but a friend recommended the book ‘80/20 Running’ by Matt Fitzgerald which recommends that 80% of training runs should be slow and 20% hard.
“It made complete sense,” says Watkins. “I found that when I wanted to do the harder sessions, I could run so much faster. It sounds weird, but my biggest improvements came when I ran slower.
“Some people on Strava seem embarrassed to post slow times, but I always like going against the grain. To me it became a challenge to post my slowest run possible, then two days later I’d go out and run as fast as I can, just to blow people’s minds.”Megabus to the Ritz
Since returning to running, Watkins posts regular updates on social media as a way of charting his progress and inspiring other runners. He also recently launched a podcast entitled ‘Megabus To The Ritz’.
“Imagine this Megabus (a low-budget UK bus operator) on the motorway coughing exhaust fumes everywhere,” he says, explaining the name of his podcast. “It's slightly bloated, it's full of people eating crisps, it stinks of feet. That was me over a year ago. The Ritz is the end goal. It's somewhere everybody wants to go.”
Watkins is still on that journey, but he is getting closer and closer to his destination with each month. He is now down to 17:13 for 5km, 34:37 for 10km and 1:22:56 for the half marathon. 
Jimmy Watkins at the Ammanford 10K
 
After hearing of his comeback, two film makers from London met up with Watkins with a view to making a documentary about him. Their premise for the film was for Watkins to return to racing the 800m.
“At first I thought there's no way I'm getting back on a track,” says Watkins. “Up until then it was honestly something I hadn't thought about, but I spoke to my old coach (Arwyn Davies) and he said, 'yeah, you can do it – come down and do a session'.
“I did a session and I enjoyed it. I saw a load of people I hadn't seen in years and they were all really excited that I was on the track again. So I thought what the hell, let's do a 600m and see what happens and then take it from there.”
In his first track race for more than a decade, Watkins clocked a respectable 1:30.47 for 600m.
“I thought I could just jog through 400m in 60 seconds and then maintain that, but once I race started, I suddenly realised that 60 seconds is fast.
“Although I've been kind of forced into doing it, I fell in love with the track again as soon as I started running on it.”
Watkins has now set himself the challenge of running a sub-two-minute 800m by the end of the year.
“I've never run outside two minutes for an 800m so it would be really cool to have that long break from running and still run inside two minutes,” he says.
“A sub-two would be the biggest prawn cocktail ever at the Ritz. I would also love a 32-minute 10km. And a 15-minute 5km. Those are my three dishes at the Ritz.”Watch: Jimmy Watkins' five tricks to stay motivated
The difficult second album
As a musician, Watkins knows all too well that it’s never easy when trying to follow up a successful first album with a second offering.
But, as a runner, he also knows how to find happiness and satisfaction in what he does.
“I would be totally happy simply using running as a way of keeping fit and motivating others,” he says. “But if I get a bit miserable when training isn't going well and then overcome it by running a fast time, that would make me even happier. So I'm motivated by misery and happiness.”
Whether he achieves the running goals he has set himself for 2020, Watkins has already benefitted from getting back into running.
“A lot of athletes who stop early in their career don't want to go back because they’re afraid to open those wounds,” he says. “But for me it has made it so much easier to live with my past.
“Before, the two parts of my life – running and music – just blended in. That combination of a runner's lifestyle and being in a band created a lot of regret. But returning to running has helped separate what I did as a runner and what I did as a musician. 
Jimmy Watkins at the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow
 
“Everyone carries emotional baggage around with them. By chopping mine into two chunks, it's so much easier to carry. Now I know: that's when my running ended, and that's when I went on that weird rock and roll adventure. It's made it neater.
“It's kind of made me prouder of what I did as an athlete,” he adds. “And it's made me happy that I did walk away when I did. I've had so many experiences that I wouldn't have had if I had kept on running.
“And had I not gone back, I'd have probably looked back on my track career with disappointment at, say, not running a 1:45 or making a major outdoor champs team. But now I look back and I'm like, 'you know what, I did alright there'.”
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
• Follow Jimmy Watkins on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Strava.His podcast, Megabus To The Ritz, can be downloaded from all the main platforms.

Jimmy Watkins runner Britain 800m

Jimmy Watkins: running, rock 'n roll and The Ritz

<p>Australia&rsquo;s Sinead Diver finished just 32 seconds shy of a podium place at last weekend&rsquo;s New York City Marathon.</p>
<p>Racing against some of the world&rsquo;s best road runners, it will have been a huge confidence booster for the 42-year-old ahead of next year&rsquo;s Olympic Games. But had it not been for a team fun-running event that her sister had organised at her work, Diver may never have got into running in the first place.</p>
<p>&ldquo;My sister needed somebody to fill in on her team as they were missing someone, so she asked me would I run,&rdquo; explains Diver (pronounced &lsquo;Divver&rsquo;). &ldquo;One of the guys there thought I was pretty quick and said I should join a running club.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Aged 33 at the time and with no real running background, Diver started to train more seriously, partly as a way to get fit after giving birth to Eddie, the first of her two children, and partly to see if she did have some latent talent, as people had suggested.</p>
<p>She joined the &lsquo;Crosbie Crew&rsquo;, coached by Tim Crosbie, soon after and progressed rapidly. She initially competed at national level in Australia and flirted with different distances on the track and roads before making her big breakthrough in 2014 in her debut marathon in Melbourne.</p>
<p>Running 2:34:15, Diver easily achieved the qualification standard for the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 and faced a difficult decision on which country to represent: Ireland or Australia. Having lived in Ireland until the age of 25, she moved to Melbourne in 2002 with her now husband Colin and has lived there ever since.<br /><br /></p>
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Australia's Sinead Diver in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships London 2017</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I thought I would run for Ireland,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Irish after all. But then Athletics Ireland changed their qualifying time for Beijing to 45 seconds faster than my time from Melbourne. It was upsetting and I took it a bit personally.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Thankfully Athletics Australia offered me a spot on the team and by then I had lived in Australia for 12 years and I was set up there, so I was delighted to represent them and have done so ever since.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Diver finished 21st in the marathon in Beijing and followed it up with 20th at the IAAF World Championships London 2017. Since making her breakthrough into world-class territory with a clocking of 2:25:19 at last year&rsquo;s Melbourne Marathon, she has joined the Melbourne Track Club coached by Nic Bideau.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Moving to Nic has helped me take the next step in my running career," she says. "I&rsquo;ve moved to the next level and my training has changed quite a bit. I&rsquo;m now training in a group of elite athletes and being around them has made a massive difference to my running. I&rsquo;m really glad I made the move.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The switch has paid dividends and Diver finished an impressive seventh at this year&rsquo;s London Marathon in 2:24:11, securing qualification for next year&rsquo;s Tokyo Olympics. It also put her third on the Oceanian all-time list, just 95 seconds shy of the continental record held by Benita Willis-Johnson.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The London Marathon was brilliant,&rdquo; says Diver. &ldquo;I went there aiming for 2:23 but unfortunately it was a bit windy. I led the race for half of it which was unexpected and was a bit of fun. I really loved the experience.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Diver followed it up with a 14th-place finish in the 10,000m at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 with 31:25.49, just half a second outside the automatic Olympic qualification standard. Her 2:26:23 clocking in New York was Diver&rsquo;s first race since returning from the Qatari capital, but she is already fully focused on next year&rsquo;s Olympic Games.<br /><br /></p>
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Australian distance runner Sinead Diver</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Having missed out on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games due to a knee injury caused by the cuboid bone in her foot, competing in Tokyo will be extra special for Diver.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Missing out on Rio was really hard to stomach, so to compete in Tokyo would be a dream come true,&rdquo; she says. "The Olympics is the pinnacle of sport. It would be amazing to be part of it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Now aged 42 and showing no signs of slowing down, Diver believes it&rsquo;s never too late to take up a sport for the first time and that people should ignore those who say it&rsquo;s not possible to excel at a mature age.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If you feel good enough to do it, then give it a go,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Nobody else can tell you what your body is capable of. There is nothing to suggest that when you turn 40 you need to fall apart. It hasn&rsquo;t happened for me and I feel fitter than I was 10 years ago.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If I can do it then I can&rsquo;t see why other people can&rsquo;t do it too.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>James Sullivan for the IAAF</strong></p>

Australia’s Sinead Diver finished just 32 seconds shy of a podium place at last weekend’s New York City Marathon.

Sinead Diver Australia marathon Olympics masters

Diver: 'Nobody can tell you what your body is capable of'

<p>Runners are creatures of habit &ndash; addicts, but in a good way. As such, we have an ability to carve time out of even the busiest days to hit the road/trails/park and sate the desire.</p>
<p>That can be difficult when routines are thrown out of kilter and travel &ndash; whether for business or pleasure &ndash; is often a reason running takes a back seat. But it doesn&rsquo;t have to be. There are few better ways to see a new city than lacing up the shoes.</p>
<p>Not only does time seem to pass a whole lot faster when sightseeing along the way, but you end up taking in a whole lot more with your eyes than the tourists gazing at the world through a phone camera&rsquo;s lens. So here, without further ado, are some suggestions for your next run in 10 of the world&rsquo;s most visited cities.</p>
<h3>New York</h3>
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Runners on the loop around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in New York</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The green lung in the heart of the Big Apple, Central Park is an oasis of calm amid the concrete jungle. A run here of just about any distance is what dreams are made of, its green tranquillity juxtaposed with towering skyscrapers flanking its southern end. A full loop of the park taking a road or trail by its perimeter will see you cover about 10K, but there are many shorter options. There is a soft cinder 2.5K loop around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir that offers spectacular views of the city, while you can enter at West 65th street to get on the Bridle Path loops (2.6K/4K), which are a great way to get the miles in on a soft surface &ndash; just make sure to watch out for horses, who have right of way. You can also hit the roads of Central Park (which are now closed to cars) and imagine yourself powering through the closing miles of the New York City Marathon. The last 5K of the great race runs through the park and finishes by Tavern on the Green on the west side of the park.</p>
<h3>Dubai</h3>
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Jumeirah Beach in Dubai</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The temperatures may make you want to stay indoors at certain times of the year, but Dubai has an array of green spaces and breezy running routes that are ideal places to get your running fix. Zabeel Park is one of the best, which is near Al Jafilya metro station. Open 24/7, it has a cushioned running track looping near its perimeter that is 2K and free to use. It&rsquo;s a hub of activity every morning and evening and is a great place to meet fellow runners from all over the world.&nbsp; Al Safa Park is also extremely popular with running groups and has a 3.5K running track along its perimeter. Burj Park winds through downtown Dubai and at a length of 5K, it offers a stunning view of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountains. Fed up with parks? Venture along the 8K track by the Dubai Marina which has some of the city&rsquo;s best views or if you&rsquo;re feeling ambitious, try the 14K track alongside Jumeirah Beach from the Dubai Marine Beach to the Burj Al Arab.</p>
<h3>London</h3>
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A runner on Primrose Hill in London</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>As hectic as London can sometimes feel, the city has a rich array of green spaces to free your body and settle your mind. One of the best places to run is Regent&rsquo;s Park and Primrose Hill in north London, where a 4K loop around the perimeter not only gives your legs a serious workout (note: <em>hill</em>) but also offers a stunning view of the city. You can get there easily by taking the Bakerloo line to Regent&rsquo;s Park station. Hampstead Heath is another runners&rsquo; paradise with a variety of grassland and wooded trails, while if you&rsquo;re staying more central it&rsquo;s hard to beat the 11.6K Diana Memorial run, which goes from Buckingham Palace through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St James Park &ndash; all beautifully maintained and well serviced by the city&rsquo;s tube (metro) system. If parks aren&rsquo;t your thing, try the 5K loop that takes you over London&rsquo;s two iconic footbridges: cross the Golden Jubilee Bridge before running the Thames Path to the Millennium Bridge before looping back on the other side. You&rsquo;ll want to bring your phone to capture the views from either bridge but please, leave the selfie stick at home.</p>
<h3>Bangkok</h3>
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Benjakitti Park in Bangkok</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>While the heat and humidity can be stifling, there&rsquo;s no reason not to bring your running shoes if you&rsquo;re visiting Thailand&rsquo;s captivating capital. The streets and footpaths can be crowded and slightly chaotic so the best option is the city&rsquo;s parks. Lumpini Park offers 57 acres of lush green space, plenty of shade and a running loop that covers 2.5K. To get there head for Rama IV Road in Wangmai. If you find yourself keen to expand further then run to nearby Benjakitti Park for a loop around the lake. Chatuchak Park is not as big but another great option that has markers along the loop to measure distance. If you&rsquo;re looking for some interval training, the National Stadium is in the centre of the city and boasts a 400m track and outdoor fitness area. There are also a variety of river runs, with one option being to start at the Hua Chang Bridge Pier and head west along the Chao Phraya River, which takes you past some of the city&rsquo;s most beautiful Buddhist temples.</p>
<h3>Paris</h3>
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Running along the banks of the Seine in Paris</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;re staying in the centre of the city, a run along the banks of the Seine is a wonderful way to catch the top sights. From Notre Dame to the Louvre, Place de La Concorde to the Eiffel Tower, it&rsquo;s a run that offers so many heavy-hitting tourist attractions you won&rsquo;t even notice the time passing. There are multiple parks that make for a magnificent running experience, with Jardin de Plantes (57 Rue Cuvier) offering a scenic 1.2K loop around its perimeter and Jardin de Tuileries (in front of the Louvre) boasting a 2.5K loop. Jardin du Luxembourg is a beautiful oasis of calm with a 2K perimeter path, about the same length as that of the Champs de Mars. For a longer run, it&rsquo;s hard to beat the Bois de Boulogne, which attracts hundreds of runners every evening and boasts more trails (about 50 kilometres) than you&rsquo;ll be able to get through in a weekend. All the more reason to return to the City of Light.</p>
<h3>Tokyo</h3>
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Running around Tokyo's Imperial Palace Gardens at night</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Few nations respect and appreciate the art of distance running quite like the Japanese. As such, it&rsquo;s no surprise that in this densely populated capital city there are a host of great places to run. The Imperial Palace gardens &ndash; accessible by five different gates which are all near major train stations &ndash; are a splendid, scenic option in the centre of the city, where you can choose between a 2.5K or 5K loop. Yoyogi Park is another hugely popular retreat, where a 2.2K paved path is available for use 24/7 and there are countless other options for those looking to go long. In Eastern Tokyo, a great option is to run along the Sumida River Terrace, which has a flat path that goes along both sides of the river. However, the path has little shade so if visiting in high summer it&rsquo;s best to run in the morning or at night. If you&rsquo;d prefer to feel the ocean breeze on your face, take a run around Odaiba, a man-made island with wide, flat trails that have 5K and 7K marked options so you can take your eyes off the GPS and enjoy the various monuments like Rainbow Bridge, the Odaiba Statue of Liberty or the Palette Town ferris wheel.</p>
<h3>Johannesburg</h3>
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Braamfontein Spruit in Johannesburg</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Africa&rsquo;s most visited city is also a great place to get some miles in the legs. A popular choice is the Braamfontein Spruit, where you can take a 4.3K loop south of the Emmarentia Dam through the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens. Need to get a longer run in? Try Kings Kloof, which boasts a labyrinth of running trails that cover a distance of 22K, with incredible views of valleys and no shortage of river crossings and natural pools to make you feel truly connected to nature. Parkhurst is a popular spot with the city&rsquo;s bikers, runners and walkers and while a run through Delta Park will make you work &ndash; given the inclines &ndash; the views you&rsquo;re rewarded with make it worthwhile. Parkview, the perimeter of Johannesburg Zoo and Westcliff are other great options that are ideal for a 5K or 10K jaunt.</p>
<h3>Rio de Janeiro</h3>
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Runners on Copacabana Beach</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s start with the place everyone knows best: the Copacabana beach. Running from one end of it to the other and back racks up just over 8K on the GPS and is pancake flat. While you can run on the soft, pristine sand, it&rsquo;s best to stick to the path alongside the shore where the biggest obstacle you&rsquo;ll face is keeping your eyes off the stunning view and avoiding the multiple other walkers, runners, cyclists and skateboarders. Another great seaside run is to go from the Leblon to Ipanema and back, which is a round trip of 8K and has equally stunning beach views. But for the Cariocas (Rio residents), a preferred option is Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, or lagoon, which is well serviced by public transport and hosted the Olympic rowing events in 2016. A 7.4K run around its perimeter offers views of Christ the Redeemer sitting atop the imposing Corcovado mountain and distances on that loop are marked every 200 metres.</p>
<h3>Melbourne</h3>
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Runners jog around Albert Park Lake in Melbourne</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Any runner worth their salt in Melbourne can tell you all about The Tan (and probably their best time for it), a 3.8K loop that circles the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens. The official starting point is at the Pillars of Wisdom. It&rsquo;s a hugely popular run and it&rsquo;s easy to see why, with plenty of shade, greenery and great views of the Yarra River. Elsewhere in Melbourne Albert Park Lake offers a flat asphalt walking/running loop of 4.9K that offers great views of the city skyline, while if it&rsquo;s a longer run you&rsquo;re after try the 11K route from Port Melbourne to Elwood along the Hobsons Bay coastline. Princes Park, with its 3.2K loop and flat, soft gravel track is another great option. If it&rsquo;s hills you&rsquo;re after, the Yarra Trails are an ideal option to get some natural highs.</p>
<h3>Singapore</h3>
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Marina Bay in Singapore</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite its minuscule size, Singapore offers some superb options for runners. Jurong Lake Park is an ideal spot to lace up your running shoes and stretches 10K along Jurong Lake, where you can choose between a concrete path or go off-road on gravel paths. To get there head to 104 Yuan Ching Road. For stunning views, you could also try a run along the Marina Bay, though be ready to dodge the multiple walkers who have the same idea every evening. East Coast Park is a big favourite of local runners, with wide pavements that stretch over 20K in length, while for a slice of tranquillity try a run at MacRitchie Reservoir where the mixture of trails and boardwalk loops run up to 10K in length. Punggol Park and Coney Island are other peaceful places to get the miles in, where the cool breeze will make things a whole lot easier.</p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><strong>Cathal Dennehy</strong></p>

Runners are creatures of habit – addicts, but in a good way. As such, we have an ability to carve time out of even the busiest days to hit the road/trails/park and sate the desire. 

Best big cities running world guide

Cities of the world – a runner’s guide 

<p>One of the many great things about running is that it takes you to some incredible places &ndash; and you get to experience them up close and personal, on foot.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s not just the challenging terrain that makes these routes so breath-taking; it&rsquo;s the scenery and experiences that come with them. You can watch the sun rise from a mountain top, you can taste local delicacies in remote huts and learn about native flora and fauna from local guides.</p>
<p>Some dream destinations may still be impractical to visit, but we take a look at some of the amazing running locations where you can enjoy the beauty of <a href="http://www.wmra.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>mountain</strong></span></a> and trail running.</p>
<h3><br />Banff National Park, Canada</h3>
<p>Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Banff National Park offers an incredible array of routes for runners, including mountains, canyons, lakes and glaciers. There are so many beautiful sights nearby, such as Lake O&rsquo;Hara.</p>
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Banff National Park in Canada</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/lake-minnewanka-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lake Minnewanka Trail</a></strong></span> offers a flatter option, or try the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/eiffel-peak-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eiffel Peak Trail</a></strong></span> for something more mountainous.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://banffmarathon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Banff Marathon</a></strong></span> must be one of the most picturesque marathons around. If 42km isn&rsquo;t your thing, there&rsquo;s also a half marathon and 10km option.</p>
<h3><br />East Tyrol, Austria</h3>
<p>Home to the High Tauern National Park and beautiful mountains such as the highest peak in Austria, the imposing 3798m Grossglockner, this area is a must for fans of high Alpine running. Featuring one of the highest mountain roads in Europe and a high probability of seeing marmots, it is magnificent high alpine scenery.</p>
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The Grossglocknerberglauf</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> there is a large network of trails with a variety of distances and ascent to suit any runner, but starting in the picturesque village of <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/austria/carinthia/heiligenblut" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heiligenblut</strong></span></a> allows you to run into the long valley with great vistas of the Grossglockner.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.wmra.info/world-cup-race-3-grossglocknerlauf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grossglocknerlauf</a></strong></span> has 1500m of ascent over just 12.7km, but will reward you with unforgettable views.</p>
<h3><br />The Dolomites, Italy</h3>
<p>Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, the jagged peaks of the Dolomites really take your breath away. Incorporating 22 peaks of about 3000m, you can really take your pick if you love mountain running, and there are 57 marked trails to follow.</p>
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The Dolomites</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the 15km <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.alltrails.com/parks/italy/trentino-south-tyrol/the-puez-odle-nature-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Puez Circuit</a></strong></span> or, for a longer adventure, tackle one of the Alta Via (high routes) over several days.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> <a href="http://www.wmra.info/world-cup-race-6-drei-zinnenlauf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Drei Zinnen Alpine Run</strong></span></a>, Lavaredo Ultra Trail.</p>
<h3><br />New Zealand</h3>
<p>If epic wide-open spaces are your thing then New Zealand has them in droves. And as for mountains, the &lsquo;Southern Alps&rsquo; on the South Island boast an unbelievable 37 peaks over 2900m.</p>
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The Routeburn Track in New Zealand</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the 32km <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/fiordland/places/fiordland-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/routeburn-track/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Routeburn Track</strong></span></a></p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://keplerchallenge.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kepler Challenge</a></strong></span> is the most historic mountain race in the country, offering the full circuit option of 60km or the 27km Luxmore Grunt Mountain Run.</p>
<h3><br />Chamonix, France</h3>
<p>A mecca for runners from all over the world, in no small part due to iconic races such as the Mont Blanc Marathon and Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, there are miles and miles of Alpine trails, punctuated by the odd turquoise lake or mountain hut.</p>
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Lac Blanc, Chamonix</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> head up to Flegere and over to Lac Blanc to experience stunning views and a perfect lake.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.montblancmarathon.net/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mont Blanc Marathon</a></span></strong>, one of the UTMB races.</p>
<h3><br />Manaslu region, Nepal</h3>
<p>The Himalayas is a dream destination for mountain running and is becoming more accessible for runners to get to, with guided runs and races. Stay in mountain lodges and experience the local culture.</p>
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Ribum Monastery on the Manaslu Circuit Trek</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the <a href="https://www.greathimalayatrail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Great Himalaya Trail</strong></span></a></p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> <a href="https://manaslutrailrace.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Manaslu Trail Race</strong></span></a>, <a href="https://mustangtrailrace.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mustang Trail Race</strong></span></a></p>
<h3><br />Glen Coe, Scotland</h3>
<p>With incredible ridges and dramatic valleys formed from ice age glaciers, there&rsquo;s something for every runner here, whether you&rsquo;re a thrill seeker who&rsquo;s a confident scrambler or looking for an undulating trail.</p>
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Kinlochleven skyline in Glen Coe</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.westhighlandway.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Highland Way</a></strong></span>. You can do it in stages and get a travel company to transport your bags.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.skylinescotland.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Skyline Scotland weekend</a></strong></span> has something for every runner, from a 5km to highly technical mountain running.</p>
<h3><br />Hong Kong</h3>
<p>A vibrant running culture and a land of incredibly varied terrain, trails are easily accessible right from the congested city centre. And if you&rsquo;re feeling adventurous, you can view the epic skyline from high above.</p>
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Tai Mo Shan in Hong Kong</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.hiking.gov.hk/eng/longtrail/hktrail/hktrail2.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hong Kong Trail</strong></a></span></p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <a href="https://www.the9dragons.asia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>9 Dragons Ultra</strong></span></a> has options from 10km to 50 miles.</p>
<h3><br />Iceland</h3>
<p>If you&rsquo;re looking for something different from your terrain then Iceland will certainly deliver it. Glaciers, volcanoes, lava formations and hot springs are just some of the features you&rsquo;ll encounter while running here.</p>
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Laugavegur, Iceland</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> run on the trails around the <a href="https://www.thingvellir.is/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Thingvellir National Park</strong></span></a>, where two tectonic plates meet.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.laugavegshlaup.is/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Laugavegur Ultramarathon</a></strong></span>, which takes place on a famous 55km trail and is much loved by hikers.</p>
<h3><br />Silverton, Colorado, USA</h3>
<p>Silverton sits at 2800m in the San Juan mountains &ndash; and you just go up from there! There are many options for runners, ranging from picturesque loops round lakes to extremely tough mountain runs.</p>
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Silverton, Colorado</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/island-lake-via-ice-lakes-trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Island Lake Trail</a></strong></span> or <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/imogene-pass" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Imogene Pass</strong></span></a>.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the <a href="https://hardrock100.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Hardrock 100</strong></span></a> for the brave (or lucky if you can get in the ballot). If you like uphill running, try the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aravaiparunning.com/kendall-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Mountain Run</a></strong></span>.</p>
<h3><br />Zermatt, Switzerland</h3>
<p>With stunning 4000-metre peaks all around, you can&rsquo;t fail to inspire your running. There are miles of trails for every level of runner, whether you enjoy Alpine ascents or lakes and woodland trails.</p>
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Zermatt, Switzerland</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/e33f6fa5-6cbf-45cf-acab-0010bc38688d.png" alt="route" align="left" />Routes to try:</strong> the <a href="https://www.zermatt.ch/en/Media/Planning-hikes-tours/Matterhorn-Trail-Nr.-29" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Matterhorn Trail</strong></span></a> will take you from Zermatt to the foot of the mighty Matterhorn.</p>
<p><strong><img style="width: 36px; height: 30px; margin-right: 10px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/ff660e0b-c3cc-4f2e-81df-fe9386f7bddc.png" alt="race icon" align="left" />Races to enter:</strong> the iconic 31km <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.wmra.info/world-cup-race-5-sierre-zinal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sierre-Zinal Race</a></strong></span> located just down the valley, or the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ultratourmonterosa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ultra Tour Monte Rosa</a></strong></span>, where distances range from 21km to 100 miles.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong>&bull;</strong> Find a full range of mountain races throughout the year at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.wmra.info/calendar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wmra.info/calendar</a></strong></span></em></p>

One of the many great things about running is that it takes you to some incredible places – and you get to experience them up close and personal, on foot.