A running watch can tell you what happened on today’s run. TrainingPeaks helps you see how that run fits into the weeks around it. Its app and website bring planned sessions, completed workouts and training data into one calendar, whether you follow a plan, work with a coach or organise your own running. That wider view can be useful when you are building towards a race, but the amount of data may feel excessive if you simply want to run regularly. This guide explains how TrainingPeaks works, what you get with a free account and when Premium might be worth paying for. What Is TrainingPeaks? TrainingPeaks is a training calendar and analysis platform used across running, cycling and other endurance sports. You can use its mobile app or website to record workouts, follow a training plan and review your progress over time. You can manage your own training or connect your account to a coach. A coach can add workouts to your calendar, see the sessions you complete and read your comments alongside the recorded data when deciding what comes next. How Do You Set Up TrainingPeaks? After creating an athlete account, you can add a goal event and connect the watch or app you use to record your runs. Completed activities can then appear in your TrainingPeaks calendar. You can also enter workouts manually. TrainingPeaks lets you set training zones based on measures such as pace, heart rate or running power. These settings affect workout targets and some of the analysis, so they deserve attention. If you are unsure of your current threshold, start with a reasonable estimate and revisit it as you gather more training data. Read more about running metrics here. How Does The Training Calendar Work? The calendar shows planned sessions alongside completed workouts. That makes it easier to see the shape of a training week: where the harder runs sit, how your long runs are progressing and whether there is enough space for recovery. It also makes changes easier to judge. If you miss a workout, you can look at the rest of the week before deciding whether to move it. You do not need to squeeze every missed session back into the plan, particularly if doing so would put two demanding runs too close together. With a compatible device connection, you may also be able to send a structured workout to your watch and follow its steps during the run. Check what your particular watch supports, as recording a run and receiving a planned workout are different functions. Can You Follow A Training Plan? Yes. TrainingPeaks can hold a plan from a coach or one you choose from its training plan store. You can use a plan with a free Basic athlete account, although your own planning and analysis tools will be more limited than they would be with Premium. Training plans are generally separate purchases. A Premium subscription does not give you unlimited access to every plan in the store, and it does not include personal coaching. Before buying a plan, check its starting level, weekly running schedule and longest runs. Those details matter more than how polished the calendar looks. Read more on the importance of training plans here. What Do Training Stress, Fitness, Fatigue And Form Mean? TrainingPeaks uses Training Stress Score, or TSS, to estimate the load of a workout from its duration and intensity. For running, one version called rTSS uses pace data. These figures can help you compare training over time, but they depend on the data recorded and the thresholds set in your account. Premium’s Performance Management Chart uses training stress to show trends labelled Fitness, Fatigue and Form. It can help you see a sustained build or the change in training load during a taper. It does not directly measure how recovered you are or tell you whether you are ready to race. That distinction matters when your running feels different from the chart. Illness, poor sleep and difficult terrain may affect a session in ways a training stress score cannot fully capture. Use the numbers alongside your experience of the run. Does TrainingPeaks Work With Running Watches And Strava? TrainingPeaks connects with many devices and apps, allowing completed activities to upload without entering them by hand. Some connections can also send planned workouts to a watch. The available functions vary, so check the support for your exact device if that feature matters to you. If you also use Strava, you can often connect your watch’s account to both services so that a completed run appears in each. TrainingPeaks and Strava do not sync directly with one another. If an activity exists only on Strava, you can export its file and import it into TrainingPeaks. Read more about Strava here. Is TrainingPeaks Useful If You Have A Coach? Working with a coach is one of the clearest reasons to use it. Your planned sessions and completed runs appear in the same place, and you can add comments that give the numbers context. Telling your coach that a steady run felt unusually hard may be more helpful than uploading its pace alone. Ask what is included in your coaching arrangement before paying for Premium yourself. A coach may provide it as part of their package, but connecting with a coach does not automatically upgrade a Basic account. What Can You Do With A Free Account? A free Basic account lets you log training, upload workouts, view summaries and use TrainingPeaks with a plan or coach. If your main aim is to see your schedule and keep a record of completed runs, it may provide what you need. Premium adds more control over future planning and more detailed analysis. Its tools include building and saving workouts, planning further ahead, viewing more charts and using the Performance Management Chart. TrainingPeaks currently offers a 14 day Premium trial, although longer term training trends will take more than two weeks to assess. How Much Does TrainingPeaks Cost? The Basic athlete account is free. TrainingPeaks Premium is available as a monthly or annual subscription, while training plans and personal coaching may cost extra. At the time of writing, TrainingPeaks’ US website lists Premium at $19.95 per month or $134.99 per year. The UK Apple App Store lists a Monthly Premium Subscription at £18.99 and an Annual Premium Subscription at £129.99. The App Store also displays other purchase options, so check the exact price and renewal terms offered through your chosen payment method before subscribing. Is TrainingPeaks Good For Beginners? A beginner can use TrainingPeaks, especially if a coach delivers workouts through it or a suitable plan gives their running some structure. The calendar can make the next session easy to find and provide a useful record of progress. You do not need detailed fitness charts to start running well. A manageable routine, gradual progression and enough recovery are more useful foundations. The free account is a sensible starting point; you can decide later whether the extra analysis would help you make better training decisions. What Are The Limitations Of TrainingPeaks? TrainingPeaks has a learning curve. Thresholds, training stress and performance charts take time to understand, and more information is not automatically more useful. An incorrect setting or poorly recorded workout can also make a precise looking number less meaningful. The platform helps you organise and examine training, but it cannot make an unsuitable plan suitable or account for everything going on outside running. If you find yourself following the calendar despite persistent fatigue or pain, the plan needs attention, regardless of what its charts suggest. Final Thoughts On TrainingPeaks For Runners TrainingPeaks gives runners a clear place to follow a plan, record workouts and work with a coach. Its greatest value comes when you use that record to make sensible decisions about the weeks ahead, rather than simply collecting more data after each run. Start with Basic if you want to see how the calendar fits your training. Premium is more compelling if you plan your own workouts, regularly adjust your schedule or have a specific use for its longer term analysis. The question is whether those extra tools help you train more consistently and make clearer decisions.

Six half marathons. Six European cities. One SuperMedal. SuperHalfs brings together races in Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia to create a unique challenge for runners who love racing and travelling. You can complete the races in any order, and there is no longer a time limit. That flexibility is valuable because every race has its own entry process, and securing places can take longer than you think. This guide explains the six events, how the SuperPassport works and the different ways to enter. What Is SuperHalfs? SuperHalfs is a series of six European half marathons. Finish all six, with each result recorded in your free digital SuperPassport, and you become a SuperRunner. You receive a SuperMedal after completing your final race. The series began with five events in 2022. Berlin joined in 2024, creating the current six race challenge. Runners starting now need to complete Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia. Each half marathon is organised separately. Joining SuperHalfs gives you a passport to record your progress, but you must get your own entry to each race. SuperHalfs 2027 Calendar The published 2027 calendar begins with the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday 7 March. Prague follows on Saturday 3 April, with Berlin scheduled for the next day, Sunday 4 April. The series resumes after the summer with Copenhagen on Sunday 19 September. Cardiff is scheduled for Sunday 3 October, followed by Valencia on Sunday 24 October. Check the individual organisers’ final dates and race information before booking travel. Prague and Berlin fall on consecutive days, but there is no reason to run both that weekend. You can return for the other race in a later year and still complete the challenge. The Six SuperHalfs Races Lisbon Half Marathon Lisbon has one of the most memorable starts in the series. Runners begin on the 25 de Abril Bridge, crossing high above the River Tagus before heading towards the riverside sections and the finish in Belém. It is an appealing place to begin SuperHalfs if you want your first race to feel unlike any other half marathon. The bridge provides the spectacle, while the later stretches give runners room to settle into their pace. Read our Lisbon Half Marathon 2027 guide. Prague Half Marathon Prague combines a half marathon with a visit to one of Europe’s most distinctive cities. The route follows the Vltava River and takes runners through different parts of the Czech capital. Its place on the spring calendar makes it a useful early season goal. For 2027, remember that Berlin is scheduled for the following day, so decide which race best fits your plans for that year. Read our Prague Half Marathon 2027 guide. Berlin Half Marathon Berlin brings the scale and atmosphere of a major city race to the series. It joined SuperHalfs in 2024 and is now one of the six events required for runners starting the challenge. If you enjoy running in a large field with plenty happening around you, Berlin is likely to be high on your list. Its early April date also gives you an alternative to Prague for a spring SuperHalfs trip. Read our Berlin Half Marathon 2027 guide. Copenhagen Half Marathon Copenhagen is particularly attractive to runners looking for a fast course. Its September date allows time for a summer training block and puts it well apart from the three spring races. Demand for places can be high. If Copenhagen is an important part of your plans, follow its entry announcements rather than waiting until the year you hope to run. Read our Copenhagen Half Marathon 2027 guide. Cardiff Half Marathon Cardiff takes runners through the Welsh capital and combines city landmarks with strong local support. For anyone travelling from elsewhere in Europe, it also offers a different race experience from the larger continental capitals in the series. Cardiff is scheduled for early October in 2027. That puts it close to Valencia, although you are free to complete those races in different years if you would rather give each one its own training block and trip. Read our Cardiff Half Marathon 2027 guide. Valencia Half Marathon Valencia is well known for fast half marathon running. Its flat course and late October date make it a popular target for runners who want to test their fitness after training through the summer and early autumn. It closes the annual SuperHalfs calendar, but it does not have to close your personal challenge. You can run Valencia first, last or anywhere between. Read our Valencia Half Marathon 2027 guide. Berlin, the most recent member of the SuperHalfs. How Does The SuperPassport Work? Create a free account on the SuperHalfs website and you will receive a digital SuperPassport with its own passport number. Add that number when registering for each race so your official result can be matched to your account. After each half marathon, check that your result appears in your passport. Only an official half marathon finish counts towards the challenge. Running a shorter event during the same race weekend does not earn a SuperHalfs stamp. If you forgot to enter your passport number, or completed an eligible race before creating your account, check the result claim instructions on the SuperHalfs website. Previous eligible results may still be added, but it is easier to resolve a missing stamp soon after the event than when you are preparing for your final race. Is There A Time Limit For SuperHalfs? No. SuperHalfs removed the time limit for its six race series in 2025. You can now complete the races in any order and take as long as you need. That makes the challenge easier to fit around work, family, budgets and other running goals. You might run two events in one year and then take a break, or choose one new city each year. If you started SuperHalfs under its earlier five race rules, check your account to see which version of the challenge applies to you. Runners joining now take part in the six race series. How Do You Enter A SuperHalfs Race? Each event has its own entry process. Depending on the race and year, standard places may be sold directly or allocated through a ballot. Entry dates, prices and conditions vary, so check each organiser’s website when planning your calendar. Official travel packages and charity places can provide other ways to enter. These may still be available after standard entries have sold out, although availability and conditions differ between races. You do not need to enter all six events at once. Start with a race you can secure a place in, train for and travel to comfortably, then plan the next one. If a particular event is difficult to enter, follow its registration announcements while continuing your challenge elsewhere. Can You Complete SuperHalfs For Charity? Yes. SuperHalfs offers charity entry options for individual races. A charity place can give you a route into an event while supporting a cause you care about. Check the charity’s fundraising target and any other conditions before applying. There is also a SuperCharity Voucher for runners who want to fundraise across the full six race series. It involves a deposit and a series fundraising commitment, so read the current terms before deciding whether it suits you. You can also fundraise if you already have your own places. The six races give you a long running story to share with supporters, whether you raise money throughout the series or focus on one event at a time. How Much Does SuperHalfs Cost? Creating a SuperPassport is free. You need your own entry for each event and the entry fees vary by race, plus any travel and accommodation. There is no useful single figure for the total cost. It will depend on where you live, how you enter, when you book and how you prefer to travel. A charity place or travel package will also have different conditions from a standard race entry. Because there is no completion deadline, you can spread the cost over several years. That makes it possible to enjoy each race as a trip in its own right instead of trying to arrange six race weekends at once. Which SuperHalfs Race Should You Do First? There is no correct starting point. Lisbon offers the bridge crossing, Prague and Berlin provide spring city races, Copenhagen and Valencia appeal to runners chasing a quick time, and Cardiff brings a large event atmosphere to the Welsh capital. Choose the race that fits your life now. A confirmed entry, a realistic training period and manageable travel plans matter more than finding a supposedly ideal order for the six cities. Before your final event, check that the other five results appear in your SuperPassport and that your passport number is attached to your last race entry. After finishing, follow the event instructions to collect your SuperMedal from the SuperHalfs team. The Cardiff Half is the only UK member of the SuperHalfs Is SuperHalfs Worth Doing? If you enjoy half marathons and travelling, SuperHalfs gives you a good reason to keep exploring. Every race has its own character, so the challenge offers more variety than repeating the same type of event six times. The main difficulty may be getting entries and organising trips rather than completing the races within a deadline. With that deadline removed, you can build the challenge around your circumstances. Pick a first race you would want to run anyway, and let the six race journey grow from there. You could do all the SuperHalfs in 2027, but far better to spread them out. Series website https://www.superhalfs.com/en/

A pescatarian diet includes fish and seafood but no meat or poultry. For runners, that can mean plenty of choice: grains and fruit for carbohydrate, beans and eggs for everyday meals, and fish as another source of protein. Oily fish also provides omega-3 fats that are harder to obtain directly from plant foods. Fish can add useful nutrients, but it does not remove the need to fuel your training. You still need to eat enough, plan food around longer runs and consider what your diet provides across the whole week. Someone who eats fish occasionally will have a different pattern from someone who includes it several times a week. This guide explains how to put those pieces together, whether fish is a regular part of your meals or an occasional addition to an otherwise vegetarian diet. What Does Pescatarian Mean? Pescatarians eat fish or seafood but avoid meat and poultry. Many also eat eggs and dairy. Runners who describe themselves as pescatarian may therefore eat quite differently. Instead of relying on the label, look at a typical week. Which foods provide the carbohydrate for your runs? Where does protein appear across your meals? How often do you eat fish, and do you sometimes choose oily fish? Those questions give you a better starting point for planning your nutrition than a fixed idea of what a pescatarian plate should look like. Eat Enough As Your Training Increases Fish can be a useful part of dinner, but a fillet with a small salad may leave you short of energy after a demanding run. As training increases, consider the whole meal and what you eat between meals. Rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, oats and other carbohydrate rich foods help make meals more substantial. Foods such as olive oil, nuts and seeds can add energy without requiring a much larger plate. You may also need an extra snack on days when you run longer or train twice. If you are regularly hungry, unusually tired or slow to recover, consider whether you are eating enough overall. Persistent fatigue, recurring injury or unexpected weight loss should not simply be put down to training. Speak to a healthcare professional if symptoms continue, because there may be several causes. Keep Carbohydrate At The Centre Of Run Fuelling Eating fish does not change your need for carbohydrate. A short easy run and a long marathon training session place different demands on you, so adjust meals and snacks to the running you have planned. Before a run, choose foods you know you tolerate. Toast, porridge, a banana or a bagel may be easier on your stomach than a large serving of vegetables or pulses close to the start. For longer runs, decide what you will eat or drink during the session and practise with it in training. Wholegrains can be part of your everyday meals, but every carbohydrate choice does not need to be high in fibre. White rice, regular pasta or plain bread may feel more comfortable before a race or hard workout. Your timing and experience matter more than following a rigid rule. Use Fish As One Protein Option Fish and seafood provide protein, but they do not have to appear at every meal. Eggs, dairy foods, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils and chickpeas give you other ways to build satisfying meals. You might have yoghurt and oats for breakfast, lentil soup with bread at lunch and fish with potatoes for dinner. On a day without fish, tofu with rice or a bean based pasta sauce could take its place. Eating a variety of protein rich foods across the day is a practical approach. After running, aim for a meal or snack that fits your schedule. A tuna sandwich, eggs on toast, soy yoghurt with cereal or your usual dinner may all work. You do not need a specialist recovery product simply because you follow a pescatarian diet. Read more about protein for runners here. Understand What Oily Fish Adds Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, herring and mackerel provides the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. Fish also supplies vitamin B12, although how much you get from your overall diet depends on the types of fish and other foods you eat, as well as how often you eat them. White fish can still be a useful source of protein and other nutrients. It generally provides less EPA and DHA than oily fish, however. Eating a variety of fish is more useful than assuming every type contributes exactly the same things. If you rarely eat fish and also avoid eggs and dairy, pay particular attention to your source of vitamin B12. Some foods are fortified, and a supplement is another option. What matters is what appears regularly in your diet, rather than what you might eat now and then. Read more about vitamin B12 for runners here. Do Not Overlook Iron Fish and seafood can contribute iron, including a form that the body generally absorbs more readily than iron from plants. The amount you get will depend on the seafood you choose and how often you eat it, so being pescatarian does not automatically mean your iron needs are covered. Beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds and fortified cereals can contribute too. Pairing these plant foods with a source of vitamin C can help your body absorb their iron. A bean chilli with peppers or lentils cooked with tomatoes are simple examples. Unusual tiredness or a drop in running performance does not prove that you are low in iron. If you are concerned, ask a healthcare professional whether testing is appropriate, particularly if you have heavy menstrual periods or a history of low iron. Do not start an iron supplement based on guesswork. Read more about iron for runners here. Check Calcium, Vitamin D And Iodine If you eat dairy, milk, yoghurt and cheese may provide much of your calcium. If you avoid it, check whether the plant drinks and yoghurts you choose are fortified. Calcium set tofu and some green vegetables can also contribute, but products vary. Oily fish can provide vitamin D, yet it may still be difficult to get enough from food alone. Season, location, skin exposure and other factors affect the wider picture. Follow the public health guidance for the country where you live rather than assuming that occasional fish meals cover your needs. Fish and seafood can provide iodine too. Dairy foods and eggs may contribute if you eat them. If fish is rare in your diet and you avoid dairy, it is worth checking where your iodine comes from. The amount in foods varies, and iodine is not always shown on a food label unless it has been added. Yoghurt provides calcium, while the fruit and cereal make this a simple breakfast or snack for runners Choose Fish With Variety And Safety In Mind Include different types of fish and seafood rather than relying on the same choice every time. This makes meals more interesting and helps you benefit from the different nutrients they provide. Frozen and tinned options can be just as useful for a busy training week as fresh fish. Fish can contain pollutants, including mercury, and the amounts vary by species. Public health authorities provide advice on which fish to choose and how often to eat them. Check the guidance where you live, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy, because additional limits and food safety advice may apply. Store, prepare and cook seafood safely. Be particularly careful with fish meals carried to work, packed for travel or left out after a run. A convenient meal only helps your training if it is safe to eat. Make Pescatarian Meals Practical A good meal does not have to begin with fresh fish. Tinned sardines or salmon, frozen fish, eggs, beans and lentils can all make it easier to eat well when running has to fit around work and family life. A runner training in the evening might have porridge and fruit for breakfast, a chickpea and rice lunch, then a banana or sandwich before running. Dinner afterwards could be salmon with potatoes and vegetables, or pasta with a lentil and tomato sauce. The portions would change with the length of the run, your appetite and everything else you eat that day. Fish is one useful option within your diet, not an ingredient you need at every meal. Do Pescatarian Runners Need Supplements? A pescatarian diet does not automatically require protein powder, fish oil or a multivitamin. Whether a supplement is useful depends on what you regularly eat and your individual circumstances. Vitamin D guidance varies by location and season. Iron supplements should follow appropriate advice and testing. If you eat fish infrequently and exclude eggs and dairy, check that you have a reliable source of vitamin B12 rather than assuming an occasional fish meal is enough. If your diet excludes several food groups or you have persistent symptoms, a registered dietitian with sports nutrition experience can help you identify any gaps and make a plan that fits your training. Read more about supplements for runners here. Final Thoughts On A Pescatarian Diet For Runners A pescatarian diet offers plenty of flexibility for runners. Fish can provide protein, vitamin B12 and other nutrients, while oily fish supplies EPA and DHA. Eggs, dairy and plant foods can add further options, depending on what you choose to eat. The foundations remain familiar: eat enough, include carbohydrate to support training, spread protein rich foods across your day and practise what you eat around longer runs. Pay attention to iron and vary your fish choices, then build meals that you enjoy and can sustain.

A plant based diet can support running at every level, from your first 5K to marathon training. You can get the carbohydrate you need for long runs, protein to support recovery and a wide range of vitamins and minerals, without building every meal around meat or dairy. But eating more plants does not automatically mean you are eating enough for your training. Some runners also need to pay closer attention to nutrients they previously got from animal foods. The key is to build meals that satisfy you, fit around your runs and meet your needs as your training changes. What Does Plant Based Mean? Plant based is a broad description. Some people use it to mean that most of their meals contain foods such as grains, beans, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, while they still eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy occasionally. Others are vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan. There is no single plant based diet that every runner must follow. If you continue to eat some animal foods, they may contribute nutrients that need more planning in a vegan diet. If you avoid animal foods altogether, vitamin B12 needs particular attention from the outset. This guide covers the practical issues common to all plant based runners while explaining where a fully vegan diet calls for additional planning. Eat Enough For The Running You Do The first question is whether you are eating enough overall. A large plate of vegetables and lentils can be nutritious, but it may not provide enough energy after a demanding session if it contains little rice, bread, potato, oil or other substantial food alongside it. This matters more as your mileage rises. If you increase your running without making room for more food, you may find yourself tired, unusually hungry or slow to recover. Some high fibre foods are also very filling, which can make it harder to eat enough before you feel full. Make your meals substantial and keep convenient snacks available. Porridge made with a fortified plant drink, toast with nut butter, a sandwich, soy yoghurt with cereal, or fruit alongside a handful of nuts can all have a place. The amount you need will change with your training, so avoid treating one example meal plan as a rule for every day. Persistent fatigue, recurring illness, injuries or unexpected weight loss deserve attention. If you menstruate, a change to your usual cycle can also be a sign that something is wrong. These symptoms have several possible causes, so speak to a healthcare professional rather than assuming that changing one food will resolve them. Keep Carbohydrate In Your Meals Running uses carbohydrate, regardless of where the rest of your food comes from. Bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, oats, cereal and fruit are familiar ways to include it. When training becomes longer or more frequent, it may help to increase the carbohydrate in meals or add a snack around your run. Do not feel that every grain has to be wholegrain. Wholegrains can be a useful part of your everyday diet, but a lower fibre choice may sit better before a hard session or long run. A bagel, toast or rice can be easier to manage than a large bean salad when you are about to head out. During longer runs, use foods or sports products that fit both your dietary choices and your stomach. Check ingredients if you follow a vegan diet, and practise your choices in training rather than trying something new on race day. Build Meals Around A Protein Source Plant foods can provide plenty of protein, but it helps to be deliberate about where it comes from. Replacing chicken with extra vegetables, for example, changes the protein content of a meal more than replacing it with tofu or beans. Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy products, lentils, chickpeas and other beans are useful starting points. Nuts, seeds and grains contribute too. If you eat eggs or dairy, those give you further options. Think across the day rather than trying to make every meal nutritionally perfect. You might have soy yoghurt with breakfast, a chickpea sandwich for lunch and tofu with rice at dinner. You do not need to combine particular plant proteins at every meal; variety over the day is more useful than following a strict pairing rule. Protein powder can be convenient when you cannot easily prepare food, but it is not a requirement of plant based running. Start by looking at the meals and snacks you regularly eat. Read more about protein for runners here. Pay Attention To Iron Iron helps your body carry oxygen, so it matters to runners. Beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds and fortified cereals can provide iron, although iron from plant foods is generally absorbed less readily than iron from animal foods. You can help your body absorb plant iron by including a source of vitamin C with a meal. Lentils with tomatoes, beans with peppers, or cereal followed by fruit are simple examples. If low iron is a concern, having tea or coffee away from your main meals may also help. Unusual tiredness or a drop in running performance does not prove that you are low in iron. If you are concerned, ask a healthcare professional whether testing is appropriate. Do not start taking an iron supplement just because you run or eat plant based: the right approach depends on your circumstances and results. Read more about iron for runners here. Have A Reliable Source Of Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 needs a clear plan if you eat no animal products. Unfortified plant foods are not a reliable source. Some breakfast cereals, nutritional yeasts, plant drinks and other products contain added B12, but fortification differs between brands and countries, so check the label. A B12 supplement is another reliable option. Whichever approach you choose, make it a regular part of your diet rather than waiting to see whether you feel unwell. If you are vegetarian and eat eggs or dairy, those foods can provide B12, although it is still sensible to consider how much you actually eat. Read more about vitamin B12 here. Vegan runners need a reliable source of vitamin B12 from fortified foods or a supplement. Check Calcium, Vitamin D And Iodine If you remove dairy, think about what will replace the calcium it previously provided. Some plant drinks and yoghurts are fortified with calcium, while calcium set tofu and certain green vegetables can also contribute. Check packaging carefully: two plant drinks that look similar may have very different nutritional content. Vitamin D helps your body use calcium. Getting enough depends on more than whether you run outdoors; season, location, skin exposure and other factors matter. Follow the public health guidance for the country where you live, and seek individual advice if you have concerns about bone health. Iodine also deserves a check, especially if you do not eat dairy, fish or eggs. Iodised salt is common in some countries but not others, and most plant drinks do not contain meaningful amounts unless iodine has been added. Seaweed can contain highly variable amounts, so it is not a dependable solution to use without thought. Look at your usual foods and fortified products, and ask a dietitian or healthcare professional for advice if you cannot identify a reliable source. Include Fats Without Overcomplicating Them Nuts, seeds and oils add energy to meals as well as supplying fats your body needs. They can be especially useful if you find large, high fibre meals filling before you have eaten enough to support your training. Walnuts, chia seeds and ground flaxseed provide an omega-3 fat called ALA. Your body converts a small amount of it into EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fats found in oily fish. If you do not eat fish, an algae based supplement is one way to get EPA and DHA directly, but it is not essential for every runner. Adjust Fibre Around Your Runs Beans, lentils, vegetables and wholegrains are valuable parts of a plant based diet. They can also cause bloating or an urgent need for a toilet if you eat a large serving too close to a run. You do not need to avoid those foods altogether. Change their timing and see what works for you. A runner might have toast and a banana before a morning long run, then enjoy a lentil meal later. Another might choose white rice rather than brown rice at the meal closest to an important race. Make these decisions during training. Your usual meals may work perfectly well before an easy half hour run but feel uncomfortable before two hours on the road. What Could A Day Of Plant Based Eating Look Like? A runner training in the afternoon might start with porridge made with a fortified plant drink, fruit and nut butter. Lunch could be a tofu and rice bowl with vegetables and a dressing, with toast or a banana before running if they need a snack. Dinner after the run might be pasta with a lentil and tomato sauce, vegetables and olive oil. Soy yoghurt with cereal, a sandwich or nuts and fruit could fill the gaps between meals. These are examples, not prescribed portions. A short easy run, a long run and a rest day place different demands on you. Your appetite, schedule and food preferences matter too. If you eat eggs, dairy, fish or meat, those foods can also be part of your version of plant based eating. Do Plant Based Runners Need Supplements? If you follow a vegan diet, you need a reliable source of vitamin B12 from fortified foods, a supplement or both. Whether you need other supplements depends on your diet, where you live and your individual circumstances. Vitamin D recommendations vary by country and season; iron should be guided by appropriate advice and testing rather than guesswork. Before buying a collection of products, look at what you eat most weeks. Check the labels of fortified foods and identify any genuine gaps. If your diet is highly restricted, your training load is demanding or you have persistent symptoms, a registered dietitian with sports nutrition experience can help you make a plan that fits you. Read more about supplements for runners here. Final Thoughts On Plant Based Nutrition For Runners Plant based nutrition for runners can support both everyday sessions and ambitious training. The foundations are familiar: eat enough, include carbohydrate in your meals, make room for protein rich foods and choose run fuel that your stomach handles well. The closer your diet is to fully vegan, the more important it becomes to check where particular nutrients come from. Start with a reliable vitamin B12 source, then review iron, calcium, vitamin D and iodine in the context of your own diet. Good planning should make eating feel easier, giving you satisfying meals that support your running without turning every plate into a calculation.

Alice Sullivan once thought a marathon was beyond her. She ran with a club, took part in 10Ks and gradually moved up to half marathons, but 26.2 miles felt like a different challenge. Then she was offered a London Marathon place with Kids Cancer Charity. In our podcast conversation, Alice talks about what helped her reach the finish, the fundraising events she organised and why knowing the families behind her charity gave her a reason to keep going when training became difficult. Read on for some great fundraising ideas for runners. Listen To The Podcast Here From Club Runs To The London Marathon Alice’s first London Marathon was exciting and overwhelming in equal measure. Friends from her running club had done the race before, so they helped her navigate the event before she reached the start line. They went with her to the expo, showed her the finish area and took her on a short run through St James’s Park the day before. That experience definitely helped, but it could not prepare her for the scale of the race. Alice had watched London on television and trained for months, but being among the runners and crowds was something she had to experience for herself. “You’ve heard of it, you’ve watched it on the telly, you’ve looked forward to it, you’ve trained for it, but when you actually get there, it’s… just the scale of it,” she says. Her coach had warned her that the opening kilometres were downhill, which helped her hold back when it would have been easy to run too quickly. Alice still remembers the relief of reaching the Embankment and hearing the crowds again. Crossing the finish line brought a mixture of relief, excitement and tears. She stopped as soon as someone placed a medal around her neck, only for a volunteer to encourage her to keep walking towards her warm clothes. Alice recalls that walk as one of the longest she has ever made. The Families Behind The Miles Alice works as a Challenges and Events Officer at Kids Cancer Charity in South Wales. In the podcast, she explains that the charity supports families affected by childhood cancer through services including play therapy and family breaks. Its work made her marathon feel deeply personal. One family supported by the charity were also close friends of hers. Their son had died shortly before his fourth birthday. Alice thought about him and other children during long training runs, particularly on days when she felt tired or reluctant to go out. She knew when her run would end. The families she was thinking about could not always know what lay ahead in treatment or recovery. That perspective helped her keep moving, though Alice does not suggest that finding a reason to run makes training easy. It gave the difficult miles a meaning beyond her own finish time. Finding A Connection With Your Charity A runner does not necessarily need a personal history with a charity to care about its work, but the more they understand about its work the better. Alice regularly supports people who have chosen Kids Cancer Charity without previously knowing a family affected by childhood cancer. She tries to show them what their fundraising helps the charity do. “I’m not asking you for money, I’m asking you to help me help these families,” she says of the message she wants runners to share with their supporters. That connection matters during fundraising as well as training. It is easier to explain why you are asking for support when you can tell people about the work behind your target. Alice encourages runners to learn about their charity and talk to its team, especially if they first discovered it while looking for a race place. How Alice Raised Money For Her Marathon Alice tried several approaches instead of relying on repeated donation requests. She held cake sales, spent time on a treadmill in a supermarket foyer, organised a raffle through her running club and put together a curry and quiz night. She was thoughtful about where she asked for support. Many people in her running club were fundraising for different charities, so she did not want every conversation there to become another request for money. She also reached out to people in her street, at her children’s rugby club, through church and in family chats. The supermarket treadmill sessions introduced the charity to people outside her usual circle. Some shoppers noticed her on their way in and donated on their way out. Alice says the small contributions added up, and having a team to share the running and speak to shoppers helped keep the energy going. For the curry and quiz night, she approached a local restaurant about using a quiet evening. The restaurant offered a reduced set menu, allowing part of each ticket price to go to the charity. Simple games and quiz rounds gave guests more ways to join in. Alice estimates that this evening alone raised around £500 to £600. Her experience shows the value of choosing fundraising ideas that suit the people around you. A social evening gave supporters something to enjoy together, while the treadmill sessions helped her reach people she would not otherwise have met. More Fundraising Ideas For Runners For the London Landmarks Half Marathon, Alice found another way to connect her fundraising with the people she was running for. She placed thirteen names on the back of her vest, one for each mile. She invited families and supporters to add a name or a meaningful mile in the message accompanying a donation. Some chose a child’s age or birthday. As Alice reached each mile, she spent time thinking about that person and their family. The names also started conversations with other runners, who could see that the writing on her vest was about more than identifying the person wearing it. Alice had set no fixed donation amount for adding a name. “It kept me going round and [it was] a privilege really to carry them, as well as it being a fundraiser,” she says. It was a personal approach, and one that depended on the families choosing to share their names. For Alice, it gave each mile a purpose she could hold on to. Alice’s Advice For New Runners Alice’s own journey began with shorter distances. She recommends building gradually and finding a way to run that feels welcoming, whether that means trying a local club, going to parkrun or following a beginner running plan independently. Running with other people helped her. They encouraged her, shared what they had learned and reminded her not to do too much too soon. She also recognises that some beginners would rather start on their own. The useful first step is the one you feel able to take. Alice moved from 10Ks to half marathons before considering a marathon. At each stage, the next distance once seemed out of reach. Running shorter events gave her the confidence to reconsider what she might be able to do. More Than A Finish Time Since her first London Marathon, Alice has also run the Rome Marathon and completed a virtual London Marathon route overnight. Yet her story is about more than adding races to a list. Running for Kids Cancer Charity brought together her work, her friendships and the families she wanted to support. Fundraising gave her practical ways to involve other people, while learning more about the charity gave her something to draw on through training and on race day. If you are thinking about taking on a charity run, Alice’s advice is to get to know the cause behind your place. Find out what the charity does, ask how your fundraising helps and choose ideas that fit your community. The finish line will still matter, but you may find that the people you run for stay with you long after you cross it. Listen To The Podcast Here If you'd like to run for Kids Cancer Charity you can find out more here

Your running watch can show how fast you are moving, but pace does not always tell you how hard you are working. The same pace can feel very different on a flat road, up a hill or into a headwind. The Stryd Footpod gives you another way to guide your effort: a small sensor attached to your shoe that measures pace and distance and estimates your running power. The pod is a significant purchase, and its extra numbers take time to understand. This guide explains what Stryd does, how you can use it in training and whether it offers enough value for the way you run. What Is The Stryd Footpod? The Stryd Footpod is a sensor that clips onto the laces of a running shoe. It measures your movement and provides data including pace, distance and cadence. It also calculates running power, expressed in watts, which you can use to guide the intensity of a run. The current Stryd 5.0 is available as a single pod. Stryd Duo uses two pods, one on each shoe, and adds measurements comparing your left and right sides. If your main interests are pace, distance and power, the single pod is the simpler place to start. Stryd also has an app for reviewing your runs and following training plans. The pod and the software work together, although you do not need a paid membership to use the core running features. How Do You Set Up Stryd? You attach the pod to your shoe and pair it with the Stryd mobile app. If you have a compatible running watch, you can then set up the watch to receive Stryd data during your runs. The watch setup deserves attention. Depending on the model, you may need a Stryd app or data field, and you may have to choose whether pace and distance come from the pod or the watch’s GPS. Seeing a Stryd power number on your watch does not necessarily mean its displayed pace is coming from the pod. Once everything is connected, use Stryd on your usual runs before trying to make decisions from its numbers. Attach it consistently when changing shoes so that your running data remains easier to compare. What Is Running Power? Running power is Stryd’s estimate of your effort, expressed in watts. It gives you a different view from pace when the demands of a route change. For example, your pace will normally slow as you run uphill. If you try to hold the same pace you ran on the flat, you may work much harder than intended. A power target can prompt you to ease back and keep the effort more controlled. The current Stryd pod also accounts for air resistance in its power reading, which can help when you run into the wind. The wattage is a calculated measure, not a direct reading of how your body feels. Use it alongside your breathing and perceived effort. If a supposedly easy run feels unusually hard, hitting a number is less important than recognising that you may need to slow down. Read more about running power here. What Is Critical Power? Critical Power is Stryd’s estimate of your current running ability. It gives the app a reference for setting training intensities: a workout can ask you to run at a percentage of your Critical Power rather than hold the same pace regardless of the route. Stryd can give a new user an initial estimate. As you record more runs at different intensities, the system has more information for assessing your fitness. That makes it sensible to give the numbers time to settle before relying heavily on a race target. Critical Power is a guide to training, not a score you need to improve every week. Changes in the number make more sense when you consider the running behind them and how you have been feeling. Can Stryd Improve Pace And Distance Measurements? Stryd measures pace and distance from the pod on your shoe without depending on a GPS signal. That can be useful on a treadmill, around tall buildings or during intervals when you want pace feedback as your speed changes. Whether you notice a worthwhile improvement depends on your current watch and where you run. If its GPS pace already gives you the guidance you need, this benefit alone may be difficult to justify at Stryd’s price. Check your watch settings if pod-based pace and distance are important to you. Some compatible watches can display Stryd power while continuing to take pace and distance from GPS unless you set them up differently. Read more about running metrics here. Does Stryd Work On A Treadmill? Yes. Because it does not need GPS to measure pace and distance, Stryd can be useful for indoor running. Its pace may differ from the number on the treadmill display, so do not assume that two different readings mean the pod has failed. Incline is more complicated. When you run up a hill outdoors, Stryd can detect a change in elevation. On a treadmill, you stay in the same place, so the pod cannot determine the machine’s incline on its own. If you want your power reading to account for an inclined treadmill session, you need to enter the incline through a supported Stryd recording or workout mode. Stryd says you do not need to enter an incline for indoor runs at 0% or 1%. For steeper treadmill sessions, check the instructions for the phone app or your particular watch before comparing the power reading with an outdoor hill workout. Read more about treadmill running here. Can You Use Stryd For Training Plans And Races? Stryd offers standard power-based plans from 5K to marathon, along with base training plans. These are available without a paid membership. Their workout targets can adjust as your Critical Power changes, although changing the structure of a plan and creating your own workouts requires paid features. In a race, power can help you avoid putting too much effort into the opening kilometres or a climb. Stryd also provides race estimates and suggested power targets based on your recent running. Those suggestions become more useful when the system has varied training data, but they remain estimates rather than promises about your finishing time. You do not need to stare at your watch throughout a race. The useful question is whether the reading helps you make a sensible decision, such as easing off on a hill so you can run the later kilometres well. Which Running Watches Work With Stryd? Stryd supports watches from several brands, including Garmin, Apple Watch, Coros, Polar and Suunto. Compatibility varies by model and by the feature you want to use. Before buying, check three things for your exact watch: whether it can show Stryd power during a run, whether it can use the pod for pace and distance, and whether it can guide you through Stryd workouts. Support for one of those features does not guarantee support for all three. A single Stryd pod can also record run data without a compatible watch and sync it to the phone app afterwards. You can record with the phone app if you want to see data while running. A compatible watch is more convenient if following live power targets is your main reason for buying Stryd. Do You Need Stryd Duo? Stryd Duo uses a pod on each shoe to provide left and right measurements, including differences in aspects of how each leg moves. It may interest a runner or coach who has a specific use for detailed running form data. Be cautious about interpreting a difference between sides. A chart cannot diagnose an injury, and a more symmetrical number is not automatically a worthwhile training goal. If pain or an injury concern is behind your interest in Duo, seek an appropriate professional assessment. For most runners exploring Stryd for the first time, the single pod gives them the main experience. You can decide whether power and pod-based pace are useful before considering the additional measurements. How Much Does Stryd Cost? At the time of writing, Stryd’s UK and US stores list the Stryd 5.0 single pod at £259 or $299 without a membership commitment. Both stores also offer a lower initial pod price if you commit to six months of Stryd Membership: £179 plus £11.99 per month in the UK, or $199 plus $14.99 per month in the US. Stryd Membership is optional. Without it, you can use the pod, review core run data, see Critical Power and follow Stryd’s standard training plans. Membership adds features including workout creation, plan customisation and adaptive training. Compare the full cost before choosing an offer. Over the six-month commitment, the discounted pod and membership total £250.94 in the UK or $288.94 in the US. Prices and offers can change, and runners elsewhere should check their local Stryd store. Is Stryd Good For Beginners? A beginner can use Stryd, but it is unlikely to be the first thing they need. Building a manageable running routine and learning what an easy effort feels like will usually matter more than measuring the power of every run. Stryd may become more useful once you are running regularly and have a question its data can help answer. Perhaps GPS pace is frustrating during your intervals, or you want a better way to control effort on a hilly route. If you are working towards your first 5K, a clear plan and comfortable running shoes may already provide enough guidance. You can revisit the idea of a foot pod when you know what you want it to do. What Are The Limitations Of The Stryd Footpod? Power takes some learning. Pace is familiar to most runners, while watts and Critical Power need context before they become useful. More data can also become a distraction if you feel obliged to hit an exact number on every run. Stryd is another device to charge, attach and connect. Its usefulness during a run depends partly on the features your watch supports, so compatibility is worth checking before you spend the money. There are limits to the guidance, too. On steep technical trails, a power target may be less useful than your judgement about the terrain. Treadmill incline needs the right setup, and no pod can tell you whether pain requires assessment or how much rest you need after an illness. Final Thoughts On The Stryd Footpod Stryd offers a practical way to measure pace and distance from your shoe and to guide running by power. Its clearest uses are controlling effort when a route changes, getting indoor pace data and adding structure to power-based training. The single pod is the sensible starting point for most interested runners. Its core features and standard plans work without paid membership, while the subscription offers more control for people who want to build and adapt their training within Stryd. Before buying, check your watch model and identify the problem you want Stryd to solve. If its data would help you make better decisions on runs you do regularly, the pod may earn its place in your kit.

A training plan can tell you what to run on Monday and how far to go at the weekend. Following it becomes harder when a session feels too demanding, your schedule changes or you miss several days. Runna is designed to help with both parts: building a plan around your goal and guiding you through it as your training progresses. The app covers everyone from people starting to run to experienced runners preparing for a faster race. Its main attraction is structure, but most new users need a paid subscription to follow a plan beyond its first week. What Is Runna? Runna is a running coaching app centred on personalised training plans. You enter a goal, describe your current running and choose how many days you can train. The app then builds a schedule of runs leading towards that goal. Plans include options for starting to run, returning after a break, preparing for a race and improving over a chosen distance. Depending on the plan, your week may contain easy runs, longer runs and sessions with changes of pace. Runna explains what each workout involves and lets you follow it on your phone or, with a compatible device, on your running watch. Runna is therefore more than an app for recording where you ran. Its purpose is to give your training direction from one week to the next. Runna is owned by Strava, which acquired it in 2025. The two apps still have different roles: Runna focuses on planning and guiding your training, while Strava is where many runners record and share their activities. You can connect them if you use both. Read more about Strava here. How Do You Set Up A Runna Plan? You begin by choosing what you want to achieve. That might be your first 5K, a half marathon on a particular date or a faster marathon. Runna asks about your experience, current ability and the days you are available to run before creating the plan. Be honest about the running you are doing now. Selecting a faster ability level or more training days may produce a plan that looks impressive, but it will be difficult to follow if it does not fit your current fitness or your ordinary week. Once the plan is created, you can see the sessions ahead and make changes to your schedule. The aim is to give you a workable route towards your goal, rather than a calendar you must obey regardless of what happens. What Does A Week Of Runna Training Look Like? The answer depends on your goal and the number of days you choose. A beginner plan may place more emphasis on building the habit of running, while a race plan may include a mixture of easy runs, a longer run and a faster workout. An individual session gives more guidance than a simple distance target. An interval workout, for example, can set out the warm up, each faster effort, the recovery between efforts and the cool down. You can see what comes next without having to memorise the session before leaving home. Not every run asks you to hold a precise pace. Easy running may be described by a comfortable or conversational effort. That matters because the purpose of an easy run is different from the purpose of an interval session, even if both appear in the same week. Does Runna Tell You How Fast To Run? Runna can provide pace guidance based on the ability information in your plan. During a structured workout, those targets help explain how hard the faster sections are meant to be. You can also use guidance based on perceived effort if pace targets are not the most useful way for you to train. A suggested pace is a guide, not a test you must pass on every run. Heat, hills, poor sleep and accumulated fatigue can all make a familiar pace feel harder. If that happens, slow down and judge the session by its intended effort. This is particularly important for beginners. Learning what an easy run feels like is more valuable than repeatedly pushing to hit a number that does not suit the conditions or your current fitness. What Happens If You Miss A Workout? You can move or skip workouts in Runna, and the app provides options for adjusting your plan when you have missed more training. You can also change your usual running days if your schedule changes for more than a week. That flexibility is useful because missed sessions are a normal part of training. One skipped easy run rarely needs to be squeezed into an already busy weekend. Trying to complete every missed workout can leave too little time between harder sessions. Runna can reorganise a schedule, but it cannot fully judge why you missed training. A week away on holiday is different from a week off with illness or pain. In those situations, start with how you feel and what you can manage, then adjust the plan accordingly. Can You Add Strength And Mobility? Runna offers strength and mobility sessions that you can add to your running plan. Keeping them in the same calendar can help if you want to make those activities a regular part of your training rather than something you only do when time happens to be available. You still need to leave room for recovery. Adding several strength sessions to a running schedule that already fills your week may make the plan harder to sustain. Choose an amount of training that fits your life and build from there. Read more about the importance of strength training here. Do You Need A Running Watch For Runna? No. You can view and follow a plan using your phone. A watch becomes useful when you want the steps of a workout, such as intervals and recovery periods, to appear on your wrist while you run. Runna supports connections with several popular watch platforms, including Garmin, Apple Watch and Coros. Depending on the device, planned workouts can transfer to your watch and completed runs can return to the app. Features and setup differ between devices, so check compatibility for your particular watch. Is Runna Good For Beginners? Runna has plans for people starting to run and for those returning after time away. A beginner can benefit from seeing when to run, when to walk and how the early weeks build. Having the next session ready in the app may also help someone who finds an open ended instruction to “run more” difficult to act on. The subscription is not essential to begin running. A clear free plan can be enough if you are comfortable following it yourself. Runna becomes more appealing when you want guidance during each session, a schedule that fits your available days and a way to track the plan in one place. Choose the starting plan carefully. Someone returning after several years away should not assume that previous race times describe their current fitness. A manageable beginning gives you a better chance of enjoying the plan and continuing with it. Is Runna Useful For Half Marathon Or Marathon Training? Training for a longer race involves more than reaching a particular distance on one long run. You need to fit those runs into months of training, balance them with other sessions and allow time to recover. Runna makes that progression visible in a weekly schedule leading towards your event. This can be especially helpful if you want structured workouts but do not have a coach or a running club programme. The app tells you what the session involves and, with a compatible watch, can guide you through its different parts while you run. Look at the plan available to you before deciding it suits you. Check how many days you will run, how the long runs develop and whether the schedule leaves enough room around your other commitments. If you regularly struggle to recover, changing the plan is more sensible than forcing yourself through every session. Is Runna Free? You can download Runna without paying. Its current subscription guidance says that free users can access the first week of a plan, record runs, import activities and view completed workouts. Following planned workouts beyond the first week requires a Premium subscription. Runna previously offered its New to Running, Return to Running and Path to parkrun plans for free. Those plans became part of its subscription on 5 June 2026. People who were already following one could finish their current training cycle, which may explain why you hear from runners who have used a complete Runna plan without paying. Runna offers monthly and annual Premium subscriptions. At the time of writing, its US pricing page lists $19.99 per month or $119.99 per year. Prices vary by location and purchase method. An annual subscriber can view the full plan ahead, while a monthly subscriber can view workouts within the period they have paid for. A trial is typically seven days. Check its end date and renewal terms when signing up. A combined Strava and Runna subscription is also available in some markets, so compare the options if you already pay for Strava. Is Runna Worth Paying For? The value depends on whether you will use the guided plan. Someone who follows several sessions each week may get much more from the subscription than a runner who only wants to record occasional outings. Runna’s main strengths are the detail in its workouts, the ability to adjust your schedule and the option to follow structured sessions on a compatible watch. If those features help you train consistently towards a goal, paying for them may make sense. A free training plan remains a reasonable choice when you have a straightforward goal and are happy to manage the schedule yourself. You do not need a subscription to become a better runner. Where Does Runna Fall Short? Runna works from the information you give it and the training it can see. It cannot understand every reason why a workout felt difficult or decide whether an injury needs medical assessment. The option to adjust a plan is useful, but you still have to make sensible choices about rest and recovery. Its structure may also be more than some runners want. If you enjoy deciding where and how far to run on the day, frequent workout targets can feel restrictive. If you already follow a coach’s programme, paying for another plan may offer little benefit. Runna is strongest when you want to follow the sessions it creates. If you only open it occasionally, the subscription becomes harder to justify. Final Thoughts On The Runna App Runna gives runners a practical way to turn a goal into a weekly schedule. Its greatest strengths are the detail in individual workouts, the ability to adjust the plan and the option to follow sessions on a compatible watch. It is likely to suit someone preparing for a specific race who wants guidance without planning every workout themselves. Beginners may also appreciate the structure, although they can start running successfully without a paid app. Before subscribing, consider how you like to train. If you want a clear plan and expect to use it regularly, Runna is worth trying. If a free plan already gives you all the direction you need, the extra features may be harder to justify. Read about other running apps here.

Many runners want something to listen to without losing touch with what is happening around them. Shokz headphones leave your ears open, so you can play music or a podcast while still hearing more of the traffic, people and activity along your route. The harder question is which pair to choose, because the Shokz range now includes several designs that feel and sound quite different on a run. The range is now much broader than one style of bone conduction headset. Some models have a band that runs behind your head. Others are separate earbuds held in place by hooks around your ears. There is also a model designed for swimming as well as running. This guide explains what each option offers and where the differences matter when you are out on a run. How Do Shokz Headphones Work? The original Shokz running design uses bone conduction. The headphones rest against the area in front of your ears and send vibrations towards the inner ear, leaving your ear canals open. OpenRun and OpenMove use this approach. Other models produce sound through small speakers positioned near your ears. The OpenFit range uses separate earbuds with ear hooks, while OpenRun Pro 2 combines bone conduction with speakers to provide a fuller sound. These are all open ear headphones, but they do not feel or sound identical. Leaving your ears open can help you hear traffic, other people and instructions during an event. It does not remove the need to pay attention. Loud audio, wind and busy roads can still make important sounds difficult to notice, whatever headphones you wear. With those differences in mind, it helps to look at the models individually. We’ll start with the connected headsets most closely associated with Shokz and then move to the separate earbuds and swimming option. Read more about choosing headphones here. Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 OpenRun Pro 2 (pictured above) is the premium model for runners who want a connected headset. Its band sits behind your head, keeping both sides together, while its combination of bone conduction and speakers gives music more depth than the simpler bone conduction models. Shokz lists up to 12 hours of listening time. This is the model to consider if you run regularly, value a secure connected design and want better music sound than traditional bone conduction usually provides. It is also available in standard and mini sizes, which is useful because the position of the rear band affects comfort. Check Shokz’s sizing guidance rather than assuming that mini refers to the size of the earpieces. OpenRun Pro 2 has an IP55 rating for resistance to dust and water. Sweat and rain are within its intended use, but it is not designed for swimming. If you mostly listen to spoken podcasts and do not need its fuller sound, the less expensive OpenRun may already meet your needs. Shokz OpenRun OpenRun is the simpler connected option. It uses bone conduction rather than the combination of technologies found in OpenRun Pro 2. Shokz lists up to eight hours of battery life and an IP67 water resistance rating. For many runners, OpenRun may be the most straightforward choice in the range. It provides the open ear experience, a band that keeps the headset together and enough battery life for most training runs. Its water resistance is also greater than that of OpenRun Pro 2, although it is still not a practical headphone for listening while swimming. The main reason to choose OpenRun Pro 2 instead is sound. OpenRun can handle music, but its bone conduction design is less suited to runners who want a strong bass response. If you mostly listen to podcasts or prefer to keep the volume modest, that difference may matter less to you. Shokz OpenMove OpenMove is the entry point to Shokz’s connected bone conduction range. It offers up to six hours of listening time and has an IP55 rating. Like OpenRun, it leaves your ears open and connects to your phone or another compatible device through Bluetooth. It makes sense if you run occasionally, mainly complete shorter sessions or want to try bone conduction without spending as much. The shorter battery life is unlikely to trouble someone heading out for a 30 minute run, but it becomes more relevant if you listen throughout the day as well. Compare the price with OpenRun before buying. If the difference is small, OpenRun’s longer battery life and higher water resistance may make it the better long term choice for a regular runner. The entry level OpenMove model Shokz OpenFit Pro OpenFit Pro replaces the rear band with two separate earbuds. Each has a hook that rests around the ear, and a speaker directs sound towards the ear canal without sitting inside it. The earbuds come with a charging case for use between runs. Its distinctive feature is adjustable open ear noise reduction. That may help when you also want to use your headphones in a noisy workplace or while travelling. During a run, think carefully about whether reducing surrounding noise suits the route you have chosen. OpenFit Pro does not seal your ears in the way conventional earbuds do, but it changes how much of the surrounding sound reaches you. OpenFit Pro has an IP55 rating, making it suitable for sweaty workouts and rain rather than swimming. It is worth considering if you want a premium pair for both running and everyday listening. If running is your main concern and you prefer a single connected headset, OpenRun Pro 2 may be the more natural choice. Shokz OpenFit 2 And OpenFit 2+ OpenFit 2 and OpenFit 2+ are separate earbud options without the rear band of the OpenRun models. Their ear hooks hold them in place while speakers sit outside the ear canal. Shokz lists up to 11 hours of listening time from the earbuds on a single charge, with additional power available from the case. The two models share much of their basic design. OpenFit 2+ adds Dolby Audio and wireless charging for its case. Those features may matter if these will be your main everyday headphones, but they are not necessary simply to listen during a run. For running, the more important question is whether you like ear hooks. They avoid a band behind your head, which may be more comfortable with certain hats or hairstyles. Equally, some runners prefer the reassurance of one connected headset. Try the design if possible, particularly if you have previously struggled to keep separate earbuds comfortable. Shokz OpenFit Air 2 OpenFit Air 2 offers another way into the separate earbud range. Shokz lists up to eight hours of listening time per charge and an IP55 rating for the earbuds. Its light ear hook design may appeal if you want open ear headphones for running and everyday use without choosing a more expensive OpenFit model. The main distinction from OpenFit 2 and 2+ is that Air 2 is the lighter, simpler option, with shorter battery life per charge. Eight hours is still plenty for most runs. Unless you have a particular reason to want the extra features of the other models, it is worth including Air 2 in your comparison. As with every separate earbud design, a specification sheet cannot tell you exactly how it will fit your ears. Pay attention to comfort and stability if you can try it on, especially if you plan to use it for long runs. Shokz OpenSwim Pro OpenSwim Pro is the specialist choice if you want headphones for both running and swimming. It has an IP68 waterproof rating and combines Bluetooth listening on land with storage for audio files. Shokz lists 32GB of storage, up to nine hours of listening in Bluetooth mode and up to six hours in MP3 mode. Bluetooth does not work underwater. To listen while swimming, you need to transfer audio files onto OpenSwim Pro and use MP3 mode. That distinction is easy to miss if you expect a streaming service on your phone to keep playing once you enter the pool. If you never swim, you have little reason to choose this model over a headset designed primarily for running. If swimming is a regular part of your training, its ability to cover both activities becomes much more useful. Connected Band Or Separate Earbuds? This is the decision to make before comparing small differences in battery life. OpenRun Pro 2, OpenRun, OpenMove and OpenSwim Pro keep the two sides connected by a band behind your head. OpenFit Pro, OpenFit 2, OpenFit 2+ and OpenFit Air 2 are separate earbuds held by ear hooks. A connected band can feel reassuring when you run because the headset remains in one piece. You also do not need to keep track of two individual earbuds. Its position may be less comfortable, though, if it presses against a hat, a high jacket collar or other equipment you wear. Separate earbuds are easier to carry in a case and may be more convenient if you use the same headphones at work or while travelling. Their comfort depends more heavily on how the hooks fit your ears. Neither design is universally better for running. What Are The Limitations Of Shokz Headphones? The feature that makes Shokz appealing outdoors can also be a drawback. Because your ears remain open, traffic, wind or a loud gym can make quieter audio hard to follow. Turning up the volume may help you hear a podcast, but it can reduce your awareness of what is happening around you. Open ear listening also involves a sound tradeoff. OpenRun Pro 2 and the OpenFit models offer different ways of improving music sound, but they will not create the same isolation as earbuds that seal the ear canal. Decide whether you value that isolation or would rather hear more of your surroundings. Finally, check the rules of any event where you intend to wear headphones. Organisers set their own policies, and some restrict particular types of audio equipment or its use in parts of the course. Read more about running with headphones in events here. Which Shokz Headphones Are Best For You? If you mainly want Shokz headphones for running and prefer a connected band, start by comparing OpenRun with OpenRun Pro 2. Choose OpenRun for a simpler bone conduction experience and higher water resistance. Consider OpenRun Pro 2 if richer music sound and longer battery life justify the extra cost to you. OpenMove is the lower cost option for occasional use. If you prefer separate earbuds that will also serve you throughout the day, compare OpenFit Air 2 with OpenFit 2 and 2+. OpenFit Pro is the premium option when its sound features and adjustable noise reduction are useful beyond your runs. OpenSwim Pro has the clearest specialist role: it is for someone who intends to listen while swimming as well as running. Final Thoughts On Shokz Headphones For Running Shokz offers several good ways to listen with your ears open, but the right starting point is the shape of the headphones. A connected OpenRun headset and a pair of OpenFit earbuds can both work well on a run while feeling very different to wear. Once you know which style you prefer, the range becomes easier to understand. OpenRun covers the essentials, OpenRun Pro 2 puts more emphasis on sound, and OpenMove keeps the cost lower. The OpenFit models offer choices for runners who prefer separate earbuds, while OpenSwim Pro serves those who also train in the water. Choose according to your usual runs, the audio you enjoy and the fit you find comfortable. Those details will matter more over hundreds of miles than choosing the model with the longest list of features. Read more about bone conduction or earbuds here

Your fundraising page gives people one place to learn why you’re running, follow your progress and make a donation. You can create one in minutes, but taking time to personalise it will give supporters a clearer reason to get involved. Whether you’re preparing for your first 5K or a marathon, this guide will help you set up a fundraising page, tell your story and keep it active throughout your training. Check Which Fundraising Platform To Use Before creating a page, ask your charity whether it wants you to use a particular fundraising platform. If you received your race place through the charity, it may have given you a specific link or instructions so your fundraising is connected to your event place. If you entered the race yourself, ask which platforms the charity supports. Check how donations reach the charity and whether donors are shown any fees or optional contributions. Once you know where to set up your page, you can focus on making it your own. Read how to create the perfect Justgiving page here and the perfect Enthuse page here. Give Your Page A Clear Title Your title should tell visitors who you are, what you’re doing and which charity you’re supporting. “Josh’s Marathon For [Charity]” says more than a general appeal for donations, particularly when someone shares your link with a person who doesn’t know you. If the platform allows you to choose a page address, make it short and easy to remember. Check the spelling before you add the link to messages, posters or social media profiles. Tell Your Fundraising Story Explain which event you’re taking on, why you chose the charity and what the challenge means to you. Write in your own voice. Someone visiting your page for the first time should understand why you care and what you’re asking them to support. You do not need a dramatic personal story. You might know someone helped by the charity, have a connection to its cause or simply believe in its work. Say what brought you to the challenge, then tell readers why a donation would matter to you. For example, you could write: “I’m running my first half marathon for [Charity] because its work supporting [cause] matters to my family. Training is a new challenge for me, and I’d be grateful if you could support the charity as I work towards race day.” Use that as a starting point, then add the details that make the story yours. Read more about telling your fundraising story here. Explain What The Charity Does A visitor may know you without knowing the charity. Describe its work in plain language and give a specific example of whom or what it supports. This helps people understand the cause behind your run. If you want to say what a particular donation amount could achieve, check the wording with the charity first. Otherwise, describe its work without attaching an unverified figure to a donation. Choose A Photo That Fits Your Story A photo of you running, training or representing the charity helps visitors connect the page to a real person. It will usually serve your story better than a generic fundraising image. If other people appear in the photo, check that they are happy for you to use it publicly. Some platforms also let you add a video. A short recording explaining why you’re running can add a personal touch, but you do not need one to build an effective page. A clear photo and a thoughtful story are a strong start. A training photo can help supporters follow your journey. Set An Honest Fundraising Target If you have a charity race place, confirm your fundraising commitment before setting the target on your page. If you have your own entry, you can ask the charity for a suggested amount or choose a target that fits your plans. You can increase a target if you reach it and decide to keep fundraising. Explain the new goal in a page update so supporters can follow your progress. Your target should reflect what you’re genuinely aiming to raise. Check Your Page Before Sharing It Read your page as someone seeing it for the first time. Is it clear what you’re doing and when? Have you selected the right charity, checked the spelling and made sure the donation button works? Open the page on your phone as well. Most people you send the link to will be able to decide whether to donate from there, so the story, photo and donation option should all be easy to find. Share Your Fundraising Page Start with people you know. Send the link with a short personal message explaining why you’re running and why you chose the charity. A link on its own gives someone much less reason to open it. You can also share the page through the social channels you use, such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp or LinkedIn. Put the link somewhere easy to find and give people a fresh reason to visit it each time you post. A training milestone, fundraising event or update from the charity offers more than repeating the same donation request. Your running club, workplace and local community may be willing to help spread the word. If you’re promoting a fundraising event in person, a QR code on a poster can take people straight to your page. Focus on the approaches that suit you and the people you’re trying to reach. Read more about using social media here. Keep Your Page Updated Your page can tell the story of your training as it happens. Add an update when you complete your first long run, reach a fundraising milestone, organise an event or overcome a difficult week. A relevant photo can help bring that moment to life. Updates also give you something new to share with supporters. They can see that you’re putting in the work, learn what their support means to you and follow the journey towards race day. Read more about sharing your training journey here. Thank Supporters And Share Your Result Thank donors when you can, whether through the fundraising platform, a message or in person. If someone has donated anonymously, respect their choice when sharing updates or thanking people publicly. After the race, return to your page and tell supporters how it went. Add a photo, thank them for helping you get there and explain whether the page is still open for donations. They supported the journey, so give them the chance to see how it ended. How To Create A Fundraising Page A strong fundraising page starts with a clear story: what you’re doing, why the charity matters to you and how people can help. Add a photo, set an honest target and check the page works on a phone before sharing it. Keep the page updated as you train, thank the people who support you and return after the race to share how it went. That gives supporters a chance to follow the whole journey, from your first appeal to the finish line. Have a listen to our podcast on creating the perfect fundraising page

TikTok can help you bring people into your charity running journey. A video from your first training run, an honest update after a difficult week or a message about why you chose your charity can show supporters what sits behind your fundraising page. You do not need polished videos or a large following to begin. Start with a clear reason for running, make your donation page easy to find and give people a journey they can follow. Getting Started With TikTok Charity Fundraising Your first video can be simple. Say which event you are running, name your charity and explain why you chose it. Tell viewers that you will be sharing your training and fundraising progress as you work towards race day. Take a moment to set up your profile before posting. A short bio should tell visitors that you are running for charity. Then check how someone who sees your video will get from your profile to the correct fundraising page. Make Your Fundraising Page Easy To Find If your TikTok account lets you add a clickable website link, use your personal fundraising page and test the link yourself. Account eligibility for website links can vary, so check what is available on your profile rather than assuming everyone can add one. If you cannot add a website link, give viewers another clear route to your fundraising page, such as a linked social profile. Explain that route when you ask for donations. Do not say “link in bio” unless someone visiting your profile can actually find the donation page there. Use the fundraising page agreed with your charity where possible. It gives supporters a clear place to donate and lets you see how you are progressing towards your target. Tell People Why You Are Running Your reason for taking on the challenge is the thread that connects your videos. You might be thanking a charity that helped someone close to you, supporting work you believe in or tackling a distance you once thought was beyond you. Tell that story in your own words. Bring the cause into your updates throughout training. New viewers may find you weeks after your introduction, so a brief reminder of the charity and why it matters helps them understand what they are watching. Read more about telling your story here. Share Your Training Journey Your training provides plenty to talk about before race day. You could share your first run, a favourite route, how you prepared for a longer distance or what you learned from a difficult session. Fundraising milestones also give you a reason to update people. You do not have to film every run or post every day. Choose moments that show how your challenge is developing, and let viewers get to know the person behind the fundraising page. Find The RunTok Community RunTok is the name many people use for TikTok’s running community. Search for runners preparing for your distance or event, follow journeys that interest you and join the conversations. It can be a place to exchange encouragement and see how others are approaching training. You can share your fundraising journey there too. Comment on other runners’ videos because you are interested in what they are doing, rather than treating every conversation as a chance to ask for a donation. Genuine connections make the experience more rewarding, whether or not those people become supporters. Give Each Video A Clear Point A viewer should understand what your video is about early on. “I’m training for my first half marathon for charity” sets the scene. “I nearly skipped today’s run, but remembered why I signed up” introduces a moment from the journey. Use the caption to name your event, charity or fundraising challenge when it is relevant. A few suitable hashtags can add context, but they are no substitute for explaining your story clearly in the video. Include The Difficult Days Training rarely goes exactly to plan. You may miss a run, struggle with a new distance or feel nervous as the event gets closer. If you are comfortable sharing those moments, they can help people understand the effort involved. You do not need to turn every setback into a dramatic update. Explain what happened, how you feel and what you plan to do next. Let the honest moments sit alongside the runs and milestones you are proud of. Read more about using your training journey here. Ask For Donations Clearly Enjoying a video and knowing how to donate are two different things. When you ask for support, say what you are raising money for and give viewers clear directions to your fundraising page. You could say: “I’m running the marathon for [charity], and I’m working towards my fundraising target. If you would like to support me, you can find my donation page through my profile.” Make sure those directions match what is actually on your account. It is fine to ask again later in your campaign. Someone who sees your longest run or your race week update may be hearing about your challenge for the first time. Check TikTok’s Donation Features TikTok offers fundraising features for some approved charities and eligible accounts. If you can add a fundraiser to a video, LIVE session or profile, check that your charity is available and understand where donations made through that feature will go. In particular, ask your charity whether those donations will count towards your personal fundraising target. If they will not appear on your own fundraising page, directing viewers to that page may be clearer for your campaign. You can use TikTok to tell your story without using its built-in donation tools. Rebecca celebrates finishing the London Marathon for Phab. A finish line photo gives supporters a chance to share in the end of the journey. Bring Supporters Along On Race Day As the event approaches, tell followers how you are feeling and how close you are to your fundraising target. A short update before the start can bring together everything you have shared during training. After the race, show them how it went. A finish line photo, medal video or honest reflection gives supporters the outcome they have been waiting for. If your fundraising page is still open, remind people where they can donate. Thank Your Supporters Thank the people who donated, shared your page or encouraged you during training. You might make one video for everyone or reply to individual messages where appropriate. If you want to mention a donor by name or share their message, ask them first. You can also tell supporters what you raised and what comes next. That final update closes the loop for people who followed your challenge and shows them that their support mattered. Read more about thanking your supporters here. Make TikTok Part Of Your Fundraising Plan TikTok works best when people can follow the story from your first run to the finish line. Introduce your cause, share progress as it happens and ask for donations at moments when viewers understand what they are supporting. Keep your fundraising page easy to reach throughout. The videos help people connect with your challenge; a clear donation route lets them act on that connection. HAVE A LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST THAT DETAILS HOW IZZY HUNTER USED TIKTOK WHEN SHE RAISED OVER £1000 DOING HER FIRST 10K.

Feeling tired after a demanding run is normal. Feeling persistently drained, getting injured repeatedly or watching your performance decline despite consistent training deserves a closer look. Sometimes the issue is that the body is not getting enough energy to support both running and normal health. Relative energy deficiency in sport, usually shortened to RED-S, describes a pattern of health and performance problems associated with problematic low energy availability. It can affect recreational runners as well as competitive athletes, and it can happen without deliberate dieting. Understanding the warning signs can help you seek support before the problem gets worse. What Is Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport? Energy availability is the energy left for your body to function after accounting for the energy used in exercise. Your body needs that energy to maintain bones and other tissues, regulate hormones, support your immune system and handle everyday life. If food intake is too low for your training demands, the energy available for those functions can fall short. Low energy availability and RED-S are related, but they are not interchangeable. A brief mismatch between eating and training does not mean you have developed the syndrome, and feeling hungry after a run is not a diagnosis. A clinician looks for a broader pattern of health and performance effects rather than relying on one symptom or a calorie calculation. How Can Runners Develop RED-S? Sometimes training increases while eating habits stay the same. You might add a run, extend your weekend mileage or begin training for a marathon without making room for more food. An early session followed by a missed breakfast, a busy day with little lunch or a poor appetite after a hard workout can make it difficult to catch up. Low energy availability can also be linked to attempts to lose weight, strict food rules or an eating disorder. Not everyone affected has an eating disorder, and lack of time, money or access to suitable food can also play a part. The cause matters because support needs to address the runner’s circumstances as well as their food intake. Read more about common running nutrition mistakes here. What Are The Warning Signs For Runners? There is no single symptom that proves a runner has RED-S. Possible clues include persistent tiredness, performance that declines despite training, repeated illness, frequent injuries, changes in mood and a struggle to recover between sessions. Bone stress injuries deserve particular attention because problems with bone health can become serious if you continue to run through pain. For people who menstruate, periods becoming irregular or stopping can be another warning sign. RED-S can also affect male runners, whose warning signs may include persistent fatigue, declining performance and repeated injuries. Weight loss may occur, but appearance and weight alone cannot tell you whether your body has enough energy for its needs. These signs can have many other causes, including illness, iron deficiency or training that has increased too quickly. Their value is in prompting a proper assessment, especially when several appear together or do not improve. Do not assume every disappointing run is a nutrition problem, but do not dismiss a persistent pattern as something all runners have to endure. Why Does RED-S Matter Beyond Running Performance? A runner might first notice that familiar paces feel harder or that recovery is taking longer. The potential effects reach beyond race times: problematic low energy availability can affect hormonal function, bone health, immune function and mental wellbeing. The pattern and severity vary between individuals, so two runners may not experience the same symptoms. Trying to train harder through the problem can make it more difficult to recover. If you have pain in one specific spot that may be coming from a bone, especially if it worsens with running or begins to affect walking, stop running and arrange a medical assessment. Getting help early gives you a better chance of addressing the underlying issue and protecting your health. How Is RED-S Diagnosed? A clinician considers the whole picture: symptoms, medical history, training, eating patterns and possible alternative explanations. Depending on the situation, assessment may include questions about menstrual or hormonal health, examination for injuries and relevant tests. There is no home test, single blood result or number on the scales that can confirm or rule out RED-S. The International Olympic Committee has developed a clinical assessment tool to help qualified professionals evaluate risk and guide decisions about training and competition. Assessment is best led by a clinician familiar with sports medicine, with support from a registered sports dietitian where possible. The aim is to identify the problem accurately and make a plan suited to the person, rather than attach a label based on an online checklist. What Does Recovery Involve? Addressing insufficient energy intake is central to care. A sports dietitian can help a runner eat enough across the day and around training, while a clinician may recommend reducing or pausing exercise for a period depending on the symptoms and risk. Treatment may also need to address a bone injury, hormonal changes, an eating disorder or other health concerns. Recovery does not follow a single timetable, and adding a snack is not a substitute for assessment if symptoms are significant. Follow the plan agreed with your healthcare team and let them advise when to increase running again. If restrictive eating or anxiety about food is involved, psychological support may be an important part of that plan. Regular meals and snacks can help runners meet their energy needs as training increases. How Can You Reduce The Risk? As your running grows, check whether your meals and snacks have grown with it. Regular food across the day, something practical after a run and a plan for long training days can help you avoid repeatedly missing opportunities to eat. Fuel during longer runs has a role, but gels alone cannot make up for too little food in the rest of your routine. Take changes in health seriously instead of treating them as proof that you need more discipline. A missed period, recurring bone pain or weeks of unusual fatigue are reasons to seek advice, not badges of hard training. Read more about fuelling your runs here. When Should You Ask For Help? Speak to a healthcare professional if several warning signs persist, or if you have concerns about restrictive eating. Arrange an assessment promptly if you suspect a bone stress injury. Tell the clinician about your training and food routine so they can consider RED-S alongside other possible causes. RED-S can affect runners at different levels and of any sex. You do not need to wait until your weight changes or your running stops completely before asking for help. The goal is to support both your health and the running you want to keep enjoying.

Marathon training can change how much food your body needs, sometimes before you notice a big change in appetite. Your long run may be the most obvious demand, but shorter runs, strength work and recovery also need energy. Eating well for a marathon means supporting the whole training week, not just getting breakfast and gels right on long run day. That does not mean every runner needs the same number of calories or a rigid meal plan. The useful question is whether your usual eating habits still support your training as the workload grows. Here is how to recognise when they may need to change and what to do about it. Why Marathon Training Can Leave You Short Of Energy Training plans often add distance gradually, while meals stay exactly as they were. A runner might add an extra weekday session and extend the long run but keep the same breakfast, lunch and dinner. Busy workdays, travel or a reduced appetite after a hard run can make the gap wider. Your body needs energy for far more than running. It also needs it for normal daily activity, maintaining tissues, supporting health and recovering between sessions. If too little remains for those functions over time, both health and performance can suffer. This can happen without any intention to restrict food. Read about the best recovery foods after your long runs here. Eating Enough Is About The Whole Day A gel during a long run has a useful job, but it does not replace the meals and snacks that support the rest of your day. Breakfast before an early session, lunch after it and an evening meal all contribute to getting ready for the next run. Look at where training fits around your normal routine. If you run before work and then wait until lunchtime to eat properly, you may find that a quick breakfast and a more substantial meal afterwards work better. If you run after work, arriving home very hungry might be a sign that lunch and an afternoon snack need more attention. There is no need to eat the same amount every day regardless of what you are doing. A demanding long run day or a week with more mileage may call for more food than an easier day. Rest days still involve recovery, especially after a long run, so they are not days when your body stops needing nourishment. Build Meals That Support Training Carbohydrate foods such as rice, potatoes, bread, oats, pasta and fruit provide fuel for running. Protein foods such as eggs, dairy foods, beans, tofu, fish and meat help you meet the needs of normal repair and adaptation. Including fats, vegetables and other varied foods helps make meals satisfying and supports general health. You do not have to turn every plate into a calculation. A practical approach is to start with regular meals containing carbohydrate and a source of protein, alongside a variety of fruit, vegetables and fats across the day. Then adjust portions and add snacks when training demands more. A bowl of oats with milk or yoghurt and fruit, a rice dish with beans or chicken, and a sandwich with cheese, eggs or hummus are all ordinary ways to do that. If a larger meal feels uncomfortable, especially around a run, spreading food across the day may be easier. A banana and yoghurt, toast with peanut butter, a smoothie or a cereal bar can fit between meals. Choose foods you enjoy and tolerate rather than forcing yourself to eat a supposedly perfect runner's menu. Supplements cannot make up for routinely eating too little. A protein powder or sports drink may be convenient in some situations, but neither replaces the energy and variety you get from regular meals and snacks. If you suspect a nutrient deficiency, such as low iron, seek medical advice before taking a supplement rather than guessing what you need. Read more about supplements here. Adjust Your Routine As Your Mileage Rises Review a typical training day when your plan moves into a harder block. Have you added a run without changing the food around it? Are you leaving home early, missing breakfast or getting so busy that lunch becomes an afterthought? Those small gaps can add up across several days. Try making one change you can repeat. Put breakfast within reach for early mornings, take an extra snack to work, serve more of the carbohydrate food with dinner or plan what you will eat after the long run before heading out. Appetite alone may not tell you whether you are meeting your needs, so look at your routine and how you recover over several weeks rather than judging by one session. Fuel taken during a long run matters too, particularly as runs become longer. Practise the food and drinks you intend to use in your marathon, but keep your everyday eating in view. Our guides to what to eat before a long run, running gels and eating after a run cover those individual sessions in more detail. It is also possible to overestimate how much extra food training requires. A shorter run does not automatically call for a huge plate of pasta on top of your usual meals, and regularly eating more than you use can lead to weight gain. Start with your normal eating routine, adjust it as training increases and pay attention to how you feel and recover over time. The aim is to eat enough to support your running without assuming that every session needs a large extra meal. Pasta can help fuel marathon training, but portions should reflect your appetite and training needs Signs You May Need More Support Feeling tired during a demanding week is not, by itself, proof that you are eating too little. But persistent fatigue, a drop in performance, repeated illness or injury, and difficulty recovering deserve attention. Changes to menstrual periods can also be a warning sign for some runners. None of these signs has a single possible cause, so avoid diagnosing yourself from a checklist. When food intake is too low relative to training demands, the energy left to support normal body functions can be insufficient. This is called low energy availability. If it becomes problematic, it can lead to relative energy deficiency in sport, often called RED-S, which can affect health as well as training. It can affect runners of any sex and does not require deliberate dieting or a particular body size. If these problems persist, speak to a qualified healthcare professional and, where possible, a registered sports dietitian. They can look at your symptoms, training and eating together and decide whether further assessment is needed. If food rules, anxiety about eating or pressure to lose weight are part of the picture, tell them that too. Read more about RED-S here. What If You Want To Lose Weight While Training? Trying to eat less while marathon training is getting harder can make it difficult to support your running and recovery. A lighter body is not automatically a better prepared body, and the number on a scale cannot tell you whether you have enough energy available for training. If weight change is a goal, particularly alongside a demanding training plan, get individual advice from a registered dietitian with sports nutrition experience. Protecting your health and the consistency of your training matters more than following a generic calorie target or cutting out entire food groups. Final Thoughts On Eating Enough During Marathon Training Eating enough for marathon training is an ongoing adjustment, not a single race week task. As your running increases, check whether your meals and snacks have kept pace, plan food around the sessions that disrupt your routine and pay attention to how well you recover. There is no universal plate size or calorie number that works for every marathon runner. Regular, varied food and a routine you can actually follow provide a better starting point, with individual support when warning signs appear. Read about common running nutrition mistakes here.

Beetroot has become one of the most popular natural performance aids in endurance sport. Runners increasingly use beetroot juice and concentrated beetroot shots before races and harder training sessions, but unlike many sports nutrition trends, there is genuine scientific evidence behind it. The potential benefits of beetroot for runners come largely from its high concentration of dietary nitrate. The body can convert nitrate into nitric oxide, which is involved in blood flow, muscle function and exercise efficiency. Research suggests that increasing nitrate intake can improve exercise performance in some circumstances, although the benefits are generally small and aren't experienced equally by every runner. So, can beetroot actually help you run faster, how much do you need and when should you take it? Why Is Beetroot Good For Runners? Beetroot is the edible root of the beet plant, Beta vulgaris, and is naturally rich in dietary nitrate. Nitrate is also found in vegetables including spinach, rocket, lettuce and celery, so beetroot isn't unique in providing it. What makes beetroot particularly interesting for runners is the amount of nitrate it can provide and the availability of concentrated beetroot products containing a known dose. This makes it much easier to consume the quantities that have been studied in sports performance research. Beetroot also provides nutrients including folate, potassium and fibre when eaten as a whole vegetable. However, it is nitrate rather than the general nutritional content of beetroot that has generated most of the interest within sports science. How Does Beetroot Help Running Performance? After you consume nitrate, some is absorbed into the bloodstream and then concentrated in saliva. Bacteria in your mouth convert nitrate into nitrite, which can subsequently contribute to the production of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide has several functions relevant to exercise, including helping regulate blood flow and muscle contraction. Dietary nitrate may also reduce the oxygen and energy cost of exercise, effectively allowing the muscles to perform a given amount of work more efficiently. For runners, this could potentially make maintaining a particular intensity slightly easier or allow you to sustain harder exercise for longer. It is important not to exaggerate the effect. Beetroot won't suddenly produce a dramatic improvement in your running, and individual responses vary. However, even relatively small improvements can be useful when you're trying to improve race performance. Does Beetroot Actually Make You Run Faster? There is enough evidence behind dietary nitrate for it to be recognised as a genuine sports performance supplement rather than simply another nutrition trend. Research has found improvements in various measures of aerobic exercise performance following nitrate supplementation, although results differ according to the athlete, exercise being performed, dose and supplementation strategy. The evidence appears particularly relevant to sustained high-intensity exercise and events lasting roughly 4 to 30 minutes, although nitrate has also been investigated across a much wider range of endurance activities. This means runners shouldn't assume that taking beetroot before a marathon will automatically produce a faster finishing time. The potential performance improvement is likely to be relatively small and individual. Recreational and moderately trained athletes may also have more scope to benefit than highly trained endurance athletes, although responses vary considerably. Beetroot For 5K And 10K Running The evidence surrounding dietary nitrate makes beetroot particularly interesting for runners racing shorter endurance distances such as 5K and 10K. These distances require runners to maintain a relatively high intensity for a prolonged period, which overlaps with the types of exercise where nitrate supplementation has frequently been studied. That doesn't mean every runner will record a personal best after drinking beetroot juice. Training, fitness, pacing, sleep, fuelling and race conditions will have far greater effects on your result. Beetroot should be viewed as a possible small addition to those fundamentals rather than a replacement for them. Beetroot For Half Marathon And Marathon Runners Beetroot is also popular among half marathon and marathon runners, although the evidence shouldn't be interpreted as meaning it will automatically save several minutes over a marathon. Long-distance performance depends on numerous factors including aerobic fitness, running economy, carbohydrate availability, hydration, pacing and fatigue resistance. Dietary nitrate potentially influences some of the physiological processes involved in endurance exercise, but its effect is only one small part of the overall picture. If you're training for a half marathon or marathon, beetroot can therefore be considered as part of your wider race nutrition strategy, but your carbohydrate intake and hydration remain much more important. How Much Beetroot Should Runners Take? This is where concentrated beetroot products can be more useful than simply eating beetroot with your dinner. Research protocols commonly provide around 6–8 mmol of nitrate, equivalent to approximately 350–500mg, before exercise. Some products contain this amount in a relatively small concentrated shot. Don't assume that every beetroot juice, powder or shot provides an effective dose. The nitrate concentration of beetroot can vary considerably, and some commercial products don't state how much nitrate they contain. If you're buying a product specifically for its potential performance benefits, check the label for the nitrate content rather than simply looking at how much beetroot it contains. Whole beetroot is still an excellent food and can contribute to your dietary nitrate intake, but obtaining a precise pre-race nitrate dose from ordinary beetroot is much more difficult. When Should Runners Take Beetroot? For an acute pre-race strategy, beetroot or another dietary nitrate source is generally consumed around two to three hours before exercise. This gives the body time to process the nitrate and increase nitric oxide availability before you start running. Taking a beetroot shot immediately before the start is therefore unlikely to be the best strategy. Another approach used in research is to consume nitrate daily for several days leading into an important race, rather than relying solely on one pre-race dose. As with gels, caffeine and every other element of race nutrition, experiment during training first. Don't introduce a concentrated beetroot product for the first time on the morning of an important race. Don't Use Antibacterial Mouthwash With Beetroot One surprisingly important consideration is your mouth. The conversion of dietary nitrate into nitrite relies partly on bacteria naturally present in the mouth. Using antibacterial mouthwash around the time you consume nitrate can interfere with this process and potentially reduce the intended effect. If you're specifically using beetroot as a nitrate supplement before a race, avoiding antibacterial mouthwash around your supplementation period is therefore sensible. Beetroot Juice, Beetroot Shots Or Whole Beetroot? Whole beetroot, beetroot juice and concentrated beetroot products can all provide nitrate, but they aren't necessarily interchangeable when you're using beetroot specifically for performance. Whole beetroot is an excellent everyday food and can be roasted, added to salads or incorporated into meals. Regularly eating nitrate-rich vegetables can also increase your overall dietary nitrate intake. Standard beetroot juice can provide considerably more nitrate, but its concentration can vary. Concentrated sports shots have the advantage of providing a relatively large and, with suitable products, clearly stated nitrate dose in a small amount of liquid. For runners specifically targeting an evidence-based pre-race dose, a product that clearly states its nitrate content is therefore the easiest option. A much easier way to take beetroot! Can Beetroot Help With Running Recovery? There has also been research into beetroot juice and recovery following strenuous exercise. Some studies suggest beetroot juice may improve certain measures of recovery, including muscle function and soreness following muscle-damaging exercise. However, the evidence is less straightforward than the research surrounding nitrate and exercise performance. For most runners, the fundamentals of recovery remain more important. Eating enough carbohydrate and protein, replacing lost fluids and getting sufficient sleep should take priority over adding beetroot specifically for recovery. Does Beetroot Have Other Health Benefits? Beetroot can be a useful part of a healthy diet regardless of whether you use it for running performance. Dietary nitrate can increase nitric oxide availability, which is involved in regulating blood vessels and blood pressure. Eating beetroot alongside a wide variety of vegetables also provides vitamins, minerals, fibre and other plant compounds. This is another reason to distinguish between eating beetroot as part of your normal diet and using a concentrated nitrate product specifically before exercise. Both can be useful, but they're serving slightly different purposes. Are There Any Side Effects From Beetroot? Beetroot is generally well tolerated, but concentrated beetroot juice can cause digestive discomfort in some people, particularly when consumed in larger quantities. It can also turn urine or stools pink or red, a harmless effect known as beeturia. This can look alarming if you aren't expecting it, but it is normally nothing to worry about after eating beetroot. The potential for stomach problems is another reason to test your chosen product during training before using it for a race. Read about running nutrition mistakes here. Is Beetroot Worth Trying For Runners? Beetroot is one of the better-supported nutritional strategies available to runners. Dietary nitrate is recognised within sports nutrition as a performance supplement with good scientific evidence when used in appropriate situations and at an appropriate dose. That doesn't mean beetroot is guaranteed to make you faster. The potential improvements are relatively small, responses differ between runners and the evidence is stronger for some types of exercise than others. However, if you've already got your training, pacing, recovery and race nutrition in place, beetroot is a relatively simple strategy to experiment with. Try an appropriate nitrate dose before a harder training session and see how you respond before considering using the same approach on race day. Final Thoughts The interest in beetroot for runners isn't simply clever marketing. There is genuine science behind dietary nitrate and its potential effect on exercise performance, which is why beetroot juice has become so common in endurance sport. For runners who want to experiment with it, the important factors are the nitrate dose and timing rather than simply consuming as much beetroot as possible. Around 350–500mg of nitrate taken two to three hours before exercise reflects the type of protocol commonly used in sports nutrition research. Beetroot won't compensate for missed training, poor pacing or inadequate race fuelling, but once those fundamentals are in place, it may provide a small additional performance benefit. For a food that was once mainly associated with salads and sandwiches, that's a pretty impressive transformation. Read about other vegetables that are good for your running here.

Karhu may not have the same visibility as some of the largest running shoe companies, but it has one of the longest and most interesting histories in the sport. The Finnish brand was founded in 1916, and its shoes were worn by some of the country’s celebrated distance runners during the early decades of international athletics. The modern Karhu running range is built around a distinctive approach to movement. Its Fulcrum technology is designed to guide the foot through the stride and create a smooth rolling transition rather than relying entirely on soft cushioning or highly flexible foam. Karhu currently offers road, mixed terrain and trail running shoes, with different models covering everyday training, long runs, faster sessions and additional stability. If you have seen Karhu running shoes and wondered what makes them different, how the Fulcrum works or which model is right for you, here is everything you need to know. The History Of Karhu Karhu was established in Helsinki in 1916 under the name Ab Sportartiklar Oy. The company initially made sporting equipment from locally sourced birch, including skis, javelins and discuses, before moving into running shoes. The name changed to Karhu in 1920. Karhu means bear in Finnish, explaining the animal that has remained closely associated with the brand throughout its history. Karhu shoes were worn by leading Finnish runners during the era of the Flying Finns. These athletes included Paavo Nurmi, who won nine Olympic gold medals during the 1920s and became one of the most celebrated distance runners in the history of the sport. The brand also has an important connection with one of the most recognisable symbols in modern sportswear. Karhu previously used three stripes on its footwear before selling the trademark to Adidas in 1952. Karhu later adopted the M symbol that continues to identify the brand today. Karhu registered its M symbol in 1960. The letter represents Mestari, the Finnish word for champion, and different versions of the design continue to appear on Karhu shoes. Innovation remained central to the company as running footwear developed. Karhu created a patented air cushion midsole during the 1970s, before research conducted with the University of Jyväskylä led to the development of Fulcrum technology during the 1980s. Karhu now produces performance running shoes alongside a much larger lifestyle collection inspired by its archive. Runners therefore need to distinguish between the brand’s retro footwear and the current shoes developed specifically for running. Why Are Karhu Running Shoes Different? The biggest difference is the Fulcrum within the midsole. While many modern running shoes concentrate primarily on adding softer or more responsive foam, Karhu combines cushioning with a shaped component intended to guide the foot forwards. This creates what Karhu calls the Rolling Effect. The aim is to reduce unnecessary braking and encourage a smoother transition from landing through to toe off. The precise design and position of the Fulcrum vary between models. It can be used to create additional guidance, a more balanced everyday ride or greater propulsion, depending on the purpose of the shoe. Karhu also places considerable emphasis on fit. Its Ortix system was developed using millions of three dimensional foot scans, helping the company shape the volume of the upper, midsole geometry and internal last around real runners’ feet. The result is a range that feels different from many extremely soft modern running shoes. Karhu generally prioritises a stable platform, guided movement and a smooth roll rather than producing an excessively soft or unstable sensation beneath the foot. What Is Karhu Fulcrum Technology? Fulcrum is Karhu’s signature midsole technology. It sits within the cushioning and acts as a shaped cradle that helps guide the foot through the different stages of the running stride. When the foot lands, it naturally moves through the midfoot before pushing away from the forefoot. The Fulcrum is designed to support this movement and direct energy forwards rather than allowing too much movement vertically or from side to side. This does not mean that every Karhu shoe feels rigid. The length, shape and position of the Fulcrum can be changed according to the type of ride the shoe is intended to provide. The Ikoni uses a Fulcrum to produce a balanced and lightly guided everyday ride. The Mestari Run combines an encapsulated Fulcrum with substantial cushioning, while the redesigned unit within the Fusion is positioned to create a more propulsive sensation during faster running. Fulcrum should not be considered a replacement for cushioning. It works with the surrounding foam, balancing softness with guidance and helping the runner move smoothly from landing to toe off. What Is The Karhu Rolling Effect? The Rolling Effect describes the sensation Karhu attempts to create through the shape of its shoes and the movement of the Fulcrum within the midsole. Rather than allowing the foot to sink deeply into soft foam, the shoe is designed to help the runner roll through each stride. Toe spring also contributes to this sensation. Models including the Mestari Run 2.0 and Fusion 5.0 curve upwards towards the front of the shoe, helping the foot move into toe off as the runner’s weight travels forwards. The result will not feel identical for every runner. Someone accustomed to extremely soft cushioning may initially notice the greater structure, while runners who prefer a stable and guided platform may appreciate the controlled transition. What Is Karhu Ortix Fit? Ortix is Karhu’s approach to creating the shape and fit of its running shoes. It covers the geometry of the midsole, the volume of the upper and the dimensions of the last around which the shoe is constructed. Karhu initially developed Ortix after analysing more than two million foot scans collected with its retail partners. The company says its data has since expanded to include more than four million scans. Using real foot measurements allows Karhu to base its fit on the shape and volume of runners’ feet rather than relying entirely on traditional footwear measurements. The system first appeared in the Ikoni before being expanded across the running range. Karhu also offers selected shoes in HiVo versions. HiVo means high volume and provides additional space throughout the shoe rather than simply adding width to the forefoot. HeraFit is the women’s specific version of the system. It uses data from women’s feet to adjust the shape and volume of the shoe instead of treating the women’s model as only a smaller version of the men’s design. What Is Karhu AeroFoam? AeroFoam is the cushioning material used throughout much of Karhu’s current running collection. Different formulations allow the company to adjust the softness, responsiveness and protection provided by each model. The Ikoni 3.5 uses AeroFoam to provide balanced cushioning for everyday running. The shoe is intended to feel comfortable without becoming excessively soft, complementing the guidance created by its Fulcrum. Fusion 5.0 uses AeroFoam Nova, a more responsive version developed to increase rebound during long runs and faster sessions. This works with the repositioned Fulcrum and more pronounced toe spring to produce a more energetic ride. Mestari Run 2.0 uses AeroFoam Nitro. This formulation is designed to provide the softest and most protective cushioning in the current road range, making it particularly suitable for easy running, recovery sessions and longer distances. What Is Heel Drop? Heel drop is the difference in height between the heel and forefoot of a running shoe. Karhu does not use the same drop across every model because its shoes are designed to provide different running experiences. The Ikoni 3.5 and Mestari Run 2.0 both have an 8 mm drop. This relatively conventional geometry will feel familiar to many runners moving from everyday shoes produced by other established brands. The Fusion 5.0 has a lower 6 mm drop. This works with its responsive construction and pronounced toe spring to create a smooth transition towards the front of the shoe. Heel drop should not be considered in isolation. The amount and firmness of the cushioning, the width of the platform, the toe spring and the Fulcrum can all influence how a Karhu running shoe feels. Runners moving from shoes with substantially different geometry should introduce the new model gradually. Comfort and the overall movement of the shoe are more important than choosing footwear purely because it has a particular numerical drop. Read more about heel drop here. Does Karhu Make Neutral Running Shoes? Karhu makes several running shoes suitable for neutral runners. The Fusion 5.0 is the clearest neutral model, offering a more responsive ride for long runs, progression sessions and faster training. The Ikoni 3.5 is described as a balanced running shoe rather than a completely neutral model. Its Fulcrum provides light guidance, but it is designed to be used by neutral runners as well as those with mild overpronation. Mestari Run 2.0 follows a similar approach. It provides a broad and stable platform with an encapsulated Fulcrum, making it suitable for neutral runners who prefer greater structure and those who want some additional guidance. This reflects a wider change in running shoe design. The distinction between neutral and support footwear is becoming less rigid, with many modern shoes using platform width, geometry and shaped cushioning to create stability without relying on a firm medial post. Does Karhu Make Support Running Shoes? Karhu does not currently divide its range into traditional neutral and stability categories in the same way as some larger running brands. Instead, it uses Fulcrum technology and platform geometry to provide different levels of guidance. The Ikoni 3.5 offers a balanced everyday ride with light guidance. It is the most versatile option for runners who want stability without the firm and intrusive feeling associated with some older support shoes. Mestari Run 2.0 provides greater cushioning and a particularly stable platform. Karhu describes it as suitable for neutral runners and those with early to middle stage overpronation, making it another option for runners who appreciate additional structure. Neither shoe should automatically be considered equivalent to every dedicated stability model. Runners who have been advised to wear a particular type of support shoe should still assess how the individual model works with their running gait and comfort requirements. Does Karhu Make Carbon Plated Running Shoes? Karhu does not currently have a carbon plated racing shoe within its main performance running range. Its shoes are based around Fulcrum technology rather than the rigid carbon plates used in many modern racing models. The Fusion 5.0 is the fastest feeling shoe in the collection, but it remains a versatile running shoe rather than a specialist racing model. Its responsiveness comes from AeroFoam Nova, a redesigned Fulcrum and a pronounced toe spring. That makes the Fusion suitable for faster training, progression runs and longer efforts. Runners seeking the performance characteristics of a carbon plated marathon racing shoe will need to look elsewhere. For many recreational runners, the absence of a carbon plate will not be a significant limitation. Karhu’s current collection concentrates on everyday mileage, comfort, guidance and durability, which account for a much greater proportion of most runners’ training. Does Karhu Make Trail Running Shoes? Karhu produces both a dedicated trail shoe and a road to trail alternative. This gives runners a choice according to the difficulty of the terrain and the amount of road running included within their routes. The Ikoni ATR is designed for running between roads, gravel paths, parks and straightforward trails. It retains the balanced ride and guided support associated with the road version of the Ikoni while adding a more durable upper and outsole. A water resistant Ikoni ATR WR is also available. This version is intended for damp conditions and provides additional protection from light rain, wet grass and surface water, although water resistant should not be interpreted as completely waterproof. The Ikoni Trail is the more protective option for predominantly off road running. It provides greater grip, stability and underfoot protection for uneven ground, forest trails and more demanding terrain. A water resistant Ikoni Trail WR is available for runners who regularly encounter wet conditions. The standard and water resistant versions are intended to provide a stable and guided ride rather than the minimal and highly flexible experience offered by some specialist trail shoes. Which Karhu Running Shoe Is Right For You? Karhu Ikoni 3.5 The Ikoni 3.5 is the most versatile everyday road shoe in the current Karhu range and the model many runners should consider first. It combines balanced cushioning, light guidance and a stable platform, making it suitable for regular training and longer runs. A softer AeroFoam midsole provides cushioning, while the Fulcrum helps guide the foot through a controlled transition. The flared heel counter and IdealKnit upper are designed to balance security, flexibility and breathability. The men’s version weighs approximately 301g in a US size 10 and has an 8 mm heel drop. This makes it heavier than some lightweight everyday shoes, but its emphasis is on stability, durability and dependable comfort rather than achieving the lowest possible weight. Ikoni 3.5 is designed for neutral runners and mild overpronators. It is available in regular and HiVo versions, giving runners who require additional internal volume a wider fitting option. For someone buying their first pair of Karhu running shoes, the Ikoni 3.5 provides the clearest introduction to the brand’s balanced approach. It is the obvious starting point for everyday road running. Karhu Fusion 5.0 Fusion 5.0 is the most responsive road running shoe in the current Karhu collection. It is designed for runners who want a more energetic everyday shoe that can handle long runs as well as faster sessions. The shoe uses AeroFoam Nova cushioning and a repositioned Fulcrum to create greater rebound and propulsion. An amplified toe spring encourages a smoother and more energetic transition towards toe off. Fusion 5.0 has a 6 mm drop and the men’s version weighs approximately 280g in a US size 10. This makes it lighter than the Ikoni and Mestari Run, although it remains an everyday running shoe rather than an exceptionally lightweight racing model. The shoe is best suited to neutral runners. It can handle regular mileage, but it makes particular sense for progression runs, tempo sessions and long runs where the runner wants a little more responsiveness. Fusion 5.0 is also available in a HiVo version. This makes it an unusual option for runners who want a more dynamic shoe but need greater internal volume than many performance focused models provide. Karhu Mestari Run 2.0 Mestari Run 2.0 (pictured above) is Karhu’s maximum cushioning road shoe. It is designed for easy runs, recovery sessions, long distance training and runners who prioritise protection beneath the foot. The shoe uses AeroFoam Nitro cushioning to provide a softer and more responsive feel than the original Mestari Run. An encapsulated Fulcrum adds guidance, while the pronounced toe spring helps the shoe roll forwards despite its substantial construction. Mestari Run 2.0 has an 8 mm drop with a 34 mm heel and 26 mm forefoot stack. The men’s version weighs approximately 340g in a US size 10, making it the heaviest of Karhu’s current road shoes. That weight will make it less suitable for runners seeking a particularly light or fast feeling shoe. Its strength is comfort and stability during easy mileage, recovery running and longer training sessions. The shoe is intended for neutral runners and those with mild to moderate overpronation. A HiVo version is available for runners who need additional space within the upper. Karhu Ikoni ATR Ikoni ATR is the mixed terrain model within the collection. It takes the balanced and guided character of the road running Ikoni and adapts it for routes that combine pavement, gravel, parks and light trails. The shoe provides more outsole grip and durability than the standard Ikoni without adopting the aggressive construction of a technical trail shoe. This makes it particularly useful for runners who begin from home and need to cover roads before reaching their local paths. The Ikoni ATR WR adds a water resistant upper for wet weather running. This can improve protection in rain, wet grass and shallow surface water, although the added material may make the shoe feel warmer than the standard version. Runners spending most of their time on roads should choose the Ikoni 3.5. Those regularly moving between roads and straightforward trails are more likely to benefit from the Ikoni ATR. Karhu Ikoni Trail Ikoni Trail is Karhu’s dedicated off road running shoe. It is designed for runners who need more grip, protection and stability than the Ikoni ATR can provide. The outsole is intended for uneven surfaces and more challenging trails, while the shoe’s broader and more protective construction helps create confidence on changing terrain. Karhu retains the guided and balanced character found across its road range rather than producing an extremely minimal trail shoe. The Ikoni Trail WR provides additional weather protection through a water resistant upper. It is the more appropriate version for runners frequently encountering damp paths, wet grass and colder conditions. Ikoni Trail is the best Karhu option for predominantly off road running. The Ikoni ATR remains the better choice when a route includes a substantial amount of pavement or hard packed ground. The Ikoni Trail How Do Karhu Running Shoes Fit? Karhu advises runners to consider ordering half a size larger than their normal shoe size across much of its current running collection. Individual fit can still vary according to foot shape, the thickness of the socks and the space a runner prefers around the toes. Ortix Fit is designed using foot scan data, but that does not mean every Karhu shoe will suit every runner. The structure created by the upper and Fulcrum can feel different from softer and less guided shoes produced by other brands. Selected Ikoni, Fusion and Mestari Run models are available in HiVo versions. These provide greater volume throughout the shoe and should be considered by runners who regularly find standard fitting shoes too restrictive. Trying the shoes before buying remains the safest approach. There should be enough room for the toes to move and expand during longer runs without allowing the heel or midfoot to slide around inside the shoe. Are Karhu Running Shoes Sustainable? Karhu has taken some practical steps towards reducing waste, although sustainability is not promoted as the defining feature of its performance running range. The brand operates Karhu Renewed, a resale platform through which selected used shoes and clothing can be inspected, cleaned and offered for sale again. Extending the useful life of footwear can reduce the number of products discarded prematurely. Karhu also publishes information about its manufacturing and social responsibility policies. As with most modern running footwear, its shoes still rely on a combination of synthetic foams, rubber, textiles and adhesives that can be difficult to separate and recycle. A resale programme should not therefore be interpreted as making every Karhu shoe environmentally sustainable. Choosing an appropriate model, using it for its full practical life and avoiding unnecessary replacement remain important considerations. These decisions can have a meaningful effect regardless of which running shoe brand someone chooses. Read more about sustainable running shoes here. Are Karhu Running Shoes Worth It? Karhu is worth considering for runners who prefer a stable, guided and smoothly rolling shoe rather than an exceptionally soft or unstable platform. The Fulcrum gives the range a recognisable character and helps differentiate it from more conventional running shoes. The Ikoni 3.5 provides a dependable everyday option, while the Mestari Run 2.0 offers greater cushioning and protection for easy and long distance running. Fusion 5.0 gives the range a more responsive choice for faster training. The trail collection is also sensibly divided. Ikoni ATR covers mixed terrain and routes combining roads with straightforward trails, while Ikoni Trail provides greater protection and grip for predominantly off road running. The range does have limitations. Karhu does not currently offer a carbon plated racing shoe, and runners seeking very lightweight or highly flexible footwear may find the brand’s structured approach less appealing. Availability can also be more limited than with major global brands. This makes trying the shoes before buying more difficult in some countries, particularly when deciding between the regular and HiVo fits. For runners who value stability, fit and a controlled transition, however, Karhu offers something genuinely different. Fulcrum technology is not simply a name applied to conventional cushioning but a consistent design principle that shapes how the entire range feels. Final Thoughts On Karhu Running Shoes Karhu combines more than a century of Finnish sporting history with a distinctive modern running shoe philosophy. Its current range does not attempt to imitate every trend followed by larger footwear companies, instead concentrating on guidance, stability and smooth forward movement. The Ikoni 3.5 is the natural starting point for most runners because it offers the most balanced everyday experience. Fusion 5.0 provides a lighter and more responsive alternative, while Mestari Run 2.0 delivers the greatest cushioning and protection. Ikoni ATR and Ikoni Trail extend the same principles beyond the road. The ATR is designed for routes combining pavement and straightforward paths, while the Trail provides the grip and protection required for more demanding off road running. That difference is also the brand’s greatest strength. Runners who want a stable platform, carefully considered fit and a smooth rolling transition may find that Karhu provides an effective alternative to the much larger running shoe brands. Read more about other running shoe brands here.

The right words can change how a difficult moment in a race feels. A familiar voice arriving when a runner is tired, doubting themselves or beginning the final push may provide something that a generic playlist cannot: a personal reminder of who is behind them and why the challenge matters. Recorded messages for runners can be as simple as voice notes saved on a phone. New technology is also making it possible for friends, family and donors to record messages that play automatically at chosen points during a race. This creates interesting opportunities for runners, supporters and charities, provided the messages are planned carefully and the technology is tested before race day. Why A Familiar Voice Can Feel So Powerful Long distance running is not only a physical test. As fatigue increases, runners often have to manage discomfort, uncertainty and a growing temptation to slow down or stop. Encouragement cannot remove physical fatigue, but it can influence what the runner focuses on and how they respond to that difficult period. A recorded message can interrupt an unhelpful train of thought. Instead of concentrating entirely on tired legs or the distance still to cover, the runner hears the voice of somebody connected to their training, fundraising or reason for taking part. That brief change of focus may help them settle, smile and concentrate on the next manageable part of the race. The personal connection matters. A standard motivational phrase might be useful, but hearing a partner, child, friend, colleague or charity supporter makes the encouragement specific to the runner. Tone of voice can also carry warmth, humour and emotion that would be lost in a written message. The benefit is not about making a runner faster. It is about helping them feel supported, reminding them why they started and giving them an emotional lift when the challenge becomes difficult. A message that makes somebody smile, restores their confidence or encourages them to keep moving has already done something valuable. Recorded Messages Can Strengthen A Runner’s Sense Of Support Race day can be unexpectedly lonely, even in an event involving thousands of people. Supporters may only be able to reach one or two points on the course, while others could live too far away to attend. Voice messages allow those people to contribute to the experience without being physically present. This can be particularly meaningful for somebody running for charity. Their support network may include donors, colleagues, charity staff and people affected by the cause, as well as close friends and family. Hearing from some of those people during the race can reconnect the runner with the work their fundraising will support. The messages can also give supporters a more active role. Donating or sharing a fundraising page remains important, but recording a few words of encouragement asks somebody to contribute personally to the challenge. It turns support into something the runner can hear at the point when it may mean most. What Makes A Helpful Race Day Message? The best messages are usually short, natural and personal. A runner who is already working hard should not have to follow a long story or process complicated instructions. A clear message lasting around 10 to 20 seconds gives enough time to say something meaningful without becoming a distraction. Supporters should think about the likely stage of the race. An upbeat joke may be ideal during the early miles, while a calm reminder of the runner’s training could be more useful when the race becomes difficult. Near the finish, simple and direct encouragement may work better than advice about pace or distance. Useful messages could mention a training run the person completed, the people following their progress or the difference their fundraising will make. Children can record spontaneous messages, colleagues can contribute as a group and somebody connected to the charity can explain what the runner’s effort means to them. Messages do not need to be relentlessly serious. Familiar jokes, memories and deliberately bad singing may produce exactly the lift a runner needs. The important point is that the content should suit the recipient rather than sound like a general motivational quotation. Messages To Avoid Good intentions can still create pressure. Telling a runner that they must achieve a particular time, must not walk or cannot let supporters down may add stress when they are already struggling. Encouragement should support the runner’s decisions rather than make them feel judged. Unexpectedly emotional recordings also need care. A message about a loved one, a bereavement or a deeply personal reason for fundraising may be powerful, but it could overwhelm the runner or disrupt their concentration. If the subject is especially sensitive, it is sensible to agree beforehand whether the runner wants to hear it during the event. Supporters should avoid giving medical, pacing or nutrition instructions unless this has been planned with the runner. Race conditions and physical symptoms can change quickly, so a recorded instruction should never take priority over how the runner feels, official event guidance or help from medical staff. Using Ordinary Voice Notes Runners do not need a specialist product to benefit from recorded encouragement. Friends and family can send voice notes before the event, which the runner can save and arrange into an audio file or playlist. This gives the runner control over which messages they hear and when they play them. The limitation is timing. A standard playlist cannot reliably know when the runner has reached a difficult hill, a chosen mile marker or the closing stages of the race. The runner may also need to operate their phone, which is inconvenient and potentially unsafe in a crowded event. Another option is to listen to selected recordings before entering the start area or during the journey to the race. These messages will not arrive during the hardest miles, but they can reduce nerves and reinforce the sense that other people are invested in the day. How Back My Run Uses GPS Milestones Back My Run is one example of a new type of race day app built specifically around supporter voice messages. A runner creates an event or personal route and shares a link with other people, who can record a message through their browser without downloading the app or creating an account. Supporters choose a distance at which their recording should be delivered. During the run, the app uses the runner’s GPS progress to play the message through their headphones when they reach that milestone. It supports established distances such as 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon, as well as custom distances. The app says that race information and recordings are downloaded before the start, allowing messages to play without a mobile connection. That is a useful design choice for tunnels, remote routes and major events where mobile networks can become congested. Messages are also retained after the event, creating a collection the runner can listen to again. Back My Run is useful here as an illustration of how technology is developing around a very human idea. It brings together the voices of the runner’s supporters and delivers them at meaningful moments, but runners can create a similar sense of encouragement through ordinary voice notes if they do not want to use a specialist app. Anyone considering the app should check current pricing, compatibility and privacy information, then test the complete setup during training before using it at an important event. Read more about Back My Run here Back My Run allows supporters to record voice messages that play automatically when a runner reaches selected points during their race. Why Timing Matters A message delivered at the right moment may be more useful than a large number of random recordings. If too many arrive close together, the runner could feel distracted or lose access to the music, podcast or pace information they normally use. Leaving space between messages makes each one easier to absorb. The runner can identify likely pressure points in advance. These might include the first stage at which the pace usually feels demanding, an exposed or quiet part of the course, the later miles of a marathon or the beginning of the final push. The exact timing should reflect the individual rather than the popular idea that every marathon runner will struggle at the same distance. Positive messages can also be placed at celebratory milestones. Hearing from somebody at halfway, after passing the longest distance completed in training or with one kilometre remaining can help the runner recognise progress instead of waiting until they are in difficulty. Race Day Safety And Practical Checks Any audio used during a race must fit the event’s rules. Some races ban headphones, while others permit only certain types or ask runners to remain able to hear marshals, other participants and emergency instructions. The runner should check the organiser’s current policy rather than assume that an app or particular style of headphones is allowed. Volume should remain low enough for the runner to understand what is happening around them. Bone conduction or open ear headphones can improve environmental awareness, but they do not remove the need to pay attention at crossings, drink stations and congested sections of the course. The runner should practise with the same phone, headphones and settings they plan to use on race day. They need to understand how messages interact with music and other apps, whether background permissions are enabled and how much battery the system uses over the expected race duration. Carrying a phone securely and starting with a full charge are basic but important precautions. Technology can fail, so recorded messages should be treated as a bonus rather than an essential part of the race plan. A runner still needs an appropriate pacing, hydration and fuelling strategy, and they should never continue through a potentially serious medical problem because a message tells them to keep going. Read more about bone conduction headphones here. Are Recorded Messages Worth Trying? For runners who respond strongly to personal encouragement, recorded messages could make a race feel more connected and memorable. They may provide a timely distraction, renew a sense of purpose or simply create a smile during a difficult mile. For charity runners, they can also bring donors and supporters into the experience in a more personal way. They will not suit everybody. Some runners value quiet, protect their concentration carefully or prefer to control exactly what they hear. Others may enjoy messages during a training run but find them too emotional during a race. Testing the idea in advance is the best way to discover what works. The technology is new, but the principle is familiar. Runners have always drawn strength from people calling their name beside the course. Recorded messages offer another way for those voices to reach them, including when the people who matter cannot be there in person. Read more about running with headphones on race day here.

LinkedIn may not be the first social media platform you think of when raising money for a charity run, but it can help you reach supporters who may never see your appeals on Facebook or Instagram. Your network could include current and former colleagues, clients, suppliers, business owners and senior decision makers, giving you opportunities to secure individual donations, workplace support and corporate sponsorship. Successful LinkedIn fundraising is not about repeatedly sharing the same donation link. It is about explaining why you are running, showing the work behind your challenge and making it easy for people in your professional network to help. Whether you are preparing for a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon or another event, this guide will help you use LinkedIn more effectively. Why Use LinkedIn For Fundraising? LinkedIn gives your fundraising campaign access to a different audience from most other social platforms. Some of your connections may know you primarily through work and may not follow your personal social media accounts, so a LinkedIn post can reach people who would otherwise know nothing about your challenge. The platform is particularly useful when your fundraising has a workplace or business angle. As well as asking for personal donations, you can use LinkedIn to discover whether your employer offers matched giving, invite colleagues to support a fundraising activity or start a conversation with a potential corporate sponsor. LinkedIn profiles also provide useful professional context. They can show where somebody works, what their role involves and whether you share a mutual connection, which can help you make relevant approaches without sending indiscriminate messages to strangers. Prepare Your LinkedIn Profile Before You Start Before publishing your first fundraising post, check that your profile is current and clearly connected to you. People who have not spoken to you recently may visit it before donating, particularly if your post reaches them through a share or comment from somebody else. You can add your challenge to the Featured section of your profile, where you can display a link to your fundraising page or an important campaign post. You could also mention the event in your About section or use a temporary banner image featuring the charity and race, provided you have permission to use the relevant branding. There is no need to turn your entire profile into a fundraising page. A few well placed details are enough to show visitors what you are doing, why it matters and where they can support you. Write A Strong First Fundraising Post Your opening post should introduce the whole campaign rather than simply announce that you are running and ask for money. Explain the event you are entering, the charity you are supporting, your fundraising target and the personal reason behind your decision. The first few lines matter because LinkedIn may shorten a longer post behind a “see more” prompt. Begin with the most interesting or meaningful part of your story rather than a generic sentence about being pleased to announce your challenge. A simple structure is to open with why the cause matters, explain what you have committed to doing, describe how donations will help and finish with one clear request. That request might be to donate, share the post, introduce you to somebody who can help or tell you about an employer matched giving scheme. Read more about developing your fundraising story here. What Should You Post On LinkedIn? One announcement is unlikely to sustain a fundraising campaign for several months. Your training and fundraising activity can provide a series of updates that allow people to follow your progress without every post feeling like another identical appeal. Start by explaining why you chose the charity and what its work means to you. You can then share training milestones, new distances, difficult runs and setbacks, giving your connections an honest view of the effort involved in preparing for your event. Fundraising progress also gives you plenty to talk about. You could explain what a particular donation might help the charity achieve, celebrate reaching part of your target or share details of a workplace quiz, raffle, challenge or other fundraising activity. If your employer agrees to match donations, announce this clearly and explain how supporters can take advantage of it. As race day approaches, you can share photographs in your charity running vest, countdown updates and details of your final preparations. Your story should continue after the event. Share your result, an updated fundraising total and a genuine message of thanks to everybody who donated, shared your posts or encouraged you during training. Photos and short videos can make these updates more noticeable in a busy feed. They do not have to look professionally produced, because an authentic photograph after a difficult training run may tell a more engaging story than a polished promotional image. How Often Should You Post? There is no perfect LinkedIn posting schedule for every fundraiser. A useful starting point is one meaningful update every one or two weeks, with additional posts when you reach a significant training or fundraising milestone. Quality and variety matter more than frequency. If every post uses the same photograph, wording and request, people may begin to ignore them. Alternate between personal stories, training updates, information about the charity, fundraising progress and direct appeals so that your connections have a reason to keep following. You should also increase activity at the moments when people are most likely to respond. Your campaign launch, a major training achievement, the final two weeks before the event, race day and the period immediately afterwards all provide natural reasons to post. Make Every Donation Request Clear Do not assume that readers will work out what you want them to do. If you are asking for donations, say so clearly and include an easy route to your fundraising page. If you want an introduction to a local business, explain the type of contact you are hoping to reach. Keep the request proportionate to the post. One main call to action is usually stronger than asking people to donate, share, comment, follow the charity and contact their employer all at once. Test the fundraising link before publishing and check how the post appears on both desktop and mobile. If you choose to put the link in a comment rather than the main post, make its location obvious and add it immediately so interested readers do not have to search for it. Use LinkedIn To Find Workplace Support LinkedIn can help you take your fundraising beyond individual sponsorship. Start with your own employer and ask whether it offers matched giving, payroll giving, volunteering support or a community fund. A match could increase the value of eligible donations without requiring you to find more individual supporters. You can also invite colleagues to take part in a workplace fundraising activity. A bake sale, quiz, sweepstake or team challenge gives you something useful to share on LinkedIn and may encourage colleagues to involve their own networks. If your employer supports the campaign, ask whether its company page can share your post. A message from the organisation can introduce your fundraising to colleagues outside your immediate team and demonstrate the company’s involvement in the community. Read more about fundraising in the workplace here. How To Approach Potential Corporate Sponsors Corporate sponsorship is different from asking an individual connection for a modest donation. A business needs to understand what you are requesting, why the partnership is relevant and what recognition or involvement you can realistically offer in return. Begin with warm contacts where possible. Current or former colleagues, clients, suppliers and local businesses that already know you are more promising than a long list of strangers. LinkedIn can also show mutual connections who may be willing to make an introduction. Keep your initial message short and personal. Explain your connection, introduce the event and charity, then ask whether the person is the right contact for community support or sponsorship. Do not send a long proposal before establishing that there is genuine interest. If somebody wants more information, prepare a concise proposal explaining the charity and the work your fundraising will support. Include the event date, the personal challenge involved and the amount or type of support you are requesting. You should also explain how the business could become involved, what recognition you can genuinely provide and when you need a decision. Make the potential partnership easy to understand without overwhelming the recipient with unnecessary information. Avoid promising publicity, audience numbers or benefits you cannot deliver. A clear and credible proposal is more likely to build trust than an exaggerated claim about exposure. Read more about getting corporate support here. Let your audience know when you've hit a fundraising or a training goal Engage With People Who Support Your Campaign Publishing a post is only the beginning. Reply to comments, thank people for encouragement and acknowledge shares, because these conversations strengthen relationships and may help more people discover the post. Continue to use LinkedIn normally while you are fundraising. Comment thoughtfully on other people’s updates and remain part of your professional community rather than appearing only when you want donations. Publicly thank donors only when you know they are comfortable with it. Some people prefer to give quietly or anonymously, so a private message may be more appropriate than tagging them in a post. Use Messages Carefully A personal LinkedIn message can be effective when you have a genuine relationship with the recipient. Refer to how you know them, explain briefly why the cause matters and include a polite invitation to support you without making them feel pressured. Avoid copying the same sales style message to dozens of contacts. It can feel impersonal and may damage relationships, particularly when you have had no meaningful interaction with somebody for years. Tailoring a smaller number of messages is likely to be more effective than treating your network as a mailing list. Follow up selectively rather than chasing everyone who has not donated. One friendly reminder close to race day may be reasonable for people who expressed an interest, but silence should not become the start of a sequence of repeated requests. Build Momentum Before Race Day The final weeks before your event can be particularly valuable because the challenge feels immediate and your training progress is visible. A countdown can work well, but each post should add something new rather than repeat the number of days remaining. You might share your longest training run, reveal your race kit, explain what donations will fund or announce how close you are to your target. Race week is also a good time to invite people who meant to donate earlier but have not yet done so. Do not make every countdown update sound desperate. Supporters should feel that they are joining a positive effort and helping to create an impact, even if you still have a significant gap to close. Keep Fundraising After The Finish Your fundraising should not end when you cross the finish line. Share a race photograph, describe how the day went, thank your supporters and provide an updated total. People who followed your training may donate after seeing that you completed the challenge. When the final figure is confirmed, explain what the money can help the charity achieve. This closes the story properly and shows supporters that their contributions were part of something meaningful, rather than leaving the campaign with one final request and no outcome. You can also thank an employer, sponsor or workplace team for its support, provided everybody involved is happy to be named. This recognition may help maintain the relationship if you fundraise again in the future. Read more about fundraising after the finish here. Common LinkedIn Fundraising Mistakes The most common mistake is treating LinkedIn as somewhere to paste a fundraising link. A link without a personal reason, useful update or clear story gives people little motivation to stop scrolling and donate. Other mistakes include posting identical appeals too frequently, tagging large numbers of unrelated people, sending generic messages to strangers and focusing more on your finishing time than the cause. LinkedIn can be powerful for fundraising, but your professional network still needs to be treated with relevance and respect. It is also important not to make unsupported claims about the charity or the effect of a donation. Use impact information supplied by the charity and be clear if an example is illustrative rather than a guaranteed outcome. Is LinkedIn Good For Charity Fundraising? LinkedIn can be especially effective when your professional network is different from the audience you reach elsewhere. It gives you a way to involve colleagues, reconnect with former contacts, investigate workplace giving and approach businesses that may be interested in supporting your charity. It should normally form one part of a wider fundraising plan rather than replace personal conversations, WhatsApp, email or other social platforms. The strongest channel will depend on where your relationships are, but LinkedIn offers possibilities that runners often overlook. Listen To Lucy’s and Mikey's Fundraising Stories Lucy Carpenter and Mikey Jones used LinkedIn effectively during their fundraising journeys. Listen to Lucy’s story here and Mikey's story here.

Facebook can be one of the most effective places to promote a charity fundraising page, particularly when you are taking on a running event. It gives you access to friends, relatives, colleagues, former classmates, neighbours and community groups who may already know you and want to support your challenge. Successful Facebook fundraising is not about posting the same donation link every few days. It works best when you tell people why you are running, bring them into your training journey and make clear, well-timed requests for support. This guide explains how to use Facebook for charity fundraising before, during and after your event. It also shows you how to write stronger posts, reach beyond your immediate friends and avoid the common mistakes that can limit donations. Why Facebook Can Work So Well For Charity Fundraising People are more likely to donate when they understand the person behind a fundraising challenge. Facebook is built around existing relationships, which means many of the people who see your posts already know something about you and may feel personally invested in your success. Facebook also lets you combine longer stories, photographs, videos and clickable links in the same post. A supporter can read why the charity matters, see evidence of your training and move directly to your fundraising page without having to search for the link elsewhere. Its sharing and group features can extend your message beyond your own profile. A friend may share your appeal with their network, while a relevant local, workplace or running group may introduce your fundraiser to people you would not otherwise reach. Start With Your Fundraising Page Before promoting your challenge on Facebook, make sure your fundraising page is ready for visitors. It should explain what you are doing, name the event and charity, describe why the cause matters to you and show the target you hope to reach. Use a clear photograph that is recognisably you, ideally connected to running or the charity. Check that the page works properly on a phone and that the donation process is straightforward, because most people will open your link while scrolling on a mobile device. Copy the correct page address and test it before sharing it. If your charity or fundraising platform provides a shorter link, that can make posts look cleaner, but the most important point is that it takes supporters directly to the genuine donation page. Write A Strong First Facebook Post Your launch post sets the context for everything that follows. Do not begin with only a link and a request for money, because people need to understand the challenge and your reason for accepting it. Explain which event you are running, which charity you are supporting and what motivated you to choose it. Include your fundraising target, say what donations could help the charity achieve and finish with a direct invitation to donate through the link. A launch post does not need to tell your entire life story. Two or three short paragraphs, a good photograph and a clear fundraising link are usually enough to introduce the challenge without overwhelming the reader. You could use this structure: “I am running [event] for [charity] because [personal reason]. I hope to raise [target], which could help [example of impact]. If you would like to support me, you can donate here: [link].” Adapt the wording so it sounds like you rather than a standard fundraising template. Tell A Story Instead Of Repeating The Same Appeal One launch post will rarely reach everyone who might donate. Facebook does not show every post to every friend, and some people will see your appeal but decide to return to it later. The answer is not to copy and paste the same message repeatedly. Give each post a different purpose so followers see a developing story rather than a series of identical requests. Share why you chose the charity, what you learned about its work and how your training is progressing. Long runs, early starts, first-time distances, difficult sessions, small victories and unexpected setbacks all give people a reason to follow the journey. Useful updates can also explain what different donation amounts may enable the charity to do. Use examples supplied or approved by the charity, and avoid inventing impact claims that may not accurately reflect its work. Use Photos And Videos That Feel Genuine You do not need professional content to fundraise successfully on Facebook. A post-run selfie, a photograph from a local route, a short video after a difficult session or an image from a fundraising activity can make the challenge feel real. Include yourself in the content whenever possible. A screenshot from a running app can show distance or progress, but a human image and a few words about how the run felt will usually tell a more engaging story. Short videos are particularly useful when you have something meaningful to say. Explain why the charity matters, thank supporters for helping you reach a milestone or speak immediately after completing your longest training run, when the effort is visible and authentic. Always add some written context rather than relying on the photograph or video alone. Mention the challenge and include the fundraising link so a motivated supporter can donate without having to find an earlier post. Make Every Donation Link Easy To Find Friction costs donations, so include a clickable link whenever you make a clear fundraising request. Do not assume people will visit your profile, find an old post or search online for your fundraising page. You can also add the link to the introductory details on your profile if the setting is available to you. A pinned or featured fundraising post may keep the main appeal easier to find, although Facebook layouts and profile options can change over time. Check each published post to confirm that the link works as expected. If you use a QR code on printed fundraising material, test that separately and make sure it opens the same genuine fundraising page. Read more about using QR codes here. Ask Friends To Share Your Fundraiser A share can introduce your challenge to a completely new network. This is especially valuable when somebody has a personal connection to the charity, the event or your reason for fundraising. Ask a small number of close supporters to share your launch post and your most important later appeals. Give them a short explanation they can add in their own words, because a personal recommendation is usually more persuasive than a post shared without context. Do not measure success only by reactions or comments. A post can receive plenty of engagement but few donations, while a single thoughtful share may reach the person who makes a substantial contribution. Use Facebook Groups Carefully Local community groups, running clubs, workplace communities, alumni networks and charity supporter groups can help you reach more people. They are most useful when your challenge has a genuine connection to the group rather than when you are posting to any large audience you can find. Read the rules before sharing a fundraising link and ask an administrator if the policy is unclear. Some groups welcome charitable appeals, while others restrict promotional or fundraising posts to particular days or do not allow them at all. Write a post specifically for the group instead of dropping in the same generic message everywhere. Explain the relevant connection, introduce yourself briefly and avoid making people feel that you joined only to ask them for money. Promote Your Fundraising Activities With Facebook Events If you are organising a quiz, bake sale, raffle, music night, training run or another fundraising activity, a Facebook Event can help you communicate the practical details. It gives people one place to see the date, time and location, indicate that they are interested and receive updates. Keep the event description clear and explain how the activity will raise money. If tickets, entry fees, raffles or prize draws are involved, check the applicable rules and permissions before promoting them, because the legal requirements vary by country and type of activity. Post useful updates as the date approaches without overwhelming invitees. You might introduce a prize, share the running total or remind people of the booking deadline, then thank attendees and report the amount raised afterwards. Share Progress And Fundraising Milestones Visible progress helps people believe that your target is achievable. Celebrate points such as reaching 25%, halfway or a personally meaningful total, and connect the number to the people whose donations made it possible. A milestone post should do more than display a graphic. Thank your supporters, add a brief update from your training and explain what you are working towards next, then include the link for anyone who wants to help you reach the following stage. Training milestones can be just as effective as financial ones. Your first 10K, longest run or final major session gives you a natural opportunity to remind followers why you are putting in the work. Thank People Without Creating Pressure Thanking donors shows that their support matters and reassures other people that the campaign is active. A public thank-you can also bring the fundraiser back into view without turning every post into another direct request. Check before naming or tagging individual donors, as some people prefer to give privately. You can thank a group collectively, mention the new total and explain what their support means to you and the charity. Personal messages are valuable as well. A brief individual thank-you helps maintain the relationship and gives you a chance to acknowledge a message of support rather than treating the donation as only another number on the page. A start line selfie is always a good idea. Well done to Julie Teague who raised over £3,000 running the London Marathon for St Raphael's Hospice Increase Your Activity As Race Day Approaches Many people intend to donate but need a timely reminder. The final weeks of training, race week and the event itself provide natural moments to make another direct request without simply repeating your original post. Share your final long run, race number, kit preparation and travel plans, while keeping the charity and fundraising target visible. In the last few days, tell people how close you are to the target and state clearly that there is still time to support you. Race day content can include a start-line photograph and a finish-line update, provided posting does not interfere with your safety or your event. Ask a friend or family member to share an update if you would rather concentrate fully on the run. Crossing the finish line does not have to end the campaign. Some supporters wait to see the achievement, while others may have missed your earlier posts or simply forgotten to donate. Share the result, a finish photograph and an honest reflection on the experience. Thank everyone who helped, state the latest total and explain that the fundraising page remains open if this is the case. One final update a few days later can report the eventual total and the difference the money may make. It provides a satisfying conclusion for supporters and demonstrates that their donations were part of a completed journey. How Often Should You Post On Facebook? There is no single posting frequency that suits every fundraiser. Your schedule should depend on the length of the campaign, the amount of news you have to share and how your audience responds. During a marathon training plan, one or two useful Facebook posts a week may provide enough continuity without becoming repetitive. You can post more frequently around a fundraising event, a major training milestone or race week, when there is genuinely something new to say. Quality matters more than rigid frequency. If a post has no new story, progress or reason to donate, wait until you have something worthwhile to share instead of publishing merely to meet a schedule. Common Facebook Fundraising Mistakes The most common mistake is sharing a donation link with no explanation. Other weak approaches include making every update an appeal, writing long posts without a clear point, failing to show the person behind the challenge and stopping all communication immediately after race day. Posting in unrelated groups can damage trust, particularly if you ignore their rules. Tagging large numbers of people, adding friends to groups without permission or sending repeated unsolicited messages may also make supporters feel pressured rather than inspired. Avoid suggesting that every supporter should be able to donate. Some people cannot contribute financially, but they may still help by sharing a post, attending an activity or encouraging you during training. Protect trust by using an established fundraising platform and linking directly to your genuine page. Be cautious about messages that claim there is a problem with your campaign, and never share payment details or account information in response to an unsolicited contact. Should You Use Facebook Or Instagram For Fundraising? You do not have to choose one platform. Facebook is particularly useful for longer updates, clickable fundraising links, established personal networks, community groups and shareable appeals, while Instagram can be strong for visual training content and short updates. If you use both, adapt the content rather than publishing everything in exactly the same form. A longer Facebook story can become a shorter Instagram caption or video, with the fundraising link placed wherever supporters can access it most easily. Your own audience matters more than a general rule about which platform is best. Concentrate most of your effort where you have genuine relationships and active contacts, then use the second platform to extend the story rather than doubling your workload. Read more about using Instagram for fundraising here. A Simple Facebook Fundraising Formula For Charity Runners Effective Facebook fundraising for charity runners combines four things: a personal reason, visible progress, genuine appreciation and an easy route to donate. Your supporters should understand why the challenge matters, see that you are doing the work and know exactly how they can help. Begin with a strong launch post, share different parts of the journey and make direct requests at the moments when interest is naturally highest. Continue through race day and finish with a proper thank-you, so the campaign feels like a story people have experienced with you rather than a link they were repeatedly asked to click. Read about using other forms of social media here.

WhatsApp fundraising can be one of the most effective ways to ask for donations because it puts your message directly in front of people who already know you. Instead of hoping that friends notice a social media post, you can explain what you are doing, why the charity matters and how they can help in a personal conversation. That does not mean repeatedly sending the same donation link to everyone in your contacts. The best WhatsApp fundraising feels thoughtful and relevant, using personal messages, useful updates and well timed reminders to help supporters feel part of your challenge. This guide explains how to use WhatsApp for charity fundraising, including the differences between individual messages, groups, broadcast lists and Status updates. It also includes practical message examples for launching your campaign, sharing progress, asking again and thanking your donors. Why Use WhatsApp For Fundraising? WhatsApp is used by billions of people worldwide, but its value to fundraisers is not simply the size of its audience. It is a direct communication channel where people routinely talk to friends, relatives, colleagues, clubs and community groups, so a relevant message can feel more personal than a public post or general email. It is also easy for someone to move from reading your story to visiting your fundraising page. You can share a direct link alongside photographs, short videos, voice notes and training updates, while supporters can reply privately if they want to ask a question or find out more. The personal nature of WhatsApp is also its greatest risk. An unexpected or impersonal request can feel intrusive, so successful fundraising depends on choosing the right recipients, adapting your message and respecting anyone who does not want further updates. Plan Your WhatsApp Fundraising Campaign Before sending anything, divide your potential supporters into groups such as close family, friends, work colleagues, running club members and local community contacts. This will help you decide who should receive a personal message, who might welcome occasional updates and who should not be contacted without permission. Next, decide what you want each message to achieve. Your opening message might introduce the challenge and ask for a donation, while later messages could mark a training milestone, explain the charity’s impact, ask people to share your page or remind them that race day is approaching. Do not add people to a fundraising group without asking them first or use contact details obtained for an unrelated purpose. Fundraising works best when the recipient understands why you are contacting them and has a genuine connection to you, the event or the cause. Explain Why You Are Fundraising Your reason for supporting the charity should be at the heart of every WhatsApp fundraising message. Tell people why you chose the cause, whether it has a personal connection and what completing your run or challenge means to you. You should also explain what donations can help the charity achieve. Use accurate examples provided by the charity rather than making promises about exactly where an individual donation will go, and keep the explanation short enough to read comfortably on a phone. A clear message normally needs four things: what you are doing, why it matters, the progress you have made and a direct link to your fundraising page. If you want the recipient to donate or share the page, say so clearly rather than leaving them to guess. Read more about your fundraising story here. Send Personal WhatsApp Messages One to one messages are usually the strongest option for close friends, relatives and other people you know well. You can refer to your relationship, acknowledge whether they already know about the challenge and write in the same natural tone you would use in any other conversation. Avoid copying a formal appeal into dozens of chats without changing it. Even a short personal opening can show that the recipient matters to you and that the message was not sent indiscriminately. You could use this launch message as a starting point: Hi Sam, you may have seen that I am running the Manchester Marathon for [charity]. I chose them because [brief personal reason], and I am hoping to raise £[target] to support their work. If you would like to donate, my page is [link]. Please do not feel under any pressure, but your support or a share would mean a great deal. The final sentence is important because nobody should feel embarrassed or cornered if they cannot donate. Some contacts may be able to share your page, offer encouragement or support your fundraising in another way. Use WhatsApp Broadcast Lists Carefully A broadcast list lets you send a message to several contacts while each person receives it as a private chat. Replies come back to you individually, and recipients do not see who else received the message, making broadcasts more private than adding everyone to a group. Broadcast messages are only delivered to contacts who have saved your number, so they are best suited to people with whom you already communicate. WhatsApp can also change limits and menu options, so check the current guidance in your version of the app before building your campaign around this feature. Although a broadcast looks like a one to one message to the recipient, the wording can still feel generic. Create separate lists for different audiences and tailor the introduction, story and suggested action to each group instead of sending one identical appeal to everyone. Create A WhatsApp Fundraising Group A WhatsApp group can work well when its members share a genuine interest in the campaign. Examples include a workplace fundraising team, a running club challenge, an event committee or a group of supporters who have chosen to follow your training. Tell people what the group is for before adding them and explain how often you expect to post. Keep donation requests proportionate, avoid sharing other people’s contact details outside the group and make it easy for members to mute or leave without awkwardness. Groups are designed for discussion, so give members something to respond to rather than only posting requests for money. You could ask for route suggestions, share a training decision, invite people to an event or celebrate a team milestone together. Share Updates Through WhatsApp Status WhatsApp Status allows you to share text, photographs and videos that disappear after 24 hours. It can be a less intrusive way to keep your challenge visible because contacts choose whether to view the update instead of receiving another direct fundraising message. Use Status for training photographs, distance milestones, countdowns, fundraising totals and short race day clips. Add a clear prompt telling viewers where to find your donation link, and remember that your privacy settings determine which contacts can see each update. Status should support rather than replace personal asks. Someone may follow your training for weeks without realising that you are actively fundraising, so a direct and considerate message can still be appropriate when you have a genuine relationship with them. Share Your Fundraising Page On WhatsApp Most major fundraising platforms provide a Share option that can open WhatsApp with a link to your page. You can also copy the page address and paste it into an individual chat, group, broadcast message or Status update. Always add your own words before sending the link. A bare web address gives the recipient no reason to open it, whereas a short explanation makes the purpose clear and reassures them that the message really came from you. Check the link yourself before launching your campaign and preview how the page appears when shared. Your fundraising page should clearly identify you, the charity, the challenge and your reason for taking part, because many recipients will decide whether to donate after scanning it quickly on their phone. What To Share During Your Campaign Your first message should introduce the challenge, your charity and your target. After that, share meaningful developments rather than posting simply because several days have passed. Training updates can demonstrate the work behind your challenge, particularly when you complete a new distance or cope with difficult conditions. Photographs and short videos can make these updates more engaging, but they should add to the story rather than distract from the charity and your fundraising goal. You can also celebrate fundraising milestones, explain a specific aspect of the charity’s work or share an event that supporters can join. If the charity gives you approved impact examples, these can help donors understand what different levels of support might make possible. Read more about sharing fundraising updates here. How Often Should You Ask For Donations? There is no perfect timetable because a two week local challenge is different from a six month marathon campaign. A strong launch, a small number of worthwhile progress updates, a race week reminder and a final post event message will usually feel more considered than frequent appeals with nothing new to say. Pay attention to how people respond. If messages are generating conversations, shares and donations, you have useful evidence about what resonates; if people stop engaging, reduce the frequency and make the next update more relevant. Do not send the same message repeatedly to someone who has not replied. One polite follow up may be reasonable, but continued individual requests can damage the relationship and make the campaign feel like pressure rather than an invitation to help. Follow Up Without Putting People Under Pressure Many people intend to donate but forget, particularly if they first see your message while busy. A later update gives them another opportunity without requiring you to ask why they have not donated. Tie the reminder to genuine news and keep the tone positive. For example, you might write: Hi Sam, a quick update before Sunday’s race: I completed my final long run and have now raised £780 of my £1,000 target for [charity]. Thank you for all the encouragement so far. If you meant to support the challenge, there is still time at [link], but there is absolutely no pressure. This message provides context, shows progress and gives the recipient a clear action. It also recognises that financial circumstances differ and that support should always be voluntary. Ask Supporters To Share Your Page Not everyone can donate, but some people may be happy to introduce your campaign to others. Ask selectively, because a personal recommendation from someone connected to the charity, workplace or local community is more valuable than an untargeted forward. Make sharing easy by providing a short message and your correct fundraising link. Ask supporters to add their own reason for sharing, as this gives their contacts context and is more credible than forwarding an unexplained appeal. You could suggest the following wording: My friend Tim is running [event] for [charity], a cause that matters to him because [short reason]. He is aiming to raise £[target], and you can read his story or support the challenge here: [link]. Sharing pictures of your training in tough winter weather can demonstrate your commitment to the challenge Use Photos, Videos And Voice Notes A photograph from a wet training run, a short video after your longest session or a voice note before race day can make supporters feel closer to the challenge. Use the format that feels natural to you and keep it brief enough that people can view or listen without a large commitment. Protect the privacy and dignity of everyone shown in your content, particularly children and charity beneficiaries. Only share images you have permission to use, and follow any guidance supplied by the charity about its name, stories and visual identity. Accessibility matters too. Add a short written explanation to videos and voice notes so recipients can understand the update when they cannot play audio, and avoid placing essential donation information only inside an image. Thank Your WhatsApp Supporters Thank donors personally as soon as you reasonably can, even if the fundraising platform has already sent an automated acknowledgement. A short message can confirm that you noticed their support and make them feel part of what you are trying to achieve. After the event, share the result, your final total and what happens next. If your fundraising page remains open, say so clearly, but make the main purpose of the message appreciation rather than one last demand for money. Your final message could say: I finished the marathon in [time], and together we have raised £[total] for [charity]. Thank you for donating, sharing my page and encouraging me through the training. Your support made the whole challenge mean much more. Read more about thanking your supporters here. WhatsApp Fundraising Mistakes To Avoid The biggest mistake is treating access to someone’s phone number as permission to contact them repeatedly. Avoid adding people to groups without agreement, exposing recipients through bulk group messages, forwarding unverified claims or making anyone feel guilty for not donating. You should also avoid sending only donation links, posting too often or allowing the fundraising target to replace the story behind the cause. WhatsApp is effective because it supports genuine conversation, and that advantage disappears when every contact receives the same impersonal sales style message. Check every message before sending it, particularly the recipient, fundraising link, target and charity name. A few minutes of checking can prevent an incorrect link, private information or unfinished draft from reaching a large group of contacts. Final Thoughts WhatsApp fundraising works best when it combines the reach of digital communication with the care of a personal conversation. Choose the right people, explain your connection to the cause, make donating simple and give supporters useful updates without overwhelming them. Individual chats, broadcast lists, groups and Status updates can all play different roles in a campaign. Used thoughtfully, they can help more people understand your challenge, follow your progress and support the charity through donations, shares and encouragement. Listen to this podcast with Imogen, who used WhatsApp while fundraising for Together Dementia Support at the Great Manchester Run Half Marathon. Around 90% of her fundraising came through WhatsApp