Runners World Magazine Great Motivational Reading. (Runner's World - Magazine)

Member Name: Bouncytime

Product:	Runner's World - Magazine
Date:	27/11/08 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good starting point for the sport, interesting well written features.

Disadvantages: Can get repetitive, limited fixtures calendar.

Runners World magazine is probably the most popular running magazine in Britain, it is available from all high street newsagents and supermarkets. The cover price is £3.99, however you can save by getting a yearly subscription for £24.99. This is usually offered in conjunction with free gifts or first three issues for a pound promotions.

The magazine is targeted towards runners of all ages and abilities. It contains the usual letters, tips, Q &A features, advertisements and fillers common of most popular magazines as well as a couple of longer features, columns and a race calendar. The features are usually an in depth look at runners around the world, famous running legends, training techniques, and sometimes on nutrition and other closely related subjects .

I find the articles are a good read now that I am an established runner, though they were a little mind-boggling as a newbie runner. The articles aimed at new runners are mainly inspiring and motivational though the information does become a little repetitive, partly though this is because there is very little to the sport until you have established a good base level of fitness. The fillers are a fun read although sometimes the advice in them is contradictory.

The columns are also usually of a motivational theme, sometimes with an element of humour, which too brings the sport down to a beginners level. Indeed one of the columnists 'John Bingham' writes from the point of view as a late starter to running who was fat and smoked and has since done countless marathons despite always being well near the back of the pack. I always look forwards to this column, his writing makes even the slowest runner feel like there is something to be gained from the sport.

There is each month a review section of the previous months events, the reviews are thorough although obviously they only have room for a limited amount. Folowing this is a fixtures calendar which is fairly comprehensive for large road races, but seems to have very little trail, or fell races on which is a dissapointment.

I would definately reccommend this magazine to anyone looking to start running, it is excellent for keeping up the motivation and has some good basic advice. Once established as a runner it is possible that you may want to buy the magazine once in a while as the information can be a bit repetitive and the fixtures calendar limited.

Summary: A must for any newcomer to running.