Urbanathlon bootcamp

Strength and conditioning trainer Corey Bocking, of the Performance Training Institute, insists it’s vital to strengthen your calves, glutes and core to prevent injuries from derailing your training. Before you start any serious running, Bocking says you should be able to perform 25 single-leg standing calf raises, 12 single-leg hip extensions (with your foot placed on a bench) and manage a two-minute plank. If that’s beyond you for the moment, repeat each exercise for 7-10 days, then retest yourself and keep practising until you can handle those totals with confidence. “Once you have the foundations that will limit your injury risk, you can add some performance-based exercises,” Bocking says. “By the time you finish, your legs will have the power and strength to take you the distance.”

Photo by ShutterStock Feb 14, 2012