World Triple Jump Champion Phillips Idowu has withdrawn from the IAAF World Indoor Championships ... Read More

World Triple Jump Champion Phillips Idowu has withdrawn from the IAAF World Indoor Championships held in Doha this weekend. Idowu, 31, is Britain’s only reigning world indoor champion and his withdrawal comes as a disappointment to the many British fans who had hoped for podium success. The announcement came following the birth of his second child last week, which Idowu cites as his main reason for not competing: “I am gutted not to be representing the Aviva GB Team in Doha and passing up the opportunity to defend my title. However, the late arrival of my baby boy has meant my training has been severely disrupted and I decided after talking with my coach that I’d not had the preparation we agreed was needed to do the British team proud.”

Idowu took gold in the 2008 World Indoor Championships with a record-breaking jump of 17.75 m, breaking the British and Commonwealth Indoor record previously set by Jonathan Edwards. At Berlin last August he set a personal outdoor best of 17.73 m. This season, however, he has so far failed to perform at his best: February’s UK Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham saw him set a season’s best of only 17.25 m, enough to gain him fourth place but no medal.

UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee said he was disappointed at Idowu’s decision to withdraw: “I am disappointed Phillips is not competing as he was a clear medal prospect, but I need to respect his decision and I look forward to him resuming winning ways in Barcelona in the summer.”

It’s been over six months now since Caster Semenya of South Africa was told ... Read More

It’s been over six months now since Caster Semenya of South Africa was told following her 800m gold debut at the World Championships to take a gender test. The jury is still out as to whether she will be allowed to compete again; and in the wake of this the most recent of athletic gender ambiguity, a politically in/correct catastrophe stands quivering on the brink of eruption.

Two months ago, a symposium of experts met in Miami to discuss the future of gender ambiguity in sports. Last week, head of the Olympic Medical Commission, Professor Arne Ljungqvist, advised the Committee’s General Assembly to establish “strategically located centres of excellence … to which athletes with a DSD (disorder of sex development) could be referred and, if necessary, further investigated and treated.” When pushed on what ‘treatment’ would involve exactly, Ljungqvist admitted, “Perhaps surgery. Perhaps the removal of gonadal or testicular tissue.”

This conclusion has incited a volley of complaints from various quarters. Professor Myron Genel, a paediatrician and specialist in Disorders of Sex Development at Yale University, said if this proposal went ahead, we would be “opening Pandora’s Box.” Michele Veroken, a sports integrity and ethics specialist, added, “We are heading into uncharted waters here. The legality of such a plan would no doubt be contested by human rights groups,” and Kristen Worley of the Coalition of Athletes for Inclusion in Sport called the proposal “a violation of the Olympic charter”.

The difficulty lies, of course, in the changing perception of what it means to be ‘female’ or ‘male’. Gone are the days when it was as simple as what you kept beneath your trousers (or skirts). Nowadays we know that some people are born male but feel female, or have female genitalia, or female chromosomes, or a mixture of male and female chromosomes, or simply extraordinarily high levels of oestrogen. Gender is simply not as straightforward as ‘boy’ versus ‘girl’.

So it is with all this buzzing around in the backs of our heads that we approach what may be the most important Olympic decision of the decade. The actions of these few scientists and sports experts will resonate around the world and set the tone for social and cultural treatment of gender ambiguous persons not only in 2010, but for the foreseeable future. Let’s hope the decision, whatever it is, is not made lightly.

It's been an odd month for sports, has February. On the one hand the ... Read More

It's been an odd month for sports, has February. On the one hand the seemingly endless list of sports stars crashing down to earth, knocked, dragged and heaved off their pedestals by ex-mistresses and tabloid journalists, just keeps on growing. We slid into 2010 with the Tiger Woods controversy bubbling all around us, fresh revelations breaking out almost every week, and furthered our obsession with the John Terry scandal: a mess involving the mother of team-mate Wayne Bridge's son, and solidified by the stripping of Terry's England captaincy in January. Now, even dapper young Ashley Cole has been found to be dabbling in excursions on the wrong side of the marriage bed, much to the anger and chagrin of his extremely high-profile popstar wife, Cheryl Cole.

On the other hand, the pool of well-respected, high- achieving sportsmen and women is also growing. The most recent to be added to this list is Amy Williams, the fresh faced young British athlete who took gold for skeleton today in her Olympic debut. The twenty eight year old broke the track record twice during her three runs and is the first British athlete to take gold in an individual Winter Olympic sport for thirty years, and the first woman in over 50. Not bad for someone who eight years ago had never set foot - or belly - on a Skeleton sled.

Let's hope more athletes will be dominating the headlines in 2010 for victories like this and fewer for what's going on between their bed sheets.

Those of us who remember the release of that first classic running rivalry film ... Read More

Those of us who remember the release of that first classic running rivalry film Chariots of Fire in 1981 will undoubtedly also remember the fascinating relationship between world class British runners Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. The two athletes dominated middle distance running for half a decade and captivated audiences across the globe during the Moscow Olympics in 1980, where they traded world records and captured headlines as they battled for gold in 800 and 1500m.

For ten memorable days in 1981, Coe and Ovett swapped the world record for the fastest mile between them three times. At one point, Coe was simultaneously the 800m, 1500m and mile world record holder, until Ovett took the 1500m and mile world records from him. Ovett still holds the record for two miles, which he set in 1978.

Now their legendary rivalry and one-upmanship is to be made into a feature film, produced by the BBC. Here's hoping it's set to be as classic and inspiring as their record-breaking races were thirty years ago.

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a member of the Georgian luge team competing at this year's Winter ... Read More

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a member of the Georgian luge team competing at this year's Winter Olympics in Canada, has been killed in a crash on his final training run. The twenty one year old was rounding the final corner when his sled flipped. Kumaritashvili was thrown from the sled over a concrete wall, where he hit a concrete pole at 145 mph.

"This tragedy casts a shadow over the games," said International Olympics Committee president Jaques Rogge yesterday. Georgian delegation head Irakly Japaridze added, "We are in deep shock. We don't know what to do."

There was some question as to whether the luge events would go ahead but IOC officials inspected the track and ruled that the event could go ahead provided the men's event was moved to the lower women's start, which cut speeds by around 6 mph. The Whistler Sliding track in Vancouver was already considered one of the fastest and most dangerous, and British luge competitor Adam Rosen dislocated a hip last October on the track.

One of Kumaritashvili's team mates pulled out of the event, and other competitors put a black stripe on their helmets in respect of the Georgian competitor.

The never ending snow may be beginning to frazzle everybody else's nerves but for ... Read More

The never ending snow may be beginning to frazzle everybody else's nerves but for the 52 British entries into this year's Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, the white stuff is probably all they've been looking at for the past few months anyway. The 2010 Winter Olympics kick off on Friday and Britain's hopes are pinned on 24 year old snowboarding champion Zoe Gilling, who took gold at the German National Championships last year.

But Britain is already labouring under global embarrassment, three days before the Games have begun. Snowsport GB, Britain's official alpine sport body, announced today that the organisation has gone into administration. This comes as 100 Olympic Committee members flew in today for the annual discussion of British sports - including the £9 billion Britain has put aside for the 2012 London Olympics. A scornful Canadian-based article in the Telegraph today asked, 'How is it that a national sporting body in the country of the next host of the Olympics is allowed to go under?' The article continued to report that pleas from Snowsport GB to the Government for £200,000 of emergency funding were denied.

If you've been pounding the treadmill for months with little or no result, you ... Read More

If you've been pounding the treadmill for months with little or no result, you could be one of the 20% of people carrying what fitness researcher James Timmons has dubbed the 'unfitness genes'. According to a report published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, up to one in five of us have DNA containing the eleven genes which limit oxygen uptake, however hard and fast we have been working out.

Researchers tracked the aerobic fitness levels of 600 people, and found that 120 of them had a combination of genes negatively affecting their oxygen uptake, which indicates the heart's ability to pump blood and is a key componant of a long and healthy life. Scientists predict these findings will lead to blood tests able to tell us whether or not we carry these genes, and consequently informing trainers and instructors on the best way to exercise. For those carrying the genes, aerobic workouts will make little or no difference, and other exercise methods will need to be explored.

In 10% of testees, on the other hand, the researchers discovered the opposite: these lucky exercisers saw a massive improvement in aerobic fitness over the same time period. It's alright for some, eh?

The British World Champion has announced her decision to pass up the Commonwealth Games ... Read More

The British World Champion has announced her decision to pass up the Commonwealth Games this year in order to focus on her winter training for the European Championships, which will be held in Delhi next July.

The last Games in Melboune four years ago saw her take bronze and her absence will be a knock to British hopes. "October is a difficult time to peak," Ennis explained in an interview to the BBC yesterday. "In July for the Europeans and then again in October. It's when I begin my winter training so we sat down and decided the main focus is the Europeans this year."

Ennis kick started her 2010 with an impressive victory over American champion Lola Jones in the 60m hurdles in Glasgow on Saturday. The 24 year old British team captain set personal bests in all five pentathalon disciplines at the Aviva International Match. She took the victory in a speedy 7.95 seconds, which is not only a British record but the fastest time in the world this year.

Remember that time David Walliams, the nation's favourite if slightly odd comic, surprised us ... Read More

Remember that time David Walliams, the nation's favourite if slightly odd comic, surprised us all and swam the 22 miles of the English Channel? Or when Eddie Izzard (another faintly bizarre comedian) suddenly decided to run around the entirety of Great Britain, a total of 1100 miles, completing the equivalent of a marathon a day, six days a week, for seven weeks? Of all British celebrities, those two were the last (probably also in their own minds) we would have chosen to complete such feats. And why did they do it? One reason: Sport Relief.

Yes, it's that time of year again when ordinary people all around the country start preparing themselves to do slightly less ordinary things. From 19th - 21st March, Britain will go slightly mad for activity, as thousands of people join in to raise money for disadvantaged people living in the UK and across the world's poorest countries. This year, the Beckham family have got together (kids included) to design the official Sport Relief t-shirt range, and Sainsbury's are sponsoring the infamous Sport Relief Mile. It's easy to get involved: hundreds of events are taking place around the country and you can find support from a number of charities as well as the official Sports Relief website.

FitMix have got a whole range of albums to get you in the running mood. So pull on your running socks, whip out the sponsorship form, and get running!

Seeing as we've just entered the 10th year of the new millenium, and as ... Read More

Seeing as we've just entered the 10th year of the new millenium, and as we're still feeling that hang over of good will from Christmas, we've decided to give you a list of the top ten charity runs of 2010. Some of them are classic causes you'll have heard of; others are smaller but worthy of greater attention. These charities have guaranteed places at almost all major runs this year, so if you're considering running them, why not join a team and raise some cash for them while you're at it?

1. Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Join them at the Brighton Marathon, the Great North Run, Flora London Marathon and more.
2. BUPA (BUPA London 10k). Join them on the Great Manchester Run on 23rd May, or (more aptly) at the BUPA London 10k on 31st May.
3. Athsma UK. Every seven hours somebody dies from athsma, but 90% of those deaths are preventable. Join Athsma UK this year at the Great North Run, Flora London Maratahon or London Triathalon to help prevent those deaths.
4. Cancer Research UK (Race For Life). Join the Race For Life this year and help beat cancer. There are hundreds of 5k and 10k runs across the country between May and July so it's easy to get involved.
5. Diabetes UK. Guaranteed places at British 10k, Great Manchester Run, Great North Run and more.
6. Macmillan Cancer Support. Support this amazing cause at Run To The Beat, Leeds 10k Run For All, York 10k Run For All.
7. Help The Hospices. Running at the Edinburgh Marathon, Adidas Womens UK, Great North Run, Great South Run, Flora London Marathon and more.
8. Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC). Know an arthritis sufferer? Then you'll know how painful this condition can be. Arthritis is the single biggest cause of disibility in the UK. Join them at Great Manchester Run, Great North Run, Great South Run, Flora London Marathon and London Triathalon.
9. Scope. Scope works nationally with sufferers of Cerebral Palsy. Join them at the Great North Run, Great South Run, Great Manchester Run, Flora London Marathon and British 10k.
10. RSPCA. Raise money for the protection and treatment of animals across Britain by joining the RSPCA in the British 10k, Hydro Women's Active 5k, Great Manchester Run, London Marathon and more.

Enjoy the runs even more with our specialist running mixes - check out our Run To The Beat and Runner's World playlist Volume 1: Running Classics compilations now.

Feeling stuffed? Once Boxing Day has been and gone, you can practically feel the ... Read More

Feeling stuffed? Once Boxing Day has been and gone, you can practically feel the Christmas calories clinging to you. Luckily, we've teamed up with Mens Health magazine once more to bring you the fifth in our Workout Playlist series. This time, house legend Erick Morillo has taken to the decks exclusively for you, to bring you a burning soundtrack that will push you to your limits with its hot, pumping tunes, including the infamous 'I Like To Move It' and featuring classic vocals from the likes of Barbara Tucker, Duane Harden and more.

Morillo has packed out dancefloors the world over, and he has previously taken up residencies at Pacha in New York and Ibiza. Though he admits he is often asked by friends to put together workout mixes, this is his first official workout mix. "I really enjoyed doing it," he said. "[A good workout CD has] something that you can warm up to, work out to and cool down to, and I think this CD does the job perfectly." 

Catch Erick Morillo at Pacha in NYC on Dec 18th, or Ministry of Sound in London on Dec 19th. Check out the album here, or download it from iTunes. PLUS, download the free training guide here.

Running in winter, essential for those preparing for spring marathons, can be a definite ... Read More

Running in winter, essential for those preparing for spring marathons, can be a definite trial at times. For one thing, the narrow window of daylight makes it more difficult to find a good time to train, particularly for those of us who have day jobs that start early in the morning. What's more, the change in temperature can affect not only our athletic ability but also our motivation; who wants to get up shivering for an early morning run in the cold and dark?

But winter workouts can also be a blessing in disguise. The change in daylight hours and weather forces us to change our training patterns, and shake ourselves out of those complacent habits we've got into. Don't hibernate over winter: use the opportunity to raise your fitness, ready for the new year.

Hal Higdon, author of Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, has put together a specialist winter training schedule that doesn't simply maintain your fitness level, but aims to improve it. So grab your warmest workout gear, stick on your favourite FitMix running mix to get your heart pumping, and get out there!

Look out for our first release with Runner's World magazine - out soon.

Winter, as we all know, is the season of long nights, shivery mornings and ... Read More

Winter, as we all know, is the season of long nights, shivery mornings and dark, drawn out evenings. Perfect for stretching out in front of the fire with your loved ones in front of a film; not so perfect for getting out your front door with your running kit on! Running over winter is essential for those in training for spring marathons, and the season of mince pies and chocolate is not the one to choose to take training leave from. But the diminishing daylight hours can put many runners off. Darker evenings can mean that we are less visible to cars and other hazards, and lone female runners can feel more at risk.

But rather than give up your training entirely, take instead these few simple precautions:

1) Choose well-lit, populated areas. For the sake of ease, as well as your own peace of mind, run where you can see where you're going and plenty of people can see you. It's worth the five extra minutes you take avoiding the dark common, for safety's sake.

2) Get yourself some high visibility gear. Research show a 168% increase in pedestrian fatalities in November, just after the implementation of Daylight Saving Time. Make yourself visible by choosing bright or white clothing, and invest in some reflective gear. Night-Gear.com offer a range of reflective clothing from gloves to jackets, and check out the Doberman Power Button Personal Alarm, designed to wrap around a runner's upper arm to ward off attackers or attract attention.

Don't let the dark keep you trapped inside your house: put on your high visibility gear and get out there!

Check out our wide selection on running soundtracks here.