Author:Susan Wheatcroft

The sun is finally shining and nature is looking its beautiful best – but that isn’t always good news for runners. This time of year can prove a real problem for those who suffer with hay fever. The warmer weather and explosion in pollen cause a range of symptoms which can play havoc with your […]

It’s currently Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK (May 15 -21), which feels like the ideal time to talk about the benefits running can have on our mental health. Yes, running can make you fitter, stronger and help you lose weight but, as anyone who runs regularly knows, it can also have a life-changing […]

“I was in floods of tears, as far as I was concerned it was a death sentence”. It’s May 2017 and Tony Collier had just been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. Just days earlier, Tony – approaching 60 but fitter than ever and with all six Marathon Majors recently behind him – had been training […]

Coronation month is upon us! And with it comes a flurry of bank holidays. Whether you’re a royalist or not, May certainly looks set to be a fun month with three bonus days off work and, hopefully, some better weather on the cards. While it’s the perfect time for getting together with friends for celebrations, […]

Meet Zak, a 29 year football lover from Hertfordshire. Having Down Syndrome has never held Zak back. He’s a member of Special Olympics East Herts actively taking part in golf athletics and netball. He signed up to Virtual Runner during the pandemic on the recommendation of a friend who showed him all the medals he […]

We all know the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and plenty of exercise, but finding time to fit it in isn’t always easy. Work, children, household chores, relationships, social commitments and other general life admin can all combine to make it feel impossible to take time out of your day. But staying active, in whatever […]

The Easter holidays are here, and while it may be tempting to do little but snuggle up on the sofa and eat lots of chocolate, the next two weeks are the perfect time to get the whole family up and moving. The slightly warmer spring weather (fingers crossed!) and longer days are an excellent reason […]

Most of you know the lady behind Virtual Runner to be Susan Wheatcroft AKA Virtual Runner lady, but I thought it was time to share my own personal running journey now I am almost 10 years in from that very first run (back in July 2013), so here goes… This title may sound dramatic – […]

As marathon season comes around many Virtual Runners will be gearing up for their next big challenge. Whether you’ve never run a marathon before or have dozens under your belt, it’s common to feel the fear in the weeks preceding a big race. Marathons are one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, physical activities you […]

This month sees the return of Virtual Runner’s popular Sloth Challenge. With no minimum distance or time requirements, entrants simply log how far they can run, walk or cycle in one go. It’s the perfect challenge for anyone who’s worried about hitting pre-determined targets and simply wants to take it steady, but it’s also a […]

Adele Nightingale (pictured here) has been a member of the Virtual Runner community for a number of years and very kindly put together the below in her own words: I’ve been sporty all my life. From swimming internationally as a youngster to being a ‘running Grandma’ as I’ve got older. In addition to sport, my […]

Reflective Leggings by Sturdy by Design The team at Sturdy by Design have been in touch with us to share an exciting development which could help keep you safe during your winter runs, walks, ride etc. Charlene from Sturdy by Design tells us more: ‘Our (Sturdy by Design’s) fabulous range of bright and funky sports […]

Emily Thomas, Director of K9 Trail Time has provided some excellent tips on how to get into the sport of running with your dog(s); otherwise known as canicrossing. #1 – Train your voice commands as early as possible and as often as possible, you can start from when your dog is a pup to teach […]

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog – I have a list of excuses, mainly around how busy (for which I am so grateful) I have been, but a friend gave me a nudge and suggested I blogged about what I have been up to. For those of you who have followed Virtual […]

Planning on running with your dog for the first time? Here are 5 preparation tips to make the process as easy and fun as possible for both of you.

An effective at-home workout is always handy if you are a runner. Sometimes you can’t get out and run for whatever reason, and you don’t want that to impact your fitness. An excellent at-home workout can enhance your running performance and even reduce your risk of injury when you get back outside. Here are our […]

The guys at Freetrain got in touch with us at Virtual Runner to tell us about a new product they have developed and launched. Mr Virtual Runner, aka Paul tested the V1 during a run (long run) as part of his virtual London Marathon on 4th October. Paul was very impressed with the fit, it […]

How It Feels To Run A Virtual Marathon Running solo has huge mental benefits and a virtual race can feel just as credible as the real thing Rosie Denny in her own words: Turning 40 this summer was the catalyst for running 26.2. Despite being a seasoned runner of nearly 20 years, the big one […]

Virtual Runner has been working with Scimitar Sports for a number of years. You will fairly often see a chance on our Facebook page to win some of their amazing goodies so do keep an eye out! Well this time it was my turn! The fab team at Scimitar sent me one of their tops […]

Me again, and this time I’m not going to focus too much on my marathon which is now just around the corner (3 weeks away! Eeeeekkk!) Instead, I am going to tell you of the goals I set myself in January and how this worked/didn’t work out for me. You will tell from what I […]

January is always a busy month for me, particularly with Virtual Runner. So alongside the best job in the world (which included Virtual Runner LIVE) and marathon training, I haven’t been great at keeping up with my blog. So here goes… If you haven’t read my previous blogs, I have entered to run 26.2 miles […]

As you might have read in my last blog, I am currently training for a marathon (Red Kite event in a very hilly part of Wales in late February, what could possibly go wrong?!) I am as I type in week 4 of my training. So far, so good! Last week, you could argue (and […]

For those of you who have followed Virtual Runner for some years are likely to know some of this. But here is a blog about where I am at with my running just now. I have ran a few marathons over the years since I took up running in 2013 including the London Marathon on […]

The Virtual Runner app is here – everything you love about virtual running, now available for your smartphone! We wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to enjoy the benefits of virtual running, so the app does exactly that. Free to download for iOS and Android, it lets you find and buy a wide […]

Laura Harris, has been in touch with Virtual Runner and told us more about her leap into running and what it has meant for her. Laura in her own words… I thought I would email to share a story with you following completing the Virtual Sage Reading Half Marathon yesterday. For over 9 years I […]

I started running in 2007. It was a time before running apps, smart watches, running groups and Facebook. I used to drive my routes after I finished them to find out how far I had gone. In 2010 I fell pregnant. I managed to carry on running until I was 31 weeks when I ripped […]

Sometimes the best running buddies are those with four legs and a tail. Taking your pooch for a run can be rewarding and mutually beneficial, providing your dog with a regular dose of fresh air and exercise. But not all dogs are cut out for running, especially if you like to turn over long distances. […]

We all know that running isn’t easy. It takes time, effort and commitment, and often, it’s not fun at all, just painful. So, getting others to see and appreciate all that effort and sacrifice you go through as a runner was our chief motivation behind creating Notch, a simple and stylish way of wearing your […]

Real You Wellbeing are a team of two experience individuals in sports, nutrition and coaching who have very kindly written this blog to inspire your running. How to get the most out of your running? When we set clear goals we are much more likely to be successful. What do you want to achieve this week, […]

Hi fellow Virtual Runners, just wanted to share my story with you. In 2010 I developed the most common abnormal heart rhythm, Atrial fibrillation – Initially, it was intermittent or Paraxysmal. I had always kept myself fit by running, rowing and cycling mainly, and was keen to maintain my fitness. I found that i could […]

Philippa Cates, Author of ‘The Marathon’ talks to Virtual Runner about the inspiration behind her book. I had never wanted to run a marathon (run 26.2 miles for goodness sake, that’s utter madness..) so of course when I got offered a place in the London Marathon 2017 with Diabetes UK I immediately said yes. That’s […]

With Winter in full swing and less daylight hours to squeeze in a run, it’s a timely reminder of the little things we can do to stay safe while we pound the pavement. Running in the dark can present some risks, not only due to the lower visibility, but for women especially, verbal abuse, harassment […]

Mark Widowson is probably the most inspiration man you’ve never heard of. He is Virtual Runner’s one and only wheelchair runner at the LIVE Event, proving the saying – ‘Where there’s a will there’s a way’. The East Midlands man recently completed the Virtual Runner 2km live event with his walking frame at the Becket […]

Mark Atkinson, Author of ‘Run Like Duck’ tells us more about his running and his writing: I started running by accident in 2011 when I realised I was gaining over a stone in weight with each of my wife’s pregnancies. With a couple of kids under two and my weight at least three over what […]

Emily Hitchens tells us her running story in her own inspiring words. I stumbled across Virtual Runner by accident one cold March evening back in 2017. I wasn’t in any way, shape or form a runner but gosh I loved the look of the medals. I spotted a Easter bunny medal and just had to […]

If you’re a beginner to Virtual Running as we all were at some point, you may ask what is Virtual Running? If this is something you have asked at some point than you’ve come to the right place. Here we look at all the information you could need about virtual running; whether it be how […]

Do you enjoy running? Of course, you do. Do you want to make the area you live cleaner and safer? Again of course you do. Have you heard of Plogging? Maybe not. Welcome to the future of multi-task exercise, this growing trend of plogging has captured the imagination of thousands around the world and might […]

We all love a cup of joe in the morning, to wake us up and get us ready for the day ahead. However, coffee, or more specifically caffeine, can affect people in both positive and negative ways, so it’s important to do your homework before adding it to your running diet. Coffee as we all […]

New Year resolutions are always very difficult to manage, you can start with the best of intentions, but things can be very difficult to stick to when life happens. Everything going on at home or work can sometimes push them to the back of your mind. Here we look at ways you can manage your […]

The dreaded plateau. It’s that all too common experience when you find yourself hitting brick walls in your training, unable to progress past a certain running speed or fitness level. It’s your body’s way of telling you that your current training regime has gotten you as far as it can and it’s time to change […]