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Whether you have fallen out of love with running, or have always been curious about giving it a go, finding the right time to start can feel like the biggest obstacle to getting going. With the heat of summer behind us, and winter not fully on our doorstep yet, autumn could be ideal. Here, seasoned marathon runners share why right now is the best time to get into jogging… The weather is ideal Instinctively, you may feel it’s not the best time to start training as the weather begins to get colder and wetter, and the days get shorter. “However, the cooler temperatures can offer a range of benefits,” says Tahir Shams, founder of Tooting Run Club, who ran the 2023 TCS London Marathon. These include a “reduced risk of overheating and dehydration, and it supports increased endurance which is vital for longer runs”, Shams adds. Autumn training brings opportunities for different kit and environments, too. Marathoner and Human Disco Ball fundraiser Freya Morgan enjoys the change of weather. “I get to leave behind the sticky summer weather and busy parks and go back to fresh morning runs right as the sun rises,” explains Morgan, who recently completed a 200km run for Bail for Immigration Detainees. “In the autumn, I might still head out in a T-shirt and then as the weather gets colder, a long-sleeved layer, and then will take another long-sleeved top or jacket with me, and tie it around my waist or cram it into my hydration pack,” she adds. Kit could be cheaper Exercise kit is at its most expensive generally in January, when everyone and their mum is trying to tackle a new fitness goal! Getting in there a bit earlier and snapping up some end-of-season summer gear that’s on sale, before the new season’s clothing and shoes come in, may help you build a running wardrobe you love. If you look good, you feel good, after all. The race calendar If singing up for a race will help keep you motivated to keep running, starting in autumn could put you in a good position to take on a challenge in spring. Plenty of races happen as the seasons change from the cool of winter, with the London, Tokyo and Paris marathons all taking place in spring. Half marathons take place in cities across the UK in spring too, in locations from London to Inverness. Plus you’ll find plenty of 5k and 10k options. Creating a mood-boosting routine “In September, kids go back to school and the summer is over, so it is a kickstart for your health and fitness goals,” explains Ania Gabb, an ASICS Frontrunner who has completed more than 30 marathons. “Many people may want to get into a consistent fitness routine after the excess of summer and before the winter starts,” she notes. This can be especially important ahead of the dark days of winter, which as Shams notes, “can often feel like a gloomy time of the year… Endorphins released during running is a good way to banish the winter blues.” There’s less pressure than January Finally, it can particularly helpful for beginners to start in autumn – skipping the pressure of the new year. “If you are a beginner, autumn is a really nice time of year to pick up running. You are away from the pressure of January resolutions, and the crowds of the summer, and still have some fair weather days and sunlight to get you motivated,” says Morgan. “By the time the darker bits of winter roll around, you will hopefully be in enough of a running routine to use those runs to power through the dark and soggy days. I have been running for 11 years and when my mental health dips, running has always helped.”

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Ukraine’s counter-offensive breakthrough will come as a “shock” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, an expert has said. Mark Galeotti, professor of Slavonic studies at UCL, said Russians had become “complacent” and believed their defence to be more effective than Kyiv’s progress would suggest. It comes after Ukrainian generals claimed troops had breached Russia’s first line near Zaporizhzhia and were gathering momentum in an offensive many observers claimed had failed. Professor Galeotti explained there were three aspects to Ukraine’s counteroffensive gains that would particularly concern the Russian leadership. “One is on the battlefield,” he told The Independent. “It demonstrates their slow, methodical bite and hold strategy is in fact working and has the chance to hammer the second line of Russian defences.” “The second is political,” he continued. “It is also a response to critics in the West who suggested it is time for Ukraine to negotiate because it wasn’t going to make any move. “And thirdly, in terms of the Russians. I think they had started to get a little bit complacent as autumnal rains got closer. I think they thought they had pulled the defence off. “It will come as a shock, but we have seen on the whole the Russians are quite effective in the defence. So I think they’ll be doing what they can to shore up that second line.” Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavisky, who leads Ukraine’s southern offensive, claimed Russian troops had devoted 60 per cent of their time to its first defence, and only 20 per cent each into its second and third. He claimed Russia would soon run out of its “best” soldiers, giving Ukraine an advantage to attack “more and faster”. However, Chatham House consulting fellow Keir Giles, who researches Russian security, said there was no sign of “imminent collapse” among Russian forces despite Kyiv’s latest breakthrough. He told The Independent: “There are optimistic noises from Ukraine about whether the offensive might progress a little faster now because they have broken through the first and strongest Russian defensive line. “But that of course does not mean that things are going to collapse imminently on the Russian side, as some have suggested. “The resilience of Russia and its forces remains imponderable. There is no sign of imminent collapse of the Russian economy or society.” Mr Giles added there were signs Russia feels it is in a position to “drag the conflict out” and wait for the Western coalition to collapse. Ukrainian deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said their forces had retaken about 1.16 square miles of land in the past week around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian troops in May after months of heavy fighting. Moscow has continued to carry out drone attacks on Ukrainian targets including port infrastructure. Last night, 32 Russian kamikaze drones struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, damaging civilian and industrial buildings. At least 23 of the Iranian-made Shahed drones were shot down by the Ukrainian military, the country’s Air Force said. Soon after, Ukraine’s defence spokesman claimed some of the drones exploded on Romanian territory. Romania’s Ministry of Defence said it “firmly” denied the claim but reiterated its support for Ukraine and said Russian attacks on the country break “all international humanitarian rules”. General Tarnavisky told the Guardian: “When we started the counter-offensive we spent more time than we expected on de-mining the territories. “Unfortunately, the evacuation of the wounded was difficult for us. And this also complicated our advance. “In my opinion, the Russians believed the Ukrainians would not get through this line of defence. They had been preparing for over one year. They did everything to make sure that this area was prepared well.” On Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had decided to dismiss Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov from his post and would ask parliament this week to replace him with Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine‘s main privatisation fund. The announcement, made in his nightly video address to the nation, sets the stage for the biggest shakeup of Ukraine‘s defence establishment during the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s forces pushed back in the south as Moscow launches kamikaze drone attack Zelensky needed to sack his defence minister – but it goes beyond just corruption scandals Ukraine's defense minister resigns following Zelenskyy's announcement of his replacement The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

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