Chafing
'Fabric, especially wet cotton, rubbing on your skin can cause soreness and bleeding,' says Nick Anderson, a running coach and founder of runningwithus.com.
How to beat it
'Avoid tight clothes with ridges or seams as well as cotton, because it stays wet,' says Anderson. 'Wear shirts that wick moisture away from skin. Apply Vaseline to the sensitive areas and wear corn cushions or plasters over your nipples.'
Stitch
'Stitches are caused by the jarring motion of breathing while you run and the stretching of the ligaments attached to the diaphragm,' says training coach John Williams from David Lloyd Leisure (davidlloyd.co.uk).
How to beat it
'Lightly massage the area and reduce your pace until the pain subsides,' says Williams. 'Raising your arms will help because it helps stretch your muscles and lets you take deeper breaths. Hold each breath for a count of three before breathing out slowly.'
Runner's trots
'The theory behind exercise-induced diarrhoea is that when you run, blood is diverted from your digestive system to your leg muscles, which irritates the gut lining,' says nutritional therapist Lorna Driver-Davies (nutricentre.com).'
How to beat it
'Cut down on high-fat foods and don't eat too much fruit before running because it's high in fibre,' says Driver-Davies. 'Dehydration is also linked to bowel movements during running, so sip water.'
Cramp
'There's no one definitive cause for cramp,' says running coach Kim Ingleby (energisedperformance.com).'It happens when the muscle involuntarily contracts tightly and then stays that way.'
How to beat it
'Dehydration, muscle strain or simply racing too quickly can all cause cramp,' says Ingleby. 'Always stop and stretch the affected muscle and drink water with electrolytes. A dynamic warm-up and gentle start to your run should also help.'
Blisters
'Blisters are caused by prolonged friction between two layers of skin,' says podiatrist Dave Wain of Carnation Footcare. 'As the layers separate, they fill with fluid and produce a painful blister.'
How to beat it
'Make sure your trainers aren't too tight,' says Wain, 'and wear moisture-wicking blister socks with two layers such as Carnation Silversocks (silversock.co.uk).'
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