Smart Running

Have you ever wondered about the secret to becoming a better runner? Has your training plateaued and you don’t know why? Do you keep getting injured or are you struggling to get back into running after some time out? Have you done a few shorter races but want to progress up to a marathon? Smart Running by Jen and Sim Benson will cut through the jargon and answer all your running questions, helping you to become a fitter, faster and stronger runner.

Jen and Sim delve into the science of physiology, psychology, training and nutrition before carefully and clearly explaining how to build yourself a bespoke and customisable training plan – one that moulds around your life and will help you smash your running goals. Thorough workout descriptions are included, so you’ll be confident in your training and get the results you’re after.

The science behind recovery, hydration, and strength and conditioning work is explained, along with how to choose the best and most sustainable kit for your adventures. Tips for race-day nerves, psychological skills to help your running, how to prevent and deal with injuries, running in the heat and cold, and finding the best routes are all covered, along with specific considerations for female and older runners.

Jen and Sim Benson are lifelong runners and outdoor adventure experts. They have written for Runner’s World, Trail Running, Women’s Running, Trail, Country Walking and TGO and Walk magazines, as well as the national press, covering a wide range of topics including training and injury, kit, route-finding, photography and family adventures. Their books include Short Runs in Beautiful Places, Wild Running and The Adventurer’s Guide to Britain. They work with Komoot, the National Trust, Forestry England and Ordnance Survey, helping to inspire runners to explore Britain’s beautiful trails and balance conservation with recreation in wild places. Jen is a UESCA-certified running coach and has a BSc in Podiatry and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine, both specialising in distance running. She’s worked extensively with runners from beginners to elite in both clinical and research settings and is currently a PhD researcher exploring experiences of becoming and being a runner. Jen has a deep understanding of the pressures facing those fitting running around a busy life – she has run through two pregnancies and currently fits running around self-employment and co-parenting two children. Sim has an environmental science degree and a long history of running. He is a UKA qualified running coach and an expert in navigation, route creation and kit. Sim has a passion for outdoor adventure photography and promoting sustainability within outdoor recreation. As a busy dad of two, he understands the juggle of balancing training with parenting and a full-time job. Between them, they have completed over 100 marathons and ultramarathons, as well as Ironman Triathlons, adventure races, mountain marathons and multi-day fastpacking adventures. For Jen and Sim, running is all about exploring both beautiful places and their mental and physical limits.

Discounts & P&P

From Friday 1 April 2022, we offer 25% off to all newsletter subscribers. Simply sign up to our newsletter here to receive your discount code. If you're already a subscriber, we'll remind you of the code every time we send out a newsletter.

In addition, we offer FREE standard UK P&P for orders, along with options to upgrade the delivery service at checkout.

Postage costs are dependent on order weight (book/s weight plus packing materials) and are calculated automatically upon checkout, before payment is taken. Full details of our delivery and returns information can be found here. 

UK Delivery

We offer FREE standard UK P&P for orders: orders are sent Royal Mail Second Class as standard and should arrive within two to three working days. The option to upgrade UK shipping to Royal Mail 24 Next Day Delivery is available at checkout.

International Delivery

International orders are sent by Royal Mail International Tracked. Deliveries can take between a few days and a couple of weeks to arrive, depending on the delivery location. Please contact us if your country is not listed.

Dispatch

Update: September 2022. Most orders received through the Vertebrate Publishing Adventure Books website are dispatched from Gardners in Eastbourne, UK; some orders (such as signed copies of pre-orders, or limited stock items) are sent from our office in Sheffield, UK. If your order is for multiple items, you may receive more than one package, though we try to avoid this (if applicable, you would only be charged once for shipping). Orders received before 11 a.m. are dispatched the same day; orders received after 11 a.m. are usually dispatched the following business day. You will be sent a notification email when your order has been dispatched. If we are temporarily out of stock of a title we will advise by email.

Gift Cards

Gift card purchases are delivered electronically – we do not dispatch physical gift cards. Full details are provided with gift card purchases.

Ebooks

Coming soon! Ebooks are fulfilled securely by our partner Glassboxx using their app. For more details about how to access your ebook, please refer to the information in your order confirmation. 

Payment

Payment is made safely and securely using Shopify, which incorporates the world's leading payment gateways, including Stripe, Apple Pay and Google Pay. You can also check out with PayPal. All payments are handled directly by these payment gateways and Vertebrate Publishing Adventure Books does not process or store any cardholder details on the Adventure Books website.

Returns

We will happily refund or exchange any item that is returned to us in an unused, as new condition. If you want to make a return, contact us with your details. Once we've received the item(s), we will credit your account. If the item is faulty or damaged or we have sent the incorrect item we will refund postage.

If you're returning something because it's not suitable, you'll need to pay the postage costs to return it to us. We process most returns the day they arrive with us, and certainly within seven working days. Goods must be returned to us within 21 days.