reality is that many of the country's top athletes - including Alistair Brownlee, the reigning ITU World Champion - spend the majority of their off-season slugging it out through rain, sleet and snow right here in the UK. And if they can do it, so can you
, but trail running is enjoying a surge in popularity among multi-sport athletes. The current Under-23 World Triathlon Champion, Alistair Brownlee, is even harder to beat on the fells than in a triathlon, while the number of off-season trail races continues
have saved enough energy for one last sprint, whether you plan on winning or finishing second-last," says Alistair Brownlee, 2008 Triathlon World Under-23 Champion.Don't forget to have a massage after the race. These are available at every decent
- including World Champion Alistair Brownlee - have been increasingly entering off-road runs in the winter months for their endurance-enhancing qualities and for their sheer variety. With a mix of great scenery and chip-timing, this chase offers a great
."It's interesting," she says with a laugh. "There are athletes doing really well who are really young. I mean Hollie Avil went to the Olympics as an 18-year-old. Alistair and Jonny [Brownlee] are young [23 and 21, respectively] and it's going to be interesting
Alistair and Jonny [Brownlee] and Helen [Jenkins] because they’re doing so well. I really do think they could win medals.How do you deal with the ups and downs of racing?I’ve worked with Joce Brooks from British Triathlon since I was 16, which is fantastic
. The boys getting the medals (Alistair and Jonny Brownlee won Gold and Bronze respectively in London last July) was an amazing experience; I was down there for that, watching them get gold and bronze. I think especially with the Commonwealth Games coming up
Maitland, Triathlon Performance Coach at Leeds Metropolitan University, and coach to Alistair Brownlee, who finished 12th in the Beijing Olympic Triathlon.3. Accentuate the positive"Elite athletes contrive to see almost everything in a positive light," says
