Every year there are thousands of races in Britain, ranging from 5K charity jogs to ultra events and with options over trail, countryside, fell, track and road. Some runners cram in races every weekend, but if you want to maximise your

will increase pace, leading to a flat-out race."Finally no one likes to be hit by - how to put this? - fast-moving nasal material, so if you need to clear your nose, make sure you don't do so into a strong wind.Going soloIf a faster rider comes past, let him

Winter brings icy roads and even icier open waters to the UK, which means triathlon is really only suited to our self-styled summer. But that doesn't mean your competitive juices have to dry up when the cold settles in - the UK hosts a growing

Winter brings icy roads and even icier open waters to the UK, which means triathlon is really only suited to our self-styled summer. But that doesn't mean your competitive juices have to dry up when the cold settles in - the UK hosts a growing

.Nothing and no one outside of the race goes into the transition areaRespect the sanctity of the transition area. For safety and competition reasons only competitors and their specific pieces of kit are allowed inside. Pets, children and partners should be left

best time for the distance is. Here it is advisable to be as honest as you can, because you will be put in a heat with runners of similar ability. The advantage here is that you will be in a competitive race, which should pull you to a better time

.I’m always telling runners to lighten up and remember what attracted them to the sport in the first place. Learn to experiment with races and have fun: you don’t have to make every competition the ultimate challenge; just feel good about yourself.Beyond race

of the smaller competitions before the main event so that you feel confident you'll be taking in the right stuff on race day. The buildup to these smaller races would also be a good time to practise carbohydrate loading. You do not want to be experimenting too

per week; but when do you recover if you are running almost every day?A The marathon is a hugely demanding event. It should be given respect, and I don’t feel that training twice a week is enough. Running 26 miles in competition can sometimes be a

. If it becomes relatively easy, add another 800-metre repetition to the end.Concerning competition, beware of races that include hills in the first mile. Research shows that running tough hills in the early stages of a race can greatly increase the amount