, that most triathletes will cheerfully devote hour after punishing hour of their lives training to improve their power, while almost completely ignoring the possibility of reducing air resistance. Multiple British Time Trial Cycle champion Michael

minutes without stopping; swim 500m without stopping; cycle at an easy pace for 45 minutes.OLYMPIC PLAN Run for 45 minutes without stopping; swim 800m without stopping; cycle at an easy pace for 60 minutes.Pre-Training Programme For BeginnersWEEKS 1 AND 2

your cycling technique. Here are two drills that will help you make the most of your power by improving your pedalling and breathing mechanics. They also give you something to focus on when you're pushing through fatigue. Practise once a week

from a running background, do not expect to record a personal best on the run leg because you will be tired after the swim and cycle. Your goal might be simply to finish the race, or to complete the course in a target time, such as three hours for a

after a week or less. A good idea is to do some cross training: swimming, cycling or walking. But be very careful of doing quick breast stroke if you've recently run. It's an unnatural action for legs that are used to only going forwards or backwards

the knee in a similar motion to cycling,” he says. “This results in an increase in drag and an increase in oxygen consumption by the leg muscles – the biggest muscles in the body – with the result that you’ll rapidly feel out of breath and fatigued.”You can

in open-water events. A triathlete's kick is often minimised to conserve energy for cycling and running. In some ways it's a different sport.Maitland argues that most triathletes should focus on moving their arms quickly and continuously rather than trying

of summer training sessions. My favourite is a weekday evening 10-mile bike time trial. These are held by cycling clubs across the country in the early evening and you can usually just turn up and join in. You can find out more information by visiting www

to set in."Cycling is the most important leg when it comes to hydration," says Nick Morgan. "You don't know how much fluid you've lost during the swim and you haven't yet been able to have a drink. But getting it right can lead to huge gains. To start

worsening what can be a very long, drawn-out and chronic injury. Spend your time cycling instead. This will exercise your heart and stretch scar tissue more gently and regularly.Recovery time There is a high risk of reinjury if treatment is overenthusiastic