warm is crucial. If you start shivering, you’ll use your glycogen stores and your muscles will tighten up. Wear old running clothes you’re happy not to see again over your racing gear and, if it’s raining, fashion a plastic bin-bag into a jacket. Try

. If you removed the wheels in transit, make sure they have been put back correctly, that your brakes work and that the gears change smoothly.RACKINGIf you need to rack your bike in the transition area today, do this once you have completed your pre-race

’t be discouraged by one unusually bad time trial – everyone has off-days; and b) don’t take your predicted time as gospel – you can often find an extra gear on race day, for instance.Finally, if you’ve done a 5K or half-marathon recently, you can predict your 10K

race shoe On Running (on-running.com). In his fourth season racing as a pro, he'll be tackling Ironman Austria and Ironman UK. "The key to a slick transition is setting your gear up so you have a minimum amount to do," he says. "Make sure you've thought

, contours and road surfaces, try to visit the local area to practise riding on the course and get your gearing sorted out. Bear in mind that roads won't be closed or marshalled before the race, so take extra care. See if you can gather a group of friends

to a fast recovery. (Some of the sections are geared towards the London Marathon, but you can carry the principles anywhere.)MondayMind Focus on miles 1-5 of the Marathon. Prepare for taking anywhere from 2-10 minutes to cross the start line

This year, an amazing 750,000 women will be walking, jogging or running in a women-only Race for Life 5K. They'll help to raise a whopping £46 million for Cancer Research UK across 240 events. Will you be one of them?We're here to help you every

. Enter races, but run them as long runs or as part of your long run. As long as you run at training pace, it’ll teach you to run in a race environment, practice taking drinks and getting used to standing on a start line.Q. I try to do speed work, but I

legend Liz McColgan, who has set up a new elite training facility in her home town of Carnoustie, Scotland. "When you're tired, the first thing to go is your form – when I was gearing up for big races I'd almost focus more on this than my running

between disciplines a little bit easier, we asked some professional triathletes for their tips on tackling every aspect of the race.Pre-race"I like to do a short run on the morning of my race. It helps to clear the mind, warm up the legs and offers a bit