of cycling team Garmin-Slipstream's training and race preparation."There's nothing nutritious about that food," is Lim's blunt opinion of the traditional pre-race meal. In fact, he has eliminated all processed wheat from Garmin-Slipstream's diet, and at races

You've trained wisely and eaten well - but you just can't shake those pre-race nerves. So how can you work on mental preparation? To find out, I teamed up with researchers from Sheffield, Oxford, Manchester, Reading and Wolverhampton universities

performances. Is there anything I can do to calm down?A A certain amount of pre-race nerves is natural. It’s tied in with the body’s ‘fight or flight’ instinct when confronted with danger. You should be able to tap into this system to psych yourself up

their experience of pre-competition stress. He says, "The world's best athletes set lots of different goals – if you go into a race with 15 goals, then you're sure to achieve at least some of them.' Set a variety of goals to make sure you come away happy. You could

Q. Whenever I race, I find that I feel sluggish during the first few miles. Can you give me some tips to speed me up during the all-important opening section of a race? A. The first thing you need to look at is your pre-race warm-up. If you

Taylor. Eating your pre-workout or pre-race meal a few hours before is also key to keeping symptoms at bay. "A high concentration or volume in the gut slows down gastric emptying, meaning you will not only feel sick but the fuel and fluids consumed

with your head means not going out too fast; running with your heart means seeing what you have left towards the end."Make a list - and check it twice Even if you're not normally a list-maker, having a pre-race checklist is a tangible, foolproof way

‘scared’, and not keeping track of your intake. Next time, drink only fluid-replacement drinks (about 600-750ml per hour) and not water. And practise drinking these amounts in your pre-race training runs. —Joe Beer, sports scientist and level-two triathlon

paths and promenades, including the Golden Mile, before reaching the famous Pleasure Beach. Expect a 2000-strong field and impressive crowds, while the pre-race jamboree is a must-see.Anthony Powell: "Well organised, makes for an enjoyable weekend. A

. Palpitations and mild tremors are also not uncommon, but as blood-sugar levels return to normal the feeling usually passes. Prevention is usually found in adequate pre-exercise nutrition and hydration, and the use of energy drinks while running instead of water