Here's how to race on the right foot – from the people who learnt the hard wayStart SmallThe best way to approach racing is to start small. Whether you’re planning to do your race as a one-off, or as the first step in a long running career, you

Snowdonia Marathon: a 900ft climb over four miles"You can run London, Paris, New York every year - but to feel you have really 'run' a marathon, try Snowdonia. When you finish, you know you have run a proper 26.2 mile race. Best in the World

-Marathon, SeptemberAnother race that offers a chance to see how the other half live. Set entirely within Windsor Great Park and past the Castle, on a testing route.3 Lake Vyrnwy Half-Marathon, Wales, SeptemberDespite a remote, mountain setting, this lakeside event

probably should because the unfortunate truth is that triathlon can have a negative impact on the environment. You probably love being outdoors and like to see nature at its best, if for no other reason than a healthy environment makes for an enjoyable race

With three disciplines to consider, it's easy to make mistakes when you're eating and drinking during training and racing. That's the bad news. The good news is that it's easy to avoid triathlon's common nutritional pitfalls if you plan ahead

No looking back!Welcome to the Runner's World race-week index. Whether you've been training for this all year, or you've just entered tomorrow's race after a drunken bet last night, we're here to do you proud.Frankly, the final week is a time

If transition is triathlon's fourth discipline, nutrition should be the fifth. Making fuelling mistakes could mean your race ends in disaster. And the longer the event, the more critical your food and drink strategy becomes. But it's not easy

Cramping, gastrointestinal (GI) distress, nausea, vomiting: sometimes a hard workout or a tough race is memorable for all the wrong reasons. You may think these reactions are part of the endless joy of being a triathlete but there are steps you can

1. Sleep well"In reality, trying to sleep well the night before a race never works," says triathlon coach Rick Kiddle (www.rickkiddle.com). "The best sleep will be the night before the night before. Many athletes can survive with little sleep

L1310K: Great event all round" Absolutely fantastic atmosphere - have never known any event like it. Even the church choirs come outside to sing during it!." Catherine Bernal, on the Hastings Half.This year saw a number of races make some impressive