triathlons in the UK and I couldn't disagree, but the picture-postcard surroundings of Bala make all the pain worthwhile. The race has become a Mecca for the Runner's World Pirates triathlon club. With so many of us at the race, the support is fantastic

you run into trouble during the race, move to one side if you can so you can receive help without causing a pile-up.By remembering these few simple rules and ways of conducting yourself, you'll be helping to make the world of triathlon a happier place

sport, such as Tour de France cyclists, are not world-class marathon runners. Although elite cyclists exercise most of the muscle groups used in running, they do so in a very different way.Plenty of research has been carried out in this area, with some

of the top athletes in the world for his age group, and who Ralph has trained since 2001. Ralph offers one-to-one coaching and designs individual triathlon training programmes. He is also the author of the DVD, “Flexibility for triathletes and runners”. Find

. "For Ironman Germany in 2006 and Ironman Switzerland in 2009, I obsessively looked at online course profiles and listened to banter about the races on the Runner's World forums. My training cycle loop has four climbs that matched those in the Ironman

to.Not keeping a training diaryIt's a simple task that can offer huge benefits, so why aren't you keeping a training diary?"It's vital, but it requires discipline," says triathlete Jenny O'Brien, who has represented Britain at the World Triathlon