‘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

early in the race. Continue to regularly drink small amounts. Most athletes can tolerate 200-300ml every 15-20 mins but this will vary with the intensity of the exercise. You are more likely to drink them if the drinks are cool, palatable and easily

hours before the race," says Steve Worthington, an elite triathlete with a third-place finish in the Windsor Triathlon to his name.Closer to the race, Worthington may eat a banana and drink a little sports drink or squash. "In theory, I should be well

recommend you try to eat something. You would need to consume four or five gels or the equivalent in sports drink to get enough energy. Cereal and slow-release carbs are your best options.Q. How much do you recommend drinking before the race? inlastplace

equal parts orange juice and water, plus a pinch of salt.Drink 100-200ml of an isotonic solution every 10-15 minutes; a standard 750ml bottle containing an isotonic drink should see most people through 50-75 minutes of training. You can have solid food

but always run out by Mile 18 or 19. Should I try to manage on water alone or delay drinking my sports drink until the later stages of the race? Amanda TWA. I would take your sports drinks first and switch to water. You have been practising in your training

for you on race day. So I would say that the more time you have to try different sports bars, gels, energy drinks and timings, the better. As well as thinking about which carbohydrate you'll take on board during the race this is also a good time to plan

. Eberle says athletes often fail to take in enough energy during tough workouts to realise their potential. Change it: Fill your drinks bottle with a sports drink rather than water and set your watch alarm for every 15 minutes to remind you to sip. On a

. For triathletes though, carbohydrate-rich foods are essential. New research shows that most people, including endurance athletes, easily meet their protein requirements and don't consciously need to eat more. You require around 1.2g to 1.4g of protein per kg

-gel at the start, another between 10K and 10 miles, a third carbo-gel between Miles 13 and 15 (I find this one the most useful) and a final one at about Mile 20. I keep myself topped up with energy drink too. Of course, no fuel strategy can make up for poor pacing