Q. Should I change my bike tyres before a race? And how do I strike a balance between durability and ride quality? A. I advise never changing anything before a race. Anything new presents an opportunity for something unexpected to go wrong. The best

this could be disastrous when combined with the stresses and strains the day may bring. Tri bike shoes are a lot easier to use than you might think and using clipless pedals (though initially challenging) soon becomes second nature. Your first triathlon

a further 2-3 times.Warm-down: After the last 5-min interval do a 10-15-minute warm-down at 100rpm, with a low resistance. Keep sipping your drink until you get off the bike, then make yourself a protein shake immediately. Afterwards, take a hot

to make those sessions not only bearable but enjoyable - time trialling.Time trials will not only improve your cardiovascular fitness, leg strength and speed endurance, they also replicate the bike leg of a triathlon so you can become used