the ground. Check well in advance whether your race destination requires a visa, how long it will take to process and how long it will last. Some race websites will have information on visas if you are travelling from abroad. You can apply for visas through

’re planning to travel by train, check that you’ve got the tickets or the details you need to pick them up at the station the following morning. Don’t forget to check the National Rail website for details on up-to-date train times and disruptions to avoid any

.Stroke-count sessionsBasic: "To start, you should be attempting to break the barrier of one metre per stroke in your pool; for instance, 25 strokes for every 25-metre length," says Bullock. "Aiming to make your body travel one metre with each stroke in the early stages