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

advice anyone could give you when you're attempting the Alpe d'Huez Triathlon. The race was started four years ago by French triathlete and ITU 2002 World Long Distance Champion Cyrille Neveu. He used to invite friends to train with him in the area

or spectating, but Ironman racing is not simply about physical ability. Being fit, very fit, is, of course, essential, but so is a deep understanding of the needs and limits of your body. If you're thinking of going long and signing up for an Ironman triathlon

'. And there's no better time to do so than during autumn and winter, so you'll be primed for next year's race season.The confidence gameConfidence comes from the belief that you can do what you are about to do. It's based in part on the training you have put

their advice with Triathlete's World.1. When disaster strikes, analyse the reasonsBen Bright, who coaches former ITU Triathlon world champion Tim Don, says if something isn't working or you have a bad race, you need to understand why."The first step

. Hire a bike (or bring your own), enjoy the challenge of staying upright on two wheels, then head to the excellent café for some well-earned refreshments. It's guaranteed to put a smile on your face, especially when you race faster at your next triathlon

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

with 20 seconds' rest between efforts, then 4 x 50m race pace effort. Cool-down: 10 x 50m alternating bilateral and catch-up drills. Fri REST DAY CYCLE: Warm-up: 15 minutes steady. Main: 1 hour 15 minutes easy on flats, work hills up to 85 per

One of the long-enduring and rarely questioned traditions associated with triathlon events of all kinds is the substantial pasta dinner the evening before race day. After all, who doesn't believe in the hearty, turbo-fuelling advantages of eating a

- record times and compare) Afternoon: CYCLE 90 mins steady Morning: SWIM (in wetsuit and open water) 750m (up to 20 mins) race pace, then tread water for 2 mins, then SWIM back focusing on technique Afternoon: CYCLE 10 mins easy, then 4 x 6 mins