must provide stress to the body in a controlled way – not all-out, all the time. After subjecting the body to the stress of a hard run, you need to let your body recover, for it is during this recovery time that the body rebuilds itself and becomes

of new, fun-filled events, and they don't all require a three-week trip to Borneo and a survivor diet of grubs and lizards. Don't let yourself get bored with an endless string of 5Ks and 10Ks. Try cross-country fell running and even triathlons

, then proceed with cautious enthusiasm, says Dr Rod Jaques, medical advisor to the British Triathlon Team at the British Olympic Medical Centre. The health benefits to women who exercise while pregnant have been well documented. They include: less lower

as the Concurve Lycra Cycling Shorts, £38) than bike in running shorts. If bike-short padding is too cumbersome for you, consider more lightly padded triathlon bike shorts.The shoes and socksGo for wool and nylon socks (eg Hilly Mono-Skin Off-Road and Running

you feeling unsatisfied, so you eat twice the amount," says Gina Kerr from the North West Triathlon Club in Londonderry. "After years of trying – and failing – with 'diet' foods, I removed low-fat products from my diet, which were more often than

you not have holidays, you poor troubled soul? – Martin PaceRest should mean rest... I have a mentor for triathlon. He says rest is exactly that R-E-S-T. That means doing nothing, zilch, zero, nada, nowt. – Cath... but only if you're training for tri

volunteers who’ll pour freezing water and ice over you as you cross the line.After being doused by volunteers head to the athlete recovery area behind the finish line in the grounds of King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel to refuel, rehydrate and meet up

enjoyed it as the only "me time" I ever had/have. – caterpillar girlGradual recovery and a good braI had two C-sections and didn't do anything other than light walking until about three months after each operation. Then I built up slowly, it probably took

, and then run, and then run quite hard to get to the start on time. I was nicely warm at the start; simply a continuation of my run. I did a PB even though I had a very nasty stitch during the last three miles. – SilkTorkI'm a running and triathlon coach, and I

’m planning my triathlons for next year, and I’m shocked by how expensive most races are. Maybe I just don't understand the costs, but compared to other sports triathlons are in a different league! Can anyone suggest any reasonably-priced races in the south