. Just don't overdo it - you're not trying to pack on huge amounts of muscle, so go for weights you can lift 10-12 times per set. A helping hand across the disciplines "You can improve your swimming by doing upper-body and shoulder exercises," says
and infection after the race. You may also be feeling disorientated – or even depressed – in the come-down after achieving such a significant running goal.Unfortunately, there’s no formula for calculating how long your body will take to recover – this will vary
of the swim and the blood suddenly rushes away from your upper body and brain and to your legs, creating a light-headed, dizzy feeling that often leads to stumbling. By kicking your legs hard in the final 50 to 100 metres of the swim leg, the blood will start
relaxed, which is really hard at the end of a race because your legs are tired and you tense up very easily. Don't force your legs to work harder, just pump your arms faster and keep your upper body relaxed. Practise sprints after your usual run
in their running programmes.Since extra body fat equals dead weight in a race, you must trim extra pounds to maximize performance. You don’t need to cut down to the levels of élite runners (8 per cent for men, 12 per cent for women). Instead, settle on an ideal
along the top of the water. This promotes efficient, high-elbow recovery• 12 x 100m (maximum sustainable pace)• 4 x 25m backstroke, cool down• 10 minutes stretching - all upper-body muscles for 30 seconds per stretch3. Run sessionThis circuit includes
legend Liz McColgan, who has set up a new elite training facility in her home town of Carnoustie, Scotland. "When you're tired, the first thing to go is your form – when I was gearing up for big races I'd almost focus more on this than my running
