trainer and author of The Marathon and Half Marathon: A Training Guide, believes many athletes, especially beginners, make mistakes with race-day hydration. "Lots of athletes unwittingly drink too much water during a race. This flushes salt from the body

Q This may sound silly, but I have real problems drinking during races. Usually I grab a cup, spill most of the contents as I’m picking it up, get one tiny slurp of water and then spill the rest down the front of my vest. Any tips to help me

No, but you seriously think it’s your dayYou get to 10 miles and decide it’s just not your dayYou get runner’s trotsYou twist your ankle on a discarded water bottle You get a stitchYou want to stopYou’re in painYou feel great at mile 13You hit the wall at mile

keep going.I have a mantra that I repeat over and over. I also have it written on a wristband and on my water bottle and keep referring to it during a race to keep me motivated. But I'm not going to tell you what it is.Stay in the moment. Focus

. Eberle says athletes often fail to take in enough energy during tough workouts to realise their potential. Change it: Fill your drinks bottle with a sports drink rather than water and set your watch alarm for every 15 minutes to remind you to sip. On a

. "Practise this as much as you can before race day so you can fly through transition without slowing down too much."It pays to know how to deploy your water bottles. "Depending on how warm it is, I would take two water bottles, one with 600ml of water

bars and gels with plain water, or bananas and dried fruit also make great portable snacks.The problem: You don't want to pee in publicDuring a race, or even a long training ride, if toilet facilities are limited many triathletes try to drink as little

to check runners' hydration. Sip a litre of water an hour to avoid dehydration, and stock up on electrolytes with salty food and drinks.Kit BagTo avoid heavy water bottles chafing – a real irritation after miles and miles –practise with different bottles

, dodging people handing out water bottles. One of whom I ran straight into and almost knocked over.When we hit the halfway point I made sure to remind our group to enjoy the Tower Bridge section. The pack was much smaller now, down to around 10 or so

if that gets anything going, then pop into the loo. Alternatively, take an Imodium Instant 50 minutes before the start of the race. Drinking coffee early in the morning when you wake may also help evacuate the bowels.Q. Do you have any tips on how much water