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Mora adds that there are certain things you need to consider for each discipline which will determine how you train. Firstly, is the swim going to be in open water or in a pool? If it’s the former, you need to practise outdoors, as it’s very different to swimming in a pool. ‘Open water will be murky, you won’t be able to see the end of your arm – let alone where you’re heading – and until you get used to it, it’s very disorientating. Cold water also takes your breath away, which makes the swim extra tough,’ says Mora.

The bike ride is the longest section of the race and could take up to an hour to complete. Mora advises those in training to ‘pedal continually at top speed for this amount of time, and get used to drinking water without slowing down’. Another important thing to remember is that the course may have U-turns where you’ll have to navigate around orange cones. ‘Even Olympic triathletes get carried away, go too fast and fall off their bikes at these turns,’ Mora explains. He suggests aspiring triathletes set up their own U-turn course and practise cycling on it.

Finally, it’s important not to overlook the run just because the distance is relatively short. Simon Lessing is one of Britain’s leading male triathletes, and a veteran of the Olympics and various European events. He says: ‘It’s the last thing you do in the race, and running 5km after cycling and swimming feels very different to running 5km alone.’ He adds: ‘Your legs will feel like jelly, therefore it’s important to incorporate some ‘brick’ sessions into your training where you do one discipline followed immediately by another.’ Lessing recommends doing a 30-minute swim and then a 30-minute cycle. Most importantly, he advises people to get used to the feeling of running immediately after cycling.

Even if you decide not to enter a triathlon, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t train for one anyway. As Lessing points out, ‘practising these disciplines is a great way to get a balanced cross-training workout. The reason triathletes are always considered super-fit is because their exercise routine is so varied.’ Because so many different muscles are used, a triathlon training programme will not only improve overall fitness, but also tone your body far more than the rowing machine or treadmill ever will.

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Training for a tri