Condition, Confidence, Control

It felt really weird this morning as I dealt with 17½mi like it was a walk in the park! And there was a bonus - a milk delivery at Kensington Palace gave me the opportunity to cruise past a milk cart - that pace car had better watch out!

For the next seven weekends I'll be alternating between shorter runs (½M - 15mi) and longer runs (20mi - 22½mi). For the last couple of weeks, I'll cut the distances down and that should get me fresh and ready for the race itself.

These longer runs are crucial for at least three reasons:

• Condition - most people can't just get out of bed and run a marathon;
• Confidence - it's really helpful to know you can finish;
• Control - you must learn to stick to a pace you can cope with.

Now 17½mi might be two-thirds distance, but come race day, get this far and the mental battle will have barely begun. The key is to remember what the tortoise taught us and to start slowly. It's much easier to cope with the last few miles if you're passing all the hares.

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