This is the big one. London baby! So exciting. Not much changes in terms of the routine. Tuesday efforts and Wednesday Horntye runs are a staple of the plan, especially in the early months.

The Sunday run is always going to be the big challenge. The time builds up gradually with a 3 hour run in the build up to the Pier to Pier. Then 2 weeks after that there’s the longest training run of 210 mins which should be enough to run close to 18 miles.

That’s 2 weeks before Lydd so should give you the confidence that the 20 miles is achievable. I’ve put the recovery weeks in after those big races, so you can get the right rest.

There will be some missed Tuesday sessions, that’s just to make sure you get enough recovery after a big Sunday run or race. I found that was when injuries occurred last year when members of the team raced at the weekend and then did a hard session on the Tuesday.

We will also look to make the S&C more challenging as the plan goes on to help you make more gains in that department.

You’ve made great progress in recent months. I’m not going to pretend this is going to be easy. At times those long runs, especially if the weather is naughty, it’s going to be tough. But you know what it’s ok to get emotional. It’s the 3 hour mark that does it for me and for some reason when I get to that kind of time running I always want a cry. But it’s a good emotion, one of pride, sense of achievement, cos everything hurts, but we soldier on.

Getting the fuelling right is important. There are two things to factor here. 1. What to take? 2. How many carbs per hour you can consume? ? Ideally 30-60g per hour but some runners do take more, so you can experiment with that. Always happy to discuss.

It’s a fabulous goal to have. Just keep picturing that moment of crossing the line and all the amazing messages that are going to come with such a great achievement. That should be enough to keep you motivated during your toughest training plan yet. Plus you always have my support. So if you are feeling down at any stage and it feels a struggle, just reach out. It’s a journey I’ve been on myself and it hasn’t always ended in success, but you know what, that’s ok too.

You got this!

PS: I’ve updated your ratings, feel free to change them if you feel they are not quite right, but I think they highlight your improvement of late.