It’s almost the April and that can only mean one thing: the London Marathon, as well as Brighton and Manchester Marathons are just weeks away. In a matter of days, the capital will be overtaken by 100,000 runners all cantering across Tower Bridge, down Wapping High Street and past Buckingham Palace to raise money for our chosen charities.

There was a time when marathons were only really attempted by elite athletes and Greek messengers. Today, more and more of us are putting ourselves through months of gruelling Sunday long runs so that we can schlep around the streets of London, Paris, Berlin, Boston and New York.

You don’t have to be an incredible runner to do one; most of us simply find ourselves carried away by the atmosphere the year before and foolishly enter the ballot never dreaming that our number would get called out. Other times, it’s the call of a chosen charity that has us lacing up our trainers when it’s cold, dark and wet outside. It’s tough, but trust me, as someone who’s run five of them, those 26.2 miles are the crowning glory of all your hard work. And it is possible to enjoy most – if not all – of the race itself.

So, if you’re running the London Marathon or any other big race this year, try the following 12 tried-and-tested tips for squeezing the very most out of your special day.

“I’m a fitness editor who’s run 5 marathons – these are my top 12 last-minute tips for anyone running London Marathon for the first time”