It’s almost the end of September and that can only mean one thing: the London Marathon, the Royal Parks Half Marathon and other long distance running events are just weeks away. In a matter of days, 100,000 of us will canter 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. And sometimes, it’s the call of a chosen charity that has us lacing up our trainers when it’s humid, dark or wet outside. This year, thanks to Lucozade Sport, I’ll be raising money for Action Aid as I navigate the iconic 26.2 mile course.

If you’re running the London Marathon or any other big race this year, here are 12 tips for making the most of race day.

London Marathon 2021: 12 training tips for running your first marathon