This Sunday is the day that thousands of people turn out on to the streets, in fancy dress or regular workout gear, to run the famed 26.2 miles for their chosen charity. You’ve got it, the London Marathon has raced around again, and if you would rather be pacing the pavement than watching from the side lines next year we have some handy tips to get you to that start line.

1. Get a training buddy

Getting up super early, or dragging yourself out into the cold after a long day at work is never easy. But when someone else is relying on you, you know you have to suck it up and get it done. But who are you going to be able to get on board to join in? You can find running groups, and solo runners here to ensure that you won’t miss any of those all-important pavement pounding sessions.

2. Get the right gear

Ready to go but realise your trainers have seen better days? Realising that carrying a water bottle when running isn’t the one? Having the best equipment for your new endeavour is highly important, especially when you realise you can’t live without the squeezy gels. Find all your new equipment buys here.

3. Establish a strict training schedule

If you need someone to help you make those first few Training sessions make sense, and help you to build a training program that will take you through to the Marathon, look to a professional. Getting a personal trainer on board will mean they will look at all aspects of your training and suggest any tweaks along the way. Everyone has a specific training style they prefer so why not try out one of the personal trainers on Gumtree to help you out with your ultimate goal.

4. …but also make it flexible

Whilst having a strict running schedule is important to get you covering the miles needed for the marathon, make sure you’re also flexible with your plans. You need a few rest days every week and should factor this into your schedule to make sure you aren’t overtraining, which can lead to injuries. If you have overdone it and need a bit of R+R, look at investing in a foam roller to soothe those aches and pains away and get you back on the road.

5. Have a reason to run

Make sure that when you’re signing up to take part in the marathon you have an overarching reason ‘why’ you are taking part. This may seem menial now, but when you’re trying to get up at 5am to go on that run that you really don’t want to do, you’ll need a reason why you’re hitting the road. Setting yourself a ‘why’ now will really help in the long term.

6. Enter other races

In the run up to your marathon it’s important for you to get a feel of the race atmosphere, how you perform in race conditions, and if any of your equipment needs to be updated. You may also start to set yourself some personal goals, finishing a 10km in a certain time and eventually the time you see yourself doing a marathon. Make sure you have all of your lap times right down to the last second using one of these smart watches.

7. Get a support crew

Make sure all your friends and family are on board and ready to come down and cheer you on. Whether that’s in the blazing sun or pouring rain, having a support network whilst you’re making your way around the course will boost your spirits more than any energy drink could!

8. Have the best time!

Whether you’ve picked your favourite sports gear, your high tech timing gear, or your Super Mario costume to wear, make sure you enjoy the day as it’s an amazing event [and gives you amazing bragging rights!]