legend Liz McColgan, who has set up a new elite training facility in her home town of Carnoustie, Scotland. "When you're tired, the first thing to go is your form – when I was gearing up for big races I'd almost focus more on this than my running

MindBefore you leaveGet up three to four hours before the start, especially if you’re normally an evening or night runner.Plan spare time into everything you have to do. That way you’ll leave ahead of schedule.At the startRemind yourself of your

.Avoid the practice of preceding a carbo-loading period with a few days of carbohydrate starvation.AdminIf you haven’t done so already, prepare your race-day shopping list and buy everything you need, from blister patches to energy gels.TuesdayMindVisualise miles 6

Start racing faster"To improve your time, you're going to need to run faster throughout the race, not just at the finish. Many racers start too slowly and then end up running too quickly

London callingYour 2005 Flora London Marathon stories form some of the most uplifing pages we've published. If you haven't dipped into them, you really owe it to youself. Meanwhile, here's a mile by mile guide to the race itself, from some of those