Corner shop Lucozade

Time to start finalising your plans for the big day. Again, everyone is different and there are numerous approaches. Some need to know that every detail and eventuality has been covered. These people will have already had lengthy meetings with their support crew to discuss feeding plans, menus and race strategies. At the other end of the scale, there will be walkers who have yet to arrange a support driver (obligitory if you intend to carry on past Peel). They'll ring a mate a few days before and will be rushing down to the corner shop the evening before the race to buy a couple of Mars Bars and a bottle of Lucozade. If the latter sounds a bit like you, then do yourself a favour and just move everything forward 24 hours. Take it from someone who knows (I've had a year to complete the T.Shirt design, but, as usual, finished it an hour or two before the deadline), you do not want to be rushing around getting stressed on Friday evening.

I'm getting a bit worried now. The imminence (is that a real word?) of raceday can no longer be glossed over. For a while I was confident that, albeit far too little, I had at least done more training than last year. Now I'm not even sure of that. I've had a so-so week. A few walks, a run and a race. If I'd had a plan, then the Glen Mona Fell Race didn't go to it. Too fast at the start, too slow at the end and too hot all the time. It was a real scorcher - it's a rare day on the Manx hills when a headlong fall into a freezing bog improves your mood.