Good luck tomorrow

Well, it's here. The reason for all the training of the last few months.

The reason for all those long Sunday runs. One way to recognise all the distance runners in the country right now is to look for people who keep checking the weather to see if the wind is blowing from Mdina towards Sliema.

From my window right now, it seems it is not. Let's hope it changes to a majjistral by tomorrow morning.

There are some last minute preparations to be made for tomorrow. Simple (but vital) things.

Eat a carbo-rich diet today (no meat, no fish), but do not overeat.

Lay out all your running kit, socks and footwear for the morning. Ensure you have enough pins, vaseline and tissue paper and stick and an extra T-shirt in the bag in case it's colder than expected.

Make sure you have plenty of dry clothes to change into at the finish. Have you made transport arrangements to get to the start?

If you plan on using your own car, does it have enough fuel?

If you are taking the bus put on by the race organisers, did you buy a ticket at registration? The buses will leave from the Ferries on time, so don't be late.

Remember if you are running the half marathon, that some of the roads may be closed because of the marathon which starts two hours earlier.

When it comes to the race, the biggest fault you can make is to start too fast. It will require a conscious effort not to do this. Let's face it, you've been training and looking forward to this event for months.

There's a large crowd of all your friends and training buddies on the startline. The adrenaline's pumping. You should be feeling fresher and more rested than ever before. Your muscles are loaded with glycogen (fuel).

Under those circumstances, who could blame you for starting fast?

You may have heard runners talk of 'negative-splitting'.

No, this is not some new (and painful-sounding) stretch that runners do before the race. It simply means running the second half of the race faster than the first.

Experience and statistical evidence has shown that this is most often the best way to achieve the fastest possible finish time.

Starting too fast (that intuitive concept of "getting time in the bank"), and expecting to slow in the second half is not a good race strategy. It rarely leads to good finishing times.

Much better to hold back at first and then come through strongly in the second half, when the more impetuous runners in front of you are tiring.

There are few feelings worse than being exhausted and heavy-legged with miles still to go in a race, seeing runner after runner just cruising past you and being unable to do anything about it. So use your head (and not your heart) on the startline this year and hold back for the opening few miles.

Believe me, you'll benefit when you get to Blata l-Bajda with three miles to go and realise you still have some zip left in your legs.

Well, for good or ill, tomorrow's your race day. The organisers wish every one of you every success. We've done all we can. Now it's your turn to do all you can.

See you on the start line.