As mentioned in my last post, this came around in an e-mail at work yesterday. I have no idea where it originated, so if you know, let me know and I'll gladly attribute and link to the source. My own (much less helpful) comments are included, so anything you see in "" is NOT my own work. Stuff outside "" is my contribution. There's some really valuable stuff in here to help you prepare and get round. Best of luck, everyone!

"Don't plan on running with a partner. It's tempting to want to run with your training buddy, but it's asking for trouble. You won't both need water and Porta Pot stops at the same time. And what's going to happen when one of you is going strong and the other starts to lag? Awkward!"

"BYOTP. That's Bring Your Own Toilet Paper. Thousands of runners + race-day jitters = bad news for the TP supply. Stash some in your bag or your shorts." Seriously. Do this.

"Wear technical apparel. Shirt, shorts, socks, bra. Cotton is rotten! RaceReady makes shorts with lots of pockets for holding gels, keys, salt tablets, etc. Consider lubricants for chafing and blister powder for your feet as well." Another good one. Without going into too much detail, I finished my last marathon with my vest stuck to my chest in two very sore and bleeding places. At the London event, they have people every few miles with handfulls of vaseline - these people volunteer! - so if there's the same and you have no anti-chafe inner layer, don't be too embarassed to grab some!

"Don't try out any new goodies. Especially if your marathon is a big one, you'll get all kinds of free samples at the expo. Just don't use them on race day; stick with the same gels, bars, and gummies that you've used throughout your training. I once tried some caffeine pills that I got at the Disney Marathon and broke out in a weird sweat, before the race even started." Don't wear anything you've not trained in, either, e.g. a bum bag. You can get chafing in places you'd never imagine unless you've practised and found a solution in advance.

"Count your safety pins. When you pickup your number, make sure they give you four safety pins for securing it to your shirt. Scrambling to find a safety pin on the morning of your race is the last thing you need to be doing." You should have received 4 with your race number. I recommend putting your number on when you get dressed in the morning, rather than waiting till you arrive on site.

"Get yourself a new pair of kicks. Good running shoes last 300-500 miles, but they lose 50% of their cushioning much sooner than that. Get some new ones and break them in during your tapering period. I ignored this in one marathon and got a nice stress fracture in my foot to remember it by." May be a bit late with this one. I always buy 2 pairs (manufacturers often discontinue lines and introduce new ones, so it can be hard to get the same ones you're used to if you leave it too long). DO NOT WEAR NEW SHOES ON RACE DAY.

"Skip the pasta party. Have a big meal at lunch the day before the race, but take it easy with dinner. This gives your body time to assimilate the nutrients, and having a huge meal so close to the race is risky if you're at all worried about stomach issues. For more, see my post on what to eat before a race." Immodium or equivalent on race day morning is also a good idea, especially if you have a target time and don't want to make any stops.

"Don't do much the day before. Like I said, the San Diego Zoo was a terrible idea. Take it easy on your legs and mind, and give your body a chance to relax before the big day."

"Don't stress over sleep. Try to get a good night's sleep before the race, but chances are you won't. But take heart, oh sleepless one: the amount of sleep you get before a race has little to do with how you'll perform. As long as you've been sleeping well during the previous week, your body will have plenty of energy to draw from. Bonus: not stressing over this might even help you stop tossing and turning."

"Bring a garbage bag. A garbage bag with a few arm and leg holes is the marathoner's Swiss army knife. Good for keeping dry if it's raining, keeping warm before you start, and for a little privacy if the Porta Pot lines are too long." Sounds a bit mad, but I've turned up in warm but non-waterproof gear before and been jealous of those who did this!

"Pack a throwaway shirt and gloves if it's cold. Lots of races start at the butt-crack of dawn, when it's chilly. Once you start running and the sun comes up, your temperature will rise considerably. To accommodate this, wear a long-sleeve shirt, and maybe even gloves, that you don't mind ditching a few miles into the race. Lots of races have charity bins where you can toss extra clothing, but don't feel too bad about just throwing it to the side of the road if you don't see them." There will be bins to collect this stuff for charity at the Brighton event. Or take the bin bag option and just bring gloves.

"Show up early. Traffic is always bad and there are always lines for the Porta Pots, so leave yourself extra time before the race to stretch, fuel up, and relax. And give yourself plenty of time to get from the runners' village to the start line, sometimes they're far apart." Very important. The last thing you want is stress about even getting there in time for the start.

"Arrange a meeting spot for after the race. The finish line will be crowded, so even if your friends and family do get a good spot to watch you finish, they won't be able to get to you very quickly once you're done. And you probably won't want to carry a cell phone. Choose a spot ahead of time where you'll meet, and stagger over there before you collapse in glory."

"Put your support team to work. Know roughly where your friends will be on the course; having that to look forward to can make all the difference. And load them up with all kinds of snacks. Bananas, oranges, gummy bears, salty snacks like pretzels, whatever you think there's a chance you might crave when you're 20 miles in and those last six are seeming like Mount Everest. Chances are you won't eat most of it, but getting that one thing you want most will make it worth it." MY BAD ADVICE: My knees have given up on me on both previous marathons, once at half way and once at 21 miles. The first time, my supporters were at a pub and bought me a pint. The second time, I considered asking them to bring a hip flask! Alcohol's bad, but something to look forward to is vital.

"Take it easy on the fluids in the hour before the race. There's a delicate balance between hydrating yourself properly and standing in the starting corral already having to go to the bathroom. For me, this has only been a problem at the beginning of the race, since once I'm running my body tends to use up whatever fluid I can take in. Err on the side of hydration, but be aware of this issue, especially if you have a time goal. That said…"

"Don't have a time goal. If you're like me, this is impossible. But if you can, don't make your goal for your first marathon any more than just to finish the race and enjoy the fact that you're doing something incredible. Leave the extra stress of a time goal for your next one." Really good advice for first-time runners. The last thing you want is complete a full marathon, which is a truly amazing thing, and feel disappointed.

"Don't let your adrenaline get the best of you. At the expo of my first marathon, a famous runner gave us this piece of advice. Of course, we didn't listen. We tore out of the gate and ran our first mile in under seven minutes, and with adrenaline pumping, figured we might qualify for Boston that day. Wrong, by almost two hours. They say that every minute too fast that you run the first 13.1 miles, you'll lose two minutes in the second 13.1. Don't let your excitement get the best of you on race day." Really. Find the person holding the banner with your average mile time and stay with them, never forge ahead. You can pick up the pace at the end if you're up to it.

"Watch out for hyponatremia. Everyone knows about the dangers of dehydration, but overhydration is a concern too. Hyponatremia occurs when you drink so much water that you dilute the sodium levels in your blood, and it can be life-threatening. Symptoms are very similar to those of dehydration, part of the reason it's so dangerous. I try to pay attention to my ankles and fingers to make sure they aren't swelling around my socks or ring. To avoid hyponatremia, be sure to take in adequate sodium with your fluids, in the form of sports drinks, gels, salty snacks, or even salt tablets." Again, stick to the ones you've used throughout your training. If that's been Powerade, you're in luck as this is what's available at the fuelling stations en route.

"Consider an ice bath afterward. Especially if you haven't done a lot of 20+ mile runs in your training, you might be in for a fun surprise when you get out of bed the day after your race. To help mitigate muscle soreness, consider taking an ice bath once you've finished the race. Yes, you read that correctly. 15-20 pounds of ice, some water, a bathtub, and 20 minutes of pure misery. But it works for me." I've considered it, but never done it, wimp that I am. If you do, let me know how it goes!!!

"Don't make plans for after the race! After my first marathon, my friends and I went back to our hotel room at about noon, stretched out on the beds, and slept soundly through the entire day and night. If you follow the tips in this list, you'll be much better off than we were. But still, you have no idea what you'll be up for after you've run 26.2 miles. So keep the plans to a minimum, and play it by ear. I've run three Rock 'n' Roll races, and never once have I made it to the post-race concert." Unless those plans are to go and sit down and eat. And maybe drink.

"Enjoy every minute of it. This will be easy for most of the race. But trust me, those last few miles will hurt, and you'll have to dig deeper than you ever have before. But you didn't choose to do this because you thought it would feel good. Whatever your reason, it goes far deeper than the physical. You're doing something incredible; relish in that fact and enjoy the moment." You'll not have experienced anything quite like a big city marathon unless you've done one before. Some colleagues of mine have expressed concern over not being allowed to run with their music players on the day. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THIS. The entertainment, the crowds and the atmosphere will be at least as much of a boost and if you're following your pace person, you'll be on track to finish at your comfortable pace, too.

Et voila!