It's the night before. I have had a normal, busy day with the kids - swimming and ballet lessons, library visits, etc. I have carbo-loaded and tee-totalled and read and re-read the 'final instructions'.
I have a sore, hoarse throat which I am ignoring and have just pinned my number onto my shirt and affixed my timing tag onto my trainers. I have sniffed my kit to make sure it is not stinky (why??) and packed my post race kit bag with comfortable stuff and Rabbit, Run which I am itching to finish. Now all that is left to do is go to bed (and get to sleep)!
I am very excited and a bit trepidatious (?) - a feeling akin to giving birth when the first contractions come. I feel very lucky to be taking part in such a fantastic event with 36,000 others, and that I have had the time, health, wealth and family support to help me train for it.
I have also had lots of lovely messages of encouragement from people which has been really touching. I am most looking forward to the final three or four miles where I will have to dig deep inside and I suspect I shall find the miles between, say, 4 and 15 hardest. I hope I have a good, strong fair run.
I love the way the race course weaves around 'our hood' - all the places where I have lived my life over the last six years, past the hospital where Bridy was born, past the Arches Leisure Centre where I have spent countless hours and over Tower Bridge which I have gazed at and will never tire of.
And I love the way I will run past work, too - there is a kind of fitting-ness to the race path. I will be thinking of my parents and my children, my sister Lucy in her blue cap powering along, and my late friend Katie Samuel who ran the marathon twice. Here goes...!

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