Three Little Birds - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Every little thing is gonna need alright - Marley

With 60 days to go until the 40^th Marathon des Sables, your focus should now shift from building endurance to refining your training. Your level of fitness is largely in place and what matters now is to sharpen the things that will carry you through the desert when things get tough.

Firstly, prioritise your exercise specificity. Long back-to-back runs will mimic race conditions as closely as possible. Running on tired legs with steady pacing, and time on feet is more important than chasing PBs. If possible, train in heat, but do it sensibly. This is about adaptation now, not about being a hero.

Secondly, lock in your kit choices. Shoes, socks, pack and gaiter choices should now be made. Practice packing your rucksack exactly as you’ll race with it and get comfortable moving with that weight on your long runs. Small annoyances now can become big problems in the Sahara.

Thirdly, work on fuelling and hydration. You should know what you’ll eat, when you’ll eat it, and how your stomach responds under fatigue. Test, test and test again.

Just as important is your mental prep. Visualise low points and rehearse how you’ll respond. Break stages into bite sized chunks and decide in advance how you’ll talk to yourself when things get hard - it will.

And finally, protect your body. Sleep well, manage niggles early, and respect recovery. Fitness gained now is minimal, fitness lost through injury could cost you getting to the start line.

Sixty days out is about confidence, clarity, and consistency and most of all ENJOY this time - it’s meant to be fun.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 18 MDS - 10 GWR - 0 Worries