I’ve probably had the most consistent marathon training block for Brighton I’ve had since I started running. 

It’s been very settled; I’ve missed very few runs and built on what I did towards the end of last year in training for Chicago. 

I’ve even been pretty lucky when my long runs have fallen each week with regard to the weather. 

It’s just been really settled... then last week threw a stone in my trainers... 

We got a call from my son, Logan’s school saying that he had got a button stuck up his nose. 

Who knows how? I would say we’ve probably had at least four different versions from Logan himself ranging from someone ‘making him jump’ to it ‘fell up my nose’.  

But I would hope that a fair few people sticking things up his nose to dislodge the item and a dose of anaesthetic later has probably discouraged him from doing it again. However, I really wouldn’t put any significant money on it. 

So long run plans had to change last weekend.  

Instead of getting a 16-mile run done on the Friday, myself and Alison were holed up on a ward at the N&N trying to explain to Logan why he couldn’t have anything to eat ahead of his procedure whilst the rest of the patients were being given fish and chips followed by jelly and ice cream. Again, give me the last six miles of a marathon over dealing with a hungry child... 

The run was pushed back 24 hours but, if truth be told, I probably should have shifted the run back a couple more days. Whether it was the stress of the previous few days or the cumulative miles of the block, I felt knackered. 

I’ve got to the stage now where I’ve had enough of the long runs, and I’ve spoken to several other people who are training for a spring marathon that feel the same. 

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I think it actually means something quite positive: we’re ready. 

This is part of the process of building towards the marathon; running on tired legs with a tired mind – it's perfect preparation in many ways for those last few miles on race day. 

But the taper now needs to do its work. My legs have been feeling really heavy for a while and hopefully reducing the training load will see a bit of freshness return. The work is essentially done – I can’t get any fitter for the marathon. It’s all about physically and mentally recovering ahead of the big day. 

I’ve got a pace range that I want to hit, and I’ll talk about that next week, but there’s no doubt that range has got harder and harder to hit in the last few weeks due to fatigue. 

It can knock confidence, but I’ve been trying to remind myself constantly that my legs will feel a lot fresher on race day. 

Whatever happens it’s been a really good training block.  

I’ve got what I wanted out of it already in that it has kept me accountable and consistent with my runs. PBs at the 10K and half marathon distances prove that perhaps it wasn’t the worst decision I made to sign up for a marathon on a whim over Christmas. 

With just over a week to go I want to lay as low as possible. If anyone so much as clears their throat near me then I’ll be giving them a wide berth. 

The reality is there is only so much I can control; it’s not like I can go into hiding for a week.  

The major battle will be not to overthink things ahead of the big day next Sunday. 

Or perhaps it might be to stop Logan sticking things up his nose...