If you're running on Sunday, we hate to break it to you - there is a chance you're going to get wet. About 7,000 children are expected to take part across one-mile and 2.6km distances, but the hope is that this will increase to 50,000 by 2030. Weather forecast This year, a small section of the marathon route will be turned into Rainbow Row to "celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, promote inclusivity and create a carnival atmosphere for participants as they pass through the final part of their marathon journey".

Charlotte Purdue flies the flag for the Brits in the elite women's race, while Phil Sesemann will hope to improve on his seventh-place finish from last year in the elite men's. Sisay Lemma and Joyciline Jepkosgei won the London Marathon elite men's and women's races in 2021 For the London Marathon to be taking a stand and increasing prize money for wheelchair athletes is really powerful and sets a benchmark for all sports globally," said Weir, who is making his 23rd consecutive London Marathon appearance. In his absence, defending London Marathon champion Sisay Lemma and Ethiopian compatriot Kenenisa Bekele are among the favourites for the men's title, while the women's race is headlined by last year's winner Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya and Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who set the fastest debut time for a marathon.Road runners tend to obsess over their pace, splits, and finishing time. But “the first piece of advice I would give someone training for a trail marathon is don’t worry about your pace, because every mile is created differently,” says Mendoza. It’s the same philosophy as training on hills or a high incline on the tread for a hilly race course, or training on flat surface for a flat, fast race course. “You want to make sure you’re simulating the course that you’re going to race on to the best of your ability,” says Kris Mendoza, an ultramarathoner with Merrell and winner of the World’s Toughest Mudder in 2018. “That’s going to help your body adapt to the different stimulus, like the changes in elevation and the uneven terrain.” Don’t Get Hung Up On Pace Organisers say they are doing "everything we can" to help runners facing travel disruption due to a planned strike by rail workers, with 90% of rail services not running on Saturday. Services are also due to start later than usual on the morning of the race. Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah had been due to headline this year's elite men's race but withdrew earlier in the week because of a hip injury, while women's world record holder Brigid Kosgei - a two-time winner in London - was also forced to pull out. A 9-minute mile on the trail may feel way tougher than a 6-minute mile on the road, so “you should know what your marathon effort, or a 4 out of 10, feels like and what your 7 out of 10 effort feels like, and you can judge your performance from there,” she adds.

The adidas Marathon Tech trainer puts an updated spin on the classic 3 stripes trail runner from 1979. But running a marathon on the trail isn’t exactly the same thing as running one on the road. A trail run lets you step outside the pace/splits construct of a road race because your mile pace is dictated more by the terrain than anything else. And while there are pluses (like less impact on your body versus running on pavement and better scenery), a trail marathon also comes with unique elevation changes, different strength requirements, and less aid on the course. Don’t be afraid to hike, either. “A lot of people moving from the road to trails have this mindset that you have to run everything, but sometimes running isn't the most efficient thing,” says Mendoza. “I've seen really good hikers hike faster than people trying to run up; they’re conserving energy for when they need it.” How to Cross-Train for a Trail Marathon The adidas Marathon Tech trainer draws original archive design inspiration from the adidas Marathon TR trainer, a trainer which saw Mr 3 Stripes himself, Adi Dassler, still involved in the design process. The Marathon TR was also one of Dassler’s final adidas projects before he sadly passed away in 1978. The trail runner design was first introduced in 1979 and started a new wave of retro runners, with its famous grippy outsole becoming an overnight hit with trail runners all over the world. Other styles that took the Marathon name included the Marathon 80, a running style which came a year after the original TR with a similar style mesh and suede upper but with a less trail focused outsole. It is also worth pointing out that the Marathon TR also included the famous Dellinger webbing to the midsole, a sole cushioning system designed specifically for runners needs.

Midsole

Talking of those markers, new 100 percent recycled mile markers will be in place this year, constructed from four tonnes of plastic waste. A strong core is also going to help keep you upright when you hit bumps on the trail. “Your body takes a different kind of impact on a trail than on a flat road, because you’re working so many more muscles that connect at different points of your body,” says Woods. Since your core is your center of power, it needs to be able to withstand the extra stress.

That could depend on the rail strikes that have been causing headaches for those travelling to London.

Because trail running calls for shorter, choppier steps that keep you light on your feet, it’s important to work on your foot and ankle strength and work on your lateral stabilizing muscles. “I like to do a lot of single-leg stability exercises, whether that’s single-leg deadlifts, bounding exercises or plyometrics where you’re jumping and landing on one foot, or balancing on one leg on one of those Bosu balls,” says Woods. “You need to get accustomed to activating and using those stabilizing muscles before race day.” For the first time, the Mini Marathon will be a standalone event on Saturday 1 October, the day before the London Marathon. Keep your eyes peeled for other famous faces too, such as BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth, McFly drummer Harry Judd, radio DJs Chris Stark and Reece Parkinson, and TV star Mark Wright. When it comes to retro runners, re-releases and updated classics, adidas don’t really mess about. The same can be said for some of their latest releases to be introduced to 80s Casual Classics which includes the adidas Marathon Tech and some updated colourways of the adidas Forest Grove or Oregon as it was once known. Throughout the 70s and 80s the German sportswear brand stamped their 3 stripes logo on the running world releasing a range of running styles for joggers, marathon runners and trail blazers. The retro runner was born from this era, with adidas introducing legendary 3 stripes silhouettes like the New York, the Boston Super, the Atlanta, the Los Angeles, the ZX Series, the Marathon TR and the Oregon to name a few. It wasn’t just about making trainers any more, it was about becoming the best running trainer brand on the planet and adidas gave it everything they had!