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. Race director Hugh Brasher told BBC Sport that runners who arrive late will be allowed to start in a later pen. New additions for 2022 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. The 2022 marathon also sees the introduction of more inclusive policies. These include enhanced deferral options for pregnant or postpartum participants, and entries for assisted participants.

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 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.”

International delivery

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.

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. 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. There are 28 official Guinness World Record attempts being made at the London Marathon this year, including the fastest marathon dressed as a bottle, wearing riot gear, and on crutches. 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 2021A 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.

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 MarathonThe current forecast suggests rain showers and light winds for London, with highs of 16C. Coverage details 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!