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Now don't complain you weren't warned.

For some weeks I have been mentioning that the number of commemorative 25th Malta Marathon medals was limited and that if you planned to take part to register and pay your entry fee as soon as possible.

As recently as last Saturday's article, I explained that we already had 1,121 participants registered and could soon close the website to more entries.

That information seemed to set off a firestorm, because by the following Wednesday, we had 1,388 entries and were forced to take the website down.

This is not a decision that was taken lightly - turning away motivated individuals is not what we do - but it seems to be best in the circumstances.

With something like a 40 per cent increase in participants over last year, the logistics involved in getting that many people the long and winding road from Mdina to Sliema in complete safety are considerable. Let's never forget that these roads will still be open to traffic the whole time.

The record numbers of applications break down as follows; 321 for the full marathon, with 69 of the runners being Maltese. A further 883 have applied for the half marathon, with 506 of those being Maltese. These two events alone have 85 more Maltese participants than the 2009 event, which itself held the record for Maltese participation.

To those figures, this year we have to add 184 for the walkathon, with 133 of them being Maltese.

The sum total of which comes to 708 Maltese and 680 foreign participants (1,388).

How to taper

A number of you have sent me emails asking for more information about how to taper, or what to eat in the final few days leading up to the event.

Rather than replying to each of you individually, I propose to cover these two aspects of final preparation in some detail over the next two articles.

At all times though, do not blindly follow my advice, or indeed the advice you get from anyone. You should have been learning in recent months exactly what sort of eating regime works for your body.

For example, you might have learnt not to eat closer than three hours before a track workout, but that you can eat as close as 60 minutes before a long easy run.

Too, you might have learnt that when you eat a large rice meal on a Saturday night, you have less leg energy for your long run the next morning than you do if you eat a pizza or some pasta the night before.

Therefore, you already know much of what works for you, so bear that in mind when you read my advice. If the advice I offer conflicts with what you know works well for you; feel perfectly free to ignore mine.

Don't worry, I won't get upset. As I say many times, do not experiment this close to race day. It rarely turns out well.

At this time of the year I like to recommend the well-organised Attard 10k race (February 14).

I am often heard to remark that I don't like surprises, and I especially don't like them on race day.

So, if you have been avoiding race start-lines in recent months and focusing only on the marathon or half marathon, now is the time to take part in a short, fast event and find out what sort of shape you are really in.

See it as a reality-check, an opportunity to get a welcome, and often sobering, smack around the head that might just make you more cautious and actually save you on the big day.

There's nothing sadder than seeing a runner reduced to walking in Pieta or Ta' Xbiex because they started over-optimistically - something that can easily happen if you have not raced in some time.

To enter, contact George Farrugia on 7959-3168, or contact Attard Local Council for more details.

Pioneers

Further to my note last week, two more Malta Marathon pioneers have entered; long-time runner Monica Piscopo and Konrad Ciappara, who, in the last 24 editions only missed taking part in one full marathon.

Above all else, be cautious in this final three weeks. You are just about as fit as you can get in the time you had, so don't do any damage trying to get a few seconds per mile faster. The risk is not worth it. Protect what you've got before reaching for more.

Remember what I said about a well-trained athlete living on a knife-edge; never fitter, but never closer to injury or illness. Don't reach too far and lose your balance.

Be careful out there and enjoy your training.

johnwalsh42195@yahoo.it