NOT long to go now.

It really isn't. You've got all of tomorrow to do your final preparations.

Find safety pins to attach your number to your race gear, neatly prepare your kit, chill your energy drinks, and give that local takeaway a call and tell them to expect a big order on Sunday night.

That's just me anyway. I plan to eat All Of The Food In The World on Sunday. The takeaways won't know what has hit them.

I completed my final run last night, a swift 3-miler around the park, and I will do nothing between now and Sunday. Except eat a lot of carbohydrates.

I had so much pasta on Wednesday I felt like human fois gras, cramming the food down my neck until I couldn't talk anymore. All stored fuel, we're told.

Anyway, here's my rundown of the final preparations.

1. Kit out

All the gear will be packed, ready to go, nothing left to chance. Safety pins are a must! Also, pack a bag for after the event to travel home in, fresh clothes, different shoes, bottle of water, maybe a chocolate bar.

2. Playlist

I've been honing my tunes for the last six months, carefully adding music that I love to keep me going for the 13.1 mile run.

Here's my top two: Mr Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra.

My favourite song of all-time. I spent the final mile of the GNR trying to find this song on my MP3 player, so I could cross the line to it. The song finished five minutes before I did - so I had to play it again.

Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen

This is an odd one. From his most recent album, Wrecking Ball. I've never really been a Springsteen fan, but for a chuckle I bought his greatest hits so I could have Born To Run on my playlist last year. I heard bits and pieces off his latest album and fell in love with this track. It's actually about the demolition of the Giants Stadium in New York but, to me, the line "take your best shot, let's see what you've got, bring on your wrecking ball" resonates well. Good advice for a road race if you ask me.

3. Check out the route

The actual route of the Half-Marathon of the North has been something I've paid little attention to. It's a slight climb heading out to Barnes Park then downhill from there. But Sunderland itself, with the exception of Tunstall Hill, is a flat city, so the course profile matters little. But, it's always nice to know where you're going.

Unlike the GNR, this course is an out-and-back course so you'll end where you started, which is great for leaving baggage and personal belongings at the Stadium of Light. Plus, if you've got a car parked nearby, you don't have to worry about getting back to it.

The Northern Echo:

Heading out from the Stadium, you go over the Wearmouth Bridge, down Bridge Street, then alongside Mowbray Park on Burdon Road, down Ryhope Road before swinging left at Villette Road, and up through Hendon, then Sunniside, then out towards the docks before coming back through Sunniside, down the Ryhope Road as far as the Alexandra (ish).

You then double back on yourself, through Backhouse Park, out through Ashbrooke, then up Belvedere Road - where I used to live, give a wave - past the Barnes, through Barnes Park, back down past the Barnes - great for carveries - then back up Burdon Road, alongside the park, back over the bridge and swing left under St Peters station and through Sheepfolds back to the Stadium of Light.

Easy.

On the Sunday night, I'll be eating the biggest chicken parmo in the world. Vowing never to run again, then realising that I'd stupidly signed up to another handful of events that I need to start training for.

I'm running the Half Marathon of the North as part of a challenge whereby I take part in three half marathons, two 10ks and a 5k competitive run – 54.5 miles in total. I'm raising money for the Finlay Cooper Fund and Alzheimer's Society. If you'd like to know more or would like to donate, visit my donation page here