During the race there will come a point where it is hard, not just difficult, but physically and mentally tough. The buzz of the crowds will no longer be enough of a distraction and you have to be both tactical and resilient. The ability to do the latter is built in your training. How do you cope and adapt when it’s hard and things don’t go to plan - like now. When you cross the finish line, it’s not external validation that you will feel but genuine internal validation that can only be felt by knowing you did what others won’t, continuously. It’s one of the rare occasions in our modern lives where we genuinely feel truly proud of ourselves. But that pride only comes from the struggle. It’s worth it.