Neil Featherby approaching the finish of the Grandma's Marathon in Deluth (Image: Neil Featherby)

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So, for many runners, the summer holidays are now in full swing, but for those preparing for an autumn marathon, this is a particularly important phase of their training.

Professor Bhaskar Kumar, who I coach and who is training for the Amsterdam Marathon, recently holidayed in the Seychelles.

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Before he left, I said to him: “This is the basis of what I would like you to do, but when you get there, suss out the area where you are staying and simply do your best to complete as much of it as you can."

In truth, I really didn't expect him to complete every session. Temperatures out there have been even warmer than those we have recently experienced here in the UK, so it would have been easy to ease off.

However, he completed everything asked of him. That's what I call commitment, especially when putting your feet up might have seemed a far more appealing option.

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So, whether your goal is Berlin, Chicago, Amsterdam or indeed any one of the many other autumn marathons, race day is actually not that far away and these next few weeks are the ones that really matter.

The training you complete now will largely determine your performance on race day.

I was fortunate enough to run several autumn marathons during my competitive years.

Even now, I still remember the excitement that built at this stage of the training as the long runs became longer, weekly mileage gradually increased and I mentally pictured myself standing on the start line knowing that all the boxes had been ticked.

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Marathon fitness, both physical and mental, is built by consistently putting one foot in front of the other, week after week, allowing your body to gradually adapt to the demands of 26.2 miles.

Every run counts, whether it's a specific training session or simply a controlled easy run.

Incidentally, those easy runs are every bit as important as the harder ones.

We must also be sensible and realistic when training through the summer months, particularly during spells of warm weather such as we have experienced recently.

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This is not the time to become fixated on pace because, due to the body's physiological response to heat and humidity, maintaining a pre-planned pace will inevitably feel much harder.

The same can, of course, apply on race day, although several weeks of training in warmer conditions will help the body become more accustomed to coping with the heat.

It's something I often remind runners of by recalling my experience in the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth back in 1990, which was run on an exceptionally hot June day.

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The autumn marathon season has given me some brilliant memories over the years, including my first marathon victory at Leicester in 1984, two sub-2:20 performances in Berlin in 1985 and 1986, and earning my first Great Britain vest in 1987, to name but a few.

So, with all of that in mind, I wish everyone the very best as they prepare for their own autumn challenge.

Enjoy the journey, embrace the training and remember that every mile you run now is another step closer to that finish line.