If you have been reading the blog recently you will have noticed some marathon-related articles.

We’ve covered:

• The busy mummies guide to running a marathon
• The busy mummies guide to finishing a marathon
• Marathon recovery tips

Now whilst I love setting myself the challenge of the next marathon, I enjoy the race and certainly the buzz from adding another one to my list…running generally is quite boring.

There are ways to pass the time however and here are my top tips:

• Setting visual targets
• Counting
• Humming along to your favourite song
• Thinking – using it as time to plan out that report,  presentation, or mental shopping list, or even just as time to process things that are consuming you
• Listen to music

I tend to do a mixture of these things during a marathon but having music to hand certainly helps to pass the time. Just make sure it is music you can run to…there is nothing worse than a few duff tunes when running, it can really mess up your rhythm.

Also, make sure you have some well fitting and comfortable headphones. You will be really frustrated if you have to keep putting headphones back on. It is distracting and annoying.

I  really like these running headphones by Sennheiser. They are water and sweat resistant, making them perfect for exercise. They are lightweight and fit snugly, yet you don’t have to compromise on sound quality.

These work especially well with a Samsung Galaxy but are compatible with a range of devices. There is a smart remote which makes on-to-go control really straightforward. These are a runner’s best friend.

What are your favourite running aids?