evidence: Just preparing for an event, whether that’s defending a world championship belt or running your first marathon, can pose a great challenge in itself, but is a vital factor in one’s chances of success. The following paragraphs briefly explore some of the strategies that you can use to optimise your own preparation for an event, allowing you to perform to the best of your abilities. [...] Particularly with endurance events, psychological factors can determine peak performance as much as physical capacity; therefore, it is equally as important to ensure adequate mental preparation for the challenge ahead. Common pitfalls with mental preparation include being too outcome-focused and worrying about the various scenarios that might occur during the event, most often beyond the control of the individual. Another potential mental obstacle is ‘hitting the wall’, the term given to the common occurrence experienced with endurance events, of suddenly feeling devoid of energy, coupled with intense negative thoughts and a desire to give up. [...] In summary, the importance is to focus on what you can control, and not to worry about what you can’t, and to make sure that you plan your event preparation carefully. Benjamin Franklin said, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail" and as the old British Army adage goes, "Proper preparation and planning prevents poor performance’; but, above all, remember to just go out and enjoy whatever event you have signed yourself up for – even if it’s dodging punches from a 100kg opponent!