Brad Shaw
London Marathon runners are staring down the final countdown, and with Sunday looming large, there’s no hiding from the nerves, the niggles, or the sudden urge to Google “how to survive 26.2 miles without falling apart.” If you’re tackling the Marathon this weekend and you’d rather not hit the wall, crawl home, or curse every life choice you’ve ever made, runner and clinical pharmacist Mike Wakeman has carved out a clear path through taper week.
Wakeman—who knows his mileage as well as his medicine—has six straight-talking hacks to help you lift performance, cut fatigue, and spare your muscles from feeling like they’ve been fed through a cement mixer.
The berry that refuses to be ignored
Scientists have been banging the drum for New Zealand blackcurrant extract—CurraNZ—for a while now, and Wakeman doesn’t mince his words. If you’re chasing endurance, muscle function, and anything resembling efficiency, these little purple bullets deserve a place in your taper-week arsenal.
What makes them special? Anthocyanins. Not exactly a catchy name, but these naturally occurring plant compounds pack a heavyweight punch: antioxidant power, vasodilation, anti-inflammatory support, better blood sugar control, boosted fat burning, improved cardiovascular performance—you name it, they seem to influence it.
And it’s not just theory. Wakeman explains that CurraNZ has more than 30 clinical studies behind it, showing real-world improvements in runners’ fatigue levels and endurance.
He points to the evidence: widening blood vessels, a 45% jump in blood flow, faster oxygen return to muscles, and in one trial, performance gains ranging from 8.3% to an astonishing 37.8%, with more than half of participants improving by at least 8%.
His advice is blunt: start loading four to seven days out, take two capsules daily, and on race morning knock back two to three capsules before you head to the start pen.
Hack #1: Enhanced endurance and muscle function
“Scientists recently declared that anyone serious about training and competition must include New Zealand blackcurrant extract – CurraNZ – in their supplement strategy, because of its incredible array of performance benefits.”
“Here’s why runners like me and so many others swear by CurraNZ.”
Wakeman breaks down the biology with the calm confidence of someone who has seen enough lab data to fill a marathon’s worth of spreadsheets. Better blood flow means better muscle function—simple, brutal truth. When the tank is empty, CurraNZ helps you squeeze out those extra miles without flogging your body into submission.
Hack #2: Outsmart ‘the wall’ before it blindsides you
Every marathoner knows the moment. Around mile 18, the road narrows, the legs stiffen, and the mind starts negotiating escape routes. That’s glycogen depletion—the dreaded wall.
CurraNZ shifts your body towards using fat as fuel, sparing carbohydrate stores when you need them most. Wakeman says it boosts fat utilisation by around 12%, and with up to 30% increased reliance on fat after a week of supplementation, those final miles suddenly look a little less grim.
Hack #3: Take the sting out of post-race soreness
If anything should be classified as “cruel but predictable,” it’s the morning after a marathon. CurraNZ again steps up, with research showing it can cut tissue damage by 84% after heavy exertion.
Wakeman’s instructions? Take two to three capsules straight after the race, and continue daily until the DOMS loosens its grip.
Hack #4: Respect the taper—your legs will thank you
This week isn’t the moment to play hero. Keep runs short—four miles tops—and sprinkle in a little pace work to keep the engine alive. Wakeman suggests a tidy session: a two-mile run at marathon pace bookended by gentle one-mile jogs.
Add in a few 100-metre strides to remind your body how to move fast without draining the tank.
Two days out? Total rest.
The day before? If you’re twitchy, a gentle two-mile jog will take the edge off without sabotaging race day.
Hack #5: Massage, not mayhem
A light massage three days before the race is ideal. It’ll boost blood flow, sweep out lingering toxins, and put some spring back into your legs after months of punishment.
But here’s the warning straight from Wakeman: avoid deep-tissue work. Anything that bruises or disrupts muscle fibres at this stage is playing with fire.
Hack #6: Eat like someone who wants to finish strong
Stick to your normal diet, focus on quality carbs and protein, hydrate sensibly, ease off the booze, and make sure you’re getting 75–100g of protein daily this week.
Race morning follows the golden rule: eat three to four hours before start time and don’t stuff yourself senseless. Your stomach should be settled long before you shuffle into your wave.
Porridge with honey is the long-standing classic; bananas or toast with honey are solid backups. Keep it simple. Keep it safe.
The finish line is closer than you think
If you’re lining up for the London Marathon this Sunday, taper week can feel like walking a tightrope between resting too much and panicking too often. Wakeman’s advice cuts through the noise: fuel wisely, trust your prep, keep the legs ticking—and let CurraNZ give you every physiological advantage available.
Train smart. Recover smarter. And when you hit The Mall, you’ll be glad you didn’t overthink it.
