The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur News and Links for Monday, March 16

The marathon diary at the heart of Monday’s Hoddle column has reached its crescendo. After 11 weeks of winter mileage, the author closed the most daunting chapter of training—an unbroken 22-mile run—setting the stage for an assault on a sub-three-hour marathon on 4 April.

Beginning in December, the buildup was designed as much to quell pre-race anxiety as to build fitness. Sunday’s long effort, the longest of the cycle, was months in the making. “It felt as big as race day itself,” the runner told a training partner mid-route, a sentiment that carried through the final mile.

Visualization proved critical when fatigue loomed: picturing a strong finishing kick helped convert doubt into forward motion. Pace hovered in the low-seven-minute range, suggesting the coveted three-hour barrier is within reach, even in daily trainers rather than the planned race-day New Balance Fuel Cell Supercomp, whose narrow toe-box risks blisters.

Technology faltered at mile 17 when GPS spiked a fictitious 5:40 split; the runner compensated by extending the effort an extra four-and-a-half minutes to ensure the full 22 miles were covered in roughly 2:40. A post-run stretch, copious water, and a celebratory lunch marked the milestone, though an ill-chosen supper served as a reminder that nutrition remains a work in progress.

Attention now shifts to a dress rehearsal: a 14- or 16-mile workout at target pace before departing Washington, D.C. on Sunday. Weather could mirror race morning—cold enough for the trusty long-sleeve top tested this week—and snow is again forecast, complicating remaining workouts. Mid-week miles may become fartlek sessions to dodge traffic lights, while a gym visit will emphasize deadlifts and light leg work without over-taxing fatigued muscles.

The route up Beach Drive, praised as some of the capital’s most scenic terrain, was savored one last time before taper begins. With the Rock ’n’ Roll DC Half Marathon rerouting regular paths, the coming days will also offer fresh scenery—and a final chance to calibrate marathon pace.

Elsewhere in Spurs circles, Alasdair Gold relays every word from Igor Tudor on his message to players before the Liverpool clash, while national outlets digest Saturday’s 1-1 draw. Richarlison’s late equalizer answered Tudor’s call for fight, leaving Anfield to shoulder the narrative of crisis rather than Tottenham, according to dispatches in The Athletic, BBC, and The Independent.

Track of the day: Harry Styles’ “Ready, Steady, Go!”—a fitting anthem as both runner and club eye the final push toward their respective finish lines.