With the London Marathon just over a fortnight away, I’ve spent this week on my final preparations. This includes stocking up on energy drinks and snacks and road-testing my race-day kit.

You’d be amazed how many runners save up their new kit for the race, not once running in their pristine vest, shiny new shorts or box-fresh trainers. The result is often bleeding nipples, chafed thighs and blistered feet. There is something massively disturbing about seeing a man hobbling along with two bright-red buttons on his vest highlighting exactly where his nipples used to be.

Even if you are running in worn-in kit, it’s a good idea to slap a generous application of Vaseline on any body part that rubs against fabric. I even put some on my eyebrows to stop sweat getting into my peepers.

Although I’ve got my kit for the big day sorted, I still accepted an invitation from sportswear firm Asics to have my feet scanned and my running style – or gait – analysed at their flagship London store.

First up was the scan. It turns out my feet are almost exactly the same length (most people’s are significantly different) and that I have a high arch. The clever machine that did the scanning also confirmed that I have quite small feet. Thanks for drawing attention to that, you cold-hearted robot.

Next, I was given some trainers and asked to run on a treadmill while they filmed my feet. Watching the footage afterwards, it was clear that both my feet over-pronate slightly, which means they roll inward too much as my feet strikes the ground. This places stress on my ankle joints and reduces my efficiency. Most people over-pronate, some have a neutral style (the most efficient running action), and others supinate (where the feet don’t roll inward enough).

The problem is only very slight so I tried on another pair that provided more stability than first pair I was given. I felt the difference immediately and my experience was confirmed as I watched a replay on the screen.

The scan and analysis normally costs £20, but this is discounted from the price of a pair of trainers if you find a pair you like. I’d certainly recommend doing this. It may be too late for London, but I’m pretty sure I’ve found my perfect shoes to run the Berlin Marathon later this year.