Kenyan long distance star Eliud Kipchoge, the current Olympic marathon champion, will be looking to seal a hat-trick of titles this Sunday at the 2018 London Marathon.
The 33-year-old, considered by many to be the greatest marathoner of the modern era, will return to the UK for the first time since 2016, where he won a second London Marathon in a row.
His exploits two years ago saw him powering home in a personal best, and course record, time of 2:03.05, which remains the third fastest run in history over the 42km distance.
In this particular edition, he will battle it out with the likes of defending champion Daniel Wanjiru, nemesis Kenenisa Bekele, training partner Abel Kirui, as well as quadruple Olympic champion Mo Farah.
The daunting task offers motivation for confident Kipchoge, as he seeks to seal the three-peat.
"For London Marathon, I have a plan to run a beautiful race," he told KweséESPN.
"I feature in everybody's mind due to fast times I posted last year, it will be a huge pressure and motivation.
"It is very special to win for the third time, this helps in leaving a legacy in London and for the young generation to learn about hard work and dedication," he added.
The former 5000m track phenomenon ran the fastest marathon time, during Nike's Breaking2 attempt in Italy, back in May 2017, registering 2:00.25. But it could not be ratified for a World record because of rules regarding pace-setting.
Having proven his status as the pre-eminent marathoner of recent times, Kipchoge said that, "The love of the sport itself and the professionalism that comes with being a sportsman," is what keeps him focused and consistent in his performances.