Synonym of in the lead up

ahead earlier before beforehand afore preliminarily anteriorly precedently already fore antecedently formerly previously in advance heretofore once sooner hitherto earlier on in the past before now at one time back when in days gone by until then aforetime ahead of time before then way back when until now a while ago in days of yore erstwhile early anciently in readiness then in anticipation in times past up to then long ago in former times time was some time ago a while back in old days in years gone by time was when in bygone days before present in times gone by in the olden days at an earlier time once upon a time before this back in the day in earlier times former up to now ere since so far by the time by then by the time mentioned by that time forward ante previous up till now prior to now prior to the present time in the old days in those days before the present one time previously ages ago from way back at one stage on a former occasion last time prior to this one time before back then on one occasion since God knows when prior to this time in the good old days years ago in times bygone at one point in times of yore prematurely inopportunely precociously unseasonably precocious onetime ago back lately erewhile radically as was of old olden days water under the bridge away back eons ago used to be of yore down memory lane agone gone syne in time gone by yet theretofore thus far in olden times in antiquity in yesteryear in days of old in auld lang syne now beforetime at that instant sometime erst up to this time whilom one time further back no longer in one case but once one day in my day above timely from year one as yet too soon till now up until now till then to date up until then in good time with time to spare earlier than required earlier than expected

in the lead-up to in the least in the light of in the limelight in the line of fire in the long run in the lead in the latest style in the last resort in the last few years in the last few weeks in the last few months