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Many thanks,

I did see the threads you referred to but with thousands of messages in both it isn't easy to find your way around.  I'll try to have a look as per your suggestion.

I'm due to give birth early/mid October.  Due to previous medical problems I was advised to stop running more or less from the start.  Since then I've done no running but have tried to keep relatively fit with some walking.  By now however that is also not as enjoyable and I've been suffering from some back pain but mostly from breathlessness. 

I'm now contemplating when I could realistically expect to be able to start participating in races again, specifically at half marathon distance.  Will I honestly be able to re-join the action by next Spring?  I would dearly like some advice from others who've gone through it all before. 

 I know that assuming all is OK I should get the go ahead from my GP at my 6 week post birth check up.  So medically I should be able to start building up on distance/pace etc.

 However I am not foolish enough to believe that it is as simple as all that.  Family and friends who've given birth tend to find the baby takes over many/most aspects of their lives due to time constraints, tiredness etc.

 What are other women's experiences from a practical side of things?  Is say 6 months enough between giving birth and running a half marathon?  Taking into consideration that I've done no running for 8 months before the birth?

Up until now i've focused on longer distances - half marathons and the occasional marathon.  For the last 12 months however I've not run that much, but have retained a fair amount of fitness.  I've now entered a 5k this summer.  Any tips as to how best to train for it?  (Whilst a beginner at 5k, I'm not a running beginner)

And one more comment...

whilst it is brilliant to have large crowds cheering runners along, if you don't have a fan club dotted along the route it can be a little depressing and it is nice to have other things to look at such as picturesque or iconic buildings, sites, etc.....

I would change it, but only in parts.

Having run marathons in other large cities around Europe, I do think that London could do with its assets. I like a route that is interesting.  I wouldn't call sections of the London Marathon interesting, specifically around the Docklands.

 I'd support the suggestions from PhilPub - keep the start at Greenwich (masses of room for people and baggage trucks etc.) and the finish on the Mall, with its iconic last wave at Buck Palace as you go past and which has plenty of space around the area to meet up with friends and family, plus choice of transport links to depart from. Definately cross over at Tower Bridge but cut out the Isle of Dogs section which is hardly picturesque and doesn't get that many supporters. And is there scope to avoid the cobbles at the Tower which are a horror on the ankles. Instead have a twirl around St Pauls, back to the Embankment, do a loop around the Hyde Park or the like. 

 Think of some of the other large races in London - the London 10k (which goes out from Trafalgar Square to St Pauls and back) or the new Royal Parks Half Marathon (which starts and finishes in Hyde Park but goes out towards Blackfriars).  Just don't do something daft like getting everyone to run across Westminster Bridge and then do a 180 degree turn to run back again.  That is a nightmare course!

I agree that they shouldn't turn it into a tourist sites visit but they could definately do more with what we have.

If they do change the route then they have to consider the practicality of the route - keep it flat, not too many sharp corners please, plenty of width on the road especially at the start, and room enough for supporters to stand alongside the route, plus space for bands to keep us all going....