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Some times I do, some times I don't. The way that I look at it is if you can raise anything at all, it must be a benefit for the charity as long as you cover their costs (posting you a running vest).

If there is no pressure on you then you don't need to hold fund raising events and pestering everyone for sponsorship. Just sign up to Virgin Money Giving or Just Giving and add a signature to outgoing emails, mention it on Facebook and so on. If this is your first marathon when people find out they will ask if you are doing it for charity, so you can take their cash or point them to your fundraising page.

There's only as much pressure as you want there to be. It might even help, if you are that way minded, to know that the training etc is earning your chosen charity money.

I think they are only looking at consecutive rejections? I have 4 in 5 years, but missed the second year and 3 is what they said for me. I suppose it is those 3 years that actually count?

Anyway, wasn't the entry process much easier than last year! I suppose they hope to get a load ofus entered by May and thus release the load a little on the system when it opens fully.

Well done to everyone who has posted photos - found myself on loads! Especially em1500m - I've just shown my wife the picture of the wave crashing over me and a few others on the lower walk! It was a run to remember - just hoping it's drier in Fleetwood next wekend...

I used the 1 long run and 2 shorter / faster runs. Previously I had done 6 to 8 runs per week and finished in 3:29. This time on 3 runs per week I took over a minute off that time, plus would have done better had I not drank too much Lucozade (panicked because of the heat) and also tripped and ended up on the floor on Birdcage Walk (thanks to the team of marshalls who were there in a split second to pick me up and offer help). Whatever marathon I do next year, it's three runs a week again as I got through the entire schedule completely injry free.

My only change for next time will be running the long runs faster - I drifted too much. Looking at Mozzy's link right now!