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Yeah I got this a bit when I got back to the "real world" on Tuesday.  Sunday evening and Monday were great as I was still in London and was reminded of the marathon everywhere I went, plus saw so many people on the Tube wearing their medals all waving to each other.

Best thing to do is set another goal (maybe not another marathon if you have exams to study for as the training will eat into your time) how about a fast 10k, an off-road race, or a triathlon.  Signing up for your next race will give you a real buzz!

I'm not too depressed through as I have another marathon coming up in less than 3 weeks so I get to do it all over again! Eeeeek.

Seeking out other runners who you can relate to also really helps and you can remind each other and talk non-stop without boring people.  When I got back to work I managed to chat with 4 other marathon runners which was great!

Loved running my first VLM!!

• Your best moment - Tower Bridge suddenly coming into view and running over it
• Your worst moment - realising I'd been over optimistic with my pace in the first 8 miles and was not going to get a PB
• What surprised you most about the day - the two sharp turns by Buckingham Palace - you think you can see the finish but it's actually the 800 meters to go sign!  Also spotting my friends at mile 25.
• Your most memorable moment - Loads of them! Crossing the start line, Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, crying my eyes out for ages along the Embankment, the Luzocade tunnel at mile 23, seeing Big Ben and finishing.
• What your goal was, and how your finishing time compared - goal was under 5 hours but came through at 5.21, still very happy to have finished though.
• And of course, how you celebrated! Joined the charity'd welcome reception then to the pub and a huge bowl of ice cream with my friends who has alsojust ran!

What a day! Just over 2 weeks til I do it all again in Prague, yikes!

Not going to join the debate for this one but for those who love thier music, possible solution in races where they are permitted is to wear an armband and play the music through the speakers.  You can hear everything around you and there's still the music for motivation!  If the race has a great crowd the cheers will drown out the music anyway.  Expect funny looks from someone running right beside you if you're playing some really cheesy tunes though haha....

I did the Brighton Half as well!  Gorgeous day for it wasn't it!!  Felt like I was back on my summer holidays

Well done LTS and to your daughter as well!

I had to take this one slowly as it is sandwiched between endless weekends of 17-20 milers (meant to be a "rest" week) and to be honest was feeling pretty knackered from the start.  But despite a very slow time, I did enjoy it, great crowds!!

I had this issue with the Loch Ness Marathon - took me a while to have a try with the Clif Gel that they were giving out, and it wasn't til the day before I got a taste of the drink they were giving out.

I bought my own gels (SIS) instead and filled my bottle with lucozade, my favourite - plan was to take my own gels at the beginning then swap to the chocolate gels being given out (only flavour I'd tried or could stomach at the time).

Would have worked except for losing my losing one of my gels in the crowd at the start, and then one of the stations unfortuntely running out of gels and only having the energy drink, which I took but found foul-tasting and only took a sip.

I wish I'd taken more of what I was offered because between miles 15-20 I was getting low on energy and had run out of my own gels - I was so desparate for fuel that I even picked up some off the ground that others had discarded, unopened! Classy!!  At the later stations, miles 20 and 23, I simply took whatever was on offer whether I had tried it before or liked the taste - and I'm glad I did because at that point I needed Anything!

(People were giving out handfuls of food somewhere along the route, I took a mouthful but have no idea if it was cake, sandwich, bread or whatever - it was carbs!! Yay!

So long story..... if you can, get used to what will be on offer, or bring your own if you have a belt to carry enough to get you through - but, when you're actually running it, if you find need SOMETHING, just take whatever you can at the time!! ;D Like me, picking up some random coffee-flavour gel off the ground with mud all over the packet! hahaha.