Q I was on target for a time of around 3:30 after 20 miles of this year’s Flora London Marathon, when I was hit by cramp. It started at the top of one leg, but soon moved to both legs. Half a mile from the finish, my legs locked completely and I

This was my first ever marathon and it was the best running event I have ever taken part in.  The race, however, did not go as planned.  I spent nine months training, completing two 17-mile runs and a 20-mile road race five weeks before (3

Further than a half-marathon, but not so long that it'll scupper the following week's training, the UK's 20-mile races are the unsung heroes of spring marathon training.Swap your usual long run for a 20-mile tune-up, and from busy start lines

topped the lists. That was the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge event at Battersea Park, which had to be held over two nights to accommodate the 20,000-plus runners. Three renowned, long-standing Northern events take the next three places, though

recoveries after eachWed 6-8 miles easy, off-roadThu 7 miles fartlek, as Week 3Fri Rest OR 25 mins easySat 15 mins easy, 20 + 15 + 10 mins THR, 10 mins easySun 12 miles, easy or steadyTOTAL: 54 miles approxWeek FiveMon 6 miles easyTue Warm up, 5 x 1 mile, 3

, plus 6 x 150m stridesFri RestSat 6 miles steady, or 20 mins jog if racing Sun Race, 5-6 miles OR run 8 miles steadyTOTAL: 35-38 miles Week ThreeMon 5 miles easy, off-roadTue 6-7 miles fartlek, with bursts of 30-60 secondsWed 6-7 miles steady

6:20 “... at mile 13 I pulled a muscle, but was not going to let that stop me...” Read the full quote1832-->Time: 6:20What a day, thousands of people: it was great. Enjoyed the whole event even though I got injured at mile 13 - I pulled a muscle

If you know any of these forum folk, please hop to the forum thread at the bottom of the page and paste in a label and maybe a caption. Then we'll add the captions to the pictures.PIC 11 PIC 12 PIC 13 PIC 14 PIC 15 PIC 16 PIC 17 PIC 18 PIC 19 PIC 20

, then fast 100m jog, then 800m at mile pace, then fast 100m jog, then 200m as fast as possible. Overall time should be similar to mile target. Then 10 mins jog then 6 x 200m with reducing recoveries of 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10 seconds 30-40 mins slow 8 x 200m

and photographed with the page 3 girls of a national newspaper at mile 20. And celebrated the event with the mile 18 supporters at the pub afterwards, and by spending the day on the forums.Index of all quotesNext quote