All was going really well for a sub-4 hour target, until I needed to use some of my Lucozade Sport running gels, after then the stomach ache and tummy cramps set in, a very needed pit-stop to the toilet lost me vital time! 4.07 was my official time

miles by week 13, only to have a bit of a crying/snot-filled meltdown in week 14 as a weird muscle cramp knocked my confidence one mile in! Marathon day dawned bright and clear, with mega nausea and two pots of porridge to keep me going! Just get

enjoy a marathon?). I was looking for around 4:30, but cramp in my left calf at 20 miles stopped me dead ! Thanks to the physio who prodded at it for 10 minutes and got me going again. The bit of a sprint down Birdcage walk saw me avoid a personal worst

. The leading ladies went past in the opposite direction and I gave the leaders and the British girls a cheer as they went past - no sign of Liz Yelling, she must have been off the pace. At around the 14 mile mark, I had a moment's cramp in my left foot

for short-duration, high-intensity exercise, such as sprinting. And beware: Large doses (20 grams or more) of sodium bicarbonate may cause severe intestinal cramping, bloating, and diarrhea, so use it sparingly and only for sprint-type exercise.

.Secret weapon? Walking 30 seconds every mile: it prevents cramp coming on and means you have something to look forward to each mile. I’ve run a marathon. I am a runner!Index of all quotesNext quote

of James Cracknell doing the Marathon des Sables, throwing up, cramping and looking like he came within an inch of his life my first thought was – I wonder if I could do that?!In February I will attempt my first ever ultra marathon, a 34 mile multiterrain

Heroes Of Running 2010: The WinnersWHO IS YOUR RUNNING HERO? Is it the coach who introduced you to the sport that's now your passion? Or the friend who's stuck with you through stitches and cramp, rainy days, and heat waves? Or the frontrunner who

at the start of a run - dehydration will affect your performance and can trigger bowel symptoms such as cramps and diarrhoea. Avoid caffeine for 24 hours before a race because this can irritate the gut, and consider changing your sports drink; highly

The was my sixth London Marathon - the first marathon for 15 years - the other five had gone really well, with my best time being 3hr 18mins. This one started off ok but by the fitth mile I had stomach cramps, why I don't know but I had to slow down