, the encouragement, the street entertainment, the sights, the runners, my family and friends, the finish line, my medal, and the pain and joy!Thank you RUNNERS WORLD for your fantastic website! Thank you fellow runners for your support and good sense of humour! I

group of elite men came past on the other side having done 22 miles. They got a huge round of applause from the runners alongside me and it reminded me that I was taking part in the same event as them. Fantastic.Worst moment: my calf muscle starting

) --As a Runner's World supporter virgin I wasn't sure what to expect from the support teams. They were great in making us feel welcome and useful. Here Meerkat, Lady Lucan, Meldy and Legless deserve a special mention. It was interesting to meet some

and feeling sick. I think relatives and friends need to keep away to allow the runners to get through and keep walking so that they can find space to eat, drink and meet up with their family and friends!My aim was to finish injury free (or at least still

holding red and green balloons on a stick - I even had time to kiss my daughter, Freya, at six miles.The best thing was finding the Runner's World 10-minute mile pacer. I stuck with her for 20 miles, and this helped me enormously. But then I hit the wall

an extraordinary thing. But it did confirm that Lucozade sport is not the drink for me!I have spent the time since finishing with a huge grin on my face and am flashing my medal at every opportunity. What a fantastic event! A big thank you to all the runners

, in fact less than 48 hours after finishing, with aching legs I was planning my marathon diary for the coming year!!Thank you Runner’s World for all your advice in the run up to the race. I have found all information on the site invaluable and encourage

). The wonderful people that cheer, support and spur on the runners really make the event.Hurrah for the London Marathon!James Hunter, 4:14 --Best moment: running the first two miles beside a member of the 100-Marathon Club, who had run all 25 London Marathons

/walk strategy was better than shuffling (it was), at 23 miles I thought I was having a heart attack (my HRM suggested otherwise) and at the finish another runner told me I didn't look very well (I wasn't). What have I learned/had confirmed? That however good

.Pete Watts, 3:53Beware the curse of the discarded drinks bottle!!!10 miles in and everything was going fine, with a nice even pace and plenty in reserve for a storming finish when I got 'nudged' by a fellow runner desperate to grab a bottle from the drinks