line, you’re rewarded with masses of chocolate.12 Flora London MarathonWhen? April 22 Why? The 2007 FLM was the biggest ever in its 27-year history, with a field of 36,396. Nothing can top it for atmosphere and support, and this flat, big-city event

and giving me time to contemplate everything that had happened. On April the 23rd 2006, and now down to 18 stone, I ran the FLM as my first full marathon. It took me six hours, but the feeling of achievement when I crossed that finish line is like nothing I

endurance work. The final stage has a change in emphasis towards faster running at speeds much quicker than marathon pace, which will bring you to a fitness peak in late April for the Flora London Marathon (or other marathon if you're not doing FLM

is the strange feeling of running less often. When I did FLM08 people at work laughed at me because I went out every lunchtime. I was running lots of miles (a lot more than now) but they were all short and I didn't have enough long runs.After London, once I am

't help, I went to see a specialist running doctor and another physio – who both wrongly diagnosed overpronation as the cause. Then I went to an osteopath – who correctly identified all sorts of muscle problems (a result of having finished the FLM

event that promised and delivered a wonderful carnival crowd. ‘The really special thing … was the crowd in town, don't know whether it was the beer or the fact it was carnival or because my name was on my vest but it was like the FLM crowd - what more