With the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games one year today, we kick off runnersworld.co.uk's London 2012 coverage with an awed look back at some of the most iconic running moments in Games history.Dreams of Olympic gold have inspired

that would rewrite the record books. As Zátopek readied himself to defend the Olympic 10,000m title he had first won in London four years earlier, the weight of expectation was huge. In the course of that first Olympic triumph, he had lapped all but two

in history to successfully defend an Olympic 1500m title. A path that would see him become a MP, a Lord of the Realm and the man who brought the Games back to London.Yet, as he recently admitted, it all hinged on that most unlikely victory in Moscow. Last

Stadium Australia, Sydney, September 25, 2000: 10,000mThey hit the bell, still cagey, still waiting. Two greats sparring as they had done so many times before, as they had in the same event at the previous Olympic games in Atlanta. On the final bend Tergat made his move, catching...

Fifty-seven years before it was immortalised in Chariots of Fire, Harold Abrahams took the tape and GB's first 100m gold. Here's the true story...It was a sticky Paris Monday – July 7, 1924 – and time was playing tricks in the Stade Colombes. The Olympic 100m final was supposed t...

Starting the last lap of the 1500m final in Athens, Kelly Holmes was in eighth. It looked like double glory was out of her grasp, but in moments she turned a career dogged by setbacks into a redemptive sporting fairytale.How does it feel to win Olympic gold? It’s always a very co...

1. SpeedThe Session: 4 x 40m sprints (with 3 mins recovery), then 4 x 300m sprints (with 6 mins recovery)Tony Minichiello says: "Speed training in heptathlon is crucial as there's an element of it in every event - just as there is in every race distance for running, whether you'r...

Find out what happens when you cross the Virgin London Marathon finish line. We first published this interactive guide last year - but it's just as relevant in 2012

The Christmas music in the office and twinkly lights in London tell us Christmas is just around the corner. If the thought of present-buying brings about a cold sweat, don't worry, we've done the hard work for you and found some of the best runner

in fancy dress which makes the race even more special and each year features a fancy dress theme: 2012 was 'history; and 2013's theme is 'science fiction' - so dig out your best sci-fi outfit and get running!Your prize consists of two return flights from