to know about that, but... just before the start I couldn't decide if I needed the loo or not. Someone said, "How long ago did you go?" It had been only five minutes before. So they said, "It's just nerves; once you start running you will be fine

as the heat was building, Scooby Doo running at the side of me started to curse, "Jesus and it's only six miles." Everybody was shouting "ROOBY ROO" constantly and the blokes in speaker outfits were long gone behind us - they looked very heavy. It was a

event and it still chokes me.I was expecting my best moment to be running down the Mall, but to be honest when I got there I really couldn't care less!The best bits by far for me were the starting line (knowing that I was part of the best marathon

do more than one 20 mile run during your training. I did just one that length (due to having a bad knee at the time) and I am sure that it was because of the lack of really long runs, that my body wasn’t used to running beyond 20 miles. But even so

Time: 5:19A tale of a London Marathon Virgin(by Alison Dale of Lincoln Wellington AC)Like many people I would sit down on a Sunday morning in April every year and watch thousands running the London Marathon, and dream that one day I would be there

, from NO more long runs, to registering at Excel on Friday, to going up to London on Saturday with friends and staying on the Isle of Dogs - eating pasta and enjoying two pints of Guinness in the evening.... ...Getting to the start just in time. Running

really enjoying themselves.Then a quick DLR ride to Mudchute to join the other team 8 supporters, where it was great to cheer on not only the runners allocated to team 8 but all forumites running. Some were having a hard time of it but it seemed that all

through emotion but i just couldn't stop myself (it's VERY difficult to cry when you are out of breath and sweating like mad!!). I had managed to do a 22-mile training run, but I never thought that the last four miles could be so long (and at mile 23

cramping, forcing me to an even slower crawl than usual. I just kept thinking that this was it, this is what had dominated my time for four months, all those long runs that took forever because I am so slow.The crowd were amazing, so encouraging. At 25

); there was disappointment at not going sub-5, although a course best was achieved. And I learnt yet again that even with the best preparation(I even managed appropriate long runs, ate well the week before and tapered) the marathon is an evil unpredictable beastie which