.Most memorable moment was running round Cutty Sark and thinking "Wow I am running the London Marathon"....something I first said I would do when I was 15....took a while, I am 34 now.My goals changed frequently in training but when I got to the start I decided

Time: 4:49Best mo - really feeling, seeing and hearing what it means to run your first marathonWorst mo - knowing that stopping at 24 miles was just not an optionSurprise - the sheer guts and determination of such a varied group of peopleMy goal

was coming around the bend from Birdcage Walk into the Mall and seeing my girlfriend and daughters cheering me on.I would say that my goal was to finish the race because it was my first marathon, but I really wanted to run the whole thing. I probably only

this autumn. The goal is to achieve the right training balance. "You need to do a variety of workouts to improve 5K speed," says coach Brad Hudson, author of Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon (£7.10, amazon.co.uk). "Sometimes you need to run faster than 5

-miler or a half-marathon as a dress rehearsal, using the nine-to-one plan. This will show how the plan works. Two weeks before the marathon, figure out your goal time from your training runs.When you step up to the marathon starting line, tell yourself

This was my first London Marathon, and I was very lucky to get a ballot place after only trying once before. The marathon to me was like a great big carnival - it was just fantastic! The noise of the crowds cheering you on, the smell of barbecue

of the race. Most runners set time targets, but make sure your happiness isn't resting entirely on bagging that sub-3.30 marathon, or coming top in your club's league. Success is best measured in terms of progress towards your own goals – goals you can control

training plan, diet and race-day strategy. "Every race is a puzzle," says coach Jeff Horowitz, author of My First 100 Marathons (£15.99, Skyhorse Publishing). "Look for clues to solve it." Did you rest enough during your taper? Did you go out too fast? Did

the run-walk group to Flora London Marathon success, Andy Collier has returned to pace the 11-minute-mile group to their marathon goal. Over a long running career, Andy has completed countless races including marathons, ultra-marathons and Ironman

Standfirst: The focus of weeks 1-4 of your 15-week scheduleAuthor:Pics:Issue date: Feb-May01 / xref Ultimate schedsKeywords:uan124-->Well done – you’re a quarter of the way to your marathon goal already. By now, you’re probably into a routine