fuel in the tank to start with. And what was the key to your success? Backing down on my training in the last two weeks and getting some physio help after my 22-mile run which left me quite sore and unable to run without pain (Thanks Amanda Kemp!). I

you need physiotherapy treatment.Physiotherapists will have seen your injury before so listen closely to the advice and when they prescribe home exercises, do them. Your physio may also use ice, heat, electric stimulation, ultrasound, massage

Healthy Diet Train yourself fitIf you've been sidelined by injury, there's no point sitting at home feeling frustrated. Try to view your physio exercises just as you would a training schedule – if you were in training for a big race you'd probably

are the main benefits. It's also great because the UKA have their training camp there and as I get older I'm a little more injury-prone, so it's better to have the physio care and support close by.What will it be like leaving your young family?That's going

’t wear your running shoes until they drop off – it’s a false economy. You will save money on the physio bills in the long run. Whatever your expected race pace, make sure you practice running at this speed during some of your training sessions. Don’t eat

, though.As my bump, grew I felt the need to continue with my regime more than ever. A tentative trip to the gym found me scaling the pedals of the elliptical trainer. Non-impact work was okay, the physio told me. Gingerly I pushed the rubber tread and felt

runners back on the trails. Our readers have thousands of injuries-worth of experience - but on a sensible note, there's no substitute for getting an injury professionally looked at."Best to see a qualified physio if you have a sports problem, just in case

cross-training in the meantime, seeing a physio weekly and I hope to be almost pain-free by race day. How much should I adjust my target time and my starting pace? Pingu1874A. It's difficult to quantify, as it will affect runners differently depending

. Lots of physio and stretching and next to no running as didn't want to make the problem worse. My target altered from "under four hours" to "it would be nice if I could run it". It wasn't helped by twisting my ankle the day before. Realistically I

's face it, on marathon day you witness the best side of humanity.April 17th 2005 finished for me with a physio-massage session, courtesy of my charity, Barnardo's, followed by three pints of Guinness with dear friends. Needless to say, I slept very