, in fact less than 48 hours after finishing, with aching legs I was planning my marathon diary for the coming year!!Thank you Runner’s World for all your advice in the run up to the race. I have found all information on the site invaluable and encourage

. He looked gutted.The most memorable moment was seeing my football hero Tony Cottee struggling out of Docklands and, as a fellow runner for the Bobby Moore Fund, giving him a "gee-up."For future events, I will train properly rather than doing one run a

that Runner's World said that it's better to lose a few minutes than to feel uncomfortable, go and get it out of your mind - that is good advice I didn't follow.Philip Bosworth, 4:21 My first marathon, and I loved every minute. In training I ran as far as 20

an extraordinary thing. But it did confirm that Lucozade sport is not the drink for me!I have spent the time since finishing with a huge grin on my face and am flashing my medal at every opportunity. What a fantastic event! A big thank you to all the runners

soundly that night.jci, 4:42 I have an hour to wait in the runners’ start area. The conventional advice to those in a pre-event situation is to banish all negative thoughts. Well, I was very lucky to get a place in the ballot; the sun is shining from a

quite easily could manage the Olympics: good luck for 2012.Oxton48, 3:58I ran London for the first time, for the Runner's World Forum Tsunami Team, and did 3:58 (well pleased!)I REALLY don't like crowds - I hate all the jostling and bumping. Euston

instead of sitting behind the fence sipping tea)But after I debriefed I found I was fascinated with the whole world of marathons, like how many people do it. How there were 35,000 runners with a single shared desire, how much of a spectacle the whole thing

surely have gone to bed on Saturday night pleading: 'Whatever you do, Dad, don't get overtaken by a rhino'."John Brown, 4:50Many thanks to the Runner's World pacer. Sticking with the 11-minute mile group made my first marathon (at 57) a lot easier