– but we only recycle or reuse a measly 14 per cent of this. Drop your old running gear off at one of Britain’s 6,000 textile banks and you can walk away happy knowing that it’s got another useful life ahead of it. Clothes that are too tatty to be worn

to still be there, but the grins and greetings for me made me feel like I was walking on air!"Who can take part?Anyone running this year's VLM will be able to enjoy the crew's special brand of crowd support, and even if you're not taking part in the race

times a week (and 'moderate activity' includes walking, gardening and hoovering!). So don't feel unworthy if you miss a session here or there, or if you don't feel up to ultras (yet!). As you complete another block of tip-top running (such as a month

their paces. And after the race, you can even wind down with a tank-driving lesson at the Military Tank Driving school based on the site.Marwell Zoo 10K (Hampshire, March 22) Good for: running with the animalsWalk, talk and… run with the animals

) Three laps of a rolling road course, and your penultimate chance to run a UK marathon in 2008. Not feeling up to the full distance? Take the relay option... -->Wokingham Half-MarathonFilling Up Fast…OK, so these events might be weeks away, but you

1. Flora London Marathon Where: London When: April 26It’s the big one. Twenty-eight years of racing; 35,000 runners; and 26.2 miles around the streets of London. For runners of all kinds from the international elite to run/walkers, the Flora

- runners set off in groups, slowest first. A madcap parade of wild, woolly and weird fancy dress costumes adds to the race's carnival atmosphere, and runners are certainly well looked after. There's a free run-through of the course, and all finishers walk

to be hard work, but warmer water, going easier on the bike and my newly discovered run-walk strategy makes me positive that it’s in reach. I’m feeling much more confident that I was even three weeks ago – bring it on! Rio