and was not seen again. At mile 16 the Runner's World eight-minute mile pace team overtook, panicking me as I was still two minutes ahead of schedule, and thought they should be behind me. I stayed with them until the next water stop when I got hemmed

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

. This could have been because I was frozen. No, the best moment was getting the results and finding out that I had finished 907 out of 2841.The worst moment? Running through the largest, deepest puddle in the world at kilometre 41.The biggest surprise? My time

Belfast last year in 3:11, but did not really do the full training. This year I followed the sub 3hr schedule and felt really confident that I could break 3hrs. I ran 2:51, so can I say a big thank you to Runner’s World for getting me there. One

crouching down, and it wouldn't be the last time ! Run like a dream. Squeeze past that tricky Runner's World 8-minute/mile pace group! Get encouraged by all thanks to having your name written on your vest ! Have the time of your life before, during

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

. Not because I had a good run - I didn't - but for the crowd support, the weather, the many forumites I passed and was passed by, but most of all for all the other runners out there. We were all united by one common bond. We had to get to the finish no matter

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

-prepared, having trained for six weeks. I used the Runner’s World emergency schedules which were excellent. But work pressures and a nasty cold cut into this last-minute attempt at training. I feared for my life as I stood at the back of pen nine at Blackheath! I

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