:39I was aiming for 2:30 but I caught some grit in my shoe at mile 18 and it slowed my down. The crowds kept me going, though: they brought the best out in my training. Kevin Smith, 2:50"The Marathon is always a fantastic experience; running through
the family can enjoy a Halloween treat in the Cheshire countryside. Keep all ages amused with the one mile fun run which has prizes for the best costumes. Then the main event, the Hellraiser race, is an adult only affair. Costumes are optional but getting
of hay bales. The largest natural obstacle was a freezing knee-deep stream through which participants had to run for around 70m.By contrast, the second half lacked any obstacles, the organisers obviously feeling that headwind plus shoe-sucking bogs
at my PC late at night looking for an event with a difference, I stumbled across a race website for The North Pole Marathon. It instantly seemed to tick all the boxes. A race run entirely on ice, in temperatures as low as –30C, in the middle
Monica bay.Admittedly the visual impact was lessened by the monsoon conditions I was running through. By mile seven (the Hollywood sign) my GPS watch had given up the ghost; my rain-filled shoes felt twice their normal weight, my chattering teeth were
ride and a half marathon to do! Pulled off the wetsuit without too much trouble (had worried about that) and slapped on factor 50 sun cream (optimism), my helmet, shoes and gloves and was off. Decided it wasn't over until it was over - and I was still
’m really chuffed."Bala was a tough place to make a triathlon debut. When Jellybabe came out of the water, her hands were so cold that she could not work her fingers to get her shoes and socks on. "I had marshals putting my socks on and peeling my banana
that allows you to enjoy the event as much as the spectators cheering you on?When Tom Day started running for Leukaemia Research after his father was diagnosed with the disease, he decided to become part of the charity's Banana Army at last year's London
running for three months, but – like many runners and non-runners – has a sense that London is The Event that somehow seals the deal on your status as "a runner".Other marathons are available...Big David is one of many to point out that there's more
to be seduced by all the gear for sale, but even if you do splash out, it's best not to try out new kit in your marathon – 26.2 miles is a seriously long way to run in uncomfortable clothes or shoes. If you do feel the urge to liven up your race kit, why
