. By all means have a time plan, but also have plan B, C to Z for any odd surprises. – Plodding HippoEating and drinkingIf you’re travelling to stay locally overnight before the race, check the hotel you are staying in does early breakfasts, or go prepared

feel such a huge sense of achievement that I finished! (Updated 27/04/09) Read more On November 23, all six winners travelled to London to meet and run with their mentors, get advice from the Lucozade Sport science team and be fitted out

on trying to correct that rather than propelling me forward. The result is that instead of trying to slip through the smallest possible hole in the water, it feels like I'm trying to push a barn door in front of me while I'm swimming.I've heard all

public transport or share a lift. It all helps and may even boost performance. Alexander travelled by train to Barcelona and says he arrived feeling fresher and less stressed than people who flew.Offset emissionsRadcliffe, who often has to fly to events

stroller changes all that. As strollers become increasingly common on the streets – and even in races – runners are starting to realise what a liberating difference they can make. At £200-£350 they are expensive, but if it is within your price range you can

kit together at the start of the week, so when work and other things start interfering with life, it's all laid out and ready – if you're going off-road or travelling to get to a run, your training should be something that falls into place without

determination was absolute from the start but swimming and cycling were completely new to me. I couldn’t swim front crawl at all and so I took some lessons. I came, like many people, from not being able to swim a length to the full distance. Even when I could

miles and another half at 17 miles. On marathon day I obviously can't just run from the front door and there will be hanging about and travelling to the start etc.  I find if I eat a couple of hours before a run I can end up with stitch.  Do you have any

've been absolutely wiped and sleeping way more than usual but still feeling tired. So I've been to the doctors, had all kinds of blood tests and will hopefully find out soon whether it's a virus, anaemia or something else equally evil. Hopefully, I

, and then the 10 magnificent forum support teams at mile 17 who looked after all the runners, not just their own, and my own support team seven - you were all truly superb, and gave us a huge lift at a difficult part of the course.Thanks to forumite photographer