You can't go anywhere without being confronted by calories. You go to the supermarket and there they are, stamped on every box and bottle. You hop on the treadmill and watch your 'calories burned' click upward. If you type 'calorie' into Google

of the day for me as from then on it went Carp, Carp and Carp........:mile 3: trod on a water bottle – I strained ankle - ran off a bit. I tried to stay with the eight-minute/mile pacers but miles 3-5 were 7:24, 7:25 and 7:32 and I thought: ‘there is no way I

full meal.At the startContinue sipping water if you need to, but don’t go overboard. During the raceDrink regularly, and from early on in the race. Water stations will provide mineral water in small bottles every mile. If you have to walk a few paces

did not let the absence of marshals, signs and manned water stations deter her from completing her debut marathon in just over 7 hours. In a noteworthy demonstration of the forum musketeer spirit, Ye Hippo provided the intrepid Pixie and her pacers

extras you can fit yourself: a bell to let people know that you’re approaching, and a bike water-bottle cage for long, hot runs. Buying TipsAlways try before you buy – with your child. Make sure that the handlebar height is right for everyone who

we all gave him dirty looks. Another tried it and got shouted down at by one particularly vociforous geordie (good on yer lad). No-one else tried it!" (99%Chimp)"Got cheesed off with scallywags jumping on half empty water bottles..." (Lucy Spink

wrist up to the streetlights, desperately trying to track my pace. Then there are no more streetlights.Approaching the first drinks station I see volunteers handing out bags of fluid, rather than cups or bottles. I'm not thirsty, but I am intrigued. I

- toilets were in extremely short supply, and the car parking was a 10-minute walk from the start. There were also no goodie bags for finishers, but admittedly most seemed happy enough with the bottomless bottled water and banana supplies on the line

complete an open-water swim with little protection.Swimming goggles should be top of the shopping list. Goggles not only protect your eyes (from chlorine in the pool and muck and infection in the open water), they also help you see underwater - more so in a

five of my marathons I've done loads of long runs over 20 miles.What do the elite have in their drink bottles?Mike Gratton Difficult one this. Technically you need to keep hydrated as a number one priority, but water does not absorb as quickly