I DID IT!

At 09.45 on a glorious Sunday morning, I set off from Greenwich Park with just an i-pod and 35,000 other runners for company, knowing too well that I had 26 miles ahead of me.

With an initial aim of completing my first marathon in under 4 hours 30 minutes, from the very start my legs just seemed to motor. Blaring music, live bands, jelly babies galore and streets lined with people all helping to keep the spirits up.

At the halfway mark, I'd taken 6 minutes off my previous half marathon time of 1 hour 57 minutes, which meant I was on target to smash my predicted time!

The last 13 miles however were a blur, a mixture of adrenaline, fatigue, and determination somehow getting me through it. (There's no such thing as"the wall"). Running past the likes of Mr Fantastic, Tarzan and Baywatch Lookalikes is quite extraordinary.

At around 2 O'clock i found myself 385 yards from the finish line,with just enough left in the tank to warrant a sprint finish. That feeling of relief as you cross the finish line, is something I'll never forget: hugging random strangers and drinking my entire bodyweight in Lucozade.

Official finish time: 4 hours 7 mins!

I want to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who donated. It has been an awesome experience, something I would recommend 100 times over.

BRING ON NEXT YEAR!