Well I survived, just, and finished the marathon in 3 hrs 58, although not exactly according to plan - I ran the first half marathon in 1 hr 46 and the second in 2 hrs 12 including 8 miles of considerable effort just to survive.  I knew things were not going perfectly when a man dressed as a mule overtook me at mile 20!

But all in all it was a fantastic day, with unbelievable crowds and a great atmosphere

A big thank you to everyone who sponsored me and thanks for all the messages, they were much appreciated.

Steve