London Marathon
The Flora London Marathon is taking place this Sunday and thousands of sweaty joggers will be making their way around the gruelling 26 miles 385 yards course around London. Both professional runners and amateurs who are raising money for charity take part and the time it takes to complete the course can vary between 2 and 6 hours.
Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to be a marathon runner? It takes a lot of commitment and training. First off, if you can run 6 miles then you could probably train up in about 6 months but you'll have to find the time to train for between half an hour to an hour nearly every day of the week. And if you're a complete novice, you may need up to a year to prepare - don't believe what you've seen on 'Run, Fat Boy, Run'!
Apart from all the training you need to put in, you also have to buy various pieces of kit. Contrary to what you might think, you do need more than just yourself and a pair of trainers. The right kind of trainers is vitally important so that your feet are well cushioned and you don't injure yourself. You'll also need the right kind of clothes that 'wick' away sweat from your skin and prevent chafing (bleeding nipples is a nasty but real risk of the sport). Then you may need handheld GPS equipment for your long runs and a gym to train in when the weather's really bad.
There's actually quite a lot involved in running a marathon - you really have to respect all those people taking part this Sunday. But just imagine how good it would feel to cross the finish line! Would you be willing to give it a go or have you already completed one? Leave a comment and tell us about it.
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