Virgin London Marathon 2010

The 2010 Flora London Marathon will be held in April

Where

The London Marathon follows a predominantly flat 26.2 mile route (42km) through the heart of London. It starts in Blackheath south of the River Thames and finishes in The Mall directly in front of Buckingham Palance. Whilst it's not supposed to be a sightseeing tour you will certainly see a lot of the city including the now famous Canary Wharf in the docklands area, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye!

How fit do I need to be?

Tens of thousands of people run the London Marathon every year - many of them for the first time. It's therefore perfectly achievable for the 'average' person to complete the course but you DO need to train - and that means more than just a couple of jogs in the park!

However, help is at hand in our fitness advice pages where we give you an example 16-week Marathon training schedule. Your chosen charity may also be able to give you help and support in terms of your training plan but whatever you do don't do nothing!

What kit will I need?

Running is one of those great sports where you won't need lots of expensive equipment. Admittedly running shoes can be expensive but they should last for around 500 miles which is 6 months on an average 25 miles/week training schedule. Once again help is at hand in the form of our Kit Advice pages where you will learn the importance of choosing the correct running shoes. But it's not enough to just choose the correct shoes - you've got to buy them at least a couple of months before the event itself so that you can wear them in!

How can I raise the sponsorship money?

Most charities will ask you to raise £1000 or more to take part in the London Marathon - the reason for this is that places are extremely limited and they are not free to the charities anyway.

However, you shouldn't find it difficult to raise £1000 - after all you don't run a Marathon every day do you?! Top tips include asking your employer to match everything else you raise pound for pound and asking people to sponsor you per mile (so the minimum you'll get from anybody is £26!

Once again more advice is available is on doitforcharity.com on our Fundraising Advice pages and your chosen charity should be able to help out as well

What do I need to do next?

Simply click the 'Request Information Pack' link below to indicate your interest in running the London Marathon. Hundreds of charities on doitforcharity.com have places available and as long as you commit to raising the minimum sponsorship they will be delighted to have you running on their behalf!