Manchester was my first marathon and I was really looking forward too it having read previous reviews about the crowd support and atmosphere, it did not disappoint.

I arrived early and parked in the official car park at MUFC, the signage was easy to follow but watch out for the unofficial car parks just before the ground. 

There were plenty of toilets available and the queues were small at around 8.10 however I'm sure they may have grown after this! From here it's a short walk to the start pens. The pens were easy to find however I was surprised by the amount of spectators in the pens which was a little awkward when the race started but I soon moved through and was on my way.

The course was good, a few pot holes to navigate but generally ok and I soon settled in with the 4.30 pacing group. The support at the start and through Sale was great but when you hit Altrincham and Timperley it really is something else, amazing crowds cheering your name and I felt myself pick up the pace a little through here (rookie error!). 

I started to flag around mile 20 and knew that my 'A' goal would end up in me really blowing up so I decided to walk through each water station from this point and manage it home inside my 'B' time of 4.45. The staff at the water stations were fantastic and there was always plenty of stock to hand out, one point of improvement would be to supply gels that can be tested in training, I doubt a lot of people used them as you could not buy them beforehand.

The final mile was amazing and you see the finish early giving you that final boost, running through that tunnel of noise will be something I will never forget. 

I finished in 4.40.59 and walked through the finish zone eager to get my medal. They had unfortunately run out of small t-shirts which was a little annoying but the medium fits so I won't complain too much. Finally picked up a refreshing pint and headed to meet my family.

Overall a great day, great support and a great course that is PB friendly. One for everyone to consider next year and beyond.