Red Williams, syndications editor at the Nottingham Evening Post, ran his first London Marathon on Sunday to raise money for Children with Leukaemia. This is his account of the most inspirational day of his life.

It's M-Day plus two, I'm back at work - and as stiff as a bloody board!

I've got aches and pains where I didn't even know I had muscles - but I'm already hoping to run the London marathon again next year.

Call it Marathon Madness or just sheer lunacy.

But the most spectacular race in the world has a brilliant buzz about it which gets straight into your blood.

And once hooked you can't let go.

The race is everything you've read and heard about - and more.

Shouting, cheering spectators lined the whole 26.2-mile route, from Greenwich to St James's Park.

Excited children handed out sweets and bananas to exhausted runners as the sun shone down and dozens of bands roared out top tunes from start to finish.

Monkeys, camels, rhinos, Superman, Braveheart, cops with truncheons, jailbirds handcuffed together - they were all there!

I ran through my 'wall' at 14-15 miles.

I suddenly felt hungry and shattered - and had almost half the course still to run.

But a little girl gave me a couple of Opal Fruits and the crowd spotted my name on my T-shirt and shouted: "Go, Red, go."

And from then on I knew I'd do it.

Other poignant moments will stick in my memory forever.

Running behind a bloke wearing a Cancer Research T-shirt declaring 'Doing it for dad'.

One guy telling his mate at 20 miles: "Just six to go now."

And the fella, who looked totally wrecked, replying: "But I'm absolutely gone. I've got nothing left to give."

Another charity runner said to me after we got over the finishing line after 4 hours 48 mins: "I hurt from head to toe. But it was worth every step."

It was worth it to get the famous London Marathon medal, to hug and kiss my family - and to raise hundreds of pounds for Children with Leukaemia.

I was elated and ecstatic because apart from stopping for water and Lucozade I ran every yard.

For a few sensational hours I was part of the Greatest Show on Earth!

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