The News Shopper editorial team made it home with flying colours in the London Marathon at the weekend.

Website manager Paul Lagan and reporters Emma Coutts-Wood and Lucy Brinicombe all managed the 26 miles and 385 yards. It was Paul's ninth marathon but the first time each of the girls has run it. Here are Paul and Lucy's tales of the track:

Paul Lagan: I'm gonna do it again next year

Having finished just behind a 92-year old man, the sense of relief, not least to my feet was apparent.

But the six-hour-47-minutes-or-so adventure was a great day out. I can quite happily report that I'm alive, and well.

With the exception of an aching little toe on my right foot and a twinge on my right knee caused my a change in running action, I'm at work typing out this little postscript all geared up for another crack at the world's best marathon.

It was difficult to work out the minutes per mile as the roads were opening up all around me to traffic and pedestrians.

The mile markers were being pulled down and the bunting stripped off.

The rest of the world was beginning to get back to normal, but I was still stuck in my own little world.

Closer to the finish, fellow runners who had finished gave looks of sympathy and genuine words of encouragement.

I crossed the line just after 7 hours. Taking into account the 14 minutes it took to get over the start, that brings me handily in around six hours forty seven minutes.

My timing chip was expertly removed and I was given my medal.

Breathless Brinicombe breezes home

Despite the exhaustion and the pain, Sunday has to go down as one of the best days of my life.

It was a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows where the crowd carried you on and where something from deep inside willed you to place one foot in front of the other again and again and again.

Running 26 miles seemed so irrational and my legs were so heavy but the crowds lifted me to go on.

The last five miles are a daydream.

Knowing I was near the end, I had a burst of energy and a wave of determination took hold of me.

The crowd was going mad and the feeling of relief, of utter disbelief as I crossed the finish line simply can not be described.

They ran for charity, with Paul supporting The Alzheimer's Society, Emma the NSPCC and The Darent Valley Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit, and Lucy The Terrence Higgins Trust and the House of Mercy Homeless Centre in Gravesend.