AS the New Forest prepares for the thundering of feet at their annual marathon this weekend, the Daily Echo takes a look back at pictures from the event 20 years ago.

These images show athletes of varying calibre as they raced along the route on September 11, 2000.

Some were there to achieve personal goals, others to try and break records.

Whatever their aim, almost all of them had fun as the late summer sun shone down upon them.