London Marathon 2019
I had been meaning to write this up last night but after walking around 10 miles yesterday but was simply too tired when we arrived back late from London.
Being a spectator and pack mule for a marathon runner can be as exhausting as doing the run itself, and I’m not getting any younger.
@actifit has now reset my 26000 steps, so I’m not going to use it as the dApp for this post.
Getting a room the night before the London Marathon proved a challenge. You need to be close and yet not become bankrupt. We settled for the Travelodge at London City Airport, which at £150 a night seemed a bargain compared to some others.
The day before required a visit to the Excel center which is serviced directly by the DLR, except that stop was closed on the day.
@bingbabe was fretting about this visit and being too late for registration and though the queues were long, there was plenty of time.
Just to get a picture with one of these fancy backdrops require queuing up and plenty were doing it.
As well as registration, this was a runner’s exhibition, and next door happened to be a Magic the Gathering conference, though I didn’t spend too long in there.
Finding space on this wall to write something proved to be challenging. She partially wrote over someone else’s in the end.
I knew we needed to get to Maze Hill on the day so took this shot of the map. I’m familiar with the underground system and DLR, but when it comes to trains, not so.
From Woolwich Arsenal, it was a direct train to Maze Hill, except we got on the wrong train and exited at Blackheath. Twenty more runners did the same, and it was a carnival atmosphere walking the streets to the start.
I had attached this tracker to @bingbabe’s shoe, for the marathon. It doesn’t work on your body, so the instructions tell us.
After seeing her to the Red Zone, I had to depart as it was runners only. I made my way down to Maze Hill and noticed some runners coming past me.
They appeared disabled, but then I spotted this bunch of women approaching. On a whim, I took a snap thinking nothing of it (cover shot).
I didn't realise this bunch was the elite and eventual winners of the female athletes, just look at the names!
Maze Hill was lively, with Caribbean drummers, lots of street sellers, and local people hanging out of windows to cheer the athletes on.
I made the wrong decision to walk to Greenwich North tube so to avoid the trains, It proved to be some distance and next to the London Dome when I arrived.
We needed to check out of the room, and so it was pack mule time for me. Get back there, check out, grab all the baggage and lug it to Euston to leave in the Left Luggage.
The robbing bastards wanted £12.50 per bag for 4 hours of looking after them. I ended up leaving just one after expressing my disgust at their pricing schema and after a few questions such as, ‘did you pack this bag yourself’, and ‘what are the contents?’
Perhaps this is where customs officers at airports get their training before moving on?
With one backpack still on my aching back, I made my way to Green Park, the wrong stop again for the end of the run.
After walking around 5 miles, past Buckingham Palace, Victoria Memorial and through St James Park while struggling with mass crowds and being told, ‘you can’t go this way or that way’, I found @bingbabe at Trafalgar Square meeting her under Napoleons Column.
I think we were both equally knackered by then.
She had finished the marathon in 3:55:31, after a few stops, breaking her personal best of 3:59:51. Woo and congratulations!
After that it was a jaunt into Mayfair, to meet with the charity who had rented a room at the RAF club, and some food.
@bingbabe received a 30-minute massage while I tucked into some chilli and pasta that was reserved for the runners only. I think they felt sorry for me.
We had booked some first class seats at a good rate for the journeys, and someone needed that comfort on the way back north.
It looks like you get beds on these trains but it's really an optical illusion.
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Wow! Congrats to her for finishing with such a great time. I know it wasn't her goal, but it was still a great job. It sounds like you got your workout as well!
First off: Congratulations to BingeBabe. That's a serious achievement. And 1A congratulations to you. Support for a marathon runner is a serious achievement too.
I have a little experience with timed road races. I've actually run the largest such, Lilac Bloomsday a number of times. I know the thrash at the start/finish well.
I do have to admit that the very best participation in Bloomsday came when Syd and I bought a house on the course. Right at the top of the big hill, a corner lot that was actually a course corner. We got to cheer on the elites and the walkers.
Thanks for the great report.
You have done better than me running anything. Besides the street, I haven't ran any of these events, so well done you!
https://www.bloomsdayrun.org/
That's one big event! 50,000 runs it says.
Holy crap!! (Perhaps this is another reason I prefer not to travel, come to think of it.)
Anyway -- don't you have to be "drawn" from some kind of lottery to participate in the London Marathon? It's not just a matter of signing up, I don't think.
Another of my motley (which doesn't actually mean "mottled," but it could in his case) ---> Another of my motley friends who hangs out in your country did one several years back. His nattering and fretting while he waited to see if he was picked ... and his subsequent jubilation ... was baffling.
But then he's really into sports. Which could explain why he's still single at 50-something. I've mentioned this to him. More than once.
There is a lottery or you can 'buy' your way in by means of pledging a lot of cash to a charity.
This is what @bingbabe did, as you have to pay to even apply for the lottery usually ending up with a negative.
Its not ideal, and raising that kind of cash was hard.. but its a once only thing. She's not doing it again.
Congrats as it is truly a great achievement for both! The event seemed to be a great experience to watch as well. I wish I can do one at some point! Seeing people complete them and their sense of fulfillment is encouraging to consider it even more!
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Did you see any of it on TV? I'm not sure if its important enough to be broadcast outside of the UK.
I mostly saw some feeds on Twitter but nothing mainstream.
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3 hrs 55 mins is an amazing time. Congratulations to @bingbabe! As soon as I saw that cover photo I knew they were the elite runners - their skinny legs and muscly physiques gave them away.
£12.50 per bag for left luggage! What a rip-off. If you had a lot of bags, it would probably be cheaper to rent a room!
I missed this somehow - probably because of the delay, I was expecting it!
Sounds like a great day out/ wknd away.
If you were a runner you'd be able to spot a group of elite athletes a mile off.
I quite frequently used to be able to pick out a top 10 athlete from a crowd at the beginning of a race, just based on body composition!
Couple more halves coming up I hear!
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No more London besides a Tasteem I have to write up. She has applied for next years one already. Without a charity its 1/1000 chance to get picked.
Wow, there's some odds!
Well well well. Look who turned into an Orca since i was away. I knew whales couldnt resist your crazy charm. :)
Great post as always. :)
Not quite an Orca yet.. just Dolphin II. Good to see you back.
Well done to @bingbabe for doing a personal best and thats a pretty good time, and well done for you for all the walking and support you provided
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Thank you @actifit, that was an unexpected visit! I will use your dApp given the right circumstances, but as it resets I couldn't this time.
Congratulations to you both - I had been wondering how you got on, although I knew @bingbabe would come up trumps :)
Completely sympathise with how knackering it is traipsing around London, that is an achievement in itself, and great for @bingbabe to have you there.
Sounds like quite an event!
I could have gone on and on, I took many more snaps that I didn't post.., its how far do you go? She's resting now and well earned!