London Marathon 2016

RubyK

I don't think any final instructions are posted to addresses outside the UK. Overseas participants receive their final info via email. I could be wrong, but that was my understanding of it.

As I relocated from UK at the beginning of the year, back to Ireland, and changed my address details, I am impatiently awaiting an email with final instructions.

ooter

Polster wrote: »

Post in Ireland today?

i was out for a run earlier and I seen a postman delivering mail.

Polster

ooter wrote: »

i was out for a run earlier and I seen a postman delivering mail.

He must have missed it is a bank holiday :-)

Polster

Got the pack today, Green start, have to be happy with that from a patriotic point of view

ooter

Quick question for the lads who have taken part before, how big/small is the bag you get at the expo for putting your belongings in to?
I'll be checking out of my accommodation before the race so everything I have will need to fit in to the bag.

Polster

ooter wrote: »

Quick question for the lads who have taken part before, how big/small is the bag you get at the expo for putting your belongings in to?
I'll be checking out of my accommodation before the race so everything I have will need to fit in to the bag.

Have you done half marathons? Standard size bag, medium gear bag size, change of clothes and foot wear. Can you leave stuff in your lodgings till after the race if needed.

robinph

It's a big and fairly sturdy bag, but it's still only a plastic bag. You'd probably only be getting the equivalent of two regular supermarket carrier bags into it.

Try and leave anything else at the hotel, most will allow you to do that. Alternatively there are left luggage places at train stations that you could make use of, including at Charring Cross. But they are unlikely to be open early enough for when you'd need to be dropping it off in the morning.

https://www.excess-baggage.com

Edit: looks like they do tend to open at 7am on Sundays.

ooter

Yeah I'll email the place I'm staying in and ask them. I'm staying near Charing cross and to be honest I didn't want to have to travel back across after the race (I was going to just head out to Gatwick) but I suppose if I have to I will.
I'm a bit iffy about leaving stuff like my passport, boarding card, phone and wallet/money in my kitbag in case anything goes missing.

Polster

ooter wrote: »

Yeah I'll email the place I'm staying in and ask them. I'm staying near Charing cross and to be honest I didn't want to have to travel back across after the race (I was going to just head out to Gatwick) but I suppose if I have to I will.
I'm a bit iffy about leaving stuff like my passport, boarding card, phone and wallet/money in my kitbag in case anything goes missing.

I think your stuff would be safer in the baggage claim area than left back in the lodgings to be honest, everyone will be leaving phones, wallets etc. It would be absolutely fine I'm sure.

village runner

ooter wrote: »

Quick question for the lads who have taken part before, how big/small is the bag you get at the expo for putting your belongings in to?
I'll be checking out of my accommodation before the race so everything I have will need to fit in to the bag.

Bring a small bag with you on the trip. Will fit towel and change of clothes. Similar to the bag at end of dublin marathon
You could leave it at reception in hotel you are staying ??

robinph

ooter wrote: »

Yeah I'll email the place I'm staying in and ask them. I'm staying near Charing cross and to be honest I didn't want to have to travel back across after the race (I was going to just head out to Gatwick) but I suppose if I have to I will.
I'm a bit iffy about leaving stuff like my passport, boarding card, phone and wallet/money in my kitbag in case anything goes missing.

If your hotel is near Charring Cross then it is also near the finish on The Mall so makes sense to leave stuff at the hotel. It's not the Strand Palace that you are staying at is it? If so then I know they definitely allow you to leave bags there, for a fee.

ooter

Geography wouldn't be my strong point, didn't realise Charing cross is near the finish area.
Not staying in the strand palace, bit too pricey for me, I'm staying at swiss cottage, 3 stops and 2 tube rides away.

Polster

How's everyone holding up, physio once a week to manage my threadbare achilles tendon :-)

Wilmslow Half Marathon this Sunday (Don't ask) and then my last (Thanks be to God) long run planned for Tuesday.

Getting the miles in, but ankle starts to really flare up after 15/16 miles so the last 10 on the big day should be fun.

ooter

Going to attempt another 20 miler on Monday but if I even get 17 done I'll be happy and start to taper down from there.
Found out my number today, thought I was going to be at the blue start as a GFA entrant but unfortunately I'm green.
I'll have to travel a bit further to catch the train to the blue start area but sure it's not the end of the world.

Polster

Ya, I ended up in Green GFA as well. Was hoping to run with some of the guys I have trained with, but in another way I am a competitive fecker and will look forward to the challenge of taking them on a bit from there. The 'Celebs'!!! are in the Green pen. James Cracknell (4 time olympic champion) running again, he did 2:50 last year.

Woden

Been pretty much out of action for a week with some type of chest/cold thing. Tried a run on Wed and Thurs but don't think I should have done it. Can't see myself getting the final 20 miler in this weekend then unless I'm ok by Monday.

Its driving me up the wall but better have it now than in 2 weeks time I guess!

Polster

Woden wrote: »

Been pretty much out of action for a week with some type of chest/cold thing. Tried a run on Wed and Thurs but don't think I should have done it. Can't see myself getting the final 20 miler in this weekend then unless I'm ok by Monday.

Its driving me up the wall but better have it now than in 2 weeks time I guess!

You'll be grand getting in it up to two weeks out, much better get over the cold first

robinph

ooter wrote: »

Going to attempt another 20 miler on Monday but if I even get 17 done I'll be happy and start to taper down from there.
Found out my number today, thought I was going to be at the blue start as a GFA entrant but unfortunately I'm green.
I'll have to travel a bit further to catch the train to the blue start area but sure it's not the end of the world.

For the Green Start they try and direct you to Maze Hill station, which will be one stop further than the people going for the main Red Start of Greenwich. It won't actually matter a whole lot though if you are on the train to Blackheath with the Red Fast GFA and Blue Start people though.

In the Green Start in theory you should have a slightly clearer 1st mile and a bit than on the Blue Start as you'll only have z-list celebs and the older GFA people to contend with until the courses merge.

Just out of interest, those of you with Green GFA start numbers, what was your qualification time? Curious as to if they had a cut off time for swapping people from Red to Green, or if it was just a random selection of the people with times between 2:46 and 3:10.

I've 2:49 and have Red Fast GFA.

AAD

I'm in London tomorrow so the plan is to run 20 miles of the course. Fingers crossed but as with Polster every time I get to the 15 mile mark my calf starts to give me hassle. I'll see how it is tomorrow and go from there. Its a red start for em as I have a Charity entry.

Polster

robinph wrote: »

Just out of interest, those of you with Green GFA start numbers, what was your qualification time? Curious as to if they had a cut off time for swapping people from Red to Green, or if it was just a random selection of the people with times between 2:46 and 3:10.

I've 2:49 and have Red Fast GFA.

I have 2:59:32 from 2 years ago, am in Green, another guy I train with got 2:58:30 last year and is in Red GFA, but they are calling that the Fast GFA, so has been a cut off. I am hoping between 2:50 and 2:55 this year, but James Cracknell could be a good pacer, 2:50 last year, I must see how he goes off.

ooter

My qualifying time was 3:14 robin.
So if I get on the train from Charing cross to blackheath will I be ok to get to the green start?

RubyK

Another green starter here. I have a 3.35 finish time and last year I was in pen 4. Had a great start with little congestion (took me less than 50 seconds to cross the starting mats), so you faster guys will be right up at the front pens I'd say. My one piece of advice is to use the portaloos at maze hill station rather than the starting area, as the queues are crazy.

I had a disastrous run last sat. Hoping for a much better final 20+ tomorrow.

village runner

has anyone got the race numbers and locations for them ?? I assumed I wouls be in the red start as normal

ooter

Numbers 151 to 23800 and 57051 to 60300 are blue start,
Numbers 23801 to 29500 are green start,
Numbers 31951 to 57050 and 29501 to 31950 are red start.

ooter

Lads, did I read somewhere that a marathon takes place on the London marathon course at night in the early hours of the morning of the race and finishes before the start of the marathon proper but is only open to a small amount of people,
or did I dream that?

robinph

ooter wrote: »

So if I get on the train from Charing cross to blackheath will I be ok to get to the green start?

Won't be a problem getting to Green from Blackheath.

AAD

Ran 15 miles of the course on Saturday morning, weather was unreal, and I was amazed at the amount of people out running not just in ones or twos but in big groups as well. Did my run well under my race pace so happy with that. only 20 days to go now.

Polster

Last long one done today, lovely day in North London, 24 miles and felt ok, both feet iced up now though. Countdown properly on.

Jmcmen

Pulled out Officially there the last day. Best of luck to all doing it. I will be there supporting

Polster

Jmcmen wrote: »

Pulled out Officially there the last day. Best of luck to all doing it. I will be there supporting

Were you able defer it for next year aye? Injured I guess