5th time completing this race and it has a special place in my running heart as it was one of the first races I ever did. It’s a nice course on closed roads through central London, but these days there are quite a few taking in similar routes so less special these days.

It’s a well organised event, however this year there were a few changes at the start and getting to the start pens was a challenge with a long practically stand still bottleneck. The pre-race commentary in the pens is pretty poor and you have little idea what’s going on up front until you suddenly move forward. Bag drop is efficient and easy but the toilet situation is pretty appalling, as it is every year. 

I do get the striving for sustainability and supplying water in cups but there should be an option. Those who swig and throw can choose to do the cups and those of us who prefer to hold on to the bottles and sip little and often over a longer distance can have the bottles. Wearing half of my cup at the first water station I managed to choke on the rest and spent the next few miles coughing and just couldn’t get my breathing right for the rest of the race which ruined it for me personally. 

Looking at the post run stats it appears that about half the field were female (yay!), but then why do the organisers insist on supplying male shaped and sized finishers tshirts? It was a pretty nice tshirt actually but will only ever be worn as bedwear as it’s unshapely and huge. 

Finally, post run goodies. This goodie bag used to be great, the last couple of years it’s gotten progressively worse and this year it was terrible. 

All in all, the way this event is becoming less special and less value for money, I think I have had my fill and it’s time to move on to new spring races next year.