← TCS London Marathon
This was my 2nd London Marathon. After taking a charity place in 2018, this time I got lucky in the club draw.
Race numbers had to be collected in the days leading up to race day, from expo at Excel Arena. Expo was extensive, with a good atmosphere and plenty to keep people entertained.
On race day there was an amazing atmosphere. Traveling on the underground and train was fun with carriages rammed with runners. It was nice to chat to people. You could feel the mixture of excitement and a little bit of nervousness in the air.
Race route visited many of the major tourist attractions. There was a bit of congestion in the early stages but it improved significantly as the race progressed. The course has a couple of slight 'bumps' to run up but nothing major. Overall, it is a fairly fast race. The aid stations were regular and well stocked. Marshals were brilliant and the crowd support was absolutely immense. **It was fantastic to see the RaceCheck and UKRunChat cheer points.
Finishers received a beautiful medal and decent goodie bag.
The finishers shirt was a nice colour and fit, but the design was little bit disappointing. It doesn’t look like a London Marathon shirt.
In summary:
Brilliant marshals, flawless baggage deposit/collection, incredible crowd support and very well organised.
It can get a bit congested but it's not really a problem. Amazing event to be part of.
As a race, there is a ridiculous amount of hype surrounding London Marathon. As far as I'm concerned, the hype is fully justified.
