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Virgin London Marathon 2010: New Route?
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That said - i preferred it when we went through the Tower of London cos it was more of a milestone going over the cobbles, than just running past it (and I never notice it now either).
Maybe its a pity that the Royal Parks arent included more - but you need the wide roads and access to them too.
Leave it as it is, or change it - it will still be massively over subscribed.
I think it is high time it was changed. The run down Jamaica Road is boring. Up and down the Highway is dreadful and the windy bits round Canary Wharf are disheartening.
When London is practically closed for the majority of the day anyway, why don't we run round more iconic and more beautiful parts of London: the Royal Parks, iconic parts of central London (Oxford Street, Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, Soho); how about running round the parts tourists often don't visit to showcase London (residential parts of Mayfair or round Regents Park and Marylebone).
I agree with a lot of comments that the end at the Mall is great but why do we save up the best bits for the final 4 miles when runners are too knackered to take it in?
I am pro a BIG shake up!
The 2012 Olympic Marathon is using a different route so if changes haven't been made to the VLM route by then, expect a repeat of this debate then.
I enjoyed the race this year (my first marathon), but I wont do it again because among other things it annoys me that I live less than 1 mile from the finish and it takes me over an hour to get home - despite them having a bridge they completely underestimated how many people might want to get back to Victoria station - like duh only the busiest station in London!!!
The support around the whole way was fine, but I just found the whole experience a bit depressing - going to do Blackpool in 2010 instead
To be honest they'll change it if it means better TV coverage of all the fancy dressers...but really they should only change it if it makes the course faster for the elites...if you want tourist sights do the bupa 10k race
And there's no point making it go out to stratford - the Olympic marathon will have to do that anyway and two courses the same in 2012 would be silly!
The royal parks are too hilly (well for London anyway) - it would affect the elites times and make it less attractive...and anyway there's the royal parks half for that kind of thing...
Oxford st is an idea but how do you then tie that up without moving the finish and get the runners over there in the first place..?
As a Dutch tunner having take part in The LM. The best course is naturally ROTTERDAM as fast as Berlin. But Kidding let it stay as it is. Sadly i have to watch the LM on television, because in can't get in the LM, I like tos see all the landmarks.
"I doubt I'll ever run it again, but from a spectator point of view getting away from your spectating point when you want to leave is a nightmare. We usually watch from a point around 13 miles and 21/22, where you see the runners going both ways (and you can cross the road using an underpass). This isn't helped by tube stations nearest the course being closed on the day. This makes getting into the ones that ARE open even harder. Some attention to public transport for spectators would be useful, wherever the course ends up going."
I have run it several times, this year knackered knees meant I was a marshall at the half way point near the underpass. Even with my crock knee I found it no problem getting to the DLR to take me back to the tube stations thatwere open (to get me back to my car, to get me back home to north Hertfordshire. The overland trains do not start early enough in the morning to come in on for the marathon).
Having run the event on numerous occasions, marahalled (with the bandit catchers at the finish) for several years my thoughts would be if a new dimention for the event is being looked at how about starting in Hyde Park, running out towards the Docklands and back for afinish on the Mall. Hyde Park or Green Park ideal for baggage storage, jog from the finsh, expo sites a plenty in the vacinity of start/finish
Presumable, though, Dave if you were mashalling you were trying to leave when most (or all?) of the runners had gone past?
The people I was supporting were going to finish in around four hours and trying to get to the finish to meet them was horrible.
The nearest DLR station was closed for 'safety reasons' (ie. lots of people were trying to use it) and nearby tube stations were closed right from the outset - it was planned they would be closed.
Last year I had to walk to Tower Hill, then queue for 40 minutes to get into the station.
My OH (who was running the race) finished the race, got his medal, etc., cleaned up a bit and got to Trafalgar Square before I did.
He could always try livening-up the "boring bits" for the telly-tubbies by using his super-fast fibre optic wizardry.
He could beam-up Shakespeare's Globe and Trafalgar Square to Virgin Surrey Quays, Piccadilly Circus and St Paul's Cathedral to Virgin Docklands, etc, etc.
In all seriousness, marathons are about people not places. It's about the human spirit not bricks and mortar. The bit that I remember the most from the last few years is The Highway. I'm running along one way and the gods of marathon running are coming back the other. As if that isn't exhilarating enough there's those amazing crowds on both sides of the road partying like there's no tomorrow.
Yes Sir Richard is about the people.
Two things really, I dont think that the scenic sights are forefront on peoples minds when they are attempting to complete the marathon. If we miss a few sights along the way there are easier ways of getting to see them!
Like any challenge such as the marathon, familiarity is something that helps on subsequent attempts. In my view it should be left alone, nothing wrong with the route as it is today. It delivers a world class running race direct to friendly areas of the London community in the first half and provides enough of a challenge with some familiar landmarks in the second.
Correction to Curly45.
Victoria station - like duh only the busiest station in London!!! Just to put the record straight it is Waterloo that is the country's busiest station by a long way!
I think the course should be changed. How do you know until you have tried something different!
As for the Marathon course I would alter it to involve less of Southeast London and the Docklands. Start at Richmond Park, head towards Kensington, Albert Hall, Hyde Park, south to Battersea Park to Tower Bridge and rejoin there. Hampton Court or Windsor would be a great place to start but would be a real struggle getting everyone to the start and to handle the event. We have so many great sporting arenas such as Twickenham stadium, Wimbledon and the football grounds to run pass too!
Another idea would be to start and finish in the same area such as Hyde Park. You could still ten have your finish in the Mall. I also like the idea of involving the Olympic stadium /park too.
One idea for MR Branson is to start at Heathrow (close a runway for the morning) got the green vote there
, and running to Euston station - Virgin trains and planes in the background at the start and finish!
. Think of the publicity!!!!!!
Its a great race and sure it could be improved, but at what cost and complexity?
Overall 'd agree with those that would leave it alone! I'd also miss the chance to go back again and compare my time thru the same challenge!
After thought.
If the current route is fine, shouldn't the people who want change things look at providing a second Marathon in London! This could be a fresh route and ease the problem of getting places!
The streets in London are closed in part most weekends with various other events (Marches, strikes etc) so one more won't hurt!
They can be a lot more creative with the Olympic Mara route anyway as the field is a tiny percentage of the field that they need for the FLM.
I didn't realise we went past so many landmarks. I very rarely see anything when I am racing. I did the Marwell 10K once with the first 2K through the Zoo. I didn't see any animals but my wife did!
If it's flat and fast then that's great. If we can advertise London more then all the better.
Apologies - meant that Victoria is the busiest tube station - something like 80 million passengers go through it a year
, and most people from LM will want to go elsewhere in London to get back to hotels...
Anyway... they wont start it at Windsor - too much of old Poly marathon sadly
Wimbledon would be nice - there's a nice route through Richmond Park to the common, onto putney heath down the hill and over the river then through to Ealrs Court way - not sure how you'd get into central London though hmmmm
Interesting points being made. Cant imagine that a slight variation in the route would cost huge amounts. The spirit of the London Marathon will not change just because RB et all decide may be to cut out the dull bits and add in some more interesting London sights. The route will have to be chosen and should have runners opinions sought before finalising. None of us want a hilly route. Its never a bad idea to look at these things with new eyes and see what can be improved.
Whatever anyone says seeing a wow building on a run is nice - nothing like viewing it from a bus. Coming up the Mall for instance. Most of truth be known will be concentrating on a little square of grey tarmac for most of the race - having sight of some of London's great buildings etc. would be a spirit lifter instead of windy cold docklands.
My OH also had difficulties seeing me they tried three times and I only saw them once. The crowds were simply too dense. Certain bits were better managed than others re crowds may be more barriers need to be put in place and slightly wider roads chosen in certain bits?!
The route needs tweaking, polishing and the spirit will not be taken away. Suggestions that fancy dress are removed are not right - although alot of us are chasing PBs many of the runners are not and I certainly quite enjoyed telling people that I was beaten by a bloke dressed up like David Hasslehof and another one like Pammy Anderson. Again its part of LM.
Start and finish HAS to be the same, as does crossing Tower Bridge. The image of people streaming through the gates at the red start has stuck with me since the beginning, and crossing TB was the one thing I anticipated most. The Highway is electric with the runners going both sides, and by the time I got there it was the only crowd cheering I had (being right at the back through injury).
Everyone mentions the Isle of Dogs, but it's become a bit of a focal point now, getting round the tough boring bit you feel on the way back.
Not sure it would help the runners really if the route were changed - London is London the way it is. I've run it and watched it, and while travel was a nightmare last year in the rain it was all part of the experience.
I for one don't enter London to look at the sights - that's for a day out with the family. The only tweak would be swap the detour round Surrey Quays for a detour somewhere else, but keep the rest of the route the same.
The success of the Royal Parks 1/2 marathon should contribute to the case to extend back end course via Hyde park, St James park and Green park rather than surrey quays/London docklands. The Paris Marathon course loops around the magnificent Bois de Boulogne. There was lots of room and space for the supporters to cheer on the runners, and it was a wonderful spectacle at the latter end of the race. After the marathon I planned return weekend trip to Paris to spend more time in this park on vacation. So a good result for French tourism.
thought this was another joke thread when i read the title....
as a Blackheath resident, I am all for keeping the start as is. I do think it's a great starting point with the park and the heath - but perhaps those from out of town would prefer somewhere central from a transport poin t of view?
but RB isn't thinking about practicalities from what he said in the article, he wants glamour
- am not at all clear what that means when applied to a running event?
blackheath, cutty sark, tower bridge, canary wharf, embakment, the mall - these are all hugely iconic images and there is very little scope to change how you link them all together? one or more would have to go and, personally, i think that would be a shame....
FWIW - apparently the royal parks course went past St Pauls? I managed to miss it....
I wholly agree with changing the route. The start at Blackheath is fine but from there we should move north via Blackwall Tunnel to the Isle of Dogs ASAP and then cross the river southwards at Tower Bridge, return northwards at London bridge and then enjoy MUCH more of the center of London. The huge, long and rather unglamourous south of the river trek from Blacheath to Tower Bridge is drudgery and doesn't show LONDON as the world sees and knows it. Remember that this is the largest and most international oriented Marathon bar maybe NY. It needs to showcase more of its sights and scenery. The London Eye, Hyde Park, Bank of England etc.
Apart from Cutty Sark, an eye sore for the last two years due to the perpetual restoration and a bottle neck in its own right, there is little to showcase on the current route between Blackheath and Tower Bridge.
If anything It would be grand if the route would no longer allow for runners to see the route they ran, again. I mean, it isn't too motivating to be huffing and puffing around East Smithfield or The Highway and see either the fastest runners 10k ahead of you coming at you, or vice versa.
CHANGE please!
How about reintroducing Westminster Bridge back onto to the course. So far, I think the only bit that should be changed is the Highway. How demotivating to past halfway and seeing loads on the other side passing 22 miles.
I think it is time for a change, the main sections that could be altered are Surrey Docks, and Docklands. It would give aLondon a better chance to showcase some parts of the capital that are missed off the current route, like St Pauls, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalger Square, can you imagine the noise of the crowds that could congregate there.