GNR 2002 and on....

[Deleted User]

Did anyone run with the pacers?

I met the get you round pacers at 9 miles. They were actually doing 10 min miles. I have to say that it was great and I ran with them to the end. I've only been running again for 4 months, having had a baby and was just determined to finish the race, never mind the time. So, thank you woman in red hat who was holding the pacer flag (needed my glasses to spot it though - no wonder I couldn't find you all at the beginning!). I FINISHED!!! See you all next year (my 4th attempt to break 2 hrs). By the way, could there be a sub 2hr pacer from Runners World?

[Deleted User]

With people comparing FLM and the GNR can you help me decide on my marathon dilemma for next year please?
I've applied to the FLM, of course I may not get a space but like all 1/2m runners eventually do the GNR I do feel the FLM is on the must-do list - or is it? I'm planning on training for one or two marathons next year and I definitely want to achieve my time goal (only sub-4, but it's important to me!), having done my first 2 marathons this year.
If I'm going to do all that training - will I come back from the FLM feeling frustrated if the course is too crowded?
Advice and opinions please!

Dustin

FLM has three starts, if you get in through the ballot then you'll start (for sub4) in around pen 3-5.This will take 5-10 minutes to get through the start.

This year I was in pen3 it took me 1min19secs to cross the line.

I've run FLM 5 times , it can get congested if you start at the back and are a quicker runner (happened to me when I ran for charidee and started at the back pen9 groan!) but by mile 2 it is normally OK.

Sure there are places when the road narrows but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Also London now has championchip timing clocking your time from start to finish.RW has pacers at both the main starts (red and blue) which meet up at around 3 miles.They got me round the last two years so I reckon you should be able to do your sub4 if you go with them.

I'll definitely keep applying to FLM , however I may run Rotterdam in '03 if I don't get in to London.

Good luck in the ballot !

[Deleted User]

I hope brass monkeys isnt too fast, im probably going to be last, ULP
GNR was fab, I should have stayed on the Sunday night, and would have loved a lunch on Monday after

easy tiger!

Thanks Dustin for saying what I felt - it was really hard work dodging people all the time and ,perhaps stupidly, I hadn't realised it would be and got a bit frustrated. It was an uninspiring course until the last mile and the crowd support was not all it's cracked up to be - a lot of kids shouting oggy oggy and waiting with a palmful of spit. Plus the nightmare getting out of South Shields. If I do it again it will be with a more realistic attitude and I will start as close to the elite men as possible - even though I did 2 hours 18, which is not fast, I started at te 'right' place and passed hundreds if not thousands of walkers. I just had to pass the man dressed as a guide dog on the run in - which wasn't easy in that crush. I agree that the organisers should do all they can to get people to start in the right place.

Still thinking of doing it next year though...