VLM 2019

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  • hehe, i went for a stroll through the village this morning, wearing my finishers tshirt and medal - only got stopped 4 times..... will try to improve on that tomorrow lol

  • Cracking times folks and great pacing Harmander. 

    My time was 3 hours 42 mins 11 seconds. My last mile was 40 seconds quicker than any other! 
  • Oh, and the state of my legs today... 
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    Bob.. amazing tie in the V60's for us!  Congratulations Sire, we'll have to have a virtual playoff at our next marathon(s) - York is next for me in October.
    DT19.. that's a decent improvement on your York time, congrats on another sub 3.
    Portlanders.. I always reckon I can spot the VLM first timers as they always wear their medal etc the day after the race.  One of my clubmates was so gobsmacked by the event 2 years ago he even kept the timing chip in his shoe for several days and got a VLM tattoo on his leg!
    Stu.. well done on sub 3:45 and the finishing flourish.
    Fine pacing Harmander, good luck this weekend.
  • My first marathon - Wow what an experience. The crowds, the route, people shouting your name, the bands the 40k plus runners, and a overriding seems of "we're in it together" camaraderie, absolutely incredible. The last two miles where "hell" but sufficiently countered by the crowds cheering you on. Happy with my time, almost exactly what the Runners World training plan worked me too. Already entered the 2020 ballot, and encouraging everyone I meet to do the same.

    I organise large events myself and know how difficult it is. I was amazed at how well organised the London marathon was/is. For me... everything was seamless, from the pack collection to the start area, the start itself, the finish. I cant fault it.

    Now I have a PB (3:46) to beat for 2020!!
  • And to you Wardi! Could have gone round together and we wouldnt have managed that! Very strong V60 category did you think? My 3:39 in New York got me 65/1250.

    Berlin next for me.

    Agree 100% with everything you said Michael. Well done on your time and you are now hooked! Trying to better your pb will become a passion that can last a long time. It really helps to get you out the door day after day. Enjoy the journey!
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Thanks, Wardi, I've trained harder than ever since January. Well done on your time.

    Michael, I agree, one of the most impressive aspects of VMLM is the slickness of the whole operation for such a huge event and it represents great value for money still at circa £35 to enter.

  • GipfelGipfel ✭✭✭
    Well done to everyone! My time was 4:06 - not a PB (training definitely didn't indicate I was in PB shape), but my second best marathon time out of the four I've done, which I was pretty happy about. I really struggled for a bit from mile 18 - in fact, my mile 19 is nearly 2 minutes per mile slower than most of my others - no idea what went so wrong there!! So I was glad to pull it back somewhat and be able to pick up the pace again/finish with a smile on my face! I'm sure the crowd support helped with this - there was literally no point where you felt on your own out there.

    Agree with everything said above - it is an incredible day/atmosphere, and I feel so pleased to have had the opportunity to run it. I was there on my own, but it really didn't feel like it at all because of the general camaraderie! Michael (well done on your time, by the way), I thought the same about the very impressive organisation. I was very pleasantly surprised at how uncrowded it felt getting to the start, in the start zones, etc - surely not easy with that many people! Walking around London with the medal afterwards was brilliant - I shamelessly enjoyed it. Was quite amusing to be offered a seat on the Tube too by someone who hadn't been running!

    I think the only minus point for me was some of the very congested bits of the course - people tripping over your heels behind you and coming to a standstill right in front of you - felt a bit dangerous at times! But I had expected congestion, and it was only in certain places. I just hope they don't keep letting it grow year upon year. 

    portlanders - you did fantastically well considering all the injury problems you've had and the fact you weren't even sure you'd make the start line not so long ago - I'm so glad you made it! A sub-4 is definitely within your grasp.

    DT19 - congrats on the excellent PB - cracking pace! 

    Harmander - perfect pacing as always. I have even more respect for the pacers now that I have experienced London - I was trying to follow the sub-4 guys for quite a while, but it was so tricky with the crowds - I'm beyond impressed at how you guys manage such a consistent pace when it's so busy! Hope your marathon this weekend goes well.

    stugillespie - amazing work to have your last mile be your fastest, particularly in your first marathon!! 

    bobdidmadrid and wardi, congrats to you both too - can't believe your times were identical! And bob, what a split!! 

    I'm constantly in awe of the amazing times that people turn out. My new ambition is to get a GFA time, which would be 8 and a half minutes off my PB, so will be difficult but hopefully manageable with some hard work. This marathon business is definitely addictive. I nearly entered an August trail marathon on a whim yesterday, but (probably luckily) it was sold out already! I am eyeing up Malaga in December - if of course I don't win any of the many competitions for places that I entered at the expo - I'm rather hoping for the Barbados one...

    On a sadder note, I was very sorry to see someone receiving CPR around mile 24. I really hope he is ok.
  • Wow guys incredible tines there 

    I was also a 3.36 but I'm F 40 . And a negative split and a fast last mile

    Agree about the congestion on the course and the stopping
  • GipfelGipfel ✭✭✭
    prince - fantastic running! That's a GFA time by a huge margin!
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    Gipfel - mile 19 is the section through Canary Wharf, your Garmin will have been spooked by the high buildings around there. Mine goes haywire there every year. Your pace probably didn't change all that much, it's just your GPS signal getting confused.
  • GipfelGipfel ✭✭✭
    Ah, thanks, rodeoflip - of course! I hadn't thought of that at all - probably because I felt I was struggling at that point anyway, so I just assumed I'd got extra slow :D
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    My mile 20 was 6.19 which is probably 20 seconds faster than the reality. 
  • Hey guys/Gals, it is why I simply rely on a cheapo watch and fixed mile markers and adjust/maintain my pace by feel.

    my splits were:

    SplitTime Of DayTimeDiffmin/kmkm/hPlace
    5K11:33:3700:38:1938:1907:407.83-
    10K12:14:3301:19:1540:5608:127.33-
    15K12:55:2602:00:0840:5408:117.34-
    20K13:36:2302:41:0540:5808:127.33-
    Half13:45:0002:49:4208:3707:527.64-
    25K14:15:5603:20:3830:5607:567.57-
    30K14:55:5004:00:3239:5507:597.52-
    35K15:36:1804:41:0140:2908:067.41-
    40K16:16:4205:21:2440:2408:057.43-
    Finish16:40:0805:44:5023:2710:415.6222910

    Yes I had to walk the last bit or else I would be too fast for the pace target I was running to.
  • Awesome pacing there HS !
  • Thank you cougies stupider clone
    My two best pace runs were the VLM two years ago when I was pacing for 4:58 and did 4:57:59
    and the Southend Half marathon when I was asked to pace at 6 minutes/km and finished in 2:06 and finished in 2:06:35.1 which was EXACTLY a 6 minute/km pace.
  • The time of 2:06:35.1 was on my watch, the official time was 2:06:35
  • portlandersportlanders ✭✭✭
    Awesome pacing Harmander.

    Was my first marathon, although people say about the support, nothing can compare you for the atmosphere on the day, and turning that corner to see tower bridge ahead...that was amazing. 
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Tower Bridge for me is always amazing and coming off it to the halfway mark is really when things get real.
  • portlandersportlanders ✭✭✭
    Once off and seeing the others running the opposite direction, that was my next target then...to be on that opposite side... took a while coming, but felt good when i got there and saw runners with it all to do still. 
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    My favourite section is emerging from Blackfriars tunnel back into the daylight just before 24 miles.  The noise is tremendous and you realise that the finish line is just over 2 miles away.  Awesome feeling.
    Great run Prince, I'm sure me & Bob would certainly have chaperoned you to the line had we known you were in our midst :)
    Gipfel.. nice running, your 2nd fastest marathon is deffo worth celebrating.  :D On the congestion issue I begged a couple of my club debutants not to run with earphones in. I told them they would need their wits and ears about them to reduce the risk of tripping etc.
    Personally I thought the course was coping ok in the days of 30000-35000 runners but now it has crept up to 40000+ I think the course has become a bit overcrowded.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    I think if you are coming to London to run with headphones in you are coming to the wrong race.

    One place that everytime I wonder how it would cope with the peak traffic flow at 4.30-5 is just after Canary Wharf we briefly run through what appears to be a pretty narrow footpath. I couldn't imagine the peak of the field fitting through there.

  • Cutty Sark is good too  - first memorable part. 
    Then Tower Bridge and you're just about halfway there. 
    Seems a pity to have to trek out to Canary Wharf - but the noise going past the bridge over the road is crazy. 

    I missed the London Eye and Buckingham Palace on my first London ! No idea how. 
  • portlandersportlanders ✭✭✭
    Cutty Sark seemed to creep up on me out of nowhere, suddenly it was there! wave to the camera, turn the corner and it's gone. 
    Saw the London Eye, wishing it would disappear behind me, but never seemed to, and yes i missed Buckingham Palace, all eyes for the finish line at that point. 
  • Thank you all for the compliments on my pacing, my colleagues are far better than me.  I just enjoy the run, every step of it.  
    Felt weird starting from Red for the first tim in about 7 years. I like the Blue start as you get to boo first the Greens as they join just before the 1 mile mark and then the Reds just before 3 miles.
    I was Head of Policy for the Isle of Dogs Neighbourhood before London Borough of Tower Hamlets reorganised back to a traditional council structure but even then the new town hall (Mulberry Place could be seen as one did that silly up and down loop after 19 miles so am particularly familiar with the route from mile 13 to just after mile 22. I look forward to the gentle slope at mile 19 after that little climb up Westferry Circus just after mile 18.
  • If anyone is into stats, you can see all sorts of ones on the marathon website now such as your finishing position, how many people you passed etc.

    Go to https://results.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/2019/ and search for your name. It'll bring up a page with participant data, then click the results display one for even more useless stuff!
  • Prince1979Prince1979 ✭✭✭
    The stats are fantastic
  • There were plenty of photographers out on the course who I'm guessing were taking photos for themselves or their own project, rather than media organisations or the marathon organisers. Anyone found any online galleries of such photos? The only ones I can find are the official ones and on newspaper websites etc.
  • nicko1981nicko1981 ✭✭✭
    Just belatedly dropping in to say well done to all the VLM runners this year. Very jealous to have been watching not running this time but a great experience nonetheless. Such a congested run, especially 3:30-4:30 type of pace but well worth every step. Great results all.

    Harmander - great pacing again, I was the random guy giving you a shout out as you came to the end of Tower Bridge.
  • Thank you nicko1981 - I really enjoyed the run too - as always.

    Ran my 150th the following week to mark our 40th wedding annversary.

    Got Richmond Park on Sunday, Luxembourg two weeks later and back to sunny Clacton the week after before the alluring sights of Dartford the week after that.. lol.
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