Different start colours

run4miles · March 2005

Hi
Can anyone help - I have a gold bond place and am starting at the red block, but my husband has a Gold Bond place and is starting at the Blue Block. However we wanted to run together but will never meet up in the different streams. Does anyone know if this is strict or could we start together say in the Blue?
Thanks

[Deleted User] · March 2005

Sally,
when you go to the expo to register, go together and explain the problem to the people doing the registration. They may be able to sort it for you.

Lyndylou · March 2005

There is usually a "mixed" baggage lorry at each start i.e. one for red and green bags at the blue start, blue and green at the red start, etc. Might be an idea to check at the Expo but it has always happened up to now. We are a team of visually impaired runners and always have this problem with the guides not having the same start as the VI runner, but have never had a problem because of the mixed lorries.
Best of luck.

run4miles · March 2005

Thanks guys
It seems that the only likely problem then is baggage? If this is the case we can shae. I was more concerned about getting kicked out of the area! or the chip not working correctly?

cougie · March 2005

The chip will still work - but the marshals may not let you into the starting pens. Depends on exactly which marshal you get though.

Plan A. Ask at registration
Plan B. Try and sneak in (you may have to go back a pen if one of you is in a faster pen than the other.
Plan C. Arrange a meeting point - something like the 4 mile marker on the left hand side.
Plan D. Race each other individually and loser buys dinner.

run4miles · March 2005

Plan D sounds good - hes slower than me!!

[Deleted User] · March 2005

Sally - i had the same problem a couple of years ago. my girlfriend was a blue starter, i was red. she just joined me at the red start, the marshalls didn't seem at all bothered. in fact i can't remember either of our numbers being checked.
and we just had the one bag between us so no probs with baggage lorries, although it helped at the end that we were running together.

run4miles · March 2005

Thanks Pintsize - thats exactly what I wanted to hear.
Are you doing it again?

Freemers · March 2005

Sally - another tip is to wear a bin-liner at the start (which is a good idea anyway to keep warm and dry) so the marshals won't be able to see your number anyway. To be honest though, they probably won't be that bothered. And if they are, there probably wouldn't be time for either of you to get to the right start, and they aren't going to not let you start.

cougie · March 2005

Only time I tried that bin liner trick - the marshals bounced me out of the pen.

Rats...

[Deleted User] · March 2005

I think they will let Blue runners transfer to the red start but not vice versa. The blue start is generaly for club runners and is completely fenced in. Even spectators con't get in unlike the red start.

[Deleted User] · March 2005

ive got the same problem:

me, my best mate and my old man are all running together for the samaritans and two of us are blue start and one of us is a red start.

after reading the above thread i'm pretty confident we could get in one zone all together.

cougie....explain why you got bounced out? was it to do with your number?

[Deleted User] · March 2005

I have the same problem me and my buddy are separated I am at the blue start and she is at the red. I telephoned the FLM hotline and was told that if you are found to be in the wrong start you will be disqualified from the race altogether because security has been tightened etc.... would it be worth risking it????

[Deleted User] · March 2005

As I said above, in past years, blue to red normally ok.

Red to blue not ok.

If I recal, in past years FLM have confirmed this on the phone.

limper · March 2005

My charity advised blue to red swap and keep your number covered, but I'm worried about disqualification. Would they really stop someone from running just because they so desperately wanted to be with their partner?

[Deleted User] · March 2005

can someone advise me of the marathon hotline number pls?

cougie · March 2005

Bob - I tried to sneak into a faster pen - as I'd been put in the pen at the back based on my estimated time - I put something like 5 hours as I'd not run before I entered.

I wouldn't have thought it was a major problem though. It's all chip timing anyway, so even if you went to the back you'd have no worries.

limper · March 2005

FLM advised me they will not consider changing anyones number to enable them to officially be with their partner, even in extenuating circumstances. They even said they didn't care if I pulled out after all my training and my charity lost my fund-raising!! I'm just working on the hope that once we're at the same start area, no marshall would be so 'jobs-worthy' as to seperate us or disqualify one.

[Deleted User] · April 2005

i'm having exactly same problem myself. i'm at red start with a golden bond place, my running partner is at blue with a ballot place. we've done all training together and know what the other needs for support along the way.

Wardi · April 2005

Just nominate a mile marker (say mile 5) where you will meet. Agree between yourselves that the 1st one there waits directly under the mile marker on the left side of the road until the next one of you gets there. Then you can run around Cutty Sark and the rest of the course together. And you won't be breaking any rules!

Don't try and meet any earlier than this as it will probably be too congested.

Warning..the marshalls on my pen DID check pen numbers, bin liners or not!

limper · April 2005

Wardi - what did the marshalls do about any 'alien' pen numbers? I get the impression from the forums that there must be so many people jumping pens, how could they penalise anyone. Also meeting along the way doesn't work for me and probably not for most runnning couples as it also involves travelling seperately and spending more than an hour 'alone' at the start.
Michelle - and all other divided couples, we're just going for it using the red pen. Strength in numbers hopefully.

Wardi · April 2005

The FLM start area is one of the friendliest places on earth Limper, no problem in arriving alone. Is the time spent apart THAT bad {o: Pen no's are allocated to ensure a smooth start. If slow runners jump to a forward pen they will be in the way of the faster runners, and worse they may get carried away and start too fast. That is why pen jumping is discouraged.

I witnessed 2 blokes from pen 7 try to get into pen 2 on blue start. They were sent back from whence they came. I could tell from the wry smiles on their faces that their intention was to queue jump. What they thought they would achieve by this I have no idea.

limper · April 2005

Thanks Wardi - we have no intention of trying to move forward to a faster pen (slow is slow!!), just want to both start together from the same colour. Yeah it really does matter A LOT!!!! My charity say go for it.

run4miles · April 2005

Ironic - having just separated at the start, the PA announced that any blue runners in th ered area do not have time to get to their start so should stay at the red!! Hind sight is a wonderful thing.

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