Was very disappointed with the meet and greet at the end of London yesterday. Not a marshall or police officer to be seen. The runners couldn't get out as the public were obstructing their exit and then, once out, there seemed to be no way out of Horseguards. We spent well over an hour in the museum sheltering. That's the last thing you want when you've run a marathon. Surely the logic of having a meet and greet that has buildings down two sides and the runners exit on the third, is severely flawed.
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Having been through that area once, a few years ago, I now arrange to meet some distance away.
I don't know what you think a few marshals or police officers would be able to do - except add to the huge numbers of people milling about!
It does say in the instructions that the finish area is chaos, but it's all part of the VLM "experience" sin't it.
As Wilkie says arrange to meet friends away from there, even charities seem to be moving away from HG now and setting up after run parties else where.
I was at the finish for the 4th year and this year was particularly bad. Never had any problems getting out before. I think someone collapsed under the arch on the way out of HGP and we had to change direction not realising that way was closed so had to change direction again. Also our coach couldn't park in the usual spot so we had to walk miles to catch it...ouch my feet..
I think the rain was probably the main problem as everyone decided to go as soon as the rain came. Normally peeps will hang around in the park on the grass as soon as the heavens opened it was obvious no one was going to hang about.
Just bad luck. Must admit I was whinging at the time but just one of those things.
Yes I put it down to the rain too. Normally people are happy to hang about for a bit but yeaterday everyone was heading straight for the stations becasue of the rain.
I finished half an hour earlier than the last time I ran it so was there at about 3.45pm but that alone doesn't explain the chaos this year. I just think they need to enforce the one way system better so that people aren't allowed to exit back into the Mall.