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Need VLM spectator help for newbie watchers please, special occassion.
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Cheers
Thanks for that, great advice, coming back from canary wharf to Westminster on the jubilee line anything you can add to make it as quick a travel as possible so they get to mile 25 ish in time for me to pass.
When you say linear with regards to canary wharf do you mean exit tube and walk along platform same direction as tube was going to get to the best exit? What about coming back, which of the 2 entrances will be quieter at canary wharf please? Or can they jump in a taxi to get back to west minster?
From seeing me pass canary wharf they have maybe 1 hour 10 minutes before I get to mile 26.
I would imagine BlackFriars would be rammed - but no direct knowledge.
Canary wharf - you step onto the platform and then onto elevators which are in line with the platform onto the upper concourse. Hence linear - no twisty turny corridors to confuse you. on the upper concourse go for the exit elavator in the direction you have just arrived in. Coming back use the same entrance you exited from.
Taxis are really not an option in central london on marathon day - too many roads closed, diversions and conjestion.
Near the start, just before Greenwich Town Centre (east towards Charlton) is a good place.
Westcombe Park and Maze Hill train stations are only a 5 minute walk from the route, and you'll have no trouble getting a spot (I used to live in that area and watched the race from the end of my street, no problems at all). They can then get a train to Greenwich and DLR to Canary Wharf or Mudchute or somewhere in the Docklands area.
Thanks for the help guys, will help me to relax knowing they are prepared. Ill maybe have a few last minute questions I'll ask Monday as I print off the details they need.
Any other tit bits or advice to help them on the day would be great.
One question I have is getting to the start from London Eye where im staying, Id like to have as least time on foot as possible, maybe a taxi, there will be 4 of us so could share a taxi.
However I'm quite a bit faster now and don't think he will make it to mile 13/14 in time so was thinking of 17 ish, where do you think would be best bearing in mind he will be coming from Greenwich ( he gets on at greenwich and goes back to deptford bridge then gets on going the other way as otherwise he wouldn't get on)
Daft question, how do you know which direction the tube is going in? To make sure you get on the one going the way on the track you want.
The signs will say 'Jubilee Line eastbound' or similar, and the trains are indicated by their last stop, which is usually at the end of the line.
Just been thinking. Theres 2 of us in our party running, so what if one is ahead of the other by half hour or so which is likely, that means if the family at at mile 19 to see both pass they wont have time to get to finish line to see the other finish. Hmm. Wonder how long it will take to travel from canary wharf station to Westminster to watch.
Ill probably take 80 minutes to do last 7.2 miles. Maybe 75 minutes.
www.tfl.gov.uk
Thanks, been using that. Cheerful Dave do your fans get to the finish in time when they see you at mile 19 canary wharf? It will take me about 80 minutes tops to get to the finish area.
Yes, they go straight to Westminster and find a spot a little after Big Ben (about a mile left to run), then after I've gone past they're just yards from horseguards. Takes them less than half an hour from canary wharf.
If you look at the map of the finish area in the magazine you'll see what I mean - the course loops back on itself so the bit with a mile to go is closest to horseguards where you'll meet up afterwards.
Cheers for that really appreciate it. What time you going for this year?
After I finish the race and collect my bags what I think is best is if they stay at the spot at the race side that I saw them and I find them, from collecting race bags I think I can cut across the race over a small temporary bridge built for the day cant I?
Im hoping they get a spot on birdcage walk to watch me finish then Ill walk round to meet them after I finish.
There are course crossings but if they aim to be on the right hand side of the course (from the runners' perspective) at Westminster or along birdcage walk then you won't need to cross the course to meet them. After the finish you have to go right to the end of the baggage lorries before you exit at one end of horseguards, so it's a long walk. I would arrange to meet at the W meeting point - if you say you'll go to where you saw them you'll have problems if for whatever reason you don't see where they are, it's very easy to miss people, especially when they might be anywhere in a mile stretch. Also they make some of the spectator areas one-way, or limit access, so it's best to say you'll meet on the grass near the tree with a W on it.
Great thanks.
Heres what ive written for them to follow, sound ok to you? Any improvement on it?
All view points are reached on the Jubilee tube line. For mile 25/26 you get off at Westminster station and you are at mile 25 ish.
To get to the first view point Canada Water mile 9 enter Waterloo tube station at the entrance opposite the Wellington Pub on the main road and get the Jubilee line Eastbound to Canada Water. Turn left when leaving station follow road and most people walking. Theres a whsmith on the route stand there. Stick to the left side of the road as we are running towards you. You cant cross anyway, you will be stood near a decathlon sports store behind you.
Head back onto tube Jubilee line to Canary Wharf 19 miles. Exit station find a spot around the station where Jubilee park is, we should see you, try stay on left side as we run towards you. Stick to the road by the Jubilee park area.
Get Jubilee line tube westbound I think to Westminster mile 25. Exit and find a spot on left of the route as we are running towards you so you will all be on our left side, might have to text us where you are, try stand near something me and Stephen can see like a mile market sign or bridge that goes over so people can cross the route or something.
If you stay at the viewing point near the race where we pass you then we can just come to meet you after we finish the run and collect the bags.
How does that look cheers?
. . . on the main road . . .
if I remember correctly you are with them in the area on the saturday - so showing them the best entrance would be advisable. There are many 'main road's in the Waterloo area with tube entrances on them.
. . . Theres a whsmith on the route stand there.. . .
ermmm - I do not think that there is - I do not think that there is a whsmith in the underground concourse although there is a newsagent. The bit about turning left and decathlon is spot on . . .
. . . Stick to the left side of the road . . .
A little ambiguous - I think you mean the left side of the marathon route. It could mean the left side of the road as they walk from the station. (not that it really matters if they do that.)
. . . Exit station find a spot . . .
I would still advise using the west rather than the east exit. Less crowded - particulalry when they have to get back in.
. . . westbound I think . . .
YUP - westbound 20 min on the tube plus ??? min to get onto the station on marathon day. (Might be lucky and ??? ~ 0min)
. . . . Exit and find a spot on left of the route . . .
Tricky - the obvious exits from Westminster put them on the right hand side of the route. Getting to the left side of the route is a less obvious exit and an underpass. I would suggest . . . right hand side of the route and 100m or so before the route makes the 90degree right hand turn at Big Ben.
. . . a mile market sign or bridge that goes over . . .
This would be about 400m before the right hand turn. The 25 mile marker is just after the rail bridge going into Charing Cross. Again as you are inthe area on the Sat (?) you can walk over a footbridge alongside the rail bridge and designate an optimal spot (or rather area alongside . . )
. . . If you stay at the viewing point near. . .
Good plan - but I would use the baggage lorries as well to make sure you have something warm and dry to change into before going looking for them. Also have a back up meeting point (your hotel) in case of incident, conjection or confusion.
Come to think of it - if you are inthe area on Saturday & going to collect your number you could visit all of the locations with your relatives and be clear about the areas (not the precise point) where they might try to be. The best way to ExCEl for your number is to take the Jubilee line to canning Town & xfer to the DLR.
Brilliant thanks for that.
So the jubilee line is eastbound or westbound yes?
How do they find west exit at canary wharf please? Is it sign posted inside.
Actually I'm pretty sure that the Jubilee line is northbound and southbound.
So it's southbound towards Canary Wharf and northbound away from it.
Your right lol cheers for that.
ermmmmm - not certain (hving jusdt come home on it!)
(I have half an idea that wembly way it is north south &
stratford way it is east west. Certainly runs e-w from waterloo
to stratford).
Maybe best to say:
southbound or eastbound from waterloo to canada water
southbound or eastbound from canada water to canary wharf
northbound or westbound from canary wharf to westminster
West exit is as i suggested before in the direction the train arrives in
Cheers, my only concern is they get to see me in last bit miles 25 onwards. My time will fingers crossed be about 4 hours 30 minutes.
70 minutes should be enough from canary wharf to Westminster shouldn't it for them.
Slightly worried they wont get to mile 25 in time now lol. Just been looking at map to see if theres owt they can do to make it easier. The mile 13/22 on same road bit there still not forced to get back to finish I time as thats only 4 miles. Any ideas.