London Marathon - Race Reviews

I was started ok through 10km but was running with my co team sponsor (Mind) buddy, Claire who I met while on the run. She encouraged me as I struggled with early cramp, but I didn't want her to stop because of me. I ran off the cramp, At about the 30 km mark I noticed Claire further up had fallen and assisted by her mom, wanting to quit the race. I stopped and talked to her trying to use her her own child birth as a measure of real pain. I rallied her sprit, got her to her feet and we walked the race home with a super slow time. But as i lie here trying to overcome cancer in Canada, in my mid 50's, I remember with pride, my achievement not only as a Londoner lucky enough participating in one of great events of the year but also my compassion of helping my fellow athlete over my own ambitions, I decision I would gladly repeat.

Great marathon, probably the best I've ever run!! It's all about the crowd supporting you at every singe step. You can not get bored, you can not give up. Bands, kids, fans, fancy race outfits and a fast course. Top it up with an excellent organization and what else can you ask for! Just run it!

This was such a fun race to do. The course and crowd support were over the top! Plenty of water stops and toilets on the route. All high marks with the exception of the following: 1. No food after the race, not even a banana! 2. Medal was black and was not very visible. 3. The finisher shirt was disappointing, didn't even put London Marathon on it. Otherwise, an excellent event and highly recommended!

INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:23:54. The London Marathon was my sixty-fourth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: 54 degrees, 80 percent relative humidity, partly cloudy with southwest wind of 8 mph. With the blue and green legs starting in Blackheath and the red leg starting in Greenwich, we headed east for just short of three miles where we turned north toward the River Thames. After enjoying our only significant elevation change, a 100-foot drop, at mile 3, our courses merged in Woolwich upon returning west toward Greenwich. On the seventh mile, we passed by the National Maritime Museum and the clipper ship, Cutty Sark. Winding our way around Deptford, Rotherhithe, and Bermondsey, we crossed the River Thames on the Tower Bridge, with our first glimpse of the Tower of London, halfway between miles 12 and 13. We then turned right, heading east toward the skyscraper filled Canary Wharf and winding around the Isle of Dogs. We returned west, passing once again the Tower of London midway between miles 22 and 23, immediately followed by the dragon boundary mark informing us we had entered the City of London. Rounding the Embankment alongside the Thames meant we were closing in on the finish. After viewing the London Eye, we approached Palace of Westminster, home of Parliament, and its iconic Elizabeth Tower, before heading west toward Birdcage Walk alongside Saint James's Park in our final mile. Rounding Spur Road, we encountered a temporary foot bridge overhead possessing a banner informing us we had 385 yards to go to the finish. We then turned into The Mall, where pictures of us with the Victoria Memorial and Buckingham Palace in the background were taken as we approached the finish line. Weather at the finish was 59 degrees, 69 percent relative humidity, partly cloudy with west southwest wind at 17 mph with gusts up to 29 mph. ORGANIZATION: For the overseas visitor, there was some uncertainty regarding participation in this edition of the race, not to mention the considerable amount of planning required and hurdles to overcome. Obviously, national COVID-19 policies on both sides of the Atlantic made it questionable whether US participants be allowed to enter England. Fortunately, the ten-day quarantine restrictions were lifted by the UK government in August, which gave us some hope. In addition to the COVID-19 tests imposed by our respective governments, the event organizers necessitated one or two lateral flow tests before entering the expo and marathon. This required the US runners to arrange for one test at home prior to departure and up to four tests in the UK. Furthermore, the organizers sent us a kitbag for us to return to the expo with any items we would like to pick up at the conclusion of the race along with our finisher medal and tech tee. It was not disclosed until much later if our kitbag was not received in the mail, spares would be at the Running Show. (In my case, the kitbag was not received until after the marathon was completed.) We were also informed we would not gain entry into the expo unless we produced our registration which was to be e-mailed to us 11 to 13 days before the race. Finally, at the expo, the volunteers were not properly trained to produce the bib necessary to participate and provide a time for the event. Fortunately, after a few minutes wait, a timing official arrived to fix the problem. On the day of the race, things proceeded along as one would expect for a World Marathon Majors race. SPECTATORS: The finest, on par with New York City Marathon: moderate fan presence south of the River Thames escalating upon crossing the Tower Bridge, reaching a crescendo arriving in Westminster. Percussion groups, in the forms of two taiko ensembles and three drum corps strategically situated underneath bridges for maximum amplification, provided motivation at needed moments. The brass band playing the Star Wars Main Theme at mile 24 was greatly appreciated. One theory why the spectators stayed out so long, including during the brief shower, was because the marathon organizers identified pub, especially Fullers pub, locations on the course map. Very thoughtful indeed. CONCLUSION: By far the most difficult to reach the start line. Once the starting gun went off, however, it was a joy to run and complete. With Buckingham Palace in the background, only Berlin, with its Brandenburg Gate, can compare for most dramatic finish line photograph.

An absolutely fantastic experience that will live forever in my memory, the crowd were amazing and the event was well managed

Well organised start, had tents you can shelter in while you wait. Didn't take to long to get to the start. Most of the course is typical big city a bit boring with a few iconic tourist points, tower bridge is particularly memorable. The crowd is outstanding, not just the numbers but the noise they make. Its packed from start to finish. The only negative is the number of people walking in the middle of the road. It seems to be a first time marathon for a lot of people who don't seem to have submitted realistic times in their application. If your having a good race you will have to do a lot of dodging and weaving. I ended up running 27 miles! However, don't let that put you off this is a marathon well worth experiencing.

I Ist ran the London Marathon in 2011, aged 67.This year (2019) aged 75. I qualified for a GFA entry time for the London Marathon 2019. I put in a lot of training with my local Running Club, The Lauderdale Limpers, Lauder, Scotland. I am their oldest ever member Running Marathons, & Ultra Marathons,etc I did plenty of Long Road Runs. Plus a few Trail Marathons where possible.l went to London with my grown up family to support my London Marathon Adventure.The weather for 2 days prior to Sundays Actual marathon, was awful, cold, wet, miserable and extremely strong winds. On Sunday the weather was perfect for Marathon running. Because I modestly gave a relatively slow predicted finishing time of approximately 4:55 I was placed placed further back, than on reflection I should have been. I was placed in the Blue Wave stage7! At the start of the Marathon, in order to meet my target pace I had to overtake numerous other runners, weaving in and out in order to pass them. Gradually the number of runners began to thin out! So I didn't need to weave in and out! in order to pass Other Runners. The Spectators at London Marathon are perhaps, unique in their enthusiasm & intensity of support from Start to Finish.The Street Bands & the crowds vocal support had too be experienced to be believed. I was overwhelmed by the occasion & their support. The weather improved as the Marathon progressed I vaguely noticed the landscape and the Canary Wharf Skyscraper's etc. But mainly it was the Crowds Support! At approximately mile 21, I remember having a Smile on my face & I suddenly realized that I was Really Enjoying this Marathon, that this was an adventure, like no other! I felt that many other runners at that stage of the Marathon perhaps felt the same way? Coming off the Embankment onto Birdcage Walk, I was so happy, I just knew that I was making a good time! Passing round The Queen Victoria Monument,,I saw the finishing line! I saw runners in front of me & decided to do a sprint finish ( I always do a sprint at the end of a Race) & this urge to do a sprint finish meant that I overtook a few Runners'on my way to crossing the Finish Line. I was given congratulations & handed my London Marathon Medal. It was only later pointed out to me that my finishing time of 4:27:26, was rather good for my Age category of M75-79. All I can say it was the most enjoyable Marathon that I have ever run. This & the Training & support from my Family, Coach & Club,etc possible helped me obtain a good finishing time! London in reality maybe on a Par with the other International Marathons? But it felt unique & Special, and that feeling certainly helped & supported me from start to finish. Finally, I specifically ran this Marathon first & foremost for my Late Wife, SUSAN, who died before her time & in aid of her Charity BrainResearch UK, who she held in high esteem.I felt her presence whilst I was running, and this helped me to perform well in Her Memory. Ps My family were overwhelming in their congratulations & treated me to a lovely meal etc & said I had done MUM PROUD! That has meant the most most to me about this Marathon.

I thought the excessive number of runners on a small course was poor. I cannot tell you how many runners just stopped in the middle of the road and walked. They did not even bother to get to the side. There was nowhere to pass walking runners. Poor runner etiquette. Runners were stopping after 16 miles. The London marathon was all about raising money for charities which is great for charities but not for runners who want to run.

London completed the 6 World Majors for me, so it was an exciting day. Running on Tower Bridge, under Big Ben, and finishing at Buckingham Palace was special. However, it was difficult to enjoy the course in general. You cannot afford to look around and enjoy the city for fear of tripping over the runners all around you. This race is simply too crowded. NYC was bad, London was much worse. It wasn't until mile 23 before it broke up. Water and Gatorade bottles are simply a horrible idea. Incredible trip hazards on such a tight course - and a real waste. Most of the bottles on the ground were nearly full.

Ok lets look for some negatives. Err...goody bag at the expo is pretty empty, The course is crowded. Tricky to find much more. This marathon is just such a delight. It is impossible to convey the effects of the crowd unless you run it. What about the last mile as you run below big ben and finish in front of Buckingham Place. As far as organisation is concerned, no one ought to be allowed to organise a marathon without having run London first. It is the gold standard for the reasons that I have written about past posts and will no repeat.. It is a privilege to run London.

My first time running the London Marathon, weather-cool, course-great, costumes-fabulous, charities- inspiring, Paula- #1 marathoner, the crowds are the best. I wish I had worn my name on my shirt. I ran this race with a bad shin splint and the crowd gave the best moral support. I'll be back. OK- the shirt is a little large, but I have a medal.

I live in Chicago so I'm a little bias and I've run Chicago 11 times in the last 15 years. The London course is WAY too tight for this size. I was running on the sidewalk for the first three miles to avoid running the weave. Not only was it too tight, but they didn't space our the corrals but instead released everyone at the same time. Now by the time we hit the Tower Bridge (awesome) the race had thinned out so that I could run my line. I'm used to Columbus Drive in Chicago with it's six lanes and staggered start so this start put me in a bad mood until Tower Bridge. I've also ran NY and I always felt that Chicago and NY crowds were equally excellent. That was until I felt the London crowd. The London people are the best!! I've never never had felt such strong support before. I didn't have my name on my shirt but I can with a Chicago running shirt and everyone was calling out 'Chicago.' I would make the trip again just to feel the London crowd.

By far, one of the best marathons I've experienced. Yes, there are areas that bottleneck, and yes, you must be careful not to step on the water bottles... But, this race is also incredibly well-organized, has a flat course and FANTASTIC CROWD SUPPORT. I even loved how they organized the queues at the start line porta potties! (Instead of standing in front of 2-3 porta potties, each queue stood in front of a U-shaped group of about a dozen porta potties. Plus, they had a staff member at each U-shaped group, to ensure there was enough toilet paper. And... the toilets flushed! That was a first!) Only suggestion for the race coordinators is for the finisher shirts: They ran out of smaller sizes quickly, so finishers didn't necessarily get the size they desired. The event organizers should ask each participant upon registration what size shirt they want. Then, as they cross the finish line, they should give that size to the finisher (which should be indicated on their bib). That way, the organizers can have a better count of the sizes they'll need, and not run out of desired sizes. London should be proud of this race. It truly is world-class!

This year the only negative about the London Marathon has been sorted. A technical T shirt in all sizes. Now it must be the best in the world.The organisation is faultless, literally. From Expo to transportation from baggage to marshaling the London Marathon should be the gold standard to which all the other races aspire. Fluid stations are magnificent - all i sports capped bottles all put in your outstretched hand by wonderfully enthusiastic staff. ( all the staff are friendly and enthusiastic) And the crowds..... better every year. I am really privileged to be British and so stand a small chance of getting in on the ballot and a large chance of a charity space. So we come to the only draw back for others. It is so good that it is almost impossible to get a place. Do what you can for until you have run London you have no idea what heights a marathon can reach.

I have run 3 other Marathon Majors except for NYC and Tokyo (Boston twice), and can honestly say London beats them all so far. From the expo to the start area to the crowds to the finish line, everything exceeded my expectations. It did not hurt that the weather was near perfect and Mo Farah was in contention (until he wasn't). I would give spectators 6 out of 5 if I could, as I have not seen such enthusiastic crowds even in Boston. The course is almost all flat, they are not kidding, apart from a small downhill out of Woolwich; Tower Hill which isn't really much of a hill; and a few tunnels. Getting to the start was super easy; free transit for runners on race day was a very nice touch. The porta-potties were plentiful (although some do run out of TP - not unusual, experienced runners know to bring their own), corrals well-managed, and bag check a breeze. Greenwich roads are a bit narrow, but it's only for a few miles, and there's plenty of room to run afterwards. And did I mention the crowds? Water stations were well-stocked and manned by enthusiastic volunteers. It was great to have water and Lucozade, Brits' answer to Gatorade, in proper sports bottles that you could carry with you and easily chug from on the go. My only quibble is at 500 ml/17 oz the bottles were far too large for a few sips, so seemed like a lot of waste, and the sports drink was only available every 3-4 miles instead of every mile or two, as in other large races. Finish on the Mall and St.James Park was great, bag pick-up painless, and although I was kind of hoping for more food post-race, it was still OK. I would happily run this race every year if it weren't so darn expensive and hard to get into! Well done London!

Wow - that one word pretty much sums up my experience in the 2014 London Marathon. The organisation before, during, and after the race was superb...this is a race which caters for the worlds best runners, and the mass participants (of which I'm one!). Everyone gets first class treatment. This was a fairly warm day, but it was good to see that plenty of water/salts (bottled) were on course as well as refreshing misting showers. What makes this is London, both the city and the people that line the streets in their thousands - never once do you feel like you're on your own. I had a torrid time from mile 19/20, but the spectators kept pushing you forward. Was pleased with a 3h28 given the circumstances, but time wasn't my abiding memory - the noise, smiles and support really made my running year! Here's hoping I get in the ballot for 2015 :)

I ran the London marathon representing the charity Sense. Pros: Well organized. Plenty of water stations. Great crowd support. Very nice medal. Cons: Way too crowded for the narrow streets of London. Don't expect to have a OR. Cotton T -shirts!!!!!! Who does that? Suggestion: Use disposable D tags for timing which will reduce the congestion at the finish line. No more cotton T shirts!!!!!

26.2 miles of spectators shouting out my name and encouraging me. Packed streets and for the last few miles a wall of noise lifting you pushing you and inspiring you. This is still the world's best marathon And when you are absolutely exhausted and running on two sticks of lead and you know that if you stop you won't get going - you don't have to worry. Water or lucozade is there just by lifting your hand. No stop start as you try to swallow a few meagre mouthfuls of isotonic from a cup. The organisation is phenomenal, the backup and facilities exceptional. OK the goody bag is paltry, but the medal is spectacular and the finish processing makes the Swiss seem Southern European in attitude. I believe renaissance architects believed that only God was perfect so designed slight imperfections into their buildings. Perhaps that explains the constantly awful cotton T shirt that displaced the 2006/7 technical material ones. You might very well wear it with pride for this world champion race but not for comfort or style and certainly not for running. If you can't get in try a charity place. After all it is worth making every effort to run the best marathon in the world.

We did not train for this, we were thankful we completed the Marathon on such a hot day. All in a good cause for Kidney Research. A Wonderful experience for both Father and Daughter. We were last to Finish but what a Team we never gave up!!!! This experience cemented an already fantastic father daughter bond that existed.

course and spectator rating based on participant youtube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljj1Ty_PdC8 This gives a person a great feeling for what it is like to enter London. I have never been able to get into London as London only accepts a minuscule number of American entries. Even those runners who can qualify with a fast time can't get in due to London only reserving those spots for UK runners. The Good For Age way of getting in is not that demanding for UK runners but if you happen to be American, then forget it. I am used to the Boston and NYC way of doing things. If a runner has a fast enough time then, regardless of which country he/she resides, that runner is welcomed into the Boston/NYC field of runners. London is a closed shop. Even the Marathon Tours route is impossible as they demand that the runner sign up for their 5 continents club in order to have a chance at one of their London Marathon tickets.

I only saw the first 13 miles of this course, but experience up to about mile 7 or 8 was incredible. The start area, organization and supportive crowds were excellent. I have a very bad taste in my mouth regarding the insane number of water bottles handed out during the race. People take a few sips and then throw (most of) them off to the side. Unfortunately for me, I stepped directly on a full water bottle, my leg rolled out from under me and I fractured my hip. One of the reasons I chose to do London was for the scenery, but I guess I should have spent all of my time staring at the ground. The organizers should seriously consider switching to cups of water/sports drink for safety.

I have been visiting London on business for many years, and I finally decided to run the Virgin London Marathon. I was so glad that I did, as the fans are truly wonderful; London is such an exciting city, and I was lucky to have perfect weather. Organization is first rate as well; smooth throughout.

This was my first marathon so I wasn't out to get a PB time, which I imagine would be quite hard given how crowded the race was. It never even thinned out, but then neither did the spectators who were amazing! They cheer, they sing, they hand out sweets - it really made the race. However, waiting 15 minutes to use a portaloo DURING the race is just not on, nor is a 45 minute queue at the start. No wonder people wee illegally. The course is only really scenic over Tower Bridge, around Canary Wharf and at the very end. It's a shame you don't get to see more sights but it would mean closing down too much of the city I guess. I wear my tee with pride - in bed!

This race was very well organised - I was impressed how smoothly everything went. The course was beautiful and had loads of enthusiatic spectatators. Only one problem: the protolets were out of TP at the start area of the race. The only MAJOR disappointment was the finishers shirt. I can't believe a world marathon major would give out cotton one-size t-shirts to the finishers....I expect more from a race this size and reputation. Definitely should give dri-fit/technical shirts in appropriate sizes and at the expo - not after the finish, lumped in with the other goodies.

Highlights: Awesome Expo Fantastic crowds Good sights to see Bag check and recovery are great Coffee and tea at the start area, and LOTS of toilets. Downs: Unbelievable pushing 37,000 people thru a single lane a 1/2 mile into it. Speed humps that trip the crowd. COTTON finishers shirt. HUH? Who does that anymore? Overall, a great experience. But certainly room to improve.

Very well organized, the only problem was to find a lot of water bottles in the course due not to the organization but to the Athlets!

Undoubtedly, it is a great race: the organization is excellent -the instructions to the runners, the expo, the logistics of getting to the start. Spectators and the volunteers are wonderful. But I think the race organizers got a little greedy - the field size of this marathon is equal to Chicago, but they don't have Chicago streets, it's more like Boston. And Boston marathon caps its size at 25-28 thousand runners so, as they say, runners have a good experience. The course was overcrowded from start to finish. Sometimes it was OK, but then you would get to yet another bottleneck. I can't complain since I achieved my goal, but this is not the racers' race, you can't race when you have to navigate your way trough the crowd.

This was my third Marathon in 3 years and I went here with the intention of trying to better my last time, in Venice 2010 of 04:34:12 and try to get below 04:30:00. Big mistake! This is not the place to get a time due to the amount of runners. Even with 3 different starting locations they all merge at separate stages but the bottle necks will put you down to walking pace. Kiss your time good-by. At the half way stage I was 9 minutes behind where I needed to be and it is only then you get into your own rhythm (no chance of pulling it back in the last half). Having said that the whole experience is outstanding and the support you get along the 'Whole' course is quite unbelievable, especially if you have a name or nick-name visible. It is difficult to explain the amount of supporters and the associated noise along this course until you are in the middle of it. You really Must Do this one. I have read complaints about the t-shirt. So what, if your race and the whole experience is governed by a token t-shirt, what can I say.

This was my first international race and it did not disappoint. The organization and crowd were exceptional. Course was beautiful and flat. Only negative was that it was very crowded - 35,000 in narrow streets made it hard to really get my stride in. It didn't really thin out until mile 17. Aid stations were well supplied, but bottles all over the street made it challenging to watch my footing. The t-shirt was very disappointing as well.

Another fabulous London. Incredibly well organized and the support blows you mind away. However, time to acknowledge that every year the T-shirt gets worse. This must be the only marathon that gives you a cotton rag at the end instead of something you can wear with pride.

I finally got a place through the ballot after applying for the 5th year. Even though I've lived in London for nearly a decade, my home city's marathon never much appealed to me because of the hoopla you need to go through to get a place. I am so pleased to say that I have changed my mind. I read reports on here about the congestion and was really worried about that, but at least from the blue start it did not come to pass in 2011. The organization was spot on, with female urinals at the start, so no need to queue. The start was crowded, as is common in a big race, but I never came to a complete stop, and after mile 4 was pretty free to run as I pleased. From about mile 6 until the finish, crowds were 8-deep - so deep, in fact, that I missed my hubby in two spots because he could not push his way to the front. The water, in bottles, was out there to grab, which meant I did not have to stop along the way at all, and the bottles appeared to be cleared away reasonably well for such a large race. As it was a hot day, there were frequent showers. The bands were great. Really, everything was great and I managed a PB by 32 minutes. To top it all off, Richard Branson was on hand to award my finisher's medal - a total surprise. OK, there are prettier places in London than the Docklands, the finisher's t-shirt was a little big for me, and the chosen photographer is a complete rip-off. I'll take those minor gripes in exchange for the most perfect, big-city marathon imaginable.

Having completed New York, Chicago, and Boston I was really hoping for something special of the World Majors. I had also just run Barcelona the month before as my long run and the crowds were amazing! Calling out your name, which was on the bib, and cheering the entire way. Like the other comments I too had concerns about the street narrowing too many times and the crowd shuffle was slightly dangerous. Not sure with the heat how they get away with with Lucazade at every 5k, and not even that at the beginning. Closer to mile 5! I have no use for my cotton size L tshirt since I need an XS! Walked to Adidas store and Marathon Store today hoping for a 'Finisher' shirt or Hat or Visor and none were to be found! The sights along the course were good, but too much Virgin not enough support for the runner!I've been spoiled with our hometown races serving hot breakfast tacos, yogurt,fruit and chocolate milk at the finish in addition to Water and Gatorade! Even McDonalds donates apples and milk back home!I think Charities are great, but we can't forget about the runner! There's a lot of training taking place to dismiss the runner on RACE DAY!

This was my greatest ambition - to run the London Marathon. I had been in training for months and was in top condition. However, after running 13 miles, I fell on a bottle that someone had just discarded and damaged my knees. I am not able to run anymore due to this. I feel that having water stations is a good idea; however, the bottles should be cleared away as soon as possible. Also, as I had fallen, I walked the remainder of the marathon, determined to finish, but when I got to the finish line... it had been taken down and most of the spectators had gone too, which made me feel quite inadequate. Please encourage people to stay on and cheer in the final runners.

This being my second London Marathon, I was interested in comparing my previous experience and seeing if the new sponsors had made any significant changes. The event is very well organized from the expo to collecting your kit bag in the finish area. Thanks to all of the volunteers, without whom the event simply would not function; thanks to the St. John's ambulance service, which provided medical attention to so many on race day; and of course, thanks to the spectators who turn out in their thousands to support the runners. The only negative was the congestion I experienced from the blue start area. We stopped 3 times in the first 6 miles, which isn't really helpful in setting a rhythm. Perhaps the organizers should consider wave starts, particularly if they intend to increase the number of runners. There was the new addition of carb gel stations at miles 14 and 21. Perhaps another gel station at around mile 9 would help some of the runners. I was lucky enough to run the New York Marathon in 2009, and although London comes very close, it just falls short. But I would recommend London to anyone considering running a marathon.

Everything the other reviewers have stated is true - wonderful course (Tower Bridge was a huge highlight), great crowd support, plenty of water and Lucozade, and a gorgeous finish. My only complaint is similar to the others - the one-size-fits-few finisher's shirt is a shame, especially for such a world-class event. I was especially disappointed that the organizers did not even make a shirt available of ANY kind with the Virgin Marathon logo in XXL. I supposed they don't have enough Clydesdale-Division runners to justify having them available. This is a surprise, given that every other marathon I've run has at least some available for purchase. Other than this relatively minor (yet still disappointing) drawback, this is truly a spectacular event!

This is an extremely well-run and planned event. Like any big enterprise, however, a few tweaks can make it even better. I have now run all five world majors, and a few other large marathons, so I think I have a pretty good basis to make some comparisons. First, the good. The course is flat (but not fast for mid-packers, due to congestion on the course), the scenery is great, and the spectators are just outstanding. More so than ay other major races, there is an effort to inject humor into the race, via costumes. As an example, Sir Richard Branson ran wearing large, red butterfly wings. Princess Beatrice was one of 34 runners identically dressed (lime green tutus and calf warmers), bungeed together as a "human caterpillar," setting a Guinness World Record for such an effort. There were at least two "Borats," wearing the iconic thong, which goes up and over the neck. Thankfully, one also wore spandex shorts under the thong. The other... well, not so much. I saw a Sherlock Holmes, complete with deerstalker hat, and woolen caped coat (looking very overheated). Lots of costumed super heroes and other cartoon characters, and a disturbing number of men running as intentionally unconvincing women (think Monty Python). Another theme was running in animal costumes. I saw a camel, several horses and a giraffe, whose neck, without exaggeration, was at least 10 feet tall, more likely 15 feet. There were water bottles every mile (starting at mile 3), bottles of sports drink every 5K, and gels twice towards the end of the race. The volunteers were plentiful, supportive, and just generally outstanding. Lots of medical help on the course, including paramedics in pairs on bicycles. The start area was capacious, with a big screen TV and music. In the start area, the portable bathrooms were plentiful, in good locations, and constantly resupplied as needed. Also, there was plenty of water and sports drink at the start. The most notable and best part of the race were the runners themselves. Almost all of the runners ran for charity, and very significant funds are raised every year. The race organizers deserve to be commended for this unique aspect of the race, and there was a notable feeling of community out on the course. Now for the needed tweaks. The biggest problem I found, which was also noted by my friends who also ran the race, was congestion on the course. I was in the Blue Start and in the first mile we came to a complete stop for about 30 seconds, and slowed to a walk a couple of more times. Even later in the course when you are sometimes funneled to one half of a narrow street, there is significant congestion, slowing and even stopping. There was more than an hour difference between the fastest runner in my group and the slowest, and we all experienced the congestion. Because of this, I have never been physically bounced around by other runners as much before. Also because of the congestion, and the littering of bottles over the entire course, I have never seen so many tripping hazards on a road marathon before. There are three starts (Blue, Red, Green) with 9 corrals in each. However, there was no attempt to stagger the corrals. Simply staggering each corral (a minute or two delay between corrals) would probably go a long way to solving this. The hydration vessels also are worth noting. The drinks were served in bottles, which was both good news and bad news. The good news is that the hand-off of fluids was quick, and there was not much congestion at the aid stations. Also, the bottles had a very nice cap, which allowed you to squirt the fluids into your mouth. It was also good news that you could carry the bottle with you, and hydrate as needed. Now the bad news. The bottles littered the entire course. Both the bottles, and sometimes just the removed caps were everywhere, and quite dangerous to your footing. And with the congested course, you couldn't see the tripping hazards in time. The final area which needs improvement is the bathrooms on the course. Unfortunately for me, this was a race where I needed the facilities several times on the course. The lines were long (more than 10 minutes at two of the stops), they were out of paper, and they were pretty filthy. There is a real need to increase the number of bathrooms, and assign someone to service them (like at the start) during the race.

This is the best-organized, big-city marathon that I have run. The baggage truck arrangements are better than Boston's because race numbers are allocated randomly, which avoids congestion at the finish to reclaim your bag (whereas in Boston people finishing at about the same time all end up queuing at the same bus because race numbers are allocated on the basis of predicted finish time). Large open-sided lorries are far more effective than buses with tiny windows. There was no congestion in the finish area - compared to Berlin where it was a nightmare. The course is fabulous... running over Tower Bridge is fantastic and an unforgettable moment. In addition, there is much else to see on this course in the way of iconic buildings and landmarks. The mile markers are impossible to miss and incorporate clocks, which I've not seen elsewhere. The water stations are numerous and bottles are so much easier to handle than cups. The crowds were great but don't quite match the support in Dublin. There they really know how to boost your sense of well being. "You look fantastic" and "Great running" do a lot more for me than blasting whistles and hooters in your face. It's great for spectators too, as moving around the course by public transportation is so easy. It's always nice when complete strangers offer congratulations afterward, and London is no exception. If you only run one major, run London.