London Marathon 2018

neilc

Glencarraig wrote: »

According to the runners info on the VMLM website the "final instructions" are coming by email and not through the post.

Registering for the Virgin Money London Marathon
Part 1 - The registration form
You will receive your registration form via email by early April with your Virgin Money London Marathon Final Instructions.

You need to bring your registration form with you to the Virgin Money London Marathon Expo along with your Photo identification (see details in Part 2) in order to collect your runner number, timing tag and kitbag (see below for more info).

Probably just the magazine so, haven’t seen it yet.

sideswipe

Hope the training is going well for everybody?

Peak milage has me creaking like old door. Getting through it though and starting to look forward to it.

Anybody know if drinks are in bottles or cups?

robinph

sideswipe wrote: »

Anybody know if drinks are in bottles or cups?

It's in bottles, not as conveniently small as the DCM ones though so lots of wastage.

bigslice

I see the organizers have started the countdown and the “25 days to go” graphic doing the rounds on their social media. I’m sure they will kindly remind us of the days on a regular basis now!

Been a frustrating training block between some injuries that haven’t been fully shaken off and the delightful weather which ground everything to a halt at times, the joys of relying on rural roads for training.

Next few weeks will set the bar for target. At start of training block it was 2.45 but don’t think that’s doable, so will try for PB under the 2.49 mark unless I just gamble on the day.

Flying in Friday morning and out Sunday evening.

For anyone in the know, is there any shower locations in and around the finish area, one of those pay as you go Gyms even? Just to get some sort of freshness before the flight home, other wise it be baby wipes and hope the fellow passenger can bear it!

robinph

The registration emails have started to arrive with the final instructions link and your race number.

bigslice

Email landed this morning.

Itziger

Nearly time for an old target table folks. The usual rules apply. Absolutely no sandbagging and No mention of snow !!

Race number and target and maybe pb. Let the fun and games begin.

OOnegative

Itziger wrote: »

Nearly time for an old target table folks. The usual rules apply. Absolutely no sandbagging and No mention of snow !!

Race number and target and maybe pb. Let the fun and games begin.

Get the lads on the Rotterdam thread to do the same, that’s closer Boss!

ISOP

bigslice wrote: »

I see the organizers have started the countdown and the “25 days to go” graphic doing the rounds on their social media. I’m sure they will kindly remind us of the days on a regular basis now!

Been a frustrating training block between some injuries that haven’t been fully shaken off and the delightful weather which ground everything to a halt at times, the joys of relying on rural roads for training.

Next few weeks will set the bar for target. At start of training block it was 2.45 but don’t think that’s doable, so will try for PB under the 2.49 mark unless I just gamble on the day.

Flying in Friday morning and out Sunday evening.

For anyone in the know, is there any shower locations in and around the finish area, one of those pay as you go Gyms even? Just to get some sort of freshness before the flight home, other wise it be baby wipes and hope the fellow passenger can bear it!

payg gym here with showers
https://www.thegymgroup.com/find-a-gym/charing-cross/

gucci

bigslice wrote: »

Email landed this morning.

woooooooooop same here. the nerves have started and my legs feel shattered, so in other words everything is normal about 3 weeks out from a marathon!! :P

overthebridge

Munster's Semi- Final fixture in the Champions Cup has been scheduled for 315pm the day of the marathon.
What's the best/nearest pub to the finish line for watching, that might have grub and a big telly ?

robinph

The Silver Cross on Whitehall has screens I believe, it will be rammed though being one of the closest hostelrys to the finish.

ISOP

overthebridge wrote: »

Munster's Semi- Final fixture in the Champions Cup has been scheduled for 315pm the day of the marathon.
What's the best/nearest pub to the finish line for watching, that might have grub and a big telly ?

Waxy O'Connors is not too far away in Picadilly Circus

Djoucer

Any good Mile by mile course descriptions? Location of inclines/tough spots to watch out for/ which parts are considered fast etc.

Had a google and no decent results, just clickbait stuff.

AAD

From my memory of two years ago, this mostly applies to areas to watch your footing on, after the under pass going into the docklands area (canary wharf) when you climb out of the tunnel and they had a lucozade sport drinks station, everyone had ground to a halt on left and right so made it a bottle neck, then also right in canary wharf they placed a water station round 50 yards ahead of a cobbled road, I saw around five or six people around me lose their feet here as the cobbles were all smoking wet, one had to give up as head smashed his head badly.

Gavlor

Djoucer wrote: »

Any good Mile by mile course descriptions? Location of inclines/tough spots to watch out for/ which parts are considered fast etc.

Had a google and no decent results, just clickbait stuff.

Three main tips:

1: the first 3 miles are downhill. So dont go too fast!

2: your watch will lose signal in canary wharf so make sure to use a pace band

3: The snipers tend to position themselves just at the top of the incline from the tunnel leading into embankment. I’ve never seen anything like the 25 meters after that, it’s carnage. Take it nice and easy on that hill and you’re home and hosed!

overthebridge

Gavlor wrote: »

Three main tips:

1: the first 3 miles are downhill. So dont go too fast!

2: your watch will lose signal in canary wharf so make sure to use a pace band

3: The snipers tend to position themselves just at the top of the incline from the tunnel leading into embankment. I’ve never seen anything like the 25 meters after that, it’s carnage. Take it nice and easy on that hill and you’re home and hosed!

Great tips here.. Have they got pace bands at the expo ?

Glencarraig

overthebridge wrote: »

Great tips here.. Have they got pace bands at the expo ?

afaik the Lucozade stand will have pace bands.

overpronator

Yep in previous years there has been pace bands at the Lucozade stand.

Anybody got the fear after the carnage in the Rotterdam thread!?

innuendo141

overpronator wrote: »

Yep in previous years there has been pace bands at the Lucozade stand.

Anybody got the fear after the carnage in the Rotterdam thread!?

Jeeckust I juts had a look at it there. A tough day out by all accounts!!!

Djoucer

overpronator wrote: »

Yep in previous years there has been pace bands at the Lucozade stand.

Anybody got the fear after the carnage in the Rotterdam thread!?

Yup. The sudden realisation that late April is dangerously close to summer and warm sunny days.

The Davestator

innuendo141 wrote: »

Jeeckust I juts had a look at it there. A tough day out by all accounts!!!

Rome was 22 degrees and carnage too yesterday:eek:

innuendo141

The Davestator wrote: »

Rome was 22 degrees and carnage too yesterday:eek:

God, I was registered for Rome but deferred after getting London thank god. Note taken of the weather though. Paris was scorching last year too, really drained me. It was hard not to bathe in every hose pipe you ran through!

Glencarraig

Djoucer wrote: »

Yup. The sudden realisation that late April is dangerously close to summer and warm sunny days.

Accuweather is suggesting 14 - 15 degrees and cloudy for April 22nd.

robinph

Looks like I'm out.

Had a bit of disruption through training with a couple of illnesses and the weather disruption messing with a few target races, but was all looking to be back on track after taking a minute off my 20mile PB a couple of weeks ago... Then I got wiped out with the flu and barely moving or eating anything for over a week. Clothes could do with being taken in a notch or two and still a way from being fit enough to get up and down the stairs without needing a rest at the top.

Whilst deferring doesn't really make much odds as I already have a time for next year, looks like I'm going to have to accept I'll not be getting a VLM finishers tshirt this year.



I am now trying to get excited about watching it live on the course for a change, something I've not done since I was in short trousers.

Gavlor

overthebridge wrote: »

Great tips here.. Have they got pace bands at the expo ?

DIY just incase. Cover both sides in sellotape and away you go!

https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/training/runners-world-pace-band-generator

overthebridge

Gavlor wrote:

DIY just incase. Cover both sides in sellotape and away you go!

Thank you.

Goose76

I'll be in London as a spectator for this - any recommendations for good points to watch?

I know it's a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question but just curious

best of luck to all competing!

robinph

Depending on the speed of the people you are wanting to see then around 6 miles (Cutty Sark), take foot tunnel under the river to somewhere between mile 15-18 (depending on your speed, who you are trackings speed, you'll potentially be able to see at a couple of points here), hop on DLR/ underground to somewhere along the Embankment mile 23-25, then around to the finish meet area.

However, the DLR potentially not running could seriously scupper those plans, and if you are watching for someone in the 3:30hrs+ range then getting through the area around Cutty Sark could be too much of a nightmare as it will be very crowded.

If you just want one spot to hang out in then the north side of the river beside Tower Bridge might be a good location as it will be crowded and plenty happening for a good while with different races going in different directions so you'd see a lot going on.

village runner

robinph wrote: »

Looks like I'm out.

Had a bit of disruption through training with a couple of illnesses and the weather disruption messing with a few target races, but was all looking to be back on track after taking a minute off my 20mile PB a couple of weeks ago... Then I got wiped out with the flu and barely moving or eating anything for over a week. Clothes could do with being taken in a notch or two and still a way from being fit enough to get up and down the stairs without needing a rest at the top.

Whilst deferring doesn't really make much odds as I already have a time for next year, looks like I'm going to have to accept I'll not be getting a VLM finishers tshirt this year.



I am now trying to get excited about watching it live on the course for a change, something I've not done since I was in short trousers.

Loads of time left to recover