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the
price: it is unbelievable expensive, it's a sin
(for British residents it's alright: 30 Pound, but as an overseas
runner you pay 65 quid,
and overseas travel agencies have to pay a multiple of this.
Charities pay 250 pds per number!),
the number is not transferable, no money back when you can't run
(at least a guaranteed place for the following year - after
paying once more!)
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no
breakfast fun run on the day before
-
no
Pasta-Party (now micro wave pasta is offered for 7 pds at the expo)
-
results for master
classes only mentioned on slip of paper and results data base, no
special honours
-
no
food offered on the route (but 2 stations with Lucozade Gel) and just a goodie bag containing some
snacks at the finish
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no
massage offered at the finish (twice on the route)
-
certificate (a modest
one) only available as online buy for 5 pds
-
the official website
has improved significantly;
however, information for overseas runners are still very modest; no
mail-contact offered, hotline english speaking only
-
individual online
entry only via lottery, guaranteed places for overseas
runners only when
booking the whole weekend with an agency,
or for British residents via
charity
-
the course is not
really flat, especially the red route; I measured 145 meters of
height difference. And it can still get quite dense on the Isle of
Dogs. The blue start is rather slow for runners from pen 4 onwards.
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perfectly
organized registration at the Expo (thursday to saturday) ,
no queues even during the rush hour at saturday afternoon
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exhibition
fits to the size of the event, high quality souvenirs by sponsor
adidas, although expensive
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big
and well organised start area,
drinks on offer, baggage vehicles close to the start,
countless toilets at the start
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27
big drink stations, water from Nestlé in reclosable 330ml-bottles
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every 5 miles plenty
of energy drinks, Lucozade Sport, in reclosable 330ml-bottles
-
500
toilets on the route, Vaseline offered by members of
St.-John-Ambulance
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spectators
offering a range of food like cookies, fruit e.c.
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attractive
route: Mile 6-7 in
Greenwich, circling the Cutty Sark (Sailing boat), with masses of
spectators; mile 12,5 Tower Bridge
the total highlight; Mile 19 underpass of Canary Wharf Tower,
I enjoyed mile 15-18 on the Isle of Dogs as well, because the road
gets narrower and the atmosphere can be felt; after turning right at mile 25
and Big Ben, the finish with royal surroundings is just pure enjoyment
-
completely
free of traffic, the other side of the road is mostly closed while
spectators can move freely on foot, and around the finish area one gets the
impression the whole part of the city is closed for traffic
-
well
organised, while in parts very crowded finish area, kitbag
re-handing without problems, many helpful people, who check whether
you are alright
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the
main attraction of the London-Marathon are the runners themselves.
Countless imaginatively costumed participants (some of them really
fast running), all of them and the masses of spectators in a very
good mood,
74 Pubs along the route, most of them with live bands or at least
music boxes out on the street ...
aah,
I should stop that now otherwise I get too excited again, there are
arguments missing on the red side -
I better wait for your opinion at the forum.
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