Cons

Pros

• the price is much higher for international runners, 69 £ for British residents, but as an overseas runner you pay 146 £
  British Charities pay 250 £. Overseas travel agencies have to pay even more.
  Your 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!)

• no breakfast fun run on the day before

• no Pasta-Party (instant pasta is offered at the expo)

• results for master classes only mentioned at online certificate and results data base, no special honours

• no food offered on the route (but 2 stations with Lucozade Gel) and just a wee goodie bag containing drinks and a snack at the finish

• no massage offered at the finish, no showers

• certificate (a modest one) only available online for pdf-print

• 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.

• perfectly organized registration at the Expo (thursday to saturday) , no queues even during the rush hour at saturday afternoon

• exhibition fits to the size of the event, high quality souvenirs by sponsor new balance, although expensive

• big and well organised start area,
  drinks on offer, countless toilets at the start

• 23 big drink stations, water from Buxton in  250ml-bottles

• every 5 miles plenty of energy drinks, Lucozade Sport, in recycled cupx

• 500 toilets on the route

• spectators offering a range of food like cookies, fruit e.c.

• attractive route: Mile 6-7 in Greenwich, close to Cutty Sark (Sailing boat), with masses of spectators; mile 12,5 Tower Bridge the main highlight; Mile 19 underpass of Canary Wharf Tower,
  on the Isle of Dogs 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

• 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,
  countless Pubs along the route, most of them with live bands or at least music boxes out on the street ...