Huge queues for loos at the start were inexcusable, says Dr Jo Sacks, but the sights and sounds of historic central London were simply stunning.
Fun Factor
This race had a huge amount of fun associated with it. There were signs up around the course, telling you where and when to look for all the major London Landmarks; there were historical displays and reenactments relevant to the part of the course you were running. I learned a lot on route!
But for me, the absolute highlight of the day was running down Cheapside with the Bow Bells ringing out ... it was truly spine tingling. I also got a bit of hayfever at that point - well, I assume that's why my eyes were leaking anyway.
How was it for Loo?
In a word, dreadful. But let me expand. For several days before the race, the organisers were sending emails warning that there would be very few Portaloos at the start of the race due to “organisational issues and the location of the start area.”
You might say that’s fair enough: the start was on Pall Mall and the race village was essentially Trafalgar Square. In my opinion, its far from fair enough - 10,000 runners need a pee before a race.
Luckily for me, I had a friend spectating who seems to know the location of every Starbucks (other coffee shops are available) in the world, so she took me to one very close to the start. I saw only four or five loos in Trafalgar Square, and I do not need to tell you what the queue was like. Suffice to say every restaurant and cafe close by had a queue as well. I was extremely grateful to my friend Robin that morning.
Bling: Fiddy Cent or Tuppence
Ha’penny?
Well, they totally redeemed themselves fro the loo debacle with the bling. It’s AMAZING! Basically the London Eye, but hinged, so it opens, with the map of the course inside.
AND the medal was given to you by a character associated especially with London - there were Pearly Kings and Queens and historical figures, but I waited to get my medal from a Chelsea Pensioner.
Good Grub or Cruel Gruel?
Sports drinks, water and granola bars handed out at the end - the usual fare. Of course, you are in the middle of central London when you finish, though, so whatever you want to eat is yours for the taking.
Flat Stanley or Humpty Dumpty?
Where do I even start about the course? Closed roads, central London. Do I need to say any more than that?
Oh, I do? Well, the start is on Pall Mall, you run through Trafalgar Square, around Aldwych, over Waterloo bridge then along the embankment and up past St Pauls. Several loops of the City of London, then back to the embankment, up to the Tower of London, back along the embankment to Westminster, with a finish on Whitehall just by Downing Street. Just incredible.
The only negative to the course is that there are a large number of 90 and 180 degree turns, so if you are thinking “ooh it’ll be a fast one because London is flat” then you might want to take a peek at the course map.
Huge demand, a course to die for and a tricky start: Dr Jo's race story
When the London Landmarks Half was released, I was lucky. It was my day off, I knew it was being released and I hit the website at 0900 on the nose. Because, the number of times the London Marathon has rejected me, I thought, this might be my only chance to run closed roads in London.
The race is owned by Tommy’s The Baby Charity, so they only sold half the places on general release and the rest were held back as charity places. But the interest in the race was HUGE: I went back to try and get my husband a place after completing my own entry and it had sold out. In nine minutes. If you want to run this race, be fast!
Communication between entry and race day was great. However, when my pack arrived, it became clear they had not quite thought the baggage drop through. Like a lot of events these days, they issued a bag, which was the ONLY bag they were going to accept in baggage drop. Fair enough. But no number sticker for the bag.
I read the race instructions and what they planned to do was number the bag at drop off ... and give you a wristband? No idea how this worked in practice as I had a friend spectating and didn’t use baggage drop but beware, the bag was no way big enough for me to get the warm layers I would have wanted to take to a March half marathon if I'd been travelling alone.
"I did not care in the least that I had to keep turning round and running loops."
They also sent out the t-shirt - a very distinctive, bright yellow with a silhouette of the London Skyline - in advance. I think they were anticipating a lot of people running in them, and many did. I’m bit superstitious and that is a big no-no for me; I wouldn’t wear a race shirt before I'd earned it.
A few days before, the emails warning about the loo situation started to arrive. But I’ve moaned about that already.
I travelled to London the day before the race, with my friend Robin, who is a veteran of multiple marathons and was coming along to spectate. She loves London, so any excuse. On the race morning we travelled by tube from our hotel in Docklands, took in the aforementioned loo stop and I headed off to the start.
Our numbers were colour coded, designed to correspond to our start pen and time. NOPE. As I arrived the first wave set off comprised of people with bibs of all colours. It became clear that they were essentially getting roughly the right number of people together for a wave, and then letting it go, regardless of who was in it. The early part of the course was crowded and narrow and this needs to be ironed out for the faster runners. (not me!)
The course was fabulous and, as it was dry, lots of people had turned out to support the runners. The level of cheering was better than I have ever heard in a race in the UK before. Aid stations were plentiful and there was loads of on-course entertainment, as if the sights themselves weren’t enough to distract you. I seriously loved this course. I did not care in the least that I had to keep turning round and running loops (which I usually hate).
The finish area was well organised: as well as the medal and food, there was a little towelling wristband with the London Landmarks logo and a zip pocket. I will never use this though as it was immediately stolen by my 11-year-old!
Being in central London meant I was met immediately after the finish area by Robin with a Pret a Manger coffee. Perfect. After an unsatisfactory start, this race got better and better for me.
If you are thinking of entering this or any other race, we can help with regular training planning and guidance. Happy running!
The London Landmarks Half Marathon took place on March 25, 2018. The 2019 race is on March 24.
Comments