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TCS London Marathon 2024

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larkim
larkim
Mar 2024
9:19pm, 25 Mar 2024
23,584 posts
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larkim
Does ExCel count as central london? Felt pretty far out when we travelled on the DLR there last time! My small town mentality!!

Wembley park sounds a good option, apart from the fact that I've got a sneaking suspicion that it's FA Cup semi final weekend that weekend so Wembley might be a busy area.

Just trying to avoid 3.5 hours drive, 1.5 hours tube, expo, 1.5 hours tube if I can help it. The 3.5 hours is unavoidable, so I guess trimming the travel to the expo seems the bit I can squeeze.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!
Fitz
Fitz
Mar 2024
9:11am, 26 Mar 2024
3,642 posts
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Fitz
Yes, FA Cup semis on Sat and Sun 20/21 April, both Manchester clubs involved so expect plenty of M6 / M1 traffic both days.

Personally, I would forget about driving around / through London to get to & from Expo. If your digs are near Edgware tube and there are no eng. works on the Northern Line, just bring a book, newspaper or downloads of your choice and suck it up on the tube:

Northern line to Bank, DLR to Custom House. Or if the Bank end of the DLR is closed on the weekend, it's a short walk from Bank to Tower Gateway instead.
larkim
larkim
Mar 2024
11:24am, 26 Mar 2024
23,589 posts
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larkim
Thanks Fitz. That was what we did last year, though last year we came down on the Friday. We broke up the trip back from the Expo with a little light sightseeing, so could still do the same this year, maybe eat "in town" rather than out at Edgware to avoid it feeling like we're just travelling all day.

The only downside is that there'll be me and my better half (both running) and then 1 offspring and 1 parent with us too, so they have to do whatever we do. I suppose we could leave them to do some sightseeing in London while we go out to the expo to pick up numbers etc, as in truth the Expo isn't really that exciting a "thing", just a glorified trade show with little of interest to a non-runner.

At least the consensus seems to be don't bother trying to drive around to the expo instead, so that has been helpful!

Is there a consensus on where is actually the "best" location to stay? Not a big hassle in the grand scheme of things, but with the start and end in different places it does mean there is no perfect solution, unless money is no object. I like our Edgware option, apart from post-race where 30-40 minutes on the tube before a 3 hour drive isn't really ideal.
Nicholls595
Nicholls595
Mar 2024
11:30am, 26 Mar 2024
31,677 posts
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Nicholls595
I've booked a Travelodge at Kings Cross. Train down Friday morning, dump bags at station, I'll head off across London to the Expo while Mrs and Mini Nico do touristy things. Meet back later to retrieve bags and check in. Mini Nico is staying with a cousin who lives near Camden, so Saturday the 3 of them will be doing more touristy stuff, probably Madness themed? I will be dossing on the bed watching telly, doing my best to take on carbs and liquid.

Any advice on best route to the start on Sunday morning?
larkim
larkim
Mar 2024
11:35am, 26 Mar 2024
23,590 posts
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larkim
It was rammed, but I did London Bridge to Blackheath overground last year. Pretty simple apart from the over-crowding and was well signed (mostly!); that was to the "yellow" start, which was effectively the red start if memory serves just with different starting pens.

I think we only found out those details about 1 week out from the race, so expecting the same this year.
Velociraptor
Velociraptor
Apr 2024
9:33pm, 2 Apr 2024
68,413 posts
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Velociraptor
As expected, the GFA cut-off times have been tightened up, though not by as much as I'd thought they might be. Five minutes off for me.
tcslondonmarathon.com
larkim
larkim
Apr 2024
9:38pm, 2 Apr 2024
23,619 posts
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larkim
I suppose it all depends on the cut offs applied below those times too. Shame they publish these before the race though, my better half had sub 4:00 in her head as GFA and now 3:55 feels a bit tougher.
Velociraptor
Velociraptor
Apr 2024
9:44pm, 2 Apr 2024
68,414 posts
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Velociraptor
Yes, the headline numbers are more about limiting the number of GFA applications they have to process than anything else.
KinkyS
KinkyS
Apr 2024
10:24pm, 2 Apr 2024
18,276 posts
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KinkyS
Whilst the times themselves aren't unreasonable, I do feel sorry for all those who ran an Autumn 2023 marathon and thought they were OK and now it's too late to have another crack, and all those who had a plan for Manchester, London etc who now only have 2-3 weeks to get their head around a new target. Why can't they announce the qualifying times before the start of the qualifying period on Oct 1st? It's almost like they don't really care about GFA compared to the elite and charity runners...
Velociraptor
Velociraptor
Apr 2024
10:30pm, 2 Apr 2024
68,415 posts
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Velociraptor
I agree, that is a bit rough, KinkyS. I'm sort of in that position in that I'm less than five weeks out from a GFA attempt, but I'd already factored in a likely tightening up of the required time so if I fail it won't be because I was aiming at the wrong target.

About This Thread

Maintained by GregP
Early start for the 2024 thread.

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