I Was In The London Olympic Marathon
By AndrewR
13 comments
In the crowd, not the race (hope you weren’t disappointed after you read the title).
Having watched the women’s marathon last weekend, I decided that somewhere around the City of London offered the best chance of getting a place where the crowds weren’t so thick. So I got the tube to Bank Station, came up the stairs and found the last spot right at the front by the barriers.
Only an hour and a half to wait for the race to start. This point was about five to six miles into the race, so it would still be another half an hour after that before the first runners arrived. But as the race went in circles, we would see them come past three times.
Twenty minutes to go and one of the race marshalls got everyone practising Mexican waves as he ran one hundred metres along the road. We got quite good at it after three attempts! By now there were a couple of helicopters overhead, probably doing the overhead camera shots. A whistle blew, a security car drove past, then the lead car with the time clock on top, then the first runners. Blimey, they’re going fast….
Oh dear, I’ll have to get them on the next lap
Here’s Scott Overall, the lead Brit on the first lap (by the third, he was struggling badly and dropping back)
By the third lap, three of the Africans had broken away
And the field was stretching out
After a long wait, this chap got a huge cheer – he was the last runner
And then the sweeper bus followed (to pick up any of the runners who dropped out)
Finally it was time to come home to watch it all on video tonight. Please don’t tell me the result!
12 Aug, 2012
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Comments
Fab photos and we watched on telly it was good to see but for you to be in the atmosphere Andrew was the icing on the cake.
12 Aug, 2012
Must have been an incredible atmosphere....they said it was very hot and the runners needed to hydrate often........you hada marvellous view, thanks for sharing
12 Aug, 2012
it looked epic on the tv....:-)
12 Aug, 2012
It was pretty hot in London, Pam, but there was a good breeze yesterday. Glad you enjoyed it Andrew - I watched the winners get their medals last night as part of the closing ceremony, 'spect you did too...
I moaned like billyo about the Olympics, like nearly all other Londoners, before they started - but I have to say, the very air was singing in London for the last couple of weeks with an electric, positive energy and a strong sense of connectedness. It was wonderful, regardless of the fact I'm not in the least interested in sport... I imagine you felt that when you were there.
13 Aug, 2012
We felt it was up in the Midlands, .....like you Bamboo we were ambivalent but after the opening ceremony the country seemed gripped....and so very included.....in this amazing spectacle, I could never have dreamed these last weeks, and last night was ...well...outstanding, no words...
We were enthralled .....
13 Aug, 2012
Me too, well, by the opening and closing ceremonies anyway - I have to confess I never watched any of the events, just caught up on the news at the end of the day. Not a sporty gal, me, never have been... But I could feel the difference in the air.
13 Aug, 2012
The equestrian for me....as a child showjumping on tv started a love of horses and having a couple of shetland ponies as pets...little perrishers but good fun really
Then I just had to watch some finals, the rowing with those girls,. Bradley wiggins and chris hoy..... Well I could go on!!.
Wonderful wasn't it.... :0))
13 Aug, 2012
I'd like to have seen Andrew running the marathon though, lol...
Mo Farrer, what a joy, such a fantastic face he's got.
13 Aug, 2012
His eyes said it all.........and his daughter so excited for him with no stuffy officials stopping her giving her dad a big hug
13 Aug, 2012
Bamboo - in my younger days, I ran lots of marathons (including London). Have you ever run one? No excuses!
13 Aug, 2012
I,ve always struggled to run for a bus......
13 Aug, 2012
I'm not surprised by that Andrew - you have the build of a runner. Clearly, now you've met me, it should be obvious that I don't, lol - if my life depended on running, I'd be dead... so the answer to your question is, no, absolutely not. I'd probably need surgery if I had to run for a bus... but cycling, now, that's different - I biked everywhere for nearly 10 years, but not recently.
13 Aug, 2012
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That looked a great day Andrew.
12 Aug, 2012