What can I do in London for 2 to 3 hours on a Sunday?

[00100001]

So the husband is running a marathon in London on Sunday I'm dropping off home I'm dropping him off at 9:30 having to pick him up around 1 or so. What can I do for the two 3 hours that I have spare?

Would be good to do something interesting make use of the time we're not in London very often maybe 3 or 4 times a year

London is heaving on marathon day, but galleries etc will still be open.

Also there's tons of road closures so best plan your route accordingly.

What sort of things do you enjoy?

Spitalfields Market! If you like that kind of thing.

Where will the drop-off be? And where can you park? Budgeting for car parking will be major. Best to minimise travel time and do something near to the drop off?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to watch the marathon? Otherwise - goodness it’s London - the world is your Oyster.

Where are you picking up?
by car??
If so where would you leave the car in the meantime?

If you mean the London marathon- have you worked out the logistics of dropping him off and picking him up?

Roads are closed and parking is very limited.

The whole of London?

Natural history museum ?

As PP have said I think you need to plan exactly where and when you are going to be to drop him and then pick him up, as those are going to be non-trivial on Sunday. Are you driving, when you say "drop him off" and "pick him up"? Are you dropping him at a train/tube station?

He knows he needs to come in a day or so before to pick up his race pack, right? Or have someone else pick it up. Saturday there is a train strike....

Where are you dropping him? You won't get close by car, and at the moment he won't know what colour start area he is in I would imagine so which tube/train station he needs won't be clear until he gets his pack I don't think.

Is he then coming back to Greenwich on the tube for you to collect him there? Or are you going to try to park somewhere nearer the end (which will be a serious challenge). If he's getting the tube back, it's quite likely to be 2-3 in the afternoon at least - he isn't guaranteed to start at 9.30 (his start wave will be in his pack), so he might not actually start until 11.

Either way, the roads and tubes will be very busy.

If you want to drop him and then drive into town, I would seriously consider booking a car park space somewhere like Hyde Park, although the drive will be horrendous thanks to the road closures.

Don't you want to watch at any point?

We're getting tube home from Green Park.

We're walking to start point.

Then I just have to meet him at the end near the Mall, getting tube home to national rail

Whybwoukd younnotngonand be p

So if he arrives at the start at 9.30 he will be crossing the start line about an hour later, then the finishing at 1? That's a 2.5 hour marathon he's expecting to do - are you sure your timings are correct? Either way, surely you would want to see him en-route and support him through his incredible achievement?

Won't you go and be part of the event. Enjoy the atmosphere and support him? See London at it's best?

Thousands of people will travel into London specifically to watch the race.

I'd make sure I dropped him off early enough to get to a spot in the second half before the elite runners come through.

I probably wouldn't go to the start with him, but arrange to meet at the finish. Getting around London on Marathon day requires patience!

Sorry 😆

I'd get to liverpool st station, spitalfields markets, Keep walking along bricklane where are more markets (upmarkets and one opposite), grab a salt beef beigal as you continue, cross Bethnal Green Rd and walk to Columbia flower markets.
Depending where you are returning to- either walk along Bethnal Green rd to Bethnal Green tube, or walk back to Shoreditch overground, and have a look at Boxpark shops too.

Emirates cable car - amazing and only £5 each way, spectacular views over the Thames

river boat

walk round battersea power station

tower bridge experience

Actually I'm very confused.

Dropping him off means accompanying him by train? And he's due at the start at 9:30 ( approx 30 mins before his scheduled start time?) then needs to get across the line and expects to be ready to meet you by 1pm?

After he crosses the line he has a fair way to walk, collect his bag and get to the meeting points. Unless he is one of the elite athletes? In Green Park they put up big signs with the letters of the alphabet. Agree which one you'll meet him at. No one's going anywhere quickly after the race because of the crowds.

Either way, the best thing to do in London on marathon day is watch the marathon.

Because this is marathon 7 and ice done the cheering on and all sorts....and it's boring Sorry.

We're walking from the hotel to the start.

I'll wave him off.

Then I have absolutely nothing to do until meeting him at the end around 4 hours later, so around 1pm

At which point we will walk to the tube and get the trains home.

So I have around 2-3 hours with nothing to do. Eg between the hours of 9:30-12:30 ish

Ah well, you're lost to me 😆 This will be my 16th year of either watching, running or volunteering. I wouldn't miss it.

He's run London 7 times? How has he managed that? If you've watched others but not London, this is completely different

You won't be able to go to the start with him anyway as it's competitors only in an enclosed area. Takes an hour or so to get over the start line plus marathon time. I assume he is an elite runner if he can run 2.5hrs? Takes a good 30-40 minutes the other end too with medals, then the bag drop then fighting your way through the crowds to Horseguards.
If you're really not bothered about watching then suggest you look at the route map and find something away from it else you're going to be stuck in massive crowds of people as it's HEAVING. Have a great day whatever you decide to do. Wish I was going up to watch but train is £56 for me so too much 😪