To think the London marathon isn't all it's cracked up to be?

[Upstairsdownstairs30]

Starting a thread as have no one to talk about this with in real life...

I ran the London marathon on Sunday, it was my first ever marathon. All of my friends and family made such an effort to support me throughout the marathon and training for it... BUT I didnt have the best experience and didn't get the huge high I was expecting to feel at the end..?

I felt like there were so many people I had no space to run and kept barging into people, I also don’t think other people running it were that chatty? I've always had lots of people strike up conversations at local half marathons but London... none? (Maybe it was my focus face?) The course also wasn’t that exciting, it was mostly just high streets and by the time you got to the landmark I was too tired to notice. The finish line was also ready odd. I thought it would be really obvious but just looked like the bridge they'd set up for spectators so wasn't 100% sure I'd actually finished, there also wasn't the music/ party atmosphere I expected?

Is it just me or has anyone else experienced this sense of anticlimax? I expected a massive rush! Is it just me? Or is it because I was 4 minutes off the finish time I wanted?

It's ten years since I ran it, but I found it an amazing atmosphere. I felt lifted and buoyed by the crowd and their support. I flew up the Mall high as a kite.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it.

I think the fact you managed to train and run with a young baby is amazing @Upstairsdownstairs30 , I have a two year old and have barely run further than 10k since he was born, despite having done a few marathons in the past. I ran London in 2017 and 2018 and absolutely loved it - yes it was very crowded, and 2018 was HOT, but the atmosphere was incredible. My pb marathon (Brighton) will always be special but London is probably my favourite regardless.

Sorry you’re feeling a bit flat, but think how you can move on and progress. Halfs and 10ks will seem much easier now…

I ran it in 2016 and hated it. Too crowded. Give me a smaller race nay day.

I’ve run it several times as have always managed a GFA and ran it this year and loved it. Without wishing to sound up my own arse, I always hate miles 3-5 after the merge as faster runners converge with much slower and I’ve been in positions where I’m getting shoved out of the ways by the skinny 2:45 lads and where I’ve been desperately trying to weave round the 4hrs + folks depending on what start I’ve been in. Apart from that it’s mint

I'm signed up for different marathon.
I grew up watching the familarity of London, but actually I don't want to do it.
I don't want the pressure of a ballot place and I certainly don't want to do fundraising.
I think the crowds of runners would be overwhelming.

It's kind of too big, too special, too much expectation on top of training for and running 26.2mi and too awkward to repeat and reset the experience.

I've chosen one where I've paid my place, do it/ don't do it (I had to defer due to injury this year) and repeat if I wish. If I can't train healthily again, I've lost a bit of money, but not that rarity of a ballot place.

This does sound very different to my experience when I ran in 2016 - I really enjoyed it, you feel famous when the crowd shouts your name encouraging you onwards! Lots of music along the way, a very celebratory feel. Sounds as if it's changed a lot.

Without wishing to sound up my own arse, I always hate miles 3-5 after the merge as faster runners converge with much slower

I get what you mean @Lastqueenofscotland2 - you get a similar thing on a much smaller scale at the York marathon, as essentially there's three races on the same time on the same course.
As well as the marathon, they have a marathon relay, which tends to attract people running as part of a work team who wouldn't want to try a full marathon. Nothing wrong with that in theory, but in practice you get a lot of people walking, sometimes 2 or 3 abreast, or running very slowly, so you have to weave around them.

Then, the 10 mile course also converges with the marathon course, at what is 22 miles into the marathon but only halfway through the 10 miler. This means that after you've run 22 miles you're now running with people who are going all-out for a good 10 mile time and are going significantly faster than you - which is dispiriting and a bit confusing at the same time..

Totally agree with you on the course being dull. I ran on Sunday and felt it was too busy. I was wave 8 and felt it was busy the majority of the way through. I thought me thinking it was a bit boring was because I’m a Londoner so see the sights all the time.

I can recommend Paris. You start with all the landmarks so it’s exciting from the start. Plus no ballot needed, and it’s so well organised.

I think London Bridge aside and the last few miles you could of been anywhere really!

That said I live near the countryside so I'm not used to city running!

Will deffo think about Paris, I said never again but am secretly planning what I need to do to shave of 5 minutes from my time 😂

Another recommendation for Paris. Fast, flat, great support and for me the most scenic race I’ve enjoyed. I really felt like I was in Paris not some anonymous route. Their aid stations were good with a variety of food sources which I far prefer to Lucozade which I hate. They had things like pretzels and cake!

I was thinking of entering the ballot for next year (highly unlikely I’d get in anyway) but the busyness is putting me off. I don’t want to waste energy weaving through people.

What was the toilet situation like? I wouldn’t want to be in a holding pen for an hour before the start unable to go to the loo. Or have to queue for ages. This is putting me off.

I quite like a boring route though - then I can zone out. I did Dorney Lake half Marathon - it’s 4 times round the lake - but goes by quite quickly. I’m quite tempted by the marathon there. 8 times round the lake and done. Flat and fast.

Also tempted by Paris but I worry it will be warm. I think I just need to do a winter one.

Yes, London is less good than Paris.

OP, how did you only do 34 minutes longer for a marathon than a half? That is some staggering improvement!!

A friend of mine runs marathons carrying an ironing board! He did Berlin 2 weeks ago, London last week and is doing Chicago on Sunday!
Another friend says Dublin is the best as the crowds are so nice, throwing sweets and bags of tayto at you as you run past!

I ran London last year and thought it was too crowded at times and not as exciting as I'd hoped. I still got a pb though. It got me into Boston, which I ran this year. That was special. Hilly though! Manchester is a great one for support and a flat course. I'd love to run Berlin for a time or Big Sur for the scenery.

Do it! Enter the ballot! Don't let the busyness put you off. I didn't have any issues with it at all - and I'm as mid-pack as they come. I thought it was fine.

I just looked through my official photos (all 150 of them), and the look on my face is amazing. I'm either smiling and clearly enjoying myself, or just in total awe of what was going on around me. I LOVE them. They sum up how I felt about the experience completely. I deliberately kept my phone in my pocket throughout, to just be in the moment, and I'm so glad I did. The photographers have captured it much better than I could.

In terms of the toilets - I was at the start nice and early, so I queued for the loo, but the queue moved really quickly, so after I dropped my bag I queued again. And then I still had nothing to do before my wave was called, so I went again! There was so little hanging around, it was really well organised. Once your wave was called, you just had a few minutes before being moved to the start. Within the first mile I decided I needed a wee (again), and after just over a mile were some loos with no queue so I made a pitstop. I didn't need to stop after that. There were loos everywhere though, and no queues to speak of. Occasionally there were a few people, but not many.

In terms of the weather, there's nothing you can do about that. I really didn't want to run an Autumn marathon because of summer training. It was actually really warm on Sunday, but it could equally have been single figure temps. Same in April - could be warm, could be wet and cold. It applies anywhere - I ran a marathon abroad where the seasonal average said it should be high teens... it was 25c an hour before we set off (when it was still dark at 7am), and 35c at the finish.

I was 3 minutes off the finish time I was expecting and I’ve been feeling the same. I would 100% agree with the not really very chatty thing. Other than a nice lady behind me in the toilet queue, I didn’t chat to anyone. As we waited to get going I made a few comments to people, expecting to start up a conversation but people just weren’t really up for a chat at all. I found it so exciting before it, loved the excel, start area etc but my observations on the actual course were…

• not many supporters at all in the first bit. Everyone on a Facebook group I’m on couldn’t emphasise enough how you SHOULD NOT take earphones because the crowd are so amazing. I wore mine round my neck but within about 2 minutes of starting, running along in silence, I thought ‘oh, I’m going to need these then’.
• omg, could not get past people at all. It was so crowded and I kept thinking it would get better soon and somehow spread out but I would say it was like that until at least half way! I was worried about going off too fast but that ended up being impossible as I was forced to slow jog or even walk at parts because we were running through slower runners. I’m all for the slower runners btw - just don’t think the waves should have been mixed as it’s not good for anyone
• Tower bridge was the only time when I got that big moment I felt. I turned the corner and didn’t expect it to be there so soon. The crowd were amazing and I loved every second of running across it.
• shortly after that though the novelty of a crowd and people shouting my name wore off. Literally anyone could have popped up at the side and I wouldn’t have cared less. The last 10k was extremely boring with nothing to look at
• I ended up running a full km further than I was supposed to which was annoying as I would have got sub 4 hours if it had stopped when I’d run a marathon distance but it obviously didn’t
• the finish line I was also majorly underwhelmed. I turned the worlds longest corner and had to question whether that was it or if there was another one further on. I didn’t get that big moment on the mall that I’d looked forward to for all the months of training. I didn’t even bother running over the line smiling with my arms in the air.

The only thing I would say is I’m just so glad to be hobbling around with sore muscles and black toe nails because despite all of my complaints at least I’m alive and got to the finish safely, which sadly one runner didn’t 😔 Haven’t stopped thinking about him since and how much his family must just be analysing why he decided to run it etc, when the rest of us were lucky enough to come home after it

I ended up running a full km further than I was supposed to which was annoying

While this is undoubtedly worse at London, to some extent this does happen at all marathons - my Strava tells me I ran 26.8 miles the last time I did Brighton, for example.

the additional distance at London is very likely to be gps issues at Canary Wharf tbf

Toilet situation in. Queue looked long but was maybe 5 minutes

Thanks @ReviewingTheSituation that definitely makes me feel better about that lol situation. And I guess people were still doing good times despite weaving through crowds/being slowed down. Will enter the ballot and see.

Well done to everyone who completed it.

I’m also tempted by Edinburgh- I’ve heard it’s a nice flat course and more chance of cool weather in Scotland.

The first time I did London I was overwhelmed with the noise and crowds (in a good way) and I thought the atmosphere was absolutely amazing. The 2nd time I did it, I was in a different head space and I found it overwhelming in a "too much/too crowded/claustrophobic/too noisy" sort of way.
When I watch it on TV I'm always surprised at the Tower of London, I've literally never noticed it, i don't think you can appreciate canary wharf properly from the ground because you can't exactly look up while you're running, and I'm embarrassed to say I only noticed Buckingham Palace the 3rd or 4th time I did it! 🤣
I've done it 5 times and I (mostly) love it, and I want to do it again. However I agree with @ReviewingTheSituation that it's not the be all and end a of marathons. It slightly annoys me when people enter the ballot, don't get in...and then give up the idea of a marathon or running altogether. There are other marathons and half marathons to enjoy.
Next year I'm going to do Brighton which I think has a brilliant atmosphere and it's much more spectator friendly too. I'm pleased to hear they're not doing the power station loop though!

I've never run a marathon (and never will, too much training and injury risk) but I have run the Cologne half, which was the same day as the marathon and is very flat. Berlin and Chicago seem good bets for fast times as well.

In the UK Chester gets good reviews. Loch Ness is good for scenery, as is Jersey.

I'd boycott Brighton as they haven't paid the elites their prize money and like messing up the distance!

I ran it years ago and loved the atmosphere. I would say that I started training in jan for the april race on the get ne round programme. We were pretty much at the back so noone was in race mode wanting a pb but more the experience. I think many are very serious runners who want a good time so dont chit chat.

@ReviewingTheSituation I had no idea London was viewed as especially special. Surely all marathons are the same? unless you’re in the desert or something.

London is one of the six Marathon Majors.

And no they're not all the same; that's just daft. That's like saying the Great North Run with 50,000 other people is the same as running 13.1 miles on your own through the back roads of Doncaster on a Sunday morning. Of course it's not the same - it's about atmosphere, crowds, sights, the noise that spurs you on.
The last few miles of a marathon are generally quite hideous (well if you're going for a PB they are) and if you're on your own, running in pain in silence, it's gruesome. But crowds around, and music, and the encouragement of other runners, can really keep you going and be that difference between a good time and a disappointing one.

Of course they're different.

They're all the same length, and that's about it.

The Southend Pier marathon, where you run up and down the pier for the distance is wildly different to the Exmoor marathon across moorland and along the coast.