If you're running the London Marathon

[Rainyrunner]

Are you staying the night before in a hotel? How do logistics work with bags etc and is the Saturday insanely busy for the expo?

So excited for all of you running tomorrow! Hope it goes well!

I came to London on Thursday to pick up my number and kit bag. Work have an office here so was easy to pop along after work. The Expo is open from Weds -5.30pm Saturday and is the ONLY way to collect your number.

We drove back to London tonight, we are in a hotel near the start (30 mins DLR). My cousin is running too and they are in the same hotel but came to Expo today instead of earlier in the week. I have my kit laid out ready for the morning, then the kit bag they gave me full of change of clothes, wet wipes, flip flops etc. When I get to start tomorrow I will hand it in the correct lorry number and go and line up in my wave.

After the race (eeeek) they will give you a medal and goody bag and you will be corralled down the Mall past all the lorries with kit bags on. The volunteers are AMAZING and have an incredible system where the pick out the bags of those crossing the line and just hand it to you, you don’t have to ask or look (apparently they are experienced in the kind of mush your brain is post marathon!).

It all happens within minutes of the finish, unbelievably well organised and you don’t need to worry about it- you can enjoy your victory and go and celebrate!

That's amazing! Sounds very well organised. Is the kit bag they give you standard race size kit bag, A4ish?

I'm so excited for you running tomorrow, I hope you have an amazing run!!

Was your hotel expensive?

I was at the Expo today. Collecting my bib was no bother. 2 people in front in my queue so in and out in 5 minutes. It was very busy in the shopping area though and I had a quick look around before escaping.
Hotels expensive if you leave it too late to book but find otherwise , well in so far as London is always more expensive

I think it’s double that size? Some people stay overnight alone so literally put their entire overnight bags in there if they don’t have people supporting all the way through!

In previous years we went on the Friday and back on Sunday. Stayed near Waterloo Station. Down to the expo on the river taxi on Friday and chilled on Saturday. Friday night was cheap, Saturday was expensive. Waterloo has facility to leave luggage so we dropped off bags Sunday morning on way to start.

Good luck to everyone taking part today, enjoy.