In exactly one year’s time the women’s marathon of the 2012 Olympic games will be underway right here in London. In celebration of this fact, last night I ran one lap of the 8 mile loops that the women’s and men’s marathon compertitors will do three times on the official course. And for your viewing pleasure – I took some pictures.
Hold on to your hats because this is a marathon post in more ways than one… and it involves me sweating and gurning. If you’re watching the event on TV, you might like to add to the fun on the big day by turning the marathon into a drinking game. Why not have a practice now? Drink everytime you see a London landmark.
We start on the Mall, in sight of Buckingham Palace (drink). London Marathon runners will know this as the final yards, so it might be a bit of a head-mess that this is the start as well as miles 2, 10, 18 and 26. Obviously not for me – as London Marathon keeps rejecting me.
A nice open straight for the first few 100m down The Mall takes runners through Admiralty Gate. Nice touch. And then it’s past Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column for the first of a few phallic landmarks we’ll be passing (drink twice for those).
We turn down towards the river and once on the Victoria Embankment we head past Cleopatra’s Needle which marks the 3, 11 and 19 mile point. You can’t see the Needle in this pic, just a scary sphinx, but it is our second phallic landmark.
Now, I tried to stick as close as I could to the actual route the Olympic field will be running, however at one point I did have to divert from the course slightly. See that duel carriageway on the right? To avoid getting run over where it goes under Blackfriars Bridge and there’s no path, I had to climb over that wall on the left. See the hight of the wall and see the height of me.
Here we are at the marker of miles 4, 12 and 20. I had to look this up but if you’re wondering it’s St Benets Metropolitan Welsh Church. I don’t know who St Benet is. Do your own research.
Round a corner and this is where the course got a bit interesting for me. The Embankment and Mall are my playground, I run round there a few days a week and it’s nice and straight. But the east side of the course is less familiar – it also twists and turns like a rollercoaster. That might rule out and world record breaking performances – that’s my excuse anyway. Although I doubt Paula Radcliffe will have to keep getting her map out like I did. So here we are at the money shot – passing the steps of St Paul’s Cathederal.
Right, right, left, right, right and we’ve gone through a street called ‘Little Britain’ (it wasn’t worth a picture) and are at a very uninspired mile 5, 13 and 21 marker (see my face? That’s what uninspired looks like). It’s opposite a new shopping centre which is why I decided to choose this picturesque Pret a Manger for my background. If you’re doing the drinking game stand down for this pic.
So about the course: there’s a couple of points where it gets a bit narrow like this just after the Guildhall. Elbows out peeps because you could be getting up close and personal with your fellow competitor.
One of my favourite bits of the course is where it goes through Leadenhall Market. Obviously for the races it will be a lot nicer – they’ll have used a hose to flush away the undesirable City boys that you find clogging up the place most evenings. This picture is a bit rubbish but, trust me, it’s proper nice like.
We’re motoring now so line up those shot glasses because we’re about to hit three Landmarks in one. On your left ladies and gents you’ll see the Tower of London, in the centre you can see Tower Bridge (Americans, please don’t call this London Bridge – it isn’t) and by my ear that round thing is where the Mayor works. It’s our Town Hall basically.
Nearly there folks. We do a U-turn here and head back west now. And very close to mile 7, 15 and 23 is Monument. Yes, a phallic landmark. You know what to do.
Then it’s back through the City before turning left down to the river again. I jumped over the wall again and got a few funny looks but the elite field will go back under Blackfriars Bridge avoiding any wall-climbing. And when they emerge the other side of the bridge they’ll be at the mile 8, 16 and 24 marker. Look there’s the OXO Tower.
It’s a long slow curve from here which will be a relief for the elites after the left, right, left of the city. I could put my map down from here on and bring it home which I appreciated a lot.  The pros will all know the way too as this is the final stretch of the London Marathon and the course follows the same route from here. The London Eye marks miles 1, 8, 17 and 25 – we’re almost there!
Is that… I think I can see it.. yes it’s the finish line. Oh. Bit disappointing for me because they were building stands for a cycling event last night so instead of the Mall, here’s St James’ Park which is to the right. It has a lake so maybe Halle and pals would like to cool down in it after an Olympic effort.
So there we are. Roll on 5 and 12 August and may the best man and woman win. Should any Olympic hopefuls need a guide to take them round the course before then, just get in touch and try to keep up.