3 start waves between 9:30 and 11:00 assigned on estimated finish time.
New yellow start added (looks like fast GFA, at least the position it used to be)
They have also recruited 50 tail walker’s going round at 8hr pace (setting off last). If you can’t keep up, one will drop back and walk with you (on the pavement) to the finish at whatever pace you like 
.
8 hours is quite a long time to babysit…
No pacers this year
Also irritatingly will have to carry my phone.
To pay for the train to Waterloo and show proof of negative LFT.
Unless of course I’ve missed reading that South Western trains are free for marathon runners?
LFT can be a printout but doesn’t help solo runners travelling up.
Carrying a phone is gonna be an issue for me, given the sweat/heat where it would be stored
If the phone is purely for phoning after and doesn’t need to be a smart phone get a tiny £20 hobbies off ebay.
Best way I’ve found of anything is the salomon sense built people recommended to me on the trail thread.
I’m just going to print off an LFT and would take a card if needed to pay for anything. I’ve got garmin pay on my watch though
I’m at the green start for GWR
Looks to be the smallest of the three
Oohh…that’s for the “celebs”! 
You can collect some autographs while you are there! 
*ETA: Maybe you can add a “kick me” sign on the back of Matt Hancock?
If they aren’t doing a bag drop on the day, are they not pretty much guaranteeing that people will travel to the start with family members? People aren’t going to want to head to the start wearing just their race vests if it’s a cold/wet day.
Not sure how many people are going to want to run a marathon carrying their own drinks either 
Suggestion is to wear clothes you don’t mind giving to charity…just discard them and they collect them afterwards.
But I agree I suspect lots of people will have more than 1 spectator!
They trialed water bottle belts last year and must have got positive feedback…but seems like a extra hassle I can do without. Although Lucozade will only be in (compostable) cups this year :(.
I assume they will be selling nice VLM hoodies at the finish line for getting home… only £50
(I did that at Austria Half, all be it EUR35, the exact amount of cash you got for handing your chip in at the finish 
)
It sounds like you can have a bag for after the race, but you have to drop it off at the expo 
Yes exactly that.
Stuff whatever kit you need post race and drop off before.
What ticks me off is having to go the expo at all.
If they can send me a bag they can bloody well send me my number too
… read all the gumpf. It’s still relatively straightforward compared to an IM start tbf with just the one bag drop lol
Just hand in your post race bag at registration. Show a negative test.
Wear some old clothes to the start line. Primark tracky bums and an old bin liner etc
Still not 100% sure if I’ll toe the line. If I do I will be taking it very steady this year. I don’t even know where I’m staying yet - hopefully a pal nr Kings Cross can put me up for the night
Couple of times I’ve raced London I used old hoody to keep warm pre race.
Ooh a cosy hoody. Good idea.
Train booked. New shoes in the post. New watch strap. Just booked a room nr Paddington station - pretty handy for limping back from the finish
This lateral flow test thing is a right fucking faff - not taking my phone with me ffs. Hope I don’t get spot tested at expo. Jeezo
Used a Primarni jumper at Ride London on a couple of occasions
Going to follow itom and just take a card and LFT printout
I’m green start. No idea what that means. I updated my predicted finishing time ( slower )
Weather looks good. 17 degrees and 
Remember April 2012 it was sunny but there was a nip in the air. Cold running through those later road tunnels
40 odd min train/subway ride from Paddington to … Maze Hill
Same. What wave are you?
Errrr… … wave 3
Biggest trial is the expo/ getting to start. So much faff. Potential room for cocks ups before even getting there
I haven’t seen any of the revised plans other than what you guys have said above, but it seems really weird they’re making so many fundamental changes.
The Big Half was just like normal. In fact it was better. Bag drop/collection has never been so good. I know a half and the full mara are very different scale events, but it seems really weird to have such polarised approaches being taken by the same organising team