Has anyone ever cycled the London Marathon Route?

deptfordmarmoset
deptfordmarmoset Posts: 3,118
edited April 2010 in The bottom bracket
I'm not usually out early enough to see the beginning of the marathon, which passes the end of my street, but I managed to get there before the runners came past. A couple of cyclists, who didn't really look 100% official, came past first.

It got me thinking: 26 miles of traffic-free London. Has anyone tried dressing up enough to look fairly official and attaching themselves to the front?

Or does anybody know of any attempt to tag an official bike marathon onto the event? The stewards are there, the roads are already closed...
Looking for a cycling buddy?

Comments

  • White Line
    White Line Posts: 887
    AFAIK they're volunteers who 'clear the route'. Don't really see what the can actually do though ...
    Emiliana the CAAD9
  • on the road
    on the road Posts: 5,631
    Become a volunteer then.
  • Mr_Cellophane
    Mr_Cellophane Posts: 690
    I have done most if it backwards (the route not my cycling skills :lol: )
    You can follow the route by the lines painted along the road. Just don't go on the wrong side of the road.
  • deptfordmarmoset
    deptfordmarmoset Posts: 3,118
    on the road wrote:
    Become a volunteer then.

    I'd probably enjoy volunteering, but that would mean doing something confined to a fixed area, and it was the tantalising idea of cycling to Westminster from my house on traffic-free roads that got me thinking. (The police were pretty reasonable about letting me cycle along the route by about 1:30pm, but a mile up the road I came up to some guys who were walking the race on thick wooden skis (3 hours to do 8 miles! They'll be near Tower Bridge by now...) and I had to take a detour.

    And it does seem like a shame to waste a traffic-free opportunity.
    Looking for a cycling buddy?
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    Not my pics, but there was a few of us there this morning.

    Some people might recognise these calves.
  • collie27
    collie27 Posts: 25
    Yep, they volunteered to be awesome!

    89 minutes = faster than the wheelchairs :)

    4549973547_3818aee90a_b.jpg
    woot
  • deptfordmarmoset
    deptfordmarmoset Posts: 3,118
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Not my pics, but there was a few of us there this morning.

    Some people might recognise these calves.

    Wow, so what was the deal - unofficial RDV on Blackheath at 6am?
    Looking for a cycling buddy?
  • White Line
    White Line Posts: 887
    collie27 wrote:
    Yep, they volunteered to be awesome!

    89 minutes = faster than the wheelchairs :)

    4549973547_3818aee90a_b.jpg
    Look at all them hipsters! :shock:
    Emiliana the CAAD9
  • deptfordmarmoset
    deptfordmarmoset Posts: 3,118
    White Line wrote:
    collie27 wrote:
    Yep, they volunteered to be awesome!

    89 minutes = faster than the wheelchairs :)

    4549973547_3818aee90a_b.jpg
    Look at all them hipsters! :shock:

    Talk about awesome, that feller in front of the bikes not only has no feet but he can defy the laws of gravity as well!
    Looking for a cycling buddy?
  • collie27
    collie27 Posts: 25
    Look at all them hipsters who kept 20mph rolling thorough central london whilst I was still scratching ma baws this morning! :shock:

    i fixed that for you.
    woot
  • on the road
    on the road Posts: 5,631
    By the way, my reply was tongue in cheek :lol:
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    deptfordmarmoset wrote:
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Not my pics, but there was a few of us there this morning.

    Some people might recognise these calves.

    Wow, so what was the deal - unofficial RDV on Blackheath at 6am?

    about 160 of us rolled up to the roundabout for 6.40 and headed off.. some people kinda knew the way :lol:

    Great fun; riding the embankment with no cars and going through blackfriars tunnel on the wrong side of the road (the police told us to) was pretty mental. Watching a few people freewheel made me jealous after a bit. I think I did the course in about 85 minutes and managed to have a sprint finish at the mall which was pretty amusing
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • deptfordmarmoset
    deptfordmarmoset Posts: 3,118
    Clever Pun wrote:
    deptfordmarmoset wrote:
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Not my pics, but there was a few of us there this morning.

    Some people might recognise these calves.

    Wow, so what was the deal - unofficial RDV on Blackheath at 6am?

    about 160 of us rolled up to the roundabout for 6.40 and headed off.. some people kinda knew the way :lol:

    Great fun; riding the embankment with no cars and going through blackfriars tunnel on the wrong side of the road (the police told us to) was pretty mental. Watching a few people freewheel made me jealous after a bit. I think I did the course in about 85 minutes and managed to have a sprint finish at the mall which was pretty amusing

    Thanks, Clever Pun, it sounds like a great ride. Of course, I wish I'd known about it a couple of days ago, but there's always next year. I'd never thought of it before, mostly because I'd not been there pre-race before. It was just a couple of cyclists that went by who got me thinking ''What if...?''
    Looking for a cycling buddy?
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    I only think the first 20-30 got through the finishing line before jobsworths directed the rest another way around

    the stewards all were very friendly saying hi etc, I think they were as surprised as we were with the sheer number of riders
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14

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