This is Marathon 2013

It's the end of April and almost St George's Day and a Sunday. That means one thing to most of SE7... stuck in your island as the marathon maroons you. I've been living here for over a decade, and seen most of the marathons (when the weather was fine, anyway).

Never having been a runner I don't know whether it is better to have the vile wet and cold weather of recent weeks or the sudden sunny burst of spring that has burst upon us. It certainly was nice for those of us standing watching to not shelter from the weather!

This is the empty street just after 10am (when they start two miles away on Blackheath).

 A practically cloudless sky (dare we hope Spring is really here) waits for the runners. Probably a bit warm for running; but pleasant for standing on the sidelines cheering.

Lucky I wore an old pair of glasses with the 'reactions' lenses and a baseball cap (to hide my bird's nest hair) which kept the sun off my face and out of my eyes.

 About 15 minutes after the start the first runners begin to pass us. We're on the red route; the majority of which are either from running clubs or running for charity. I've certainly not ever spotted any of the more outlandish costumes, or any celebrities. 

There are three starts to the marathon to space out the huge number of runners across the not very wide streets of South London.

 I noticed the pace setters (maybe they're always there and I've never noticed) they hold a flag telling you how long it'll take you to finish the race and how many minutes a mile you're running. You can see they attract quite a pack!

Apparently Wombles run marathons too! Just a couple of the more imaginative outfits I saw today. More to come further down the page.

Aerial coverage from one of many helicopters

Beginning to get busy now

Rhino spotted!

One of several supermen and a wheelchair runner

I wonder if that is the tiger that used to live up the road?

Another rhino and a panda

The pack is thinning, the rhinos are still going

Mickey and Minnie - a big hit with the nearby kids!

An Olympic torch no less

Back markers with the security motorbike

Ola Señors! Olé!

The last few runners

The support bus passes the two mile marker

What a glorious sunny day

You'll never see the road so quiet

Every year the street is blocked...

Beautiful spring from one of my neighbours

Reactions still not faded...

There are the runners I saw on the TV!

Slow wander back today, I usually see them round the Cutty Sark

I definitely saw those two girls!

Whilst I watched today I saw young and old, tall and short; I saw several Supermen, Bananaman, Snow White, a panda, a gorilla a chicken, a mole and several rhinos... I saw a smurf, Bagpuss, two Sonic the Hedgehogs and some Wombles. I saw people running from the MS Society and the MS Trust (to whom, as always, I say thanks) and so many other charities I can't remember them all.


90% of the runners today sported a small black ribbon; remembering the tragic events in Boston six days ago. If it wasn't hanging on a wall I'd have borrowed the Better-half's Boston Red Sox cap to show my respect.


Well, apart from the irritating half marathon later in the year (it has only been going a few years, I think it should take itself off to North London and cause chaos there) we are done running until next year.

Marathon 2007
Marathon 2008
Marathon 2009
Marathon 2010
Marathon 2011
Marathon 2012