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London Marathon starts - green/blue/red

6 watchers
Apr 2019
9:03pm, 9 Apr 2019
6,026 posts
Jovi Runner
Apologies if this is posted elsewhere (if so could someone post the link) but what the heck is going on with starts this year. I have been on green start for GFA for years and now it appears that the starts are all mixed up. According to my number I am on blue this year. Does that mean we will be mixed up with all the general blue start or at the front of blue start? It's a right pain as I booked accommodation based on easy travel to the green start ie DLR to Greenwich. I was 30 mins inside the minimum qualifying time for my age group so not sure why I'm not on Green?
Apr 2019
9:13pm, 9 Apr 2019
106 posts
PeteFastFeet
I havent done it before, but I think each start zone (blue/green/red) has staggered start times in waves. Ie there are groups setting off at 10 min (ish) intervals concurrently from each zone. So it doesn't matter what zone you start in; only the wave number. We get the wave number on our bib number. From other online discussions I believe there are GFA equally in all zones.
Apr 2019
9:21pm, 9 Apr 2019
14,343 posts
Bazoaxe
Jovi, I was on Blue last year with a GFA and it was fine. I got the DLR to Greenwich and its a slightly shorter walk than it was to green. I was in pen 1 behind elites and championships which was fine.

My only issue was that after being used to Green and Red FGFA, the size of the strat area was a bit overwhelming

I think that they have a bit of a random approach now as I have been off the FGFA start for a few years despite some fast qualifying times ,but find myself back on FGFA again using the same qualifier as last year (3:02)
Apr 2019
9:30pm, 9 Apr 2019
6,027 posts
Jovi Runner
Thanks Bazo - that's very reassuring - I was panicking. Ironic as due to my injury I'm not even a definite start!
Apr 2019
12:03pm, 10 Apr 2019
17,649 posts
KinkyS
I've been off all 3 starts having got the DLR to Greenwich, it's fine whichever :-)
Apr 2019
12:11pm, 10 Apr 2019
31 posts
KeithL
They have moved the GFA people between all three starts this year - its part of their plan to gradually increase the number of entrants.

Green will be wave started this year as well (it wasnt last year although the other starts were)

As for getting to start cant imagine it will ad more than a 5 minute walk to be honest. the coaches after all drop all coloured starts off in exactly the same place.
Apr 2019
3:17pm, 10 Apr 2019
352 posts
BexleyKev
Jovi - Say hi to the peeps on the Blue water stations. Especially one who may look like she has lost a husband 'cause he is now in green ( or at least hopes that I will have caught the train on time to get there ) :)
Apr 2019
10:56pm, 10 Apr 2019
6,031 posts
Jovi Runner
When I volunteered a few years back I was on blue start area water. I did get the train to Greenwich then as needed to be there before trains to blackheath started but it did seem a really long walk compared to the walk from maze hill to green start.

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Maintained by fetcheveryone
Apologies if this is posted elsewhere (if so could someone post the link) but what the heck is going...

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