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London Marathon Support

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The British Airways Athletics Club (BAAC) has a long history of supporting the London Marathon (LM), dating back to the inaugural running of the event in 1981 through to the present day. The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the World, averaging over 35,000 finishers each year and raising an enormous amount of money for worthy charities. The course is divided into seven sectors and BAAC supply sector managers for both sectors 6 & 7 and over 140 volunteer marshals to support 5 pedestrian shuttle crossings within the last 2 miles of the course. The shuttles were developed with one of the founders of the London Marathon, John Disley and allow large numbers of pedestrians to cross the course safely without impeding the competitors. It’s a long, hard day but the marshals are rewarded with unrivalled views of the race and the satisfaction that they’ve contributed to the delivery of a World-class event.

The LM also organise several other events throughout the year, which are less onerous and time consuming for the marshals than the London Marathon itself but provide the Club with much needed funds which help keep subs low. The events are enormous fun and volunteer marshals usually come away with at least a good quality T-shirt from the event.

 

For many years the LM organised the Chase Corporate Challenge in Battersea Park over 3.5 miles, supported by BAAC. In 2005 the LM switched to organising their own evening City Race over 5km for the first time, the Standard Chartered Great City Race. Originally planned to take place in the heart of the City, a last minute change to Hyde Park due to the terrorist incidents was rapidly planned but the event went off without a hitch. Since 2006 the event has taken place in the London Financial District’s Square Mile, with the race HQ based at the prestigious Honourable Artillery Company grounds. The race regularly attracts over 6,500 competitors from circa. 400 companies.

 

The Adidas (formerly Flora Light) Women’s 5km Challenge is a fun run for women of all ages, which takes place in Hyde Park. BAAC have supported since the inaugural race in 1999. Because of the number of competitors, circa. 20,000, there are wave starts and BAAC provides marshals for the first 3km of the course up to Speakers Corner.

 

Originally conceived to support the London Marathon’s bid to organise the 2012 Olympic Marathons, the inaugural BUPA London 10,000 was staged in 2008 and has been marketed as an opportunity to run the course likely to be used for the Olympic marathons. Normally held on the last Bank Holiday Monday in May, BAAC support in the vicinity of both the start and finish on Birdcage Walk and the Mall.

Simon Turton January 2012 (updated May 2015)

 

      

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