MARATHON EFFORT

Smooth running

The London Marathon Events team discusses operational changes and event developments at the 2022 TCS London Marathon

More than 40,000 people ran through the streets of the capital, enjoying perfect weather conditions for their 26.2¬mile journey to the finish line of the 2022 TCS London Marathon.

In total, 40,927 crossed the start line whilst 38,156 people passed beneath a new digital finish gantry on The Mall.

The new gantry was one of several new event developments and initiatives that greeted participants. One of those initiatives was Rainbow Row – delivered by Proud Events – a section of the route which encouraged the LGBTQIA+ community “to bring colour to the event” and celebrated London’s diversity. Furthermore, assisted wheelchair entrants were on the course for the first time, and the marathon championed its new nonbinary entry policy.

Lisa Thompson, TCS London Marathon event lead at London Marathon Events, was tasked with delivering a smooth event. She worked alongside James Taylor, start manager, Ben Craddock, finish manager, Sophie Blackett, route manager, and Andrew Smith, operations director, to deliver the new operational elements.

“We always hold a full debrief for each of our events, focussing on areas for improvement for the following year,” explained Thompson. “In many ways, the 2021 London Marathon was a bit of an anomaly. We were still operating within limitations imposed by the pandemic, which meant we had to deliver operational changes that – thankfully – were not required this year.

“This included showing a negative compulsory lateral flow test result before registration, removing the baggage lorry system, and requiring participants to drop off kit bags at the Running Show at ExCeL before marathon day, and many other changes.”

Some changes introduced due to COVID restrictions remained. For example, London Marathon Events amended the entire start operation to reduce dwell time and a wave start process implemented in 2021 was deployed again to create a better participant experience.

Thompson continued: “One of the huge successes of the 2022 TCS London Marathon was our incredible new finish gantry, which had digital displays on both sides, with the runner-facing side displaying messages of support and congratulations to participants as they finished. In addition, the finish gantry also provided a unique viewing position for hospitality guests.”

SUSTAINABILITY MOVES

The new gantry featured new branding, as the 2022 edition of the London Marathon had a new title sponsor, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). But it was not the only change.

London Marathon Events actively sought to build on sustainability measures introduced in 2021. Among the key sustainability initiatives for 2022 were fully compostable Lucozade Sport cups, six fully-electric lead vehicles supplied by Nissan, new mile markers – created by Scaled – made from last year’s event waste and recycled ocean plastic, New Balance finisher T-shirts made from 100 per cent recyclable polyester, finisher bags made from recycled plastic, and dedicated drop zones for empty bottles, which were then recycled in a closed-loop system.

Plus, to enhance sustainability for the TCS London Marathon, London Marathon Events used the ReScore app, a cloud-based application developed for the Council for Responsible Sport by TCS. The app enables event organisers to measure, track, report, and verify their progress across a broad range of environmental and social indicators for sports events. ReScore will assist London Marathon Events in verifying the marathon’s sustainability progress and help it reach its carbon emission goals.

MINI AMBITION

“The most significant change to this year’s event, and one of the biggest developments in the history of the London Marathon, was the creation of the first-ever stand-alone TCS Mini London Marathon,” Thompson continued. “Historically, the Mini London Marathon featured championship races for the UK’s top young athletes and was held immediately before the London Marathon. This year, it took place on the Saturday, the day before the TCS London Marathon, and featured events for children and young people of all abilities. Our ambition is to inspire more children to take part in the event, building towards 50,000 children taking part in the Mini London Marathon on the Saturday and 50,000 finishers on the Sunday in our 50th Race in 2030.”

She added: “We have been planning to hold this event on the Saturday before the main event for several years and it was amazing to see it come together this year. To witness the joy and excitement of the children crossing the world’s most famous finish line was truly special. This is just the beginning, and the event will go from strength to strength over the coming years and we hope it will transform children’s lives in the same way that the London Marathon has transformed the lives of so many adults.”

CHALLENGES

However, despite such successes and new moves, the delivery of the 2022 TCS London Marathon was not without its challenges.

Thompson explained: “It would not be a London Marathon without some unexpected challenges, and we certainly had two big ones this year with the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 8 and the national rail strike on marathon weekend.

“The sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, just over three weeks before the 2022 TCS London Marathon, inevitably created issues. With the size and scale of the State Funeral, it was inevitable that key suppliers, contractors, and partners would be required to dedicate time, resources, and services to this national event. This had a knockon effect for us, as it took key people and services away at a crucial point of our event planning. It also meant the postponement of Swim Serpentine, our open-water swimming event in Hyde Park. We, of course, did all we could to support our stakeholders and partners with the planning and delivery of the State Funeral.”

The national rail strike also presented London Marathon Events with last-minute challenges. The strike took place on October 1, the day before the TCS London Marathon and the day of the TCS Mini London Marathon.

The biggest impacts were on schools reliant on the train service to participate in the TCS Mini London Marathon and participants in the TCS London Marathon, particularly those from outside London, planning to travel on Saturday to the Running Show at ExCel to collect their race packs. London Marathon Events ensured all participants were aware of the rail strike and encouraged participants to plan and travel early where possible.

FUTURE PLANNING

For 2023, the TCS London Marathon will return to its usual April slot, which means Thompson and her team have fewer than five months to deliver the next edition. She concluded: “As is the case after all our events, we now enter an immediate review phase. Given the proximity of the 2023 event, it is even more important that we quickly identify the areas that we need to improve for next April. That is our immediate priority before we turn to the planning and delivery of 2023 – which will come around very quickly!”

SUPPLIERS LIST

Barriers and fencing – Capital Barriers and Temporary Fencing and Sunbelt Rentals Traffic management – Road Traffic Solutions Footbridge – Mitchell Bridges Temporary structures – GL events UK and Arena Seating Health and safety – Logical Safety Solutions Security – Newman Event Services Branding – InEvent Branding Radios – 2CL Digital solutions – ADI