One of my favorite events in Boston was the Boston Marathon. We lived right on the marathon route and each year we would throw a party and enjoy the race and festivities. Today was the first year in six years I wasn’t able to watch the fun in Boston. However, yesterday I watched the London marathon. I don’t live on the route, but we headed into town and camped out on a rooftop bar.
The crowds were fun to watch.
You can see Big Ben through the trees.
We could also see the River Thames.
For those who haven’t watched a marathon from beginning to end, you may not know that there are certain stages. First to come by are the wheelchair competitors. Now I am amazed by all of the participants in a marathon. Yet I think I am most impressed by the wheelchair racers. To overcome such an obstacle is absolutely amazing.
Next to come through are the elite female runners.
Right on their heels are the elite male runners.
Then the runners start to bunch up…they are still competing to make good times to qualify for next year.
And then you have the people who even though they are running a marathon still like to have fun. I admire their spirit!
These photos were taken near the finish line where the runners meet up with friends and family.
50 Year Project 
That is awesome!!!! I have never watched one though I have a friend who just ran the Boston last week for the second time. Amazing.
Great pictures you shared today!!! Thanks!
I do miss the Boston marathon! Good for your friend…twice. I can’t comprehend that! I get tired watching them 🙂 And some of them look like they are in so much pain.
Great pictures. Looks like a great event to people watch. I love to do that. And I miss London again. Sigh.
London is a fabulous town!!!! The people watching is amazing…I was giggling all day.
I love the guys in the green wigs and skirts … they have a lot of spunk to get out there and display themselves in such silly attire. It looks like everyone had a blast! 🙂
I love their attitude! Some people love to have fun and the rest of us have fun because of them. Positive attitudes are amazing.
True that!
🙂
A very colorful post–in many ways!
Thanks…there are some characters here!
That makes the race-watching all the more fun!
Indeed!
Love the post and the pictures! I ran the Twin cities marathon in 2001 and also did part of Chicago. I killed myself trying to qualify for Boston and missed it by a mere 1.8 minutes! Silly me couldn’t walk, sit without pain or run for a year after. That was my first and last marathon trying to chase a dream. Great post!
Oh man that sucks about the Boston one. 1.8 minutes. At least you tried! You did sacrifice a lot for your dream, but at least you did it. I’ve never even tried. And with my bum knee I don’t think I could. Good for you!
Well, that was when I was 28 and I would never do one now. They are not good for the body nor really is running. I just do my 3-5 miles four to five times a week and that’s enough. No more long distances! What is even better though is that my dad did it with me and he is 30 years older and was only ten minutes or so behind me! I’ve got a great role model to look up to! 🙂
Wow…good for you two! I have issues with running, I enjoy it, but have a bad knee. For the past two months I’ve only been able to go for long walks. I wish I could run, but the pain just isn’t worth it. At least I can walk 2-4 miles a day…that will have to do. I would love to be able to run 3-5 miles though. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for following one of my blogs. While I have never participated in a marathon, we do have a cycling race that comes through the village in July. Tour de France is huge here and everyone celebrates.
Léa
I saw the Tour de France go through Barcelona in 2009 (I think that was the year). That was an amazing race to watch!
I like the idea of watching from a bar!
It was perfect! We could eat and drink while watching the event 🙂
Fun! Awesome you were able to attend!
Thank goodness the rain held off until later in the day.
These are great shots of the marathon…I love the last one…the looks an the guys faces are fabulous.
I was surprised by how many of the runners were just wandering around. I would be on the ground…and there might be a few tears.
Lovely post. It was as if I could enjoy the event with you. Thanks for sharing
They are a lot of fun and so inspirational. Glad you enjoyed it.
I always loved the big sport events while teaching at High school.
I used to work at a high school many years ago and I loved the sports as well.
These are wondeerful photographs carrying the spirit of this day… I enjoyed so much. Thank you dear TBM, with my love, nia
Thanks Nia…there was plenty of spirit!
Great photos! I love the London Marathon. The costumes make this such a fun event to watch and it draws the best of the elite runners, too. 🙂
The elite runners are amazing to watch…so focused. Thanks for stopping by!
fab post, Me and my wife both enjoy the marathon on tv. great pictures…;)
Thanks…the bar also had it on tv. It is fun to follow along and to hear the commentary.
I wish I liked running. Dancing is more my style. But I love your pics.
Dancing is great exercise! I have two left feet, but I admire those who can dance and who enjoy it.
I would love to have the commitment to run a marathon. I’m too all over the place with my work out regime. One day. . .
I feel good about myself when I walk my dog each day…I don’t see a marathon in my future. Good luck to you!
You must see The Bay-To-Breaker in San Francisco. Every year we have about 100 thousand people participating, everything and anything is allowed.
I’ll add it to my list! I can only imagine you see just about everything there 🙂
California is the land of “real” free, if you know what I mean.
I grew up in Southern California and I learned many of my quirks from there. I’ve been called a crazy Californian on many occasions. And San Fran is even freer than southern!
Looks fun!!! I’ve never even thought of attending such an event!! My instinct would be to stay as far away as possible!! 🙂 **
Trust me, it is safe…they won’t make you run. I was surprised by my first marathon that I watched. I thought it would be boring, but it is anything but boring 🙂
it looks like you had the perfect spot from which to view all the excitement. Looking at these elite runners, they seem to all fit the same physical description. I’m so glad I look nothing like them, because then i might just have had to run marathons as well… 😉
I don’t look like them either…whew! I admire the elite runners and most athletes. I just don’t have that kind of commitment to working out and eating right. I have too many books to read 🙂
Sounds perfect to me… 😉
The devilman is a jackpot 😉 love seeing man so brave like him 😉
It looks like you have fun watching the marathon…do join them one day 😉
I don’t know if my knee would hold up for an entire marathon. I’ve been through physical therapy and such for it. I think my best bet is to keep walking Miles every day.
I chuckled when I saw the devil…I would run from him as well. People had fun and I love seeing that.
Walking is also healthy 🙂
Yup…people like him is so enjoyable to see, that;s why I like seeing cosplay
I love people who are such free spirits and enjoy life. They always remind me that life is supposed to be fun.
I love the church top photo
It is one of my favorite buildings in London.
Look at those runners! Such sculpted bodies! I’ve been running more regularly over the past two weeks now (ran for three days straight now) and doing Pilates in the evenings – and the regular Saturday Sivananda Yoga. It has cleared my head and made me feel even more alive. Hope I can keep it up. 🙂
That’s great…you are doing a lot more than I am. It has been raining for the past week off and on and I’m missing my walks with my dog. He hates the rain. Hates it! Keep up the good work!
Watching a marathon looks like great fun. I’ve had “running a marathon” on my bucket list for a while, but I think I may change it to “watching a marathon.” 😉
I never had running a marathon on my list…but I will keep watching one on it. It is a riot and also inspirational. Maybe it will get you motivated to fulfill your dream.