Having met a friend Lisa for coffee at Canary Wharf we set off for Excel on the DLR - it was a very easy journey and once at the DLR station there was a covered walkway that took us straight into the exhibition centre. We got there about 10mins before the Expo was due to open but there was already a pretty big queue in front of us. Once the doors actually opened the queue moved very quickly and we were soon in the main area of the event.
The first thing to do was to register. This was incredibly straight forward. There are lots of queues with number ranges and you just have to find yours and join the queue!
This was my queue and there were only about 6 people in front of me.
The queue moved quickly and when I got to the front I was asked for my registration form and ID and then had to sign the disclaimer on the form in from of the person on the stand. I was then passed over to another person who gave me my all important envelope containing my race number, safety pins, sticker for my kit bag and ties to attached my timing chip. She also gave me my kit bag and last minute information magazine.
From there we were directed to the area where you get your timing chip activated
Here my running number was scanned and a timing chip activated which was then added into my envelope. I now had everything I needed for race day. From there it was out into the Expo itself. There were loads of stands selling pretty much everything you can imagine to do with running and it was interesting to look around.
Lisa made use of the T-shirt printing facilities - a word of advice here if you're planning on using these - head straight for them after registration as there was quite a queue and then about a 45 min wait for the shirt to be printed before you could pick up the shirt at the exit.
I managed to meet up with Darin who had come up to London today to register. It was really good to see him and we made our arrangements for meeting on Sunday morning - I can't really believe it's only 4 days away now.
By this time Lisa's T-shirt was ready to be collected and we decided to leave. I could have spent far longer at the Expo if I had been planning on spending money! I'm also coming back on Saturday with Dawn so there will be more time to look around then if I want to.
So that's it, the final piece of preparation sorted and I'm registered to run my first ever London Marathon. I have my final sports massage this afternoon and will do a very gentle 30 min run on Friday morning. Other than that I am ready to go! Bring it on!
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