2012 Marathon Gets Olympic Approval
The course for the 2012 Olympic marathon has been given the all-clear by athletes, following a test event in London on Monday.
The event started at 6am with invited club runners taking part – and was designed to test technology and timing systems.
Athletes provided positive feedback to the main course, but the Paralympic course will be altered slightly after some wheelchair athletes reported problems with tight corners and a cobbled stretch of road.
LOCOG director of sport, Debbie Jevans said: ‘It was important to get the feedback which we have done in great detail. We were testing the technology and timing all the way round and it worked very well’.
‘What was run today will pretty much be the course, because the feedback from the athletes has been so positive’.
The course starts and finishes on The Mall, and the route also includes St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament and Mansion House.
The route consists of one 2.2 mile lap and three eight-mile circuits.
The course will be used for the London 2012 marathon, the race walk and road cycling.
