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Date of Visit
01/10/2022
Number of runners
341
Event Number
143
Visit Number
1
I was in London for the marathon and as this was so close number pick up at ExCel it made sense to come here beforehand
Results
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/victoriadock/results/143/
parkrun Link
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/victoriadock/
Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/VicDockparkrun
Strava Segment
No segment this time around. They modified the course slightly because of the increased number of people who were also visiting ExCel.
Weather
Really nice. Sun was out, blue skies and it was cool enough that you wouldn’t get cold but warm enough to not need a jacket beforehand.
Getting There
Being London you’re going to be fine using public transport. I used the DLR and got off at Royal Victoria and it’s pretty much a straight line walk to the start. I used The Oiler Bar as my point in Google maps to get there.
There are also a couple of bus routes nearby.
You can also get there via cable car! (Emirates Air Line). It is apparently free if you show your barcode before 10.30. I could only find this mention on their Facebook page but I have seen plenty of mentions of it elsewhere
If you were driving there is a car park on Seagull Lane (E16 1AL).
Facilities
I didn’t hang around after this week as I was on a bit of a time limit with my accommodation but there is apparently the Crystal Community Hut for tea and coffee afterwards that also has a toilet.
Briefings and Volunteers
RD for the day did a fantastic job of explaining the revised course to a larger than usual group of people. She was plenty loud enough so that everyone could hear her. Volunteers on the course were super supportive and the timekeeper had a nice bit of banter with the crowd before starting.
Start line and finish funnel
With the course being slightly modified I’m not sure what it’s usually like but start line on the pavement was wide enough to get a plenty of people spread across. The finish funnel was in front of the weirdly shaped city hall building (it’s how the RD described it!)
Course
This is an out and back route that you do twice. Really straightforward in that you run along the dock path until you get to a cone, turn around and go back. Then when you’ve reached the start do it again! On paper I didn’t think it looked a particularly interesting route, but I was really surprised at how scenic it was! As it’s next to the dock it’s really flat. Our modified course had a small up and down section but that’s not how it would normally work. Being so flat makes for PB potential, though as with an all out and back courses it does mean you’ve got to slow down to turn around which you do twice here.
Shoes
Road. It’s entirely on the foot path.
Short or Long? (based on our watches and checking out other Strava profiles)
My watch had it short, but as this was a modified route I wouldn’t take that to mean anything!
Andy Stats
parkrun number:
66
Tourist event number:
33
Official time:
21:32
Position:
46 (64.32% age grade)
Bryony Stats
I was on my own this week. Bryony visited our home parkrun separately (Bedworth)
How did it go?
I really enjoyed this. As I was in London for the marathon the following day the plan was to keep this pretty easy. I aimed to stay a bit slower than my planned marathon pace which I broadly did but I couldn’t resist picking the pace up a bit for the last quarter of a mile. Was very glad of being next to ExCel to collect my number! Wasn’t a bad experience for my first London parkrun.
Return Visit Likely?
If we’ve got a reason to be at the ExCel this would be ideal to do before so maybe. Being nice and flat I wouldn’t mind a crack at it under normal conditions.
Pictures and that.
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