FLM runners and supporters

Dips - that's what we had in 2003 until the water station nicked our site and we moved up the road!

Mererkat, quite apart from being thrilled to see and recognise you (I shouted your "name" and you saw me! Great moment!! ) the whole mile 17 support group kept me going mentally for miles and I looked forward to it for miles - I even had evberything written on my (by then defunct) pace band as I was coming round. I spotted the 800m etc signs but would say that because the "world" of Runners World on the logo is small I just read it as "runners 800m" and it took a while for my sweaty brain to register! Maybe next year , put "Forum runners 800m" and the logo or "meerkat's Runners 800m" etc?

I knew the area so had no trouble spotting you lot and the volume and noise was fantastic even though I was way behind time. Team 8 were fab (lindy esp who told me I was looking ok and to keep going, and I think AJH who sunscreened me up, which was a godsend - definitely bring sun cream next year guys!) but all of you were briliant.

Thank you so so much and can I put my name down as a supporter next year please?

Alex xx

I saw the group ahead - good clear signs and very exciting when I realised you were there. BUT then I got there and there was no one there for me and no jaffa cakes. Slightly disappointing but good to see you all there anyway and well done!

Rebecca - I think you may not have been allocated to a support team?? Although we were very happy to welcome any forumite.

Hi guys

I was really looking forward to seeing team 6 as I was struggling from 15 miles,the jelly babies they gave me really gave me a lift and kept me going to mile 20 and then I knew I would finish. The heat was really making me tired but I found my team ok.

Many many thanks guys - you're brill

ta, tiny

Wonderful as ever... Great to have a whole bunch of people giving me a cheer, The jelly babies were spot on.... and of course my favourite moment meeting my partner in pavlova moments !!!

Saw the countdown, saw loads of lovely smiling faces, heard peeps shouting at us, you saw us,lovely lady lucan had minstrels with our names on the bags!!!!!
I can't tell you what it meant to us cos we were having a bad day, too hot, sue got time of month, I twisted my ankle at mile 14..
Then we saw you guys, had also seen my lovely daughter at 15, further form you we saw my running club buddies and form 20 miles to the end sue and I were singing and partying and having a ball!!!
It was all great, well organised and superb!!!!

all teams are stars!!!!!!!!

It was great to see team 9 - eventually - I did manage to run straight past them and had to turn round and dodge my way back. But they were bril!! Wouldn't have managed without them.

probably different for me as I knew EXACTLY where you guys were going to be having supported there in 2004..........so all I had to do was slow down and look for Petal and wave at everyone else.............(and throw a bottle at Jon as planned)

I only saw the 200m to go sign (which felt like 400m!)........didn't see anything else but I guess I wasn't really looking.........

location was probably not helped by one of the big charities nicking a spot just before - so they had loads of colour to distract...............which is an idea - loads of blue balloons - and I mean LOADS.............

for me - not sure if the teams are of any help as I know so many of you already but it is nice to see smiling, friendly faces to give a boost............

thanks everyone

OHMG petal was at mile 17 supporting as well and I didn't meet her?????? We were just sooo busy! Petal did you have those mad, but lovely, sunglasses on? Was that you?

FB was lovely to see you in the flesh at last even though we didn't get to chat, hope you had a run!

no complaints here. i was so looking forward to mile 17 and knew you'd all be on the left-hand side so i moved over there as it approached. then i saw all the signs telling me i was getting near. then i didn't see any signs and started to panic a bit until i saw the diamond with "Team 7." i felt pretty good but wasn't prepared for how dazed and confused i'd be, so it took me a while and had to ask "Team 7?!" and then "It's Lucrece!" at which point you all erupted in cheers. it was also great to see some unexpected faces there. i'm still sorry i missed meldy!

i kind of wish i would have stuck around a bit longer and yes, my only problem was trying to climb over all those water bottles.

hoping rich got that picture of me hugging XFR!

thanks again, meerkat. what a great project manager you are!

Fantastic support and well organised - well done to all the helpers and especially to Meerkat.

I didn't officially sign up as I was pretty self-sufficient, but I still had to stop to say a very quick hello to so many pals.

Brilliant work Peeps !

Mwah !

Yeah but you ignored me at the Expo on Saturday afternoon Cougie !

Well this was my 3rd year at mile 18/17 and yet again I had a great time. Jst a few thoughts then...

Location
I really think we should find a new spot. As one of the early teams we were right on the bend right next to the water station and it was really difficult to see the runners coming and extremely difficult for the runners to get to us for all the discared bottles. The location is good but thats why Vittel have nabbed it. I think a spot further dowm the road near the mile marker would maybe better. Another thought is a place on the route where support is thin and greatly needed.

Teams
I think the teams idea is great but I did miss meeting the other supporters this year. Saying that, it is more important that the runners are looked after than me getting hugs from my mates :-)

Well done al the runners for doing a great job on a hot day. Roll on 2008 and I will get my go :-)

Saw the signs which really spured me on .The support & encouragement was fantastic.Thanks very much ultra for sorting it & thanks to all on team 4 for helping me!

I guess I signed up for this too late (last thursday) as with hindsight I was never allocated to a team. Being a first timer I wasn't too sure how this was meant to work.

I saw the approaching signs but found that there didn't seem to be a focal point. So I just kept on moving.

I think it's a great idea as I really could have donw with a few jelly babies having used up my gels. Next time I will be better prepared! Thanks again for the support.

Oh Josie BIG apology - I sent in my report stating josie Bop was the originator of the support teams - should have read Josie Jump sorry. I will contact Sean and see if he can change it.

Being located where we were worked well last year and was easy to see because we were on the outside of the curve of the road and before the water station. With the changed course this year we are now on the inside of the curve which is why so many probably missed Team 10 as it was completely hidden. If we stay at the same location then maybe we need to consider changing side of the road.

Regards flag poles I did play with some ideas back in 2003 after comments then but the idea of using light weight poles that clip together didn't work and I think this was born out by Team 9 as the wind picked up. I used 2.2m lengths of wood this year and that seemed stable enough.

Coloured teams is ok but then you also run into the problem with ten colours. Maybe colours or shapes. Also I wondered about varying the hieght of the flags with say the first one being low rising over say team 1-5 then low for 6 rising to 10 - or the other way around.

A number of us took lots of photos from different aspects and we can perhaps compare these and maybe doa little Photoshop editing to see what works best.

Wherever we decide to locate I also think that early markers is good. Being near a landmark like just after the 17 mile water station or just after the mile 17 mile marker is good.

For maximum visability though I think that we need to be on a curve. In 2003 we were on the wrong side of the curve - 2004 right 2005 wrong (because the course direction was changed!).

Either way having us at mile 17 is a must. It was selected because thats where people are hitting the wall. For me last year knowing you were at mile 17 genuinely got me round after 20 I was in the home straight and by then the finish line was the motivation... also the crowds were getting louder. The other point worth remembering about mile 17 is that it is one of the only areas that has some grass and a safe area for supporters children to run around and spread thier legs a little. (some loos would be nice though!)

Dave - I ignored you at the Expo ?? When ? Where was I and why didn't you hit me ?

StephenV we have approx 150 forumites registered with support groups, and we dish out over 700 bags of sweets.

Also if you have a name on your shirt you will more than likely get a shout from one of us. Since most of the supporters have run FLM at some point (hence why we start the support teams) we know how important it is to have a friendly face waiting for you... For the future even if you are not in a support group if you stop shout your name you will get a hug from someone!

cougie can i hit you?