Welcome to our Supporter team!

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2 Welcome to our Supporter team! We are delighted that you are joining our Supporter Team for our biggest event of the year! Thank you so much for supporting your #TeamSamaritans runner in the 2018 London Marathon. We are so proud of our dedicated runners, we know that they would not be able to achieve what they have without your support and encouragement. As supporters, you are a very important part of our team. We d love to see you proudly wearing our Samaritans Supporter t-shirts on the day. Inside this booklet you will find lots of guidance, information, tips and suggestions to help you plan for the event. You will also find information about our post marathon party at The Playhouse Theatre, only minutes from the finish line. You will find information about: Supporter route map page 3 Supporter t-shirts & Samaritans running vests page 4 Post Marathon After party at the Playhouse Theatre page 5 Mile by mile guide page 6 Mile by mile guide page 7 On the day information page 8 London tube map page 9 We look forward to you joining us at The Playhouse and at our cheering points along the route. Thank you so much for your support. We look forward to meeting you soon! Emma & the Samaritans Events Team 2

3 Supporter route map We have three Samaritans cheering points along the route and would love you to join our cheering teams at these locations. The benefit of joining a Samaritans cheering point is that you will be more visible to your runner, surrounded by Samaritans branding. Our cheering points are located: Mile 7/Mile 8, Deptford - Look out for our cheer team wearing Samaritans supporter t-shirts and our flying banners. Nearest tube stations are Cutty Sark & Greenwich both on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) line or Deptford mainline station. Mile 19, Cabot Square, Canary Wharf - Look out for our cheer team wearing Samaritans supporter t-shirts, Samaritans banners and purple and green balloons. We will be near the Iberia Spanish Restaurant. Nearest tube stations are Canary Wharf & West India Quay, both on the DLR line. Mile 25 Embankment - near the Playhouse Theatre - This is our biggest cheering point and is especially handy for families with children. Look out for our purple and green balloons, Samaritans banners and cheer team in wearing Samaritans supporter t-shirts. (Please note we are theatre side, not the river side). Nearest tube station is Embankment on the Northern, Bakerloo, District and City lines. Nearest mainline stations are Charing Cross and London Waterloo. 3

4 Supporter t-shirts and vests This is the vest your runner will be wearing, so keep your eyes peeled for these along the route! Your supporter t-shirt Thousands of people take to the streets on marathon day to support the runners from Greenwich following the route all the way to The Mall. Running for 26.2 miles is gruelling but knowing that family, friends and colleagues are along the route supporting them and shouting their name will not only make the day more special for your runner but them seeing you will also spur them along to the end of the course. If you don't already have your supporter t-shirt please come along to The Playhouse Theatre from 11am on the day to collect one to wear at one of the three cheer points along the route. 4

5 Post marathon after party Once your runners have crossed the finish line, they will be met by a member of our Samaritans Meet & Greet Team and walked back to The Playhouse Theatre. Once they arrive at the theatre, they will be taken through the stage door and be presented with a certificate on the stage. We suggest that you get to The Playhouse Theatre as your runner is expected to finish the race, so you can be seated in the auditorium to celebrate their arrival on stage. Your runner can then have a shower and massage if they would like to. There is a bar in the entrance to the theatre where you can purchase drinks and refreshments. Please feel free to bring a packed lunch with you too as the theatre doesn t serve food. You are very welcome to use The Playhouse Theatre as a base for marathon day and we especially suggest this to families with children as our mile 25 cheering point is next to the theatre. As a Samaritans supporter you will have access to the bars, toilets and refreshments at the theatre from 11am 6pm. The Events Team will be based at the theatre on the day and would love to see you there too! The Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5DE 5

6 Mile by Mile guide Most spectators try to spot their runners at several points along the course, however those that use this strategy often end up not seeing their runner at all! Our advice would be to pick a couple of key points along the route (ideally our Samaritans cheering points) and let your runner know where you plan to be. Here s a list of the most exciting locations (in addition to our cheering points!) to spot your runners: Mile 1 There s a real buzz at the start of the race; hear the klaxon and enjoy the picturesque Greenwich Park. Mile 3 The point where all the start lines join together, it s a great place to get an idea of the scale on the whole event. Mile 4 and 5 Enjoy the first point along the route where you get a glimpse of the Thames. There s usually a band here to warm up the crowds! Mile 6 and 7 This is an ideal spot for tourists - you ll see the famous Cutty Sark and the Royal Navy Hospital. This is a very popular area of the route so get there early for a good spot! Mile 10 Surrey Docks City Farm makes an ideal location for families as it will keep children entertained. Mile 12 There s always a big party atmosphere here and you can watch runners cross Tower Bridge. It does get incredibly busy here though, so make sure you get here early to avoid disappointment. 6

7 Mile 13 and 22 Catch all the action - watch runners move in both directions as the race doubles over itself! This area is another one of the busiest on the course, so get there early! Mile 18 Canary Wharf and Canada square - join the Samaritans cheer point here. Located near the Iberia Spanish Restaurant. Mile 24 This is where runners pass through the Blackfriars Underpass it s a great spot to take photos. Mile 25 Embankment-join the Samaritans cheer point here, located near the Playhouse Theatre. Mile 26 The atmosphere is electric as runners approach the finish line. You ll be able to see landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, St James Park and the Houses of Parliament. 7

8 On the day information Public transport Many roads are closed on race day, so the best way to get around is using the London Underground. Remember, the trains will be busy all day and if you are not familiar with London, definitely plan your journeys in advance. You ll probably have to queue at some stations and the tube lines may be forced to shut temporarily throughout the day to help ease the crowds. When arranging to meet up with friends make sure you discuss what side of the road you re going to meet on! Track your runner You can follow your runners progress around the route on the day by downloading an app onto your smart phone: Travel light You might not be running the London Marathon, but you ll still be on your feet all day watching the runners, walking up stairs and using the escalators in tube stations. Think carefully about what you bring with you - try to leave valuables at home, and remember, bringing young children and pushchairs to the race will take you more time to move through the crowds. Dress comfortably Make sure you dress sensibly, as you re likely to be outside for most of the day. Comfortable shoes are a must and remember to bring a waterproof in case there are any April showers! Refuel It s important to keep hydrated so drink plenty of water. There will be long queues to buy food in any of the restaurants and cafés on route, so bring snacks to stop yourselves from getting too hungry. The runners will also be in need of energy along the route, so you might like to bring soft sweets, small chocolate bars and fruit to offer them as they pass - they ll really appreciate it! Take photos and videos Please take as many photos and videos on the day as possible. We would absolutely love you to capture the atmosphere at the cheering points, how your runner feels at the start (ie video diary) and how they feel having completed the race. Please send in any photo s and videos to Emma at e.burgess@samaritans.org 8

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