Journey to the end of our road...(2) Marathon

Shortly before the unearthly hour of 9am on a rainy Sunday Morning, the band rehearse under the Duke's awnings .

9:15am: A couple of cyclists, who didn't seem to have any connection with the proceedings, took advantage of a perfectly traffic-free route into London.  This gives me an idea for a rather opportunistic ride next year.

Around 9:35, the élite women passed

Followed by the wheelchair athletes, who, as they swept down off Creek Road Bridge, looked incredibly unworldly.  Here's two near the front as they got closer.

The band, having assured themselves that their wigs were colour-fast enough to risk the (improving) weather, reappeared over the awnings.

While another group of wheelchasers drafted each other as they headed into the westerly wind.  I wondered whether they each took a turn, like cyclists, leading the group to share the load.  I didn't see it happen.

Around 10:20, the first élite men came through.

Then the almost as quick ones...

The chap in black, to the left of the one in green, was the first élite insect to fly past:

And then it started getting busy:

And busier...:

And for a while, there was a constant bobbing mass of bodies coming down the road...

I returned later, at around 13:15 from Greenwich, and by then the road was almost clear.  Apart from the  bottles that is.