Just to let those of you who live in or can get access to London easily, that the London Marathon takes place on Sunday 28th April 2019. Plenty of chances to get balloons, if you ask nicely, and are prepared to be super patient.
Even the giant Mile Markers (helium-filled arches, made up of cheap, unbranded, 3ft rounds) all need to come down over the 26 mile course, at some point during the day, and will usually just be popped.
So, those of you who want the chance to take home some, need to get ready! I'd recommend taking a small pair of nail scissors, some small metal keyring clips, and some cash (in coins and notes, for donations, "bribes", and "greasing the palms" of people) to utilise. They tend to come in quite handy, and will help save your fingers from being shredded/cut, as some companies use fishing-line/filament wire which is painful to wrap around your fingers when holding an arch.
Mile Markers can be "bought" for between £5-£10 each. Smaller amounts for the various charities on the day, will help if you want to try and ask for their balloons (which usually have to be popped also).
Oh, and allow plenty of time, if you need to catch a train home! Leaving the Capital on Marathon Day, can take two hours or more, due to the sheer volume of travellers, tourists, spectators and runners.
Just don't do what I did one year, and get an entire arch, and then have to deflate most of it, because I couldn't get it on the train home! (Most modern train carriages will be okay, but if your company/network happens to use an older style train, with narrower doors and corridors on it, as mine did this one time, then it totally buggers-up the whole day of collecting balloons to bring them home.)
Good Luck to you all, and if you have any success, do let us all know.
Even the giant Mile Markers (helium-filled arches, made up of cheap, unbranded, 3ft rounds) all need to come down over the 26 mile course, at some point during the day, and will usually just be popped.
So, those of you who want the chance to take home some, need to get ready! I'd recommend taking a small pair of nail scissors, some small metal keyring clips, and some cash (in coins and notes, for donations, "bribes", and "greasing the palms" of people) to utilise. They tend to come in quite handy, and will help save your fingers from being shredded/cut, as some companies use fishing-line/filament wire which is painful to wrap around your fingers when holding an arch.
Mile Markers can be "bought" for between £5-£10 each. Smaller amounts for the various charities on the day, will help if you want to try and ask for their balloons (which usually have to be popped also).
Oh, and allow plenty of time, if you need to catch a train home! Leaving the Capital on Marathon Day, can take two hours or more, due to the sheer volume of travellers, tourists, spectators and runners.
Just don't do what I did one year, and get an entire arch, and then have to deflate most of it, because I couldn't get it on the train home! (Most modern train carriages will be okay, but if your company/network happens to use an older style train, with narrower doors and corridors on it, as mine did this one time, then it totally buggers-up the whole day of collecting balloons to bring them home.)
Good Luck to you all, and if you have any success, do let us all know.
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