Martin Clark acted as project manager for a team of 40, who completed their first circuit of the course on the Saturday, installing the structures across the course in potentially hazardous conditions before the road closures came into force. Martin's experience working on the race over the past 12 years was a great advantage in liaising with organiser and the police to prepare the structures and co-ordinate the operation across 36 hours on site.
Lucy McCrickard, director of LGM Consultancy, has organised 11 London Marathons and explained the magnitude of the task: "Planning begins almost as soon as the last event is over. As Flora's sponsorship consultant and event manager, I work closely with Arena and the other contractors to plan the imagery which goes on the structures to ensure Flora receives best possible coverage on television. We then liaise with the London Marathon course director and all the relevant London Boroughs to check compliance with their individual commercial and safety regulations. Arena do a fabulous logistical job in co-coordinating with graphics contractors and the Boroughs to deliver a seamless operation."
Arena's mile marker towers around the course were all adorned with Flora's sponsor branding, time clocks and balloon arches across the route. The scaffolding towers had to be very carefully anchored and weighted down to ensure they were structurally sound in the event of winds or impacts, and they were finished to the highest standard so that they presented no hazards to the runners and members of the general public.
As the race proceeded on the Sunday morning the Arena team followed the runners around the course for their second circuit, removing the mile markers in minutes to allow the re-opening of London's roads to traffic.
Arena Seating also supplied the covered grandstands flanking the final 300m straight to the finishing line, enabling VIP's and Flora's hospitality guests to enjoy the final moments of the competitors incredible efforts to complete the course.
(Lee Baldock)
