2015 Zone 1 Challenge- 29th May 2015

[DrainBrain]

Like the majority of people, we headed towards Southwark and then doubled back to London Bridge, to head down to Northern Line towards Elephant & Castle. Things were fine until we hit Lambeth North when we were delayed, so most people got out and legged it towards Waterloo. I got lost at a set of traffic lights and met up with Nick, and we joined forces there and decided to run to Westminster, as we weren't sure where Waterloo's entrance was.

Really my fault that one. Despite a gaggle of tube challengers running up a particular road towards Waterloo, I failed to follow them, went a different way and by then Westminster was a reasonable alternative.

We changed again at Leicester Square for the run up to Kings Cross St. Pancras, where we made the dash again to the Victoria Line (and my first error) to be able to get Euston. My error was that I ended up on the Northbound platform instead of the Southbound platform at Kings Cross St. Pancras. My head saw a train, so I ran for it.

Going to Highbury & Islington during a Zone 1 Challenge could have been quite an achievement.

We reached Knightsbridge and got held there for a few minutes because of a train issue all the way up at Manor House. Nick started thinking of getting out at Hyde Park Corner and running to Green Park to go a different way for the set of stations we needed, but the train started moving so we stuck it out and went through to Piccadilly Circus for the change to the Bakerloo, which by now was running fine.

We'd already been to Green Park, so if we had been at HPC (we weren't) and if the expected delay had been long (it wasn't) then running to Piccadilly Circus seemed viable.

We went through to Waterloo, and then doubled back to Embankment, where we dashed up the spiral stairs and then up another set of stairs to the District platforms, to find that a District train to Aldgate East was the next one.

I've been to Embankment hundreds of times. I've never previously gone up those stairs.

Reaching Aldgate East, the plan was to run to Aldgate, since the next service on the other platform was a District line and not a H&C. The error was that Nick got into the wrong carriage, and I followed and we ended up at the wrong end of Aldgate East station, so a run of the whole station and then the normal section (all above ground) was needing to be done.

My app for door positions says 1 or 6 for Aldgate East, which is correct if all you want to do is get out of the station. If, however, you want to run to Aldgate...

My legs were truly gone by this time, but then we got onto a Bakerloo line train for the trip to Paddington (Bakerloo). A mad dash once again through to Paddington (H&C/Circle) and we had 3mins to rest before our last train to Edgware Road (District & Circle). It was a long day, but we made it through with a final time of 3hr 37min 55sec.

My slowest time in three attempts. Ah well, we can blame the Bakerloo line for that. Edgware Road (District & Circle) seems an unusual place to finish.

[The Orange One]

I considered following the example of my last year's team name and calling my 'team' Lambeth North! Lambeth North! Lambeth North! Lambeth North!, but thought better of it.

[mrredrunner100]

ill just do a short one as i have forgotten most of my route! for this attempt it went pretty well up until near the end. unlike the majority of people i stayed on the jubilee line through to waterloo to pick up the bakerloo down to elephant and castle, then changing at E&C we ran into everyone going the opposite way round, at this point i ran on to the northbound northern line platform to see a train sitting in the platform, i would've made it but i couldn't spot aaron, it turns out he thought traktakid was me and started following him! when he realised and arrived at the platform the train was just pulling out.

when we got to Aldgate east it was time for the run down the road, however we came out of the station the wrong end which confused us....we ended up running from aldgate east to aldgate east! then we realised and went the right way. we then headed round to liverpool street, and then went through to holborn and up to kings cross and then down to moorgate on the sub-surface lines and then round to euston on the northern and then northern down to embankment and back along to bank/monument.

later on in the day we got to edgware road from paddington and there was no trains going in the direction we wanted for about 20-25 minutes! because of the wimbledon line problems and this slowed us right down as i was unsure of another way down to high street kensington from edgware road (d,c) and this was an annoying delay. eventually a train turned up and then we popped down to high street ken missing a connection back up, but not long till the next one and then we finished at vauxhall with just over 4 hours. it was a really good day

[tractakid]

My route was...

London Bridge, Southwark, London Bridge, E&C, Lambeth North, run to Waterloo, Vauxhall, Victoria, Sloane Square, Aldgate, run to Aldgate East, Liverpool Street, Queensway, run to Bayswater, Gloucester Road, Earl's Court, Covent Garden, run to Leicester Square, Euston, Moorgate, Kings Cross, Russell Square, run to Euston Square, Paddington H&C, run to Paddington CDB, Waterloo.

Train problems at Lambeth North & Covent Garden. Long waits almost everywhere, including 3 minutes for the Vic at Vauxhall. This lead to low motivation when running and a Z1 personal worst time. Still good fun though, and did three unconventional runs on the way!

Do love the King William IV pub though.

[Going Underground]

The delays made it a most interesting Z1 as I have never ran Lambeth North Waterloo (Due passenger incident at Baker Street) and Covent Garden Russell Square past some lovely big polished stones and the old Holborn Tramway station (Due defective train at Arsenal) ...All that considered the time of 3hrs 20mins ish wasn't too bad...

[Garion]

Sounds like it was a fun day Sorry I couldn't have been there, I had family issues to deal with. Been meaning to pop up on here but haven't had chance with work and everything.

Glad everyone had fun I'll be there next year for 2016