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Most of us think of high ticket prices when talking about the Olympic games. But did you know there are actually a handful of FREE EVENTS that will get you a glimpse of competition without paying a penny? It’s true – just check out the list below! For more great tips on enjoying the 2012 Summer Olympics in London in person, click here.
- Triathlon:
The triathlon takes place in Hyde Park. While tickets do exist for viewing the swimming and running portions, most of the cycling (the second of the three events) can be seen from outside the gated area. The cyclist route follows South Carriage Drive, Constitution Hill, and Serpentine Road, winding its way past two major symbols of London – Buckingham Palace and Wellington Arch.
Men’s Triathlon: Saturday, August 4. 11:30 am start. Women’s Triathlon: Tuesday, August 7. 9:00 am start.- Marathon:
The marathon starts and finishes at The Mall. Athletes complete a first loop of 2.2 miles along the River Thames, south to the Houses of Parliament, and back up to The Mall past Buckingham Palace. They then run back to the river and this time head east towards the City of London and beyond to the Tower of London in an eight-mile loop that is repeated three times before crossing the finishing line. Tickets are required at The Mall, but the remainder of the course in non-ticketed.
Suggested Viewing Spots: St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, along the River Thames, and Victoria embankment near Waterloo Bridge. The finish is at The Mall, so if want to see the final kick, position yourself near Buckingham Palace. Download a full course map here.
Women’s Marathon: Sunday, August 5. 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Men’s Marathon: Sunday, August 12. 11:00 am – 1:40 pm.- Race Walk:
The Race Walk starts/finishes at The Mall. Athletes race over a 2km loop, taking them up The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, around the Victoria Memorial and up Constitution Hill towards Hyde Park Corner before returning to complete the loop. The loop will be repeated 10 times for the 20km events and 25 times for the 50km event. There are certain areas of the route where tickets are not required, such as near Buckingham Palace and Constitution Hill after the Queen Victoria Memorial.
Men’s 20km race-walk: Saturday, August 4. 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm. Men’s 50km race walk: Saturday, August 11. 9:00 am – 1:20 pm. Women’s 20km race walk: Saturday, August 11. 5:00 pm – 6:45 pm.- Cycling:
The cycling road race starts/finishes at The Mall. The route passes a number of famous spots, including Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum, Richmond Park, Hampton Court Palace and the beautiful town centre of Kingston upon Thames.
There are viewing seats at Box Hill (a summit of the North Downs in Surrey, around 30 km south west of London), but there is a charge of £5-15 for those tickets. There is also ticketed viewing on The Mall. For free viewing, place yourself near Buckingham Palace, Constitution Hill, or Brampton Road (use the South Kensington Tube).
Men’s Road Race: Saturday, July 28. 10:00 am – 4:15 pm. Women’s Road Race: Sunday, July 29. 12:00 pm – 4:15 pm.The cycling time trials are in southwest London and start/finish at Hampton Court Palace. Hampton Court Palace is a ticketed area, but the remainder of the route is non-ticketed.
Suggested Viewing Spots: A good place to watch the women’s individual time trial is on Hampton Court Road (Knightsbridge Rail Line). A good place to watch the men’s individual time trial is on Upper Teddington Road (Hampton Wick Rail Line).
Women’s Individual Time Trial: Wednesday, August 1. 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm. Men’s Individual Time Trial: Wednesday, August 1. 2:15 pm start.And remember…
- Since these events are free, there will be many people thinking the same way you do. Show up early for the best view.
- Don’t forget the camera! The backdrop of the London games are the city’s most iconic sights, so you’ll get some great photos to remember your trip. Why not snap pictures of the guards at Buckingham Palace while you cheer on a marathoner going by?
- All finishing times are estimated.
HowDoYouDo.com is your source for great tips on enjoying the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
1 comment
gold account
Oct 6, 2012
Spectators need not fork out a small fortune to watch the Olympics, with events such as the Marathon , Triathlon and Road Cycling all possible to view for free. Both the men’s (Sunday 12th August) and women’s (Sunday 5th August) Marathons take in iconic locations such as St James’s Park , St Paul’s Cathedral , Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament and fans will be able to line the streets and cheer on the athletes with the exception of the ticketed area along The Mall in the shadow of Buckingham Palace where the 26.2 mile (42km) marathon route begins and ends. The marathon events pass some of London’s most famous landmarks – although spectators will have to save a place early on if they want to stand near popular spots like the Houses of Parliament or St Paul’s Cathedral . Some locations in the City – such as Leadenhall Market – could be a safer bet, and will allow double viewings if you play your cards right. Spectators familiar with the famous London Marathon may be surprised to see how few competitors there are in the Olympic Marathon – instead of the 37,500 people we are used to seeing there will be around 80 competitors on the course. All the more reason to cheer them on as they compete to see if anyone can keep the Kenyan off the podium. See the Marathon Route Map .