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Fancy achieving a world record at the London Marathon ?
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She got to start right at the front - obviously this gives her a massive advantage over the rest of us!
If I hadn't been trapped further back, I'd have been right on her shoulder.
Perhaps they should have two races - one for people who wear running attire, and one which starts an hour later for anyone wearing a costume.
Jeez, I've now got images of a dog trying to do a millipede.
Thanks for that.....
British swimming champs at the moment. Can I turn up in a shark outfit and swim the 400m for charity?
People who enter the national championships at any timed sport should be able to aim for a PB, and not be labelled a nutter for thinking that.
The VLM could accept entries from the fastest applicants based on previous marathon (or HM or 20 mile) times. If the centipede qualifies then fair enough. Or I could stop dreaming!
Agree with this. I'm often asked for sponsorship money and I always give it with a smile. It doesn't mean I'm not secretly resenting having to hand over the cash. Maybe I'm just tight though......
I think most runners are happy for there to be a charity element to London and other big events such as the GNR, the issue for most is the fact that these events have become almost entirely charity focused. I'm sure a middle ground exists somewhere. Something along the lines of massively increasing the number of places available for those achieving a qualifying time and putting dedciated pens at the back of the field for those running in fancy dress, ensuring they don't clog up the field further up. If 20% of places were available to those achieving a qualifying time then this would restore the event as having meaning as a race whilst still allowing slower competitors and charity runners a chance at competing.
Really they should go all the way down the Centipede theme for charity :
Human Centipede Film
I thought they had banned those fancy technical swim suits?
Mind you there were some pictures in the Metro last year or so with a very fit Italian swimer who had split her costume
That Human Centipede film .. fascinating stuff Cougie.
"created by stitching their mouths to each others' rectums" .... one wonders if they managed to attract any willing volunteers??
Boston remains all the more attractive to runners because of the qualifying time....
Just a thought.
Is that based on more than a feeling?
*slaps head*
I actually think that's a darned good idea.
It's already effectively separate races, if a caterpillar starts at the back of pen 9 it's going to cross the start line about 30 minutes after the elite men. VLM do a very good job of making sure that the championship and elite race isn't upset by the antics at the back, the problem then is that all "fun runners" are lumped into the same category, when the person who's trained really hard to break four hours doesn't want to be lumped in with a caterpillar.
Mr Viper wrote (see)
I agree with enforcing pens for people in costume. I thought people in bulky costumes were supposed to start at the back anyway though? Is it poorly enforced? Having said that if we're talking pen etiquette I'd take a rhino doing 9m/m over someone finding out that their martial arts background has only prepared them for a run/walk any day.To "massively increase" the number of places for qualifying times though you're talking about dropping the qualifying time not increasing the number places per se. There are loads of automatic places available for VLM but people aren't hitting the qualifying times to take them up - that's why the women's GFA is now 3.50. And does anyone fancy opening that can of worms of what a suitable qualifying time would be to ensure that "real runners" can get a place?!
Agreed with this, and I think it's interesting that charities are now trying to find their own events, like Shelter and their tower running event last week.
Indeed - I notice there were no reported centipedes doing the Vertical Rush last Saturday.
Why not? Was it not on telly or something?
Anyway, there is a glimmer of hope that VLM will start returning to what it used to be now that there is a Brasher at the helm once more.
Despite there being waiting lists of charities wanting to snap up places, circumstancially it would appear that there is more (and later) advertising by charities each year trying get their places taken up. You only need a few of them to take the hit of wasted places and they will start looking elsewhere for fund raising opportunities.
It may well be that in 5 years time there may actually be a fully fledged marathon in London again. Well, nothing wrong with a bit of optimistic thinking anyway.......
I've heard a rumour that charidees are queueing up for this race.
Well that's a load of baloney right off, given that the original post that was asking for more people to join them didn't mention the charity at all, just the "challenge of becoming a world record holder".
You mean the same idea that was done last year and got in the way of loads of other runners, despite being much smaller than this chain? No, nobody knows anything about it at all.
Of course if they're running in twos they won't get in the way of anyone. Here's a suggestion - why don't they try the same at VLM?It will require incredible coordination when going round bends to stop pushing other runners out or squeezing them into a corner.
In fact, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous the idea is.
All of what you say may be true, and for the sake of the runners taking VLM seriously I hope it works, but if the centipede ruins the race for just one other runner then is it worth the risk?
You know that for a fact do you? How?
Do you have ALL their schedules?
The word "fact" suggests proof.
ALL runners have been running half marathons "nearly every week"
And the moon is made of cheese.
So they'll all be completely knackered then?
I'm sure the thread was about London NOT Silverstone. There is a slight difference.
All of them? Thats impressive considering there seems to be an open invitation for anyone to join in.
Dont know anything about what? Most people who have commented on this thread have plenty of personal experience of the VLM and potential issues/problems.
They may not have specific centipede specific knowledge but I'm sure they're prepared to continue their lives in the knowledge that they have that gaping gap in their education.
Do you think that, with your first post on the forum, that you will have won around the doubters with that rant?
Not such a recent concept then?
Not the impression you get when you look around t'interwebby and see what reports there are about training...
You can tell how standards have slipped Jeepers, that centipede was aiming for 2.20!
And maybe I'm too cut-throat, but I think if you have to explain a catchy gimmick, it's maybe not such a good one. At least with the giant testicle everyone gets what charity he's running for.
Wobbled wrote (see)
Imagine that creeping up on Paula Radcliffe...