Liverpool Half Marathon 2013

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Comments

  • Has it occurred to LCC that Liverpool One and its car park have only been around for five minutes and Liverpool existed before both?
  • Shopping, the new religion of the masses
  • I wouldn't mind if it was any good. But I don't really rate Liverpool One for shopping.
  • LB

    Only because your banned !!!   Too many foil lined shopping bags 

  • All 8,249 race packs collected yesterday so they are all on their way to you. Please be patient if yours doesn't arrive and your friends does. We can't control the postal service I'm afraid. They normally take 2 - 3 working days to arrive so expect them from Tuesday onwards.

    Three weeks and counting!

    (A bit disappointing to see suggestions on Facebook that I may be blaming LCC DELIBERATELY for the cancellation of the marathon when it is down to own shortcomings. I don't need to apportion blame as all the documented evidence is there for all to see. I must pull it all together and release it as a book as it makes for some compelling reading!!).

  • Alan, Having missed out on a place for the half due to the allocation selling out if I knew someone who drops out between now & the day of the race would it be possible to pop in & swap their number into my name? I understand your very busy but I am desperate not to miss out on what would be my 10th consecutive Liverpool Half Marathon. It is my own fault for leaving it so late, but for some reason I have not been getting email updates. Also I thought it was a 8000 limit?

    Cheers

     

     

  • Gary - the race limit is 8,000 and we had to remove the online facility and entry form download having gone past that number four weeks before race date and a week before the closing date of 15th February.

    It is not possible to transfer entries I'm afraid. If we do it for you we have to do it for everyone and with around 1,400 not turning up on the day it means everyone who wants to get rid of a number wants to do the same.

    There is always a reason why we do these things. Sorry.

  • Come on Alan, you need to cut Gary a bit of slack. There is a saying that 'the customer is always right' and this guy is surely one of your best customers having already run this nine times. You should be doing everything you can to accommodate your best customers, surely. How long is it going to take to switch a name....thirty seconds? Why not just drop him an e-mail and keep it quiet so that you aren't flooded with 1400, (your estimate), all wanting to change at the same time, although I must say this does strike me as a somewhat unlikely scenario. Otherwise, I suppose, he'll just have to appear under someone else's name on the results list. I don't know Gary, by the way, nor have I ever been to Liverpool.

  • If only everything was that simple. Sorry, if we do it for Gary then we have to do it for everyone. How difficult is it to enter on time? 8,249 managed it.

    I receive hundreds of similar requests all the time and it takes up a considerable amount of time to respond just saying the same thing.

    If everyone entered in good time then no-one would have to ask.

    1,400 isn't an estimate. That's how many people don't turn up and given the sniff of a return entry we will be inundated. We did this two years ago when we were in a similar position and were swamped with requests for deferrals, refunds and entry transfers.

  • I got my race pack yesterday so this is starting to seem very close! Hope everyone's training is going well- I got my 12 miler in on Sunday and will probably now drop to 10 and 8 for my lsrs.



    Re: Liverpool one, I don't really rate it either. I thought it was a shame that instead of investing in the city centre and high street they already had they just built a new one and have allowed the old shops to get empty. Also I think their parking is really expensive, so if I wanted a shopping centre trip I would always choose Trafford centre over Liverpool one (similar distance drive for me).



    Also, I had no idea that many people won't turn up! It's really surprised me.
  • Penguingirl - pleased to see your race pack has arrived! Nearly there eh. You have stated you had no idea how many people don't turn up and it's a fact that last year we had around 1,400 not turn up for the half marathon.

    For the marathon it was even more but less for the 10K events. Most runners don't understand that we are dealing with over 20,000 race entries each year (they tend to think it's just them as individuals ringing up or emailing) and with up to 20% no shows that's around 4,000 unused entries we would have to deal with for either refunds, deferrals or entry transfers.

    That's a full time job for someone!!

  • AlanRothwell wrote (see)

    Penguingirl - pleased to see your race pack has arrived! Nearly there eh. You have stated you had no idea how many people don't turn up and it's a fact that last year we had around 1,400 not turn up for the half marathon.

    For the marathon it was even more but less for the 10K events. Most runners don't understand that we are dealing with over 20,000 race entries each year (they tend to think it's just them as individuals ringing up or emailing) and with up to 20% no shows that's around 4,000 unused entries we would have to deal with for either refunds, deferrals or entry transfers.

    That's a full time job for someone!!

    If your estimate of 1400 not turning up is correct, and I've no reason to doubt it, at £30 a pop that's £42 000....and Liverpool does have it's fair share of unemployment!

    With regard to these non-showers, in an ideal world some might want a deferral, some a refund, and some a transfer. It's only the transfers that would have to be dealt with before the race thus reducing considerably the immediate administrative burden. As for deferrals and refunds it's quite ok to disallow these if the money is going to a good cause as it appears to be in this case. I'm having to pull out of a race myself on Sunday as I've picked up a chest infection and at my age, 63, I don't want to be taking unnecessary risks, especially as I'm a primary carer myself and can't really afford to be ill. The entry fee goes to a local charity so I'm quite happy with a no refund rule.
     I still feel that an effort should be made to accommodate the small number that would like tranfers as in any enterprise you have to make evey effort to keep the customer satisfied. Just out of interest where does the figure of 8 249 come from when there is supposed to be a maximum of 8 000?

    Good luck with the race, hope it goes well.

  • Hi all,

    Advice needed.

    I'm doing Liverpool for the first time and I'll be coming down by car I think, coming down from Lancaster.

    Can anyone recommend a good place to park (I'm expecting to have to pay) where I can be sure of finding a space and where I won't get lost trying to walk to the start line?

    Also, how busy will it be on the roads? Do I need to set off with a good hour to spare? Or it it busy to the point where I'm better off just getting the train?

    Thanks

    J

  • James, the start and finish are right next to James Street station. Much better to get the train in IMHO.

  • There's a car park directly opposite the start and loads of others nearby. You may need to get there early though to get a spot. If you get the train there's a link from lime street to James st which is round the corner from the start.



    No idea what the traffic will be like but if there's about 7000 people running I'd give it plenty of time. Personally I'd drive in. I've no idea what the trains would be like at that time.
  • Thanks for your replies. One vote apiece then on train v car. Sounds like I'll be getting up at an unsociable hour either way.

  • Trains were fine last year Blue. May be famous last words where MerseyFail are concerned!

  • I'd park on the outskirts and get the train in. Simples.
  • Plodder - there is a limit on entries at 8,000. However, we cannot control the number coming in by post and online unless we close earlier. The number of entries received by the online facility in particular over one weekend meant we had gone over the 8,000 - which is why the entry facility was closed. It clearly states on the entry form the date for closure is 15th February or EARLIER IF THE LIMIT IS REACHED.

    For the sake of clarity there won't any entry transfers, deferrals or refunds. This policy won't change I'm afraid.

  • Hi, Im looking at the route map and cant figure out exactly where the start is. Is it the prom side of the Liver Buildings or the Strand Street (main road) side? Just trying to find the best car park. Thanks!

  • The car park information is in the race pack. The start is in front on the Liver Building on the river side.

  • If anyone knows of Spares going please let point me in the direction. Many Thanks

  • I don't understand why people complain when the race is full. As gutting as it is for Gary to miss out, if he's done it for 10 years then he'll know that the race limit has been reached for the last couple and the race has been growing year on year so its hardly surprising that with with less than three weeks to go, there are NO SPACES left.

    A friend of mine was sitting up at midnight waiting for a French race to go live so she could book it last night. She got tired and went to bed. It's normally full in a couple of days. She logged on at 6am.

    'RACE FULL'.

    So she sucked it up and looked for another one.
  • I understand the rules and that there is a limit on the number of runners. I am more puzzled at the commercial deciaion not to allow transfers. As it is transfers are not officially allowed - but people will do it anyway on an unofficial basis. If a race is full then if a competitor signs over their number to another runner (coming to whatever financial arrangement they want privately) and they sign the usual race disclaimer then charging say £10 to register then name change maens the runner can  run 'legally' and the race organiser is up on the deal. New runner needs to bring cash, disclaimer and origonal number to the office or a desk on the day of the event to take advantage. Charge extra on the morning of the race with a strict cut-off of 30 min before race start and cash only may add to the event takings. If the event is not sold out then needless to say this would not be available. If 100 of the 1400 non-starters did this then the organiser is £1000 up on the event (and costs will be less than this) and 100 runners (and another 100 who will have recouped some of their costs) are happy.

    I have enjoyed events organised by BTR in the past and want them to suceed so please don't think I am being critical. This is a suggesion to help runners who want to run and also increase the organisers income.

  • Who is complaining the race is full? 

  • GazOC wrote (see)

    Who is complaining the race is full? 

    Me because I am an Idiot for not entering sooner ...image....image

  • Theres always spares kicking about race week.image

  • James Leech 3 wrote (see)

    Thanks for your replies. One vote apiece then on train v car. Sounds like I'll be getting up at an unsociable hour either way.

    Have you looked at the trains? I haven't been able to find any from South Lancashire that would be able to get me there in time for the start, so it looks like it'll be car for me (and also an early morning!). 

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