New Forest Marathon &Half 2014 CANCELLED

Dwindling numbers etc etc

Comments

  • I did it last year for the first time, shame I thought there seemed to be lots of people running

  • I so hope this isn't true. I've run the half several times and think it's a lovely event.

    If it is true, I can't help wondering if it's more down to the increasing red tape required to stage an event such as this, than the number of participants.

  • From another site.

    With regret we will be making an announcement on the website that the New Forest Full and Half Marathons are cancelled this year! Declining numbers of entries and rising costs resulted in no profit from last years event and no funds to pay any money to the charitable volunteer groups who help on race day. The website will be updated this weekend. The committee needs new members to help organize/relaunch the event in 2015. If nobody comes forward to help it is the end of the road. Can you help?
  • Oh no! This was my first HM when I started running in 2012 and have done it last year too. I love this event and hope they will be able to continue it.
  • BookyBooky ✭✭✭

    I did it for the first time last year - it was a really lovely event. Shame. 

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    That's a shame, it's always been on my to do list.

    I wonder if the Bournemouth marathon has had any impact? It's a similar time of year.
  • That's really sad.  I haven't run it but see it as a real a shame when something like this has to be cancelled.  With running becoming more and more popular and every race I've entered filling up faster than the year before I would I thought this would be a successful time for organisers.  Perhaps there is just too much competition from larger sports events companies now image

    Good luck to them in the future and hopefully a 2015 race will return.

  • Unbelievable, I've run the half many times and got a PB for the marathon. There's always been a large field. High costs, which now include £400 for road closure etc. are killing off any races that include some road closures, and charities will suffer as a result.

  • Real shame, New Forest was my first marathon in 2003, and been back 4 times since. Always been organised faultlessly and a great course.

    Thanks to the organisers for your work over the years, and hopefully it will be back in 2015

  • WombleWomble ✭✭✭

    This is such sad news. A wonderful event - I've done both the marathon and half marathon (lots). Perhaps the organisers were too nice and kept the price down but should have put it up to compete in a perverse sort of way with the 'big'/flashy half/marathon events. Changing the start time to accommodate people travelling from London might help.

    This was in our planning even today - "You could do the marathon and I'd do the half" image

  • Are these cancellations definite? We still haven't seen the promised announcement to update to the website.

  • That is sad- I ran the marathon last year and enjoyed it. The only thing I couldn't understand is why the 1/2 started before the marathon. Surely that means longer road closures and more cost? n

  • Great shame.  Run the marathon twice... great event

  • Don't organise races for charity and you won't run into these problems. Just charge enough to cover your costs with a bit of contingency. Don't worry about T-shirts, medals, goody bags etc as real runners don't want all that nonsense and most of your problems go away.

  • Thanks Scruffmeister. Lets hope they will be able to organise races again in 2015.

  • robin_hood wrote (see)

    Don't organise races for charity and you won't run into these problems. Just charge enough to cover your costs with a bit of contingency. Don't worry about T-shirts, medals, goody bags etc as real runners don't want all that nonsense and most of your problems go away.

    Sorry, I realise this is an old thread, I'm falling into a trolling trap (Robin Hood indeed) and everyone has moved on with their lives but I didn't want to let this bit of mean-spirited snobbery to go unchallenged. If you like medals, T shirts and all that nonsense it does not mean you are any less of a "real runner" than someone who does. You can be a "real runner" and like big races, you can be a "real runner" and like small races. Who cares? I would venture that it is this very brand of snobbery that drives a lot of newer runners away from local events like this and towards bigger events where they know there's a stronger likelihood that the field will be made up of a greater mix of abilities and they're less likely to face this very brand of elitism. Running is for everyone.

  • Hi all,

    just been on the website to see if anything has changed - and as far as I can tell the site hasn't been updated since Feb 2014.

     

    Does anyone know what the situation is re 2015 race?

     

    Ta.

     

Sign In or Register to comment.