London 2020

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Comments

  • Some in the media create news instead of reporting it and then claim they were right in predicting the event
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    DT-There is also Southampton that day and Blackpool depending on what is cancelled or not.
  • I wonder if runners will be wearing facemasks - despite the risk that young Boris labeling them as letter box
  • I'm running Cambridge HM this Sunday, hand sanitisers will be a plenty, and volunteers on the aid stations will be wearing gloves. 
    Seems a sensible approach and perhaps one that if adopted for London will save it from possible cancellation. 
  • I'm running Cambridge HM this Sunday, hand sanitisers will be a plenty, and volunteers on the aid stations will be wearing gloves. 
    Seems a sensible approach and perhaps one that if adopted for London will save it from possible cancellation. 

    That's exactly what they said they would be doing in Tokyo, right up to the point where they cancelled it.
  • Hoping this next 'delay' phase does curtail this weekends race....guess i'll find out soon enough. 
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Boris Johnson said on This Morning that the scientific advice is that mass gatherings dont do as much to curtail spread as people think and he generally doesnt seem keen for that to happen. 
  • Rome and Paris marathons not happening.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    The best chance london has is that it becomes so widespread it is declared out of control. All measuees are revoked at that point. 
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Paris now scheduled for October 18th, hopefully when the worst of the virus has passed through.  So London options (a) its on (b) its off for 2020 (c) its rearranged for Autumn 2020 (d) its rearranged for 2020 and then sadly called off again.  
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Postponement would allow an early call off, but i cant see it being rearranged for the Autumn as there probably isnt a weekend when London can be shutdown, the April weekend is reserved. Plenty of runners will already have autumn races booked too.
  • RichNRichN ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    I have a ballot spot for London. However training has gone awfully due to injury (hamstring tear) and illness (no, not that one). 

    At 7 weeks out I'm just about back running and could get round the course (slowly), but I'm miles from where my fitness was in Autumn or where I wanted to be now.  

    I'm still motivated by chasing PBs and luckily I've run London twice before so I don't want to waste a ballot spot just getting round.

    In normal times I would defer and guarantee a 2021 place, which is great as I live in London so logistically it is super easy for me. I could then continue with my rehab to full fitness and move on to new aims for 2020. 

    However the cancellation of Tokyo and Rome, and postponement of Paris have me thinking if it is wise to defer now or later? 

    Way I see it there are 3 outcomes for London with current coronavirus worries. 
    1. It goes ahead
    2. It is postponed till later in the year (probably Autumn) 
    3. It is cancelled
    Now if 1 happens, (which i think is most likely... just), that's fine, I will defer and have till day before to do so. So no rush to get my deferral in. 

    If 2 happens I have a chance to make the start line in PB shape presuming I've not deferred already.  Selfishly this would be the best outcome for me, as I would prefer this than waiting until spring 2021. So no rush to defer. 

    If 3 happens I'm in the land of unknown. T&Cs only state cancelled entries are refunded. They make no provision as to whether ballot spots are carried forward. Strictly I think VLM could just say tough luck, they are lost. In which case it would be best to have deferred already. 

    But would VLM take that route? Both major marathons that have cancelled have rolled over ballot spots. Tokyo requiring you to pay again, Rome it seems not. Although I have no idea what their T&Cs were. PR wise I think it would be very unlikely VLM would say tough to people with places for 2020, you need to try your luck again in the ballot again.

    If VLM took the softer stance and allowed ballot spots to be carried forward like Tokyo and Rome it would be better not to have deferred. Then I have a deferral option in 2021 if training goes awfully again, rather than being in last chance saloon if i've actively deferred 2020.

    Mmmm decisions. Not deferring straight away is the best play in most scenarios, but risks the worst result if VLM is cancelled and VLM take the hard line. Selfish and rambling post I know but what would you do in my (not used enough recently) running shoes? 
  • I'd leave it. I don't see any real benefit to deferring now. No reason to think they'd carry over a deferred ballot place if they didn't carry over all ballot places.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    Same view here LMH.  While it is complicated by the is it on/off situation, in any case the LM rules state that a place cannot be deferred more than once.  
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    I believe that essentially what Tokoyo did was defer everyone. 

    I think itd be carnage if london just refunded everyone. There'll be people in who have been trying 10 years and may have an equal wait again. 
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    I'll play devils advocate,wasnt the ballot for 2020,and if the event is cancelled you get a refund? Therefore why should anyone carry it over until 2021?
  • DT19 said:
    I believe that essentially what Tokoyo did was defer everyone. 
     
    That's essentially true, although there were no refunds and those deferred will have to pay again.  That's in line with the T&Cs though. VLM T&Cs are different I understand.

    They're also going to post on all the stuff you'd normally get - the chip, bib number, even the foil blanket!  I'm hoping they won't bother with the post-race banana.  Not the medal though, those will be handed out at the 2021 finish line, along with the 2021 medal.
  • VLM Cancellation T&C's
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Interesting article in today's Guardian. The gist is the liklihood that lots of runners will turn up and run the marathon anyways, in the event of its cancellation, is making the London Marathon organisers and other public bodies think it should go ahead unless we have a medical Armageddon. The kind of media speculation I like. This is the case with a few people I know. 
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Saw that article and yes, that's more like it media. Make a big thing of that eventuality!!! 
  • I hope that no-one I know in the running community would do that. If mass gatherings were banned and football fans etc abide by it why on earth would runners think it ok for them to ignore it? We can all run 26.2 miles where we like - no timing, no road closures, no medal, no point in going to London to do it.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • RichNRichN ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    DT19 said:

    I think itd be carnage if london just refunded everyone. There'll be people in who have been trying 10 years and may have an equal wait again. 
    Agree re carnage and anger that would cause but reading the terms that it what VLM imply happens. 
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    It's an uncontrollable and if its deferred or cancelled it's because of medical advice. Wether folks get their place rolled over or lose it is kind of irrelevant.

    Best thing to do is find an alternative race as contingency.
  • RichNRichN ✭✭✭
    Agreed TR. If i was fit and firing I'd def be lining up an alternative as contingency...

    Especially as the Barcelona marathon has also just been postponed. The way things are moving is not positive. 
  • I can't see many of the possible alternatives actually happening.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • TTTT ✭✭✭
    Many runners on the Paris thread are discussing turning up, because of non refundable flights/hotels/trains and running. 

    The Jerusalem marathon is now planned for October (was March 20th) so looks as if October could be a very busy month running wise.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    You need to find a tiny little mid week mara, not one smaller than london but still with a 3000 strong field. 
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Barcelona marathon cancelled,gutted as it was due to be my wife's first.
  • not cancelled, postponed to October. Which is probably the best outcome in a bad situation. 

  • There will probably be a good few runners who have other races/holidays already booked in October- or just commitments that will make it difficult for them to train for an autumn marathon.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
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