emf fiasco

After the debacle of the edinburgh marathon where i didnt get a shirt at the end i was promised faithfully by the EMF team i would recieve one in the post.After over 3 months i have finally got my shirt.i am disgusted to find it is not an asics shirt but a cheapo shirt with asics printed on .The printing is of very poor quality and the shirt is the wrong shade of blue.I might sound like im winging but when you pay over 40 pound to enter its a bit much,its like buying chinese copy designer goodswill i run edinburgh again never

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Comments

  • Did you enter the race for the t-shirt?

    If so, more fool you.

    Next time, choose a marathon you want to run, not one where you expect to get a great t-shirt at the end.

  • I dont know why you're complaining, all the emf shirts were rubbish.  Just a blue shirt with event sponsors on the back image

    (like most races)

    You can just walk into a shop and buy any colour/style/design of shirt you want

  • I LIKE my blue shirt. Er its nothing fancy - but its the memory of the race more than the make of it ?

    I think your shirt sounds like mine. Wear it with pride.

  • I cannot take a whine about marathon fees seriously now that I do triathlons. You knew the cost when you entered - it's an expensive city - they charge the organisers a ton of money to shut the streets off (or at least they used to - big scandal about it a few years ago).

  • Think its safe to say you'll get little in the way of sympathy and I'd tend to agree with all of the above - expensive if all you want is a shirt/you knew the price when you paid/why in Dog's name would you want to run that course anyway (I added that last one in myself).  Add to that the reputation for organisation over the past few years has been very far from good - not sure what you hope to achieve by coming on here and whining about how hard done by you feel.

    My suggestion would be to address your complaints directly to the organisers, copying the sponsors in to your letter of complaint, possibly adding punctuation to make it legible.  Nothing is achieved by forum based foot stamping, you need to go to source. 

  • Yet another first time poster given a less than warm welcome by the seemingly self appointed RunnersWorld forum hierarchy,don't think we'll be seeing him back anytime soon.

    OK,say he may be overreacting a little but part of his £40 went towards paying for the t-shirts so it's not unreasonable to expect one in return for slogging your guts out for 3,4,5 hours,especially after the piss-poor organisation he had to contend with. 

  • I think its safe to say, as someone who rarely posts here and who has only been an active member in the past year, that I don't regard myself (or anyone else for that matter) as self appointed hierarchy. 

    My point, which you've usefully avoided, was that it was his choice to go for an Edinburgh entry, pay the costs - regardless of the past history - and his choice entirely to 'slog his guts out' over the course.  Yes, he may feel (and be) justified in complaining but what use is that complaint on here?  It would be put to effect by sending it to the organisers and sponsors, otherwise its the equivalent to standing at the club of an evening saying the t shirt was a bit naff.

  • Listen,this is hardly the middle east peace process so I ain't gonna get involved in any disagreements with anyone. A fellow runner posts for the first time on a running forum  where people claim to be and are,in the main a friendly,warm and welcoming bunch. The first response can only be described as rude and arrogant,in my humble opinion. Nobody has to agree with me but if whining was banned on the RW forum then it would be extremely quiet around here!.
  • Crazy Diamond - I think it's a nice course - the organisation on the other hand......

    I have done sooo many Edinburgh races (more fool me) and they never learn. I have done the edinburgh marathon twice and both times I did the whole - constructive feedback to the organisers and yet I hear from my pals that this year was just as bad - especially at the finish.
  • Tbf GA I've only runs bits, as part of the hairy haggis but I've driven pretty much most of it.  I'll admit I'm terribly biased as I don't like flat courses and tend to find I suffer on them because all my training is done on hills.  I also think that with the whole of Edinburgh, they could have chosen a better course than 'oot to the power station an back'.  My biggest gripe though (having supported club runners two years in a row) is the lack of organisation and the apparent unwillingness to learn or change  constructively from the past few years critisisms (lets be honest, its been at least the last three years).  When the organisers are touting their race as the alternative to London - and selling it to their sponsors as such, I think they should expect to be put under the appropriate pressure when they cock it up and should act appropriately when that pressure applies.

    Which is why I think the OP should address his issues to the organisers and copy in the sponsors. 

  • I did the hairy haggis the first (or second) year they ran the event. They had about 8 portaloos at the finish. A couple at each corner of the finish field - this was open to all finishers, all relay people and all spectators. I was doing leg 1 so got back pretty quickly (saw the winners come in) and I watched with horror as the field got busier and busier and the portaloos became a toxic hazard at 500 metres.

    That was the first time I send a strongly worded letter - they did increase the numbers of loos but my initial impression is that so long as nobody pegs it or sues - they think it's a success. I do wonder if anyone on the organising committee has run a marathon and realises the importance of things like - no Bl**dy spectators wandering around the start pens (def NO BUGGIES OR DOGS) - a proper finishing area where you can collapse without feeling penned in - avoiding bottlenecks and long queues to get you back to your car.


    My pal who did it this year - it was her first - said she was just so disapointed in the finish line - it has put her off doing another one. Which is ridiculous for a race that want to establish itself as one of the UK's best races.

    They should go see how Loch Ness do it - now that is well organised although fair enough - there are significantly fewer people doing it.
  • chieffy wrote (see)

    Listen,this is hardly the middle east peace process so I ain't gonna get involved in any disagreements with anyone.

    A fellow runner posts for the first time on a running forum  where people claim to be and are,in the main a friendly,warm and welcoming bunch.

    The first response can only be described as rude and arrogant,in my humble opinion. Nobody has to agree with me but if whining was banned on the RW forum then it would be extremely quiet around here!.


    Who's claiming to be friendly, warm and welcoming?   I've NEVER said I'm any of those things!

    The OP joined a forum and his first post was a complaint - hardly a positive way to introduce yourself?

    Perhaps I was rude - but really, what sensible person enters a race for the flipping t-shirt?  As GB has said, there is no point at all in whining about it on here - address your grievance to the organisers (but don't expect them to take any notice - they have a sell-out event).

  • agree that it is always strange when a first poster comes on here to complain......................and then gets suprised if people don't agree......

    its not attacking first posters.its just that by posting i assume they are asking for peoples opinions............otherwisw why do they post.............

    just because the opinions don't agree then why come to their defence............

    It would be more productive if you just put your opinion on the matter than have a go at people who are expressing their own opinion.............

    if you check every new discusion thread on here you will find that the poster above will putb their support and encouragenment when they feel it is due.........

    so in fact they are just being honest rather than trying to molicoddle or patronise new poster just because they are new

  • See, when I clicked on this, I was expecting something about the european monetary fund
  • So was I!However, I don't think when entering a marathon anyone thinks about the tshirt but I guess if it's supposed to be good you might be disappointed. I lurk more than post but I have to say sometimes Wilkie you do come across as a little blunt. I'm sure you're a lovely person but perhaps you need to show you're softer side a little once in a while on these forums and have a little bit more patience with some of us who are a little bit less perfect.
  • Softer side?  I don't HAVE a softer side image

    And I am NOT a lovely person - that's a complete and utter lie, and I'll sue you if you repeat it! image

  • if you need mollycoddling maybe an internet forum isn't the place to be? image

    Plenty of people willing to help on here. A rant about marathon tshirts is hardly endearing 

    Crazy Diamond wrote (see)

    Tbf GA I've only runs bits, as part of the hairy haggis but I've driven pretty much most of it.  I'll admit I'm terribly biased as I don't like flat courses and tend to find I suffer on them because all my training is done on hills.  I also think that with the whole of Edinburgh, they could have chosen a better course than 'oot to the power station an back'.

    So your slagging off a course you've not even run image

    The course isn't going to win any scenery awards, nor is London!!! Its a flat pb course, a few non-postcard aread but  the setting is adequate.

    I think most big marathons outside london are about £40.
  • Unbelievable.

    Oh, not that EMF either.

  • CE I'm a Nurse and that's what I do !!!!!!!image When I'm not poisoning people that is.
  • I LIKE the edinburgh route - you have a bit of the royal mile - nice start near Arthurs seat - then a nice run along the coast past Gosforth House. Lots of green on one side of the road, bit of seaside at Portobello. Nice litle groups of smiley happy clappy folks as you go through the villages - Honestly - it's really really nice - plus briliant from a speed point of view so long as the sea wind doesn't get up.

    It's just the organisers I get cross with.

    (and if folks hate the route - all I can say to that is ' have you done London yet? It's not exactly scenic yet no-one complains about that)


    PS - I think it's pretty obvious why the race is not run through the middle of Edinburgh - the nice folks there don't want their roads closed!
  • Hi all, wow this topic has certainly ruffled some feathers one way or another!!

     I ran the Edinburgh this year and it was my very first marathon so was dissapointed that I came out with a Half Marathon T-shirt purely to the fact that I am the backrunner, the tortoise and the one that most people would think  yeah right she will never do that, and wearing my medal to flaunt my achievement upon return is a bit too Mr T for me. The request of having 2 to make it up to a full marathon was not received in the humour it was intended either image

     Besides the crap finish and the fact that my family never saw it due to tv linkage problems, I enjoyed the course, plenty to see on the way round and a lovely flat course (which I was a tad worried about after spending the previous few days in Edinburgh itself and forgetting how hilly the city is).

    I am looking to do another marathon next year but probably not Edinburgh so any suggestions of enjoyable, well organised  and not too hilly ones for a slow sight seer like me would be gratefully appreciated. image 

  • Dublin is lovely and the t-shirt (well the one I got in 2009) is really good. Couple of hills but nothing startling.

    Loch Ness is just divine but hilly as hell.

  • Depends on whether you want a big city marathon with all the razzmatazz, or a quieter, less crowded one.

    If you're willing to travel, then Amsterdam is flatter than a very flat thing, and you get to finish in the Olympic stadium, (and it's not too crowded). 

    There's also a half mara and a 10k the same day, so friends could come too and do shorter races if they don't fancy the full thing.

    (oh, and the t-shirt is pretty good, and the medal is very nice)

  • Wilkie now you're scaring me because you've gone very touchy feely. I think I prefer the old Wilkie image
  • Thanks Guys, now I have done my first Marathon I am not too bothered about the T and am used to coming in last so not bothered about showy runs either, No point doing a flashy one if people are gonna see you cross the line on a stretcher lol.

     I had heard the Amsterdam one was good and it would be an excuse to take the family away for a few days too (always works out better with the hubby if there are benefits for him too), will check that and Dublin out.

     Thank you.

  • Nurse Gladys wrote (see)
    Wilkie now you're scaring me because you've gone very touchy feely. I think I prefer the old Wilkie image


    That's the sort of response a sensible question is likely to get from me, NG.  image

    Idiots and whingers get the slightly more pointed type of reply! image (well, you did say.....)

  • I had heard the Amsterdam one was good and it would be an excuse to take the family away for a few days too (always works out better with the hubby if there are benefits for him too), will check that and Dublin out

    A very understanding wife! image

  • Crazytown Emperor wrote (see)

    if you need mollycoddling maybe an internet forum isn't the place to be? image

    Plenty of people willing to help on here. A rant about marathon tshirts is hardly endearing 

    Crazy Diamond wrote (see)

    Tbf GA I've only runs bits, as part of the hairy haggis but I've driven pretty much most of it.  I'll admit I'm terribly biased as I don't like flat courses and tend to find I suffer on them because all my training is done on hills.  I also think that with the whole of Edinburgh, they could have chosen a better course than 'oot to the power station an back'.

    So your slagging off a course you've not even run image

    The course isn't going to win any scenery awards, nor is London!!! Its a flat pb course, a few non-postcard aread but  the setting is adequate.

    I think most big marathons outside london are about £40.


    I wasn't 'slagging' the route, merely stating a personal opinion that I don't particularly like the route because its too flat for me and I don't find it terribly scenic.  And just because I haven't run it all at once, doesn't mean to say I don't know the route well! 

    GA - totally agree with you about London.  Having run it last year I was less than inspired by the route although did think (like in Edinburgh) the atmosphere from the crowds & supporters was really nice. The organisation in my experience was fantastic but I guess they've had longer to get to grips with it.  Wouldn't be difficult for Edinburgh organisers to learn from London, or any other well organised marathon for that matter, but they just don't seem to be that interested if the past few year's experiences (via friends & forums) is anything to go by.

     Loch Ness on the other hand....exactly my kind of race.

    Aaaaanyhoo - my point, which appears to be getting diverted, was that the OP should contact the organisers and ask for an explanation of their failings.  It'd be interesting to see if he got any response and if that response was put in this thread.

  • Have you done Loch Ness then - I did it last year - perfect day and everything - light drizzle (my fav) - I thought the hills were frankly hilarious. Especially that short one from mile 18 all the way to mile 20!
  • From the OP's point of view - I would imagine I would be a bit p*ssed off if you had a bit of a nightmare race only for the goody bags to be gone when you finished. You wait with baited breath for a lovely t-shirt to come through the post only to be confronted with the usual size humumgous cheap cotton number.

    IMHO barring a very few - race t-shirts are really only for keeping you warm as you cool down on the way to the car - then they are never to be seen again.

    If I have a brill race - I buy a proper one from whoever is the sportswear sponsor and then I can wear it to train in.
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