Liverpool Marathon 2013

This was my first marathon last year and I have no idea of the costs involved but didn't have any issue with the entry fee before the race and even less so after (if that makes sense).

The race was impeccably organised from start to finish and the quality of the medal and tee shirt more than merited the effort I had made to earn them!

Add to this the buzz I got hearing the Batala drums coming through the ground as I approached the exit of the Queensway Tunnel or looking up and seeing the Liverbirds to bring me home through the last mile (and I'm not even a scouser) and l I'd struggle to think of £50 that has bought me better value or greater satisfaction.

As for the locals, they're support and encouragement wassimply phenomonal. From the scouse twang cheering my name all the way round, to the guy who was blasting out a certain Spencer Davies Group track from his living room window on the approach to Sefton Park. 

Then to round things off there were the three young lads who upon spotting the medal around my neck as I hobbled to the car park, stopped to shake my hand and congratulate me.

Again I have no idea of the  factors that may (or may not) come into play when a council makes a decision like this but it strikes me that they have allowed to slip through their fingers a fantastic event that had the potential to become one of the great marathons in Europe and perhaps more significantly a fantastic advertsment for their City and the people who live there.

Alan, Thank you for your hard work and commitment, I hope in time you are able to re-discover your mojo and turn your talents to putting on another large scale marathon.

Run Liverpool Marathon - Run it, Lived it, Loved it!

Corporate running, spot a small business, watch it grow, take it, make it uniform, strip out local management = profit

Nick,

I know a lot about that Sonae plant though work. People were killed working there, there were numorous fires, at least one of them major in addition to the emissions they were spewing out. The problems were a wee bit more serious than you are letting on. Thats assuming you know the full story, if you don't fair enough but if you do then you are being a bit disingenuous with your version of events.

Nick - for your information I have had several approaches about corporate buy-outs over the last year or so and I have turned them all down. I don't do this for money. I never have. I've opted not to consider selling out because I believe in the integrity of the events and do not want them turned into monster races which just create revenue.

I take great personal responsibility for what I deliver for runners in this city and that clearly extends to protecting the integrity of the marathon. There is a point where compromise after compromise becomes unacceptable and detrimental to the event.

Why don't you organise a race NLR?  The Laines 10k would be good. The winner could get a retro tomato shaped ketchup dispenser or some other Brighton-esque piece of tat. You could have a Vegetarian and a Vegan category. A Freddie Mercury Prize.

It would go a long way to correcting the erroneous notion that yet-to-be-great-Brighton is populated by fey arty workshy  downsizers who sell their London homes to snap up a terrace under the viaduct and paint it a lovely pastel shade to let it out to a couple of graphic designers.  I've have been fighting against this stereotype for years, but believe me it still persists in the cobbled streets of  Liverpool, unfair as it manifestly is.

Hi Folks,

Just thought I'd add my two penneth worth seeing as the discussion has shifted somewhat in direction. My expereince of running, which is not vast, but I would tentativley call myself a runner these day not a one off event person, is that good local runs are organised by local running clubs. They may vary in size and capacity but they can be broad in range. These events tend to be friendly, competitive and reasonably affordable. Once events reach a certain size they can no longer be run by clubs because clubs do not all have the time, resources or administrative ability to put on larger events. I do acknowledge clubs do put on fairly large events as well as smaller events and often do a great job but something like the Liverpool Marathon, if it is to be run well, is beyond most running clubs ability to organise. Most members of running clubs want to run, not fill out endlesss H&S forms, attend council meetings and keep forumites up to date with the latest news on their event. Big races need time, people and money to make them happen!

You can say what you like about the way the races from RunLiverpool have been organised and what the motivation is behind them but what I have noticed is that for a 'buisness' RunLiverpool (As it was back in the day!) kept runners informed on forums, ran well organised events and kept the balance between big race feel and local involvement pretty well in my eyes. Indeed more so than certain 'Great' runs I could mention.

As far as Alan being the patron saint of running in Liverpool NG, I don't think he ever claimed to be that and your comment is clearly presumptious.

I just want the marathon in Liverpool back so that people can see what a great city it is.

I suspect this decision is not going to be reversed, so the Chester Marathon will get a healthy boost this year I think.....No bad thing as this is a great, well run event as well. We all hope that the Liverpool Marathon will return in 2014, but can I put in a request early enough to try to keep the date far enough away from Chester so we can do both ? (I understand the restrictions of avoiding the footy, but never hurts to ask.....)

There was nothing homophobic in my imaginary portrait of Brighton NLR, just a good-natured reference to Brighton's large gay population, many of whom love to camp it up as you and I both well know.

However, I will withdraw my suggestion of the Freddie Mercury prize and instead offer the Katie Price Biggest Tit in Brighton prize to the person who most likes to wind up others but suffers a complete sense-of-humour-failure when he (or she) is gently ribbed.

And, believe it or not, I love Brighton, I really do.  I've have spent many happy nights there parked up in my lorry, eating at Food with Friends, enjoying a pint at the Hand-in-Hand Micro-Brewery and enjoying a hookah on the beach.

Stop the press. The Echo tonight is saying big Joe wants to kiss and make up (well sort of.....). 

Well in that case ...

Ball back in the court of BTR   Council want the event and are disappointed with attitude of BTR.

In the fairness of a balanced forum I wait to see if BTR will respond