Luton Marathon

Agree with Sean - at least we know it advance...I dont know about anyone else but the uncertainty of it all this week has been worse than the flipping training! Must of been a tough decision for the organisers.

 I was running this for a friend who has Hodgkins Lymphoma so I have a lot of sponsor money riding on this run.

 I am going to do 3 laps of Richmond Park instead on Sunday - think its about 23 miles altogether so if anyone fancies joining me I will be there at Richmond Hill Gate at 10am. Im probably not as fast as the rest of you - so not expecting anyone to run at my snails pace of 11.5 minute miles - but knowing there are other Lutoners in the Park is good!

 Good luck everyone with whatever you decide to do on Sunday. I will be at VLM so maybe see you there!

x

agree with sean too.

have fun on sunday in richmond shell7. i will be doing a 24 miler round central london bright and early in the morning about 8am so will be thinking of all you lot too!

see you at VLM too as i will be there also

I think if the organisers were advised that they personally or their running club could be liable for any injuries because there is a risk of ice on Sunday then they should cancel it. Its not worth the personal risk or risk to the running club.

I think we all realise that the organisers put a lot of effort and dedication into the race and its a very difficult decision which was probably taken out of their hands by the "Safety Advisory Group".

My question is at what point the liability stops ? Should the "for profit" organisers of the MK Half been sued for this: http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/ratingsall.asp?en=43443&year=2008&ugn=690&sp=&v=3 ?

On the flip side if the snow melts on Saturday and the course is perfectly clear on Sunday are the organisers liable to refund entry fees and other associated expenses, notwithstanding the terms about cancellation on the application form ?

I can see the course from my living room window, the road from Streatley to Sundon is clear and regularly gritted as its very busy. Some of the paths do have ice on them. However all the forecasts I look at (http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/2577?area=LU4) indicate that it will not drop below freezing on Saturday night, so any gritting could take place on Saturday and be ok for Sunday. Obviously this is all subject to change, but at the moment it looks like if the course was gritted on Saturday it would be ok for Sunday.

Unless the organisers pull a rabbit out of the hat and reorganise for next week or something then I guess we just have to get used to not running a Luton Marathon this year.

Completely gutted but c'est la vie.

I'm committed to running one last marathon this year for my 12 marathon challenge so I'm planning to run from home near Watford into Central London - either this Sunday or next weekend.

It's a run I've done a couple of times before but I just need to add a 5 mile loop around the city to make it up to the full 26.2 so all is not lost.

Looks like I am going to have to do Liverpool on New Years eve, not what I wanted to be doing but.......

see you ar liverpool laura! im doing the double new years eve ans new years day. hope to see you there!

 good luck jeff, might see you round london then!

I'm just "negotiating" on the Liver Bird marathon... watch this space

negotiating with the family about being in liverpool on new years maybe?????

i got my way through pleading heavily!!!

i will be more gutted about being in Liverpool on NYE on my todd!

The organisers would not have taken this lightly - it takes a lot to put races on esp a marathon.  Just because its clearing outside your door it isn't everywhere else.

I'm not far from Luton and we still have several inches of ICE and if its anything like last year it took a few weeks to bugger off.

Tired Legs - we do all understand this would not have been taken lightly and that locations are different but at the same time we need to be able to share our disappointment, that is all people are doing on here, its only natural when you have been working towards something.

Can't tell you how hacked off i was when Budapest got cancelled a few years ago a few days before, now that was an expensive trip - we still went though, and drank a bit more.

laura H - yep I know, we had to cancel our race last year and I dealt with the refunds and postings on here saying we took the decision too early - glad to say once we posted pic of the ice people soon changed their tune - I have fingers and everthing else crossed that we do not have to go down that road again.

 If i was due to run Luton agree I would also be disappointed - peeved of I can't get out to run except at the gym which I'll have to do tomorrow.

Shell7 wrote (see)

....I am going to do 3 laps of Richmond Park instead on Sunday - think its about 23 miles altogether so if anyone fancies joining me I will be there at Richmond Hill Gate at 10am. Im probably not as fast as the rest of you - so not expecting anyone to run at my snails pace of 11.5 minute miles - but knowing there are other Lutoners in the Park is good!........

....I'll be doing a very long run in RP Shell7 - probably going anticlockwise, starting 8:30ish from my home a mile away. I'll wear my Luton number 410 so shout if you see me. I fancy doing 20+ miles, but from experience I know I'll slack off after 15 or so and cruel home for a deep hot bath.....I just can't do long, long miles unless I've paid good money to suffer them!!

If it goes ahead an alternative for London based runners is Pirie 10. Hardcore cross country race in Coulsdon. Currently uncertain also due to weather.

OH NO!!!!!  I have just read through all the posts again - and there I was being the optimist and then two seconds later I get an email saying it was cancelled.  I hope I didn't jinx it!

I'm so gutted for everyone who wanted/needed to do this race for personal goals/sponsorship etc.  It was to be my 13th marathon....... I should have known.....do you think I can jump straight to 14?!

When I emailed this morning I hadn't been outside.  The ice has remained on the pavements and some minor roads all day here so it may well be as bad as they say in Luton.  I really feel for the organisers - what a tough call.  It's always worse when it's a marathon too as the whole training programme is so long, it's not like you've just put in a few weeks prep for a 5k or a 10k, this has dominated our lives for months...... but I understand. 

Good luck to everyone in finding alternatives if they need them - take it easy today.

Luton hasn't been bad but still two days of low temperatures to come. Also much of the course is outside Luton and it can be more affected by icy conditions

 Also some of you might not know but two years ago (or was it three) on a day when the ice was not as bad as now, a car came down through Streetley, lost control on ice and over-turned on the route. It was about 10 minutes before the start which was delayed before finally having to give in and cancel the event. So the organisers are very aware of the issues.

 I take the point on cross country, I am hopefully running one myself tomorrow but these tend to be run by club runners whereas the mass runs have a lot of recreational runners who are less experienced in the conditions. Also frozen grass is still easier to run on than frozen pavements in my experience.

I think they are also taking in account the conditions elsewhere for people travelling. In theory easy to come up from Brighton through London but the trains aren't running on the southern half at the moment due to horrendous conditions down there. If you are local you want them to delay a decision to as late as possible but if you are travelling then you want to know earlier.

Although not a direct organiser I am with one of the local clubs and in a moment of madness had offered to set up the start/finish early on Sunday so there is a part of me which is probably pleased.... but only a small part - honest

Have to say I'm gutted, had trained really hard for this one and was ready for it, but it would have been a struggle getting down there anyway and if it's not to be then it's not to be. I've got London to train for so can build on the fitness I'd already built up for Luton. Stupid weather! I'm just glad that they let us know about the cancellation today, it means I can stop worrying and carb loading (although I don't have an excuse to eat too much now  ).

GUTTED! -but not as gutted if I'd broken my leg slipping on the ice   

 This was to be my first ever marathon and have put in a lot of miles and sacrificed a lot of beer (stag nights, weddings etc) so I'm rather disappointed. Still, hopefully I can keep up the fitness levels through xmas (doubtful) and sign up for one early next year. Was looking at Gloucester - anyone done this one???

Rob - consider Liverbird mara on NYE - you can celebrate the new year with your first marathon under your belt! They take on the day entries apparently!

Very sorry for all you out there who really wanted to do this one. I've done 10 or so this year and to be totally truthful, I'm ok not doing it and having a beer! That having been said I'm gutted for everyone come what may. We have to support the organisers decision. There is no way they would call it off unless they really had to do so.

Really tough call, but for my two pennies worth, well done for being able to do so and not putting it on and risking what could be a lot of injuries. I really hope everyone finds something else to do asap.

Me, I'm off back to the fridge for another beer. Take my advice and do the same. Unwind and try to chill. No point doing anything else as its off.