Anybody got any info about this race??
I notice the start has changed from the Hilton Hotel to the North shore pier.
At least it should be cooler than the one in June this year!!
Rich O

Have entered this one, starts behind Metropole Hotel adjacent to North Pier, course is 2 lap run between North Pier and Little Bispham. Its starts at 11am, website www.runblackpool.com (sorry can't do links).

Cooler it will be baltic!

Thanks for that Cotty67
Where abouts is Little Bispham???
Is that heading towards Lytham St Annes or Fleetwood???
Rich O

I loved you in Dick Turpin by the way.

Bispham is about 2 miles north of the North Pier nearer to Fleetwood than St.Annes

The organizer is the same person as the one who organised the Blackpool Half and full marathon this year. They ran out of water and many people complained of the heat as it was such a hot day. A pal of mine said many people on the course were feeling ill.There were not enough marshalls on the course to run the water stations and, all in all, it was very badly run. The same organiser runs another race called the Anderton 10k at which the finishers are directed to buy a drink from the local pub opposite - not a drop of water is provided at the finish! Also, beware if there are any 50 plus vets out there - the organisers don't recognise anyone over 50 for a prize as was the case with the Blackpool Beach Race last year. On this race, the start time was advertised as 9.30 am in Runners World and when we got there Mr Ron McAndrew said it should have been 10.30 and blamed Runners World for the mistake!
All I am saying is - take your own bottle of drink - you will probably need it and triple check the start time!

I know about the shambles of the Blackpool Marathon but all i can say is i have done this race the last two years and have really enjoyed it and couldn`t complain about anything.

I am doing it again for the 3rd year running.

Maybe best to take your own water if you need it although from memory there are stations every 5km.

I did the Blackpool half in June this year and it was very hot.
3 tonnes of water was stolen off the course the night before the race and if I remember the organisers has sent for some marshalls from Manchester and they didnt turn up, delaying the race start by 45 mins.
The year before it rained!
The thing with a June half or marathon is theres a very high chance of it being hot.
I took my own water and was fine (luckily)
I know alot of people wernt that lucky!
At least with this race being run in feb it will be nice and cold!
On a personal point of view, I like the races which are run at Blackpool.
Rich o

I agree RIchard!

Great race last year - and without reopening the debate about last year's marathon most of the problems were not of Ron's making.

And one question - the 10k you mention where the wrong start time was in Runners World - are you seriously saying that organisers should change their start time because of a misprint? Bizarre...

Not a bit - Runners World said it wasn't a misprint - I'm just saying its not very well organised so its up to the individuals to provide their own comforts, i.e water.

At the end of the day if we don't like it we don't enter, do we?.

OK Rigsby thanks for that. You're entitled to an opinion.

On the other hand I took part in both the GNW half last year and it was a well-organised event which started on time, was well marshalled, and provided plenty of water and a good medal to all the participants.

Ron McAndrew is an ex international athlete who works hard to organise many events for the benefit of runners in the north-west.

I'm going to be entering again this year in the full expectation of another well-run event and a good day out in Blackpool.

hello all
I did both halfs this year in blackpool.Admitedly the half in june was hot,but I ran with my own bottle and i enjoyed the weekend in blackpool not just the race.The GNW in february was good,the weather was spot on for running.It was well organised and enough water stations for those who needed them.All in, a good race and good crack.

I ran the GNW half this year, and the full marathon in June. The June day was hot (but was, of course, in June, so possibly to be expected!), the start was delayed due to an 'incident' so the police wouldn't let them go and the marshalls were, as stated above, provided by a company from Manchester who didn't get them there on time.

There was no shortage of marshals on the water stations - the problem was a whole load of bottles go nicked - so they provided (at very short notice) cups of water. Nowhere ran out whilst I was running, although the problem with cups is you can't carry them with you.

I don't think there was anything wrong with the organisation - they were just dead unlucky - and if you read Ron's comments on the thread from earlier in the year you'll see they've taken people's comments on board and are looking to make theevent better next time.

Bizarrely most of the people being hyper-critical of the Blackppol race didn't even run it - they were just going on 'what they were told'.

I too was in the race in June, and the heat alone was to blame for the problems. The organisation was excellent, and with the problems experienced, are going to be even better. I'm definately up for this one! (even though i didnt like the fact that it's 2 laps)

I prefer the route for the GNW half having completed it this year - keeps off the roads more and uses the paths on the other side of the tram lines. Great weather conditions for February - but of course you can't rely on that. Did the June half marathon a couple of years ago, it was warm then too but luckily plenty of water. Both very well organised and a good place to take family support.

Bah the old June Blackpool debate...

I carried my own drink - 2.5 ltrs of Lucozade but overheated because there was no water to pour over me. (If I wasn't drinking it then surely I had the right to do this) I eventually found some cold water at a Kiosk which I purchased and competed the race.

My suggestion was that on such a hot day standpipes would be good and I think this has been taken on board.

After last year resolved never to return to Blackpool but I have a fondness from my childhood so found myself entering this.

It does appear that Ron and Lewis took note of all the comments and I may even return in June well prepared for a stinking hot day.

When I ran Mansfield 1/2 I wore a "I survived Blackpool shirt"

i did both the feb half and june full marathon this year and would be happy to do either again apart from one problem that i suffered on both occasions - the psychological effect of running on a never ending flat course, staring straight ahead for miles of really flat prom, pounding and pounding over stretches of completely level ground - it messed with my mind!

Are you a loony Virgil or some sort of fell runner?

My family will be reliably trying to win a fluffy teddy not watching me!

Bring it on - I'm going for another PB as its quite flat. Hurrah!

Loony OR fell runner?