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London Marathon 2020

1 lurker | 60 watchers
May 2020
2:18pm, 29 May 2020
34,714 posts
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DocM
the trouble is its not just the event itself, its the reliance on public transport and overnight accomodation which also makes it difficult to stage the event
May 2020
4:07pm, 29 May 2020
11,171 posts
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larkim
Yes, I suppose it's more the spectators and the anciliary stuff rather than the actual runners themselves who cause the problems - 2-3 hours standing cramped on Tower Bridge in close proximity to many others presents more of a risk than lining up in a pen for a (controllable) period of time.
May 2020
4:28pm, 29 May 2020
4,624 posts
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Windsor Wool
lark - you need to spend some time in the queue from the GFA pen to the start line to get a sense of the real danger of (mainly) middle aged men on London marathon day!

For some reason the scrum starts around 30 mins before the start and gets more and more 'personal' as the start approaches. It's certainly an experience that couldn't be repeated in the current climate!
May 2020
5:45pm, 29 May 2020
2,600 posts
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Little Miss Happy
You'd definitely be within one metre of lots of people for more than 15 minutes in the starting pen of any London marathon I've done. There's no way it will be safe. At best they think that track and trace will prevent 15% of cases, that's not many when you look at the daily infection rate.
May 2020
6:48pm, 29 May 2020
593 posts
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BexleyKev
Toilets both at the start and on the course could be a logistical puzzle for someone to solve. Whilst the Elites and FGFA could be moved out of the holding pens quickly and with limited interaction the other starts would be more problematic. After we wave good bye to the FGFA we usually wander back to watch the mazes at the red start which takes an age to filter past so you have a significant number of runners crowding in Greenwich Park before a slow walk around to the start line where they get held once again before each coral is released. Thats before you even get to spectators moving around on the DLR/Underground and the need to accommodate and cater for a high volume of visitors within any social distancing measures that might be in place. Tricky one, but I think they will pull the plug for 2020.
May 2020
6:50pm, 29 May 2020
594 posts
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BexleyKev
‘Masses’
May 2020
6:52pm, 29 May 2020
11,172 posts
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larkim
I did imagine that would normally be the case, but I was assuming they'd do something creative with penning to reduce that crowding. Difficult but not unachievable if the goal is to get the race run.

Controlling spectators would be something different though.
May 2020
8:51pm, 29 May 2020
745 posts
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roberton
LMH: what I think has maybe changed a little is perception of risk. I agree with your later comment for example that there's no way it can be "safe" if by that you mean keeping socially distanced. But the only way around that is to wait until there's a vaccine or something. And that would mean Spring 2021 isn't going to happen either.

Anyway, I also expect it to be cancelled :-(

Maybe parkruns are a sooner target to look forward to? (but a different thread!)
jda
May 2020
8:57pm, 29 May 2020
7,497 posts
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jda
London's far too big (and the spectators outnumber participants 20:1 IIRC). There will be smaller races first. Spring is a long way off, plenty of water under the bridge before then.
May 2020
6:50am, 30 May 2020
2,603 posts
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Little Miss Happy
I think you're right roberton - spring next year at the earliest. We need a vaccine. The test and trace program which is supposed to allow for easing of lock down restrictions requires those who have been in proximity of someone who has had a positive test to self isolate for seven days. It's not just the pens at London, even running sub 3 you can easily spend 15 minutes within a metre of someone as you run - how are they going to trace all of those contacts? I guess you could have a 'run or spectate at London then self isolate for seven days' condition but that would mean participants, their families, anyone using public transport, etc (I know that's a bit dramatic but it would be something along those lines).

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Maintained by larkim
Endless discussion about will it happen, won't it happen for VMLM 2020
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