London Marathon chiefs admit to fears it will be ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ for the rescheduled race to go ahead – but refuse to give up hope on October date as runners are told to keep fit
- London Marathon organisers are still hoping to stage the race on October 4
- The annual event was postponed back in April due to the coronavirus pandemic
- This week the 2020 Great North Run was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions
- Event director Hugh Brasher says they are looking at ‘innovative ways’ to go on
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
London Marathon organisers say they have not given up hope of staging the event on October 4.
Earlier this week the 2020 Great North Run was cancelled because it was deemed impossible to hold the race while social distancing measures designed to limit the spread of coronavirus remain in place.
The London event, which was postponed from April to October, had been expected to follow suit, with Great North Run founder Brendan Foster saying it would be ‘extremely difficult’ for any mass participation races to go ahead this year.
London Marathon organisers are still hoping to stage the postponed event on October 4
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge celebrates winning the men’s elite race during the 2019 event
However, event director Hugh Brasher says his team is still looking at ‘innovative ways to socially distance the event’.
Brasher added: ‘We still don’t know whether we will be able run together, walk together and be together on that journey of 26.2 miles on October 4. Almost every day we hear hopeful news from other countries and we hear tales of despair.
‘However, what we do know is that we have hope, desire and ingenuity. Hope that the world will have found a way through Covid-19 by October. Desire to show the positive effects of running a marathon, running for communities and good causes. Ingenuity of thought, technology and people.
‘I assure you that whatever decision we take about October 4, it will be taken in line with our values and with the responsibility we have to you, our runners, our charities, our sponsors, our volunteers, our medics, our communities and our city.
Organisers did admit it may be ‘impossible’ to stage the race but warned there is still hope
‘While some may think what we are trying to do on Sunday, October 4 is impossible, we will not give up hope. The 40th race should be a day that shows the best of humanity. A togetherness, a joy and a celebration of everything we treasure.
‘I look forward to that day. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will be in touch again on July 28.’
Foster spoke about the difficulties faced in staging the Great North Run, saying that with social distancing in place the start line ‘would have stretched from Newcastle to Berwick’.
‘Mass participation events in the form that ours takes, and the London Marathon takes, are clearly going to be extremely difficult to hold and it’s going to be up to us to find a formula for the future,’ he said on Monday.