This was no surprise. What is not being taken into consideration is the unknown territory we are now in. One thing to cancel an event. Another is to postpone and reschedule.
Remember, 40,000 people is like four towns of the size I live in, moving for six to eight hours. In the release below, Hugh Brasher thanked all of the villages and townships along the London course in the release noted below.
Keep running, wash your hands, hydrate and keep training!
For immediate release: Friday 13 March
2020 VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON POSTPONED TO SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER
London Marathon Events today (Friday) announced the postponement of the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday 26 April.
The 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon – The 40th Race – is now scheduled to take place on Sunday 4 October 2020.
Hugh Brasher, Event Director, said: “The world is in an unprecedented situation grappling with a global pandemic of COVID-19 and public health is everyone’s priority.
“We know how disappointing this news will be for so many – the runners who have trained for many months, the thousands of charities for which they are raising funds and the millions who watch the race every year.
“We are extremely grateful for all the support we have received from City Hall, the London boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, the City of Westminster and the City of London, Transport for London, the emergency services, The Royal Parks, BBC TV and many others as we worked to find an alternative date. The 40th Race is scheduled to go ahead on Sunday 4 October 2020.
“We know that there will be many, many questions from runners, charities and others and we ask you to please bear with us as we work through the detailed planning process to deliver the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon on its new scheduled date. We will email all runners and charities today and then update them via email by the end of next week at the latest. We will also post regular updates on our website and social media channels.”
The following information has been issued to runners with a place in the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon:
Please note, the following is for information and no action should be taken by runners at this point.
Every runner with a place in the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon will be able to use their place in the rescheduled event on Sunday 4 October without any further payment.
All runners who have a place for the 2020 event and who choose not to take part (or are unable to do so) in the rescheduled event on Sunday 4 October will receive a refund of their 2020 entry fee or, if they wish, they may donate their 2020 entry fee to The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Runners who do not take up one of the above options (with the exception of those who acquired their entry through a charity or sponsor) will be able to defer (rollover) their entry to the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon, scheduled for Sunday 25 April 2021, on payment of the entry fee for 2021, following the standard deferment process. Charity and sponsor places belong to those organisations, rather than the individual runner.
Charities and sponsors with runners who are unable to take part in the postponed race will be able to substitute other runners for the rescheduled 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 4 October. London Marathon Events will contact charities to outline the process and timescales in due course.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships will take place within the rescheduled event and qualified runners will be automatically entered into the rescheduled event. If qualified runners cannot take part on Sunday 4 October, they will be offered a full refund. It is not possible to defer these places to 2021.
Please note that runners who have already withdrawn from the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon and rolled over their entry to 2021 will be offered the option to take part on Sunday 4 October or to keep their entry rolled over to 2021.
