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May 2019
11:52am, 2 May 2019
67 posts
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KeithL
Think its interesting the attitude that VMLM take and that of Boston. The BAA celebrated (even had them at official talks/events) the participation of Team Hoyt for years and it was an honour to meet them one of the times I did Boston. They seemed to cope with the logistics and safety issues. London on the other hand have taken a strict no approach. Would have thought with the more elaborate costumes and fancy dress at london a way could be found to allow a small number of participants and at least then they would be in right place on course.
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May 2019
12:02pm, 2 May 2019
14,497 posts
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Bazoaxe
Yeah. I think both parties are wrong. No reason why they can’t take part and should start in appropriate pen. As a protest they jump in and fivdone if the route but jump in at the pointy end of the field which I think is wrong.
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May 2019
12:35pm, 2 May 2019
930 posts
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edison
Had a similar story from a family from Northern Ireland who have done a good few marathons but weren't allowed in - but the organisers say an individual cannot be considered "unless they are participating under their own power"
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May 2019
12:52pm, 2 May 2019
7,721 posts
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GordonG
yes that's probably the same story i saw. so was i wrong in thinking M&P had officially taken part in the LM in the past?
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May 2019
1:02pm, 2 May 2019
54,367 posts
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swittle
There was an online petition, asking for M & P to be allowed into the 'Flora London Marathon' - a few years ago now. Mick was very ill in 2012, I think, and seems to have tailored events accordingly. [Fetch profile.]
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May 2019
1:11pm, 2 May 2019
7,722 posts
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GordonG
ta swittle
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May 2019
1:57pm, 2 May 2019
8,146 posts
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PaulaMc
I could be wrong but weren't they officially allowed to run in 2008? That was my first marathon and I stopped at the gates to talk to them - they had to go off right at the back. I think it was a one-off and came about after Mick had won an award ..? After that he started just jumping in at different points on the course over the next few years.
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May 2019
4:59pm, 2 May 2019
354 posts
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Spideog
I passed the guy pushing the wheelchair somewhere relatively early on, can't quite remember if it was at 5'ish or 7'ish miles though. Was thankfully on wide enough a bit of road at the time, but they were just going down the middle of it.
There was a couple of other people I passed going at inappropriate speeds for the distance into the course and level of people they were being passed by that they must have jumped in part way round or started an hour or two early. Did spot clearly fake numbers on the front of a couple of them as well, not even a previous years number (not that you could tell anyway), just for some other event entirely.
Why do the marathon majors not stick the year in big digits across the top of the numbers? Would make it far easier to spot people banditing with previous years bibs.
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May 2019
5:05pm, 2 May 2019
54,375 posts
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swittle
Could the chip be built into the number? It's surely only for use in the current year.
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May 2019
5:24pm, 2 May 2019
355 posts
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Spideog
It used to be that they took the chips back each year at the end of the race, with the little platform you had to climb up so that the volunteers could cut it off being among the trickiest things to do. Since the 35th one though where they printed the commemorative picture on one side they haven't bothered taking the chips back.
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London GFA
Apr 2025