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Looking for an Accommodating Marathon

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JJ Flash Feb 2018 6:25pm, 1 Feb 2018 5,252 posts	Quote Pin JJ Flash Hello Fetch Hive mind. I've a got problem I hope you can help me solve: I regularly guide run for a blind lady. She's in her sixties, her body has taken some abuse and she isn't very fast. Three years ago we ran the London Marathon together in 6:15 but since then she has had a couple of wounding falls and is a bit slower now. She entered the Milton Keynes Marathon but we have been told that there is no flexibility on times and it is looking very likely that she will be swept up by the sweeper van. Can anyone advise us of an alternative marathon that has the following: tarmac/consistent surface and a relaxed cutoff time?
Fragile Do Not Bend Feb 2018 6:42pm, 1 Feb 2018 2,769 posts	Quote Pin Fragile Do Not Bend If she doesn’t mind doing laps: saxon-shore.com These people are lovely and will give her tons of encouragement.
McGoohan Feb 2018 7:12pm, 1 Feb 2018 32,922 posts	Quote Pin McGoohan Ooh, that's a pic of Plodding Hippo there
Fierce and Focused Fleecy Feb 2018 7:30pm, 1 Feb 2018 39,843 posts	Quote Pin Fierce and Focused Fleecy I suppose the problem with most road marathons is that they are usually in big cities and require expensive and disruptive road closures which the organisers will want to minimise. I just did a quick check of marathons in April and Southampton appears to have a 6.30 cutoff but that might be tight.
Fierce and Focused Fleecy Feb 2018 7:37pm, 1 Feb 2018 39,844 posts	Quote Pin Fierce and Focused Fleecy Dorchester marathon has an 8 hour cutoff but is roads (it sounds great actually!) dorchestermarathon.co.uk
Surrey Phil Feb 2018 10:08pm, 1 Feb 2018 2,279 posts	Quote Pin Surrey Phil The Midnight Marathon (Dartford, 8 laps on pavements) say that the marshals will not stand down until the last person finishes. This year will be a 6.00 pm start, so she will have 50-50 daylight/darkness. An alternative might be the Twilight Marathon in Ilford (20.5 laps on smooth cycling track tarmac). The marathon starts at 2.00 pm with a cut-off at 9.00 pm. A 50k ultra starts at 10.00 am (also a 9.00 pm cut-off) and there is the option to drop-down to the shorter distance after you have started.
JJ Flash Feb 2018 12:36pm, 2 Feb 2018 5,253 posts	Quote Pin JJ Flash I knew I could rely on you lot. Thank you. #stars# My last (ever(?)) marathon was a WSR one and it was a lovely environment. My parents live in Kent, making logistics easy for both the Dartford and the Saxon Shore ones. As for daylight - she doesn't exactly need it!
Lemon10 Feb 2018 12:53pm, 2 Feb 2018 3,356 posts	Quote Pin Lemon10 I can only echo what Frag said about the Saxon Shore events, they are super for slow runners, very accommodating and so friendly and supportive, and of course the lapped course would make it simpler for your friend. Plus the medals are massive and the goody bags are full of chocolate!
Mandymoo Feb 2018 12:55pm, 2 Feb 2018 6,221 posts	Quote Pin Mandymoo Another one here for the Saxon Shore events - they are brilliant and so accommodating, and as Lemon says medal and goody bag are fab
GordonG Feb 2018 1:11pm, 2 Feb 2018 7,398 posts	Quote Pin GordonG I've done events at Dartford before - extremely well organised. Very quiet roads - relatively new and well maintained so would suit a blind runner in terms of fewer trip hazards.