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LONDON INSPIRES AGAIN!!!
What a great weekend it turned out to be although I didn't run this year. The London Marathon really is as inspirational as it gets. I spent the weekend meeting with other race organisers and runners from across the U.K. and it was interesting to compare notes, especially where the use of roads is concerned. It seems Liverpool is not alone when it comes to difficulty in event delivery. Almost everyone I spoke to had a similar story to tell and it tends to confirm my view that as a society we are all intolerant toward anyone else using 'our' roads. Unfortunately we are stuck with the inherent difficulty of modern day road use. Oh to bring back moustaches, high cut shorts and the relative road use freedom of the eighties. Halcyon days! On another note - and given my recent reference to the need to increase entry fees in Liverpool events - it is interesting to compare prices with other races up and down the country. Half marathon prices in the south seem particularly high with the new ING London Half Marathon and Royal Parks events coming in at £39. Both are sold out! London comes in tops with two 10K events at £29.50 and £25. Edinburgh has a 10K at £24 / £26, Manchester and Blue Water £20, Loch Ness £19 with Leeds coming in at £18 / £20. Liverpool's two compare very favourably at £12 / £14 and £14 / £16! Half Marathons follow a similar pattern with Bristol coming in at £27 / £29, Nottingham is £26.50 and Reading not far behind. Liverpool is currently £17 / £19 and the astonishing thing is all the other events are attracting MORE runners despite the higher price. Although Liverpool doesn't have a marathon, Edinburgh does and they charge £37 for the pleasure of using 26 miles of road way up north. Windermere is on £30 / £32 and Nottingham £29. Just before I close a very well done to anyone from Merseyside who took part in the London Marathon. It looked a fantastic event from the side lines and I just wish I could bottle the enthusiasm for the event and spread it around locally! Be in touch soon. Alan Rothwell 'runliverpool' initiative |