Keep on Running

The 40th London marathon will take place on Sunday 4th October 2020 (https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com). In these Covid-19 afflicted times, it will be a very different beast from the previous 39. This year, it has been moved from its usual April slot and the route is very different (in deed, not all of it is actually in London). The race is also only for elite athletes, so we will miss the participation of the masses of 'fun runners'. Many of those people treated the event more like a carnival, as they raised masses of money for charity, often dressing up in the most bizarre of outfits. The 26.2 mile distance (26 miles is the rough distance between Athens and the Marathon sea battle in ancient times, causing it to be selected for the first Modern Olympics in 1896. The 0.2 miles was added, in London in 1900, so that the race could finish in front of Queen Victoria's stand), is a considerable achievement for many of the event's participants. It also formerly mean't quite a lot of training (it's not a distance that can be ran by most people without substantial training). So, the event was encouragement to a lot of people to get fit, as well as to help charities. I suppose that a possible benefit of the altered event is that this marathon event will reduce its carbon footprint, as many fewer people (runners and their families) will travel to it. The elite athletes, however, are likely to have bigger individual carbon footprints, as many come from training camps overseas. I, a distinctly non-elite runner, have completed the London marathon three times and really enjoyed the experience (even on the occasion when some 'joker', at a watering stand, passed me a drink bottle filled with human urine). My experience was, on all 3 ocassions, was that it was very well organised and the camaraderie between the participants and the crowds was special. In spite of its carbon footprint, this is an event that I would dearly love to see return to its mass participation roots in a single Central London location.