Sheffield Half-marathon
A stunning example of incompetence. The race was cancelled after keeping the runners waiting at the start line for about half-an-hour because the organisers found out yesterday morning that the water "bowsers" that they had ordered had not been delivered (and a quick approach to local supermarkets left them thinking that those could not provide enough). Also the announcement was not audible at the back!!
The water should have been delivered to a central point overnight and taken round by the guy checking the signs in the morning.
A lot of runners (some media sources say "most") had committed to raising money for charities by running this half-marathon and when some at the front started running these and others who had not heard the announcement followed. South Yorkshire Police sensibly hurriedly dismantled the roadblocks that they had been told to erect and local residents (give them stars) went and bought water at the supermarkets that the organisers claimed did not have enough and handed it to runners in paper cups.
Compare and contrast
My first marathon was Sheffield in 1983. The weather forecast was 70F so overnight the organisers in the same city recruited enough volunteers to set up water stations at every mile (and even one at the start) and get extra water to supply each of them. The residents were supportive then, as now: after 20-ish miles I was shattered and after I had walked a few hundred yards a lady came out of her garden to give me a drink which was enough to restart me so I could (and did) run to the finish.
What has Sheffield unlearned since 1983?
The water should have been delivered to a central point overnight and taken round by the guy checking the signs in the morning.
A lot of runners (some media sources say "most") had committed to raising money for charities by running this half-marathon and when some at the front started running these and others who had not heard the announcement followed. South Yorkshire Police sensibly hurriedly dismantled the roadblocks that they had been told to erect and local residents (give them stars) went and bought water at the supermarkets that the organisers claimed did not have enough and handed it to runners in paper cups.
Compare and contrast
My first marathon was Sheffield in 1983. The weather forecast was 70F so overnight the organisers in the same city recruited enough volunteers to set up water stations at every mile (and even one at the start) and get extra water to supply each of them. The residents were supportive then, as now: after 20-ish miles I was shattered and after I had walked a few hundred yards a lady came out of her garden to give me a drink which was enough to restart me so I could (and did) run to the finish.
What has Sheffield unlearned since 1983?