Sport & Leisure

Swindon Half Marathon cancelled for a second successive year

By Jessica Durston - 9 September 2021

Clubs & ActivitiesFitnessCommunity

Organisers are now offering members of the public the option to run the marathon virtually.

Souvenir 2021 medals and a t-shirt will still be posted to participants who run the half marathon distance elsewhere on Saturday 18 or Sunday 19 September.

The Half Marathon team have compiled a list of recommended routes that can be found at https://www.theraceorganiser.com/support/blog

A spokesperson for the event said of the cancellation: "As the effects of the pandemic continue to affect all of our lives, there are two major factors that now mean it is not possible to hold our event for this second successive year.

"Firstly, the suppliers and contractors required to deliver a safe event are in such high demand that we are required to pay a premium for critical services. Specifically, traffic management for our huge footprint across 13.1 miles of route throughout the town and private medical services to respond across the route to ensure as little impact as possible on local NHS services are both now not feasible for the event in the current climate.

"If we'd seen record entry levels from runners, meeting these costs and justifying the impact of the event may have been possible, but sadly, significantly fewer runners have entered the New Swindon Half Marathon this year than any other year; well below the threshold required to justify closing local roads with the inconvenience this causes for residents and businesses in our community."

Those running virtual marathons will need to submit their times online before 6pm on Tuesday 21 September but are asked to do so as soon as possible. More details for online time submissions can be found by logging in at https://www.theraceorganiser.com/

Credit codes are also available for participants that wish to use their entry for the 2022 Half Marathon or for another race hosted by The Race Organiser. Details for this can be found in the newsletter sent out to all 2021 participants.

The Swindon Half Marathon team can be contacted at [email protected]