Runners urge organisers of the Birmingham Half Marathon to "get it right" following delays at the finish line
Oct 26 2010 by Kat Keogh, Birmingham Mail
MORE runners have called on the organisers of this year’s Birmingham Half Marathon to “get it right” following anger at delays at the start and the finish line.
The most serious problems arose as hundreds of entrants heading for a time of just over two hours during Sunday’s race were halted close to the finish line on Broad Street.
Birmingham City Council said it was due to medical incidents which “had to be dealt with quickly”.
Runners have been logging on to the Birmingham Mail and other websites to air their views on the event, which saw more than 11,000 people take part in the 13-mile race.
Steve Hollingworth, assistant director of sport and events at Birmingham City Council, insisted that feedback from runners would “play a big part” in future events. One runner posted on website Runner’s World: “Why can’t this race be properly organised?
“Three years on and the same mistakes are being made. As a local this is the third year in a row I have run this race and yet again Birmingham Council show they just can’t get it right.
“As everyone has mentioned the start was terrible, ‘running’ across the start line then grinding to a halt as the bottleneck began.”
