AIBU to be fucked off at road marathons?

[JesusOnAYamaha]

Once a year in London is one thing but they're bloody everywhere now and it's not like the organisers put diversions in so you can get to where you're going. We had one in our town a couple of months ago and I couldn't leave my (no through) street because they blocked it off so people could spend a day running past it. I mean I couldn't even cross the road at the end of my street, on foot. Now I've just found out that I can't get to where I need to be for a family event later this month because another load of joggers are closing down a bunch of roads into/in this other place.

AIBU to think they could just run round a park? Or a field? Or a racecourse? Or a hill? Or somewhere where they're not in the way of residents and other people who just want to go about their business.

I know I probably am BU. It's probably nice that people get to run around if they like running. They probably enjoy spending a day running past my street and I should be happy for them. But, I am a bit fucked off with it all.

We have one at least four or five times a year. The road outside is closed over my weekend from 3am to 4-5pm. There will be severe congestion if I try and go anywhere. We will only be able to shop in the corner shop.

The first marathon had me and the children going out to high five runners. Good luck to them all but we are marathoned out now. During next weekend’s run, I will need to spend my time off at home yet again. From 3am to at least 4-5pm, we will be at home.

The road outside is also frequently subjected to football matches which result in traffic at a standstill; ditto concerts and cricket matches.

It gets old. And the marathon runners and their supporters are not spending their money in our local shops.

Last year I could barely to collect my daughter from a school trip and had to set off hours in advance and then take two autistic children out for hours at a restaurant for their tea, when they were both overwhelmed and wanted to be at home.

I have to say I really just thought why can’t they all run around a park or find a road in the country side where you are not impacting on thousands of other people. It feels like quite economically advantaged people taking over lots of roads in an important artery into a city centre.

@NotAnotherCodeBlueAt3Am Where do you live that has 4-5 marathons or half marathons a year??

I ran a 10K on Sunday and I did then go on to spend my money in the city shops, as well as the car park.
I didn't take any supporters, but there were some from my club and I know they went out to lunch and did some shopping.

Are they not? I've run several races in places other than where I live and have always made a weekend of it. Hotel, couple of meals out, mooch in the shops, maybe a local attraction depending where I am.

If the race is big enough to create closures lasting all day then participants will have come from all over and most will have arrived the day before. If it's a small local athletics club with no visitors then it won't be a big road closure situation. It's one or the other.

We're going to to Brussels in April as Mr Monkey is running a half marathon there. We shall, I assure, you be spending money locally. We are staying three nights and will eat out every night and visit some local attractions.

Attracting tourists and spending is one of the key reasons towns and cities put running events on. Every race I have been to the pubs and cafes are full of runners afterwards, generally spending money.

This is all a getting a bit League of Gentleman with some additional sneering at people who dare to want to use public highways for anything other than driving cars.

I’m not sneering at anyone. It was novel and now it’s a nuisance. If they spread them around a bit so that different areas were impacted, it would be more palatable.

You mean, people dare to want to use them for their intended purpose? The horror! How very dare they!

I don’t think there’s a mentality of I don’t run so no one else should.

I do like running.

And I also like my weekends, being a full time worker. And one tenth of them every year are affected by events such as this when my local road is closed at 3am and opened late the following day when everything is shut.

I have also got caring responsibilities which mean I may need to visit a hospital or something in the dead of night. So countless times a year, I need to find out how I can get out in an emergency. This is my third year of this and I’m understanding why it might piss people off.

The event organisers could think of different routes and give people a break.

Well, quite.

When I am out for a Sunday cycle ride I am always very conscious that some of the drivers behind me might be going to work or visiting aged parents etc.

But most are driving for leisure purposes and some are just driving somewhere they could have walked or cycled themselves in 10 minutes. I have no idea why cars are deemed more important than people but it's time it stopped. It won't though, it's getting worse with the size of cars and the fact that you are allowed massive entertainment systems on the dashboard so there's not even any pretence that drivers are concentrating on the roads.

Right well I’m assuming you didn’t have to do your usual chores and stuff. You didn’t need to collect your child in X part of town, your child didn’t need to go to a birthday party, you didn’t have to go to the DIY store for an errand or do one of the 1000 jobs people have to do at weekends.

You swanned around a city centre, had coffee and drunk in the views. That’s comparing apples with oranges.

None of my neighbours are out cheering and clapping the runners. First year I couldn’t understand why. Now, I get it. They are over all that. They just accept they have to stay in and then some get fed up and say why can’t they hold these elsewhere for a change?

1/10 of weekends is 5.

I've had a think of how many times we have events. There are two running races (one is only a 10k so over quickly). A carnival (lasts two days but mainly in a park) and a bonfire/firework display that puts that park out of commission for two days as well. And a one day Christmas market which takes up one street but there are plenty of ways around it.

Other than the half marathon, I can't think of anything that blocks anyone in for hours on end and even then it's not "hours on end", it's 2-3 and it has been moved so that the same people don't get blocked in every year. And there is plenty of notice so it is easy to plan around.

But even if it's 5 times a year, is it really that hard to plan around? All the events are well publicised wherever you live.

Roadworks are far more of a problem, especially when there are planned works that people know about, but then they go down the diversion and discover it's closed for "emergency" works (aka we didn't do the job properly first time around). I'd have thought that would be far more concerning if you need to get to a hospital.

Planned events are really not the problem here.

Agree completely with the @CheeseWisely and @Ginmonkeyagain . Most runners I know are always hungry after a race and will definitely use local shops /restaurants/pubs etc . And if they have bought supporters they'll also be spending. As said if youve travelled far you'll probably stay in accomodation locally and lots of runners will share their recommendations not just for races but also where to stay and where to eat .
I've friends where the man runs and the wife doesnt but they do a lot of race tourism and will not only rate the race but also the town/city, exhibitions etc. I've gone to places based on their recommendations

@NotAnotherCodeBlueAt3Am
Wheredo you live that has 4/5 marathons or half's per year?

I have to say I really just thought why can’t they all run around a park or find a road in the country side where you are not impacting on thousands of other people.

Off road lapped events do exist, and the number of participants are usually a lot smaller - less than 500 compared to say 20000 for a road half or marathon.

This thread tells you why your suggestion of laps around a park would be a bad idea for a lot of people.

For anyone living in, or needing to visit Peterborough this weekend....there is a race with an entry limit of 8000 people.
There is a list of road closures with timings on the link below!

https://www.greateastern.run/

Wheredo you live that has 4/5 marathons or half's per year?

With the reference to the football and the cricket as well, I'm presuming Trafford.
But if so, the OP is over-egging it a bit as there's only really two - the Manchester marathon (and half) on the same day in April, and then another half in October.

The 10k in May doesn't go further out than the football and cricket ground so only really affects the city centre and immediate surrounds.

I know as I used to live on the route(s) and found it no bother at all. The football traffic was much more disruptive. But then that's what you expect if you choose to live near Old Trafford..

Cities are used for mass participation runs because they are well linked with public transport and have facilties such as hotels, hospitality and shops.

Holding a race for 20k or so people in the middle of nowhere is not going to go well for the local area or the race.

I have two people with a blue badge at my house. You want them to walk? Ableist much?

Five hours? You have no idea. Closed from 3am to about 5pm.

@NotAnotherCodeBlueAt3Am true but I also live in London and often I have work, chores, shopping or social events disrupted by all sorts of things - parades, state occasions, protests, marches, events, road works, sporting events, fesitvals etc...

We tend to just crack on and deal with it.

Yanbu - there is an arrogance about unilaterally deciding, as the organisers of these events do, that it’s fine to inconvenience large numbers of people. Earlier this year I wanted to do some exercise myself by going to the park. Had forgotten it was marathon weekend and spent about an hour going up and down various roads and finding myself firmly barricaded on one side and even, despite the barriers, with runners hurtling towards me on the pavement.

I simply couldn’t find a way out of the zone I was stuck in and didn’t see a crossing the whole time I was pounding the pavement!

It’s a nice community feel when the marathon is on, so I’m not really against it, but the restrictions have been getting more restrictive over the last few years and an increasing number of roads affected. We used to have clear ways in and around before, but that no longer seems to apply. I think more compromise on the part of the organisers is needed.

You cannot think of any such events because it does not happen regularly in your area.

And you say a few hours. You have no idea what you are talking about. Road closures start at 3am.

Patronise off somewhere else.

I have lived in London for years and done all the above.

And it’s not in the same league.

What?

@ClafoutisSurprise the organisers don't "unilaterally decide" to do anything. You can't just decide to close a road for a private event. They submit a route to the council who give permission and may require changes to the roite or event the date based on safety, disruption and abilty to policd the event.