Seeing the Olympics / Mens marathon

[Houseygirl]

I am a Mum with a teenage daughter and I want to take her to see some running at the Olympics. It's going chance for us mere mortals to see Team GB runners. So imagine my surprise when I find out that UK athletics aren't sending all 3 athletes we are allowed but are only sending 2! They are leaving Lee Merrien out of the team. He was the fastest Brit at the London marathon, runs faster than one of the men already selected and is within the IAAF Olympic qualification time. What other country would not send a full team to an event they are organising and one of the few free events we can all watch. So angry I started a Facebook page www.facebook.com/SelectLeeMerrien - I have my fingers crossed that they will change they're minds.

Sorry, do you know Lee Merrien or something? I would find it strange to have some random stranger setting up a campaign for me. (Not that there is any danger of me ever running in the Olympics )

If you do know him and have made up the story to try and capture the imagination of MN - I would suggest a little more honesty. Many of us have got behind a number of worthy campaigns in the past - I would be intersted to know the background..

Really? That is shocking. He ran his heart out on Sunday (a little bit faster than DH LOL).

They tried to do the same with the rhythmic gymnasts too.

Seems like the campaign has worked...

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17817503

just found that link too.

Just to say that UK Athletics have decided have a full team at the Olympics and Lee has now been selected for the marathon. In reply to The MagicFarawayTree no I don't know Lee Merrien, so I must be strange :) I don't live in Guernsey either. I just watched him running in the London marathon last week and was looking forward to seeing some running at the Olympics ( you don't need a ticket for the marathon). It seemed so unfair to him and the spectators not take a full team and it's cost us so much money. I just got cross. I was really surprised when lots of people started "liking" the Facebook page - so I rolled up my sleeves and got stuck in. I popped a thing in MumsNet because my neighbour suggested it - I did use MumsNet a lot when my daughter was little and I still read it for recipes and advice on teenagers. I'm planning on having a quiet time now - this last week has been pretty mad. But I have made lots of new friends. I'm going on a charity fun run next week with my daughter - but I'll be walking not running ...