Covid-19 crisis catches up with city marathon

THE Leicester Marathon has been cancelled for the second year running.

The marathon, now known as Run Leicester Festival, had to be called off last year due to flooding.

This year, the coronavirus pandemic has put paid to the event, due to take place on Sunday, October 11.

It had aimed to “reinvigorate the traditional Leicester marathon” with the inclusion of entertainment for runners and spectators.

Race director Andrew Ward said: “The second Leicester lockdown has led to renewed uncertainty and we no longer feel it’s realistic to expect the event to go ahead this autumn.

“While there has been much discussion on initiatives that could be introduced, there are none we feel go far enough to guarantee the safety of our runners and our city, which remains our priority.”

Instead, the festival will take place virtually, with an event called Run The World.

The online event allows runners in Leicester, and globally, to collectively run tens of thousands of miles “around the world”.

Using running technology, entrants will be able to closely monitor their progress on an interactive map, unlock rewards and take part in themed runs, as the team progresses from country to country.

Mr Ward said: “Right from the get go, the Run Leicester team have been adamant that even if the event was unable to go ahead, we would still give the Leicester running community something to look forward to. “Runners have been hit hard by lockdown, with races all over the country cancelled, and this in turn has meant charities have seen a great loss in sponsorship income. “It’s our hope that everyone will be eager to join forces and come together to Run the World with us in this fantastic team effort.” Entries for the first Run the World are open now and cost £15. To register for Run The World or to find out more about the cancellation and what it means for your race entry, visit:

The marathon, now known as Run Leicester Festival, had to be called off last year due to flooding