Runners take to streets for Hull Marathon

“From a runners POV:

No mile markers except in Hessle. If you didnt have a Garmin that would have been frustrating.

Victoria Dock section; Please change this for next year. Repeating a route is never good.

If that Jag is ever parked there again I am sure many runners will take keys especially!

Roads should have been properly shut off so that we could have run on the road not the paths. I personally hate running on footpaths.

To any readers of HDM, a little more support would have been good, I know some of you think exercise is simply getting up from the settee to cheer a goal, but its not!

Overall I enjoyed the race, support from club people very good. Well done Mark Spikings for a fantastic time.

Oh, seeing the Lord Mayor after finishing was a great joy, similar to being mugged in broad daylight.”

“I have followed this event with great interest since it was announced last year, even speaking with Look North (off air) on behalf of my club. I went to watch the event on Victoria Dock and was disappointed that the marshall did not seem to know where he should stand for the 'turn point', eventually ending up at the end of an unfenced path near to Alexandra Dock (a great idea for tired runners passing each other!). While I applaud the efforts of the runners who took part and we gave encouragement to many, I was staggered by the lack of marshals, both observed and reported to me anecdotally. The debacle of the 'first lady' is beyond comprehension, and should never have been allowed to happen. I believe the course as originally measured would have been accurate, so can only assume a lack of planning ancd communication caused the issues as reported.

Contrasting this race with the Hornsea one third marathon last week which was superbly marshaled all round the (albeit shorter) course, and the East Hull 20 for which many compliments were received about the efficiency and friendliness of the marshals, it reinforces what was stated way back in that there is a lot of knowledge locally which could have been tapped into.

Mile Markers - where were they? Should have been large and visible from a long way off, as they are on most local races.

And finally, I have been for a run along Victoria Dock and round the Marina this morning. Karl Jackson should get down to the Millennium Bridge to see the empty bottles and discarded gel packs awaiting clearing (by whom? - hopefully not the hard-pressed council workers)”

“Whilst I accept that the vast majority of the runners yesterday enjoyed the day and were oblivious of the marshalling problems, we must also acknowledge that this was a race, and awarding the first prize to a runner who didn't complete the full distance (through no fault of her own) can hardly be described as a minor hiccup. When runners have contributed over £50,000 in entry fees, they deserve to have a race that is properly marshalled for their own safety. If there had been a major incident in the area, and police were withdrawn from policing the event, runners would have had to contend with crossing motor vehicles (and vice-versa) at such busy spots as Darleys roundabout, Anlaby Park Road, Heads Lane etc. with no marshalls to control the flow of traffic.”

“@PaulTheRed
not everyone wanting to get out on Easter Sunday want to go shopping , some people ( like myself ) have to work on a bank holiday. Easter is a religious celebration and maybe people actually wanted to get to church at that time. There are enough rural areas in this area that access to the main hospital and many main roads in Hull need not have been disrupted.”

“Not such a good thing when you find out at 4 am during a night shift at HRI that the race is going past your house and blocking off access to HRI ! Luckily we managed to get through the barriers before the road closed but surely they have a duty to inform residents that access to their house is going to be blocked for a period on a bank holiday !
I only found out by an email sent to my work email account that Anlaby road could be closed off from 5 am and my shift did not finish until 8 am”

“PeterAnlaby, Ok, few minor hiccups, but lets be positive. Lessons learnt for next years event. Onwards and upwards. The Great North run started low key, look at it now, no reason why the Hull marathon can't become big event over time. I would rather be positive about things for the city, too downbeat sometimes.”

“Didn't know anything about this run until Saturday on radio Humberside. I do take an interest in these things having done several marathon myself some years ago. I think they need more publicity to get the support, if you don't know you can't help. Sell sell sell.”

“Blimey runners who can't find their way. No Marshals either to show the way. Good job they don't do decent marathons where you navigate, climb proper inclines and carry your own drinks etc.”

“well done to hulls first marathon organisers and participants. who cares about the hiccups it was the first one its bound to happen. lets celebrated not point out the bad stuff.”

“Ran the first Hull Marathon Today great crowds and a big thank you to the volunteer stewards on the coast. If there is one next year we could do with a better system of ensuring all runners complete the Victoria Dock Stretch so at least four runners turn back and rejoin the other runners who had completed the full stretch.But hey there only cheating themselves, might be a good idea to have a time mat to check all timing chips”