FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Update to runners, 19 March 2020
The following information was sent to 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon
runners on Thursday 19 March 2020:
We are writing to give you an update about the postponed 2020 Virgin Money
London Marathon, which is now scheduled to take place on Sunday 4 October
2020.
Thank you for your understanding about the difficult decision we made last
week to postpone The 40th Race. With your help, we know the event in
October will be a really special occasion.
Please bear with us while we finalise all the details for October’s event,
including the Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon and The Running
Show. We’ll send you regular email updates and also share information on
social media. Please add this email address to your contacts/address book
to ensure you receive these updates.
Here’s what we are able to share with you at the moment:
As we mentioned last week, everyone who had a confirmed place in the 2020
Virgin Money London Marathon (including those who had withdrawn from the
April date) will be able to use it in the rescheduled event on Sunday 4
October. YOU DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO RECONFIRM YOUR PLACE, EVEN IF YOU
HAD ALREADY WITHDRAWN.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO TAKE PART ON SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER, BELOW ARE DETAILS OF
YOUR OPTIONS. YOU MUST CHOOSE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY 26
APRIL 2020. THE SYSTEM ALLOWING YOU TO CHOOSE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS WILL
OPEN IN EARLY APRIL.
UK & International Ballot, Club & Deferred entry
You will be able to defer your entry until the 2021 Virgin Money London
Marathon, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday 25 April 2021 – please
note that you will need to pay the 2021 event entry fee if you choose this
option. If you do not want to defer to 2021, you will be able to either
return your 2020 place and receive a full refund or donate your 2020 entry
fee to The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Good For Age or British Championship entry
You will only be able to defer your entry to the 2021 Virgin Money London
Marathon if your qualification time was achieved after 1 January 2019. If
your qualification time was achieved before 1 January 2019, you will be
able to either return your 2020 place and receive a full refund or donate
your 2020 entry fee to The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Charity or Sponsor entry
If you have a place from a charity but can’t take part on Sunday 4 October,
you must speak directly with the charity to discuss your options as the
place belongs to them. If you have a place from a sponsor and you paid the
entry fee, then your options are the same as a UK ballot runner (see
above). If the sponsor paid for the entry, then you must speak directly to
the sponsor to determine your options.
Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships
All runners with places in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group
World Championships will automatically be entered into the rescheduled 2020
Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 4 October. If you are not able to
take part on 4 October, you will not be able to defer to the 2021 race. You
will be able to choose either a full refund or to donate your entry fee to
The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
International entrants
International entrants who booked through an authorised tour operator
should contact them for full details. Your entry will be rolled over to
Sunday 4 October 2020 or you will be able to receive a refund from the tour
operator. Alternatively, you will be able to defer to the 2021 event.
Details of how you can do this will be explained to you by your tour
operator.
Back of the Pack entry
If you are one of the 'Back of the Pack' runners who had a free entry in
the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon and you cannot run on the rescheduled
date of Sunday 4 October 2020, you will be able to roll that free entry
over to the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon. The system for this will
open in April and we’ll be in touch when it opens. If you are deferring
your place to 2021, you will need to make that choice by midnight on Sunday
26 April.
Important
If you are unable to run on Sunday 4 October, the system allowing you to
choose one of the above options will open in early April – we will let you
know the exact date shortly. If you do not want to run, or you are unable
to run, on Sunday 4 October 2020, you'll need to choose one of the options
outlined above by midnight on Sunday 26 April 2020. After 26 April, only UK
and International ballot entrants from 2020 and club runners for this
year's event will be able to apply to defer their entry to 2021 providing
you pay the 2021 event entry fee.
We have also put together a new FAQs page which hopefully answers any other
questions you may have about the rescheduled 2020 Virgin Money London
Marathon.
Watch out for our regular newsletter tomorrow, which will feature expert
advice from our running coach Martin Yelling about exercising during these
challenging times and how to approach your training over the next six
months. We will also update you on plans for the ballot for the 2021 Virgin
Money London Marathon.
Thanks again for your understanding and please look after yourself over the
coming weeks.
Best wishes
The Virgin Money London Marathon Team
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