Great North Run cancelled with London Marathon decision in the balance
A decision on whether this year's London Marathon, already postponed from April to October, is expected to be made on Sunday
Last Updated: 15/06/20 3:57pm
The Great North Run in September has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic – and its founder has cast doubt on October’s London Marathon taking place.
The half marathon was due to take place on September 13 but race organisers have announced this year's event will now not go ahead.
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A record 60,000 runners were due to take part in what would have been the race's 40th year with the 40th Great North Run now scheduled to take place on September 12, 2021.
The ability to safely socially distance as well as the pressure on health workers, with over 500 having previously volunteered to work the event, were the biggest logistical drawbacks.
A statement read: "We have also looked at holding the Great North Run later in the year. But, as things stand, and even as the situation improves, it isn't going to be possible to meet these goals with any certainty, and so, with just under three months to go we have concluded that the best course of action is to cancel."
A decision on whether this year's London Marathon, already postponed from April to October, is expected to be made on Sunday.
However, Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, believes it will be "extremely difficult" to hold the event.
"Mass participation events in the form that ours takes, and the London Marathon takes, are clearly going to be extremely difficult to hold and it's going to be up to us to find a formula for the future," he said.
The Great Manchester Run on September 6 has also been cancelled, with the next edition of the race set for May 23, 2021.
