Guide and support runners at the London Marathon

For runners that need guidance and support on their marathon day, Hugh Brasher, the Event Director from the London Marathon Events Limited recently announced the following policy.  

“Over the past months, we have been reviewing our policy for guide and support runners in the London Marathon. Guide and support runners do an incredible job to help others complete the 26.2 miles, both in training and on Race Day, and we want to celebrate their achievements. 

“We passionately believe in sport for all and we work very hard to support people with a huge range of disabilities, including the visually impaired, to complete the London Marathon. As has been the case for many years, any runner who requires a guide or support runner can apply for a free of charge place for their guide or support runner in the 2019 London Marathon.

“At this year’s event, we will be allocating a timing chip to guide and support runners. We are currently working with our timing and results providers to create a new system where the guide or support runner will be given a time in the official results which will be linked in the results system to the time of the runner they are supporting. The official results will make it clear where a finisher has been running as a guide or support runner.

“Guide and support runners will also receive a finisher medal, the finisher T-shirt and recovery bag when they cross the line with their runner in The Mall.

“We know the huge physical and mental benefits running can bring to people’s lives and we are determined to inspire runners of all abilities, disabilities, ages, faiths and demographics. We want to do all that we practically can to support everyone who get a coveted place in the London Marathon.  

“Since guide and support runners are there to help their runner and are allocated a place in the race on that basis, the support place would be withdrawn if their runner has to pull out before the start of the race.”