ANYBODY PREPARING FOR the London Marathon will have to re-think their training plan as race organisers today postponed the scheduled 26 April event.

The 40th installment of the London Marathon will now be run on 4 October, three weeks before the Dublin Marathon takes place on 25 October. Presenting a significant challenge for anybody who had hoped to run both events.

“The world is in an unprecedented situation grappling with a global pandemic of COVID-19 and public health is everyone’s priority,” said event director Hugh Brasher.

“We know how disappointing this news will be for so many – the runners who have trained for many months, the thousands of charities for which they are raising funds and the millions who watch the race every year.”

Brasher added that organisers will email participants today with updates and what information they currently have.

Obviously, all runners already holding a place for the 2020 Marathon will be able to run in the rescheduled event without further payment and runners who choose not to run in October can claim a refund of their entry fee.

Charities will be able to nominate substitute runners for the rescheduled race.