The 2020 Bournemouth Marathon has been cancelled – runnersworld.com

After seven years, organisers have announced that the Bournemouth Marathon will not go ahead in 2020. A few days after this year’s 26.2, the organisers of the Bournemouth Marathon have confirmed next year, the event will be rebranded to ‘Run Bournemouth’, without a marathon.

A statement on social media reads, “We’re excited to announce that 2020 will mark the start of a new chapter with the introduction of a new series of events, Run Bournemouth.

“The 2020 event will offer the perfect vision of running as it should be, next to the sea, sun and surf along Bournemouth’s promenade, award winning blue flag beaches and famous piers.

“Incredibly flat and fast routes hold the promise of personal bests for those taking part in the Bournemouth Half Marathon, Supersonic 10K and 5K races. Sadly, after seven years, we will be saying goodbye to the marathon distance. Bournemouth is a forward thinking and enthusiastic location, constantly improving the seafront offering to the visitors who flock here every summer.

“This does make fitting in 26.2 miles of route fairly challenging, without moving away from the seafront and onto residential streets. We recognise that a hilly, residential route can be found anywhere, and it’s not the running experience we want to offer you, our runners.

“As such, we will be focusing our energy on creating the perfect running holiday destination for you in 2020 instead.”

RW’s Race Editor Kerry McCarthy said, “The Bournemouth marathon – a popular mid-sized event – being stopped is a sign of just how saturated the UK race calendar is now. There was a time when marathons were seen as marquee events but there are now so many on offer that it’s increasingly difficult for organisers to a) differentiate themselves and b) turn a profit.

“It sounds like the organisers, by rebranding and recalibrating, plan to use their resources to produce a weekend festival that still shows off this gorgeous part of our south coast to even better effect. We wish them the best of luck. And in the meantime if you’re still after a south coast 26.2, then you could do worse than check out the dorset marathon a few miles further east. You’ll have to get your trail shoes on, mind.”

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