Boiling 24-mile marathon with water shortages branded shambolic by competitors

Published on Tuesday 2 June 2009 00:28

RUNNERS have branded the Edinburgh Marathon as "shambolic" because of a shortage of water and a decision to cut short the race.

Sunday's event saw scores of participants treated by medics after the marathon got under way in temperatures of around 22C. Runners said that there was a critical lack of supplies at water stations.

Ten people being take to hospital after collapsing, and a further 160 required treatment on the course.

Competitor Doug Steele said: "There was not a single bottle of water remaining at the first water station at Loch Road when I came, about 20 minutes into the race, and I passed a further four stations which had completely run out of water in East Lothian.

"I had to rummage through discarded bottles at the roadside to find one or two with some water in them so I could stay hydrated."

Organisers said there had been adequate supplies and that any shortages had been temporary.

However, Alison Grant, who had travelled from Huddersfield, Yorkshire to compete in her first marathon, said:

"The 'temporary' water shortages were inexcusable and not temporary at all – many water stations were just empty trestle tables and myself and many other runners were relying on the kindness of supporters and local residents."

Ms Grant attacked the decision to cut the race length from the standard 26.2 miles to 24 for hundreds of the slowest runners. She said the move had left her feeling cheated:.

"It is the most shambolic race I have ever had the misfortune to enter."

Race director Neil Kilgour said:

"There was a shortage at stations six and seven but in terms of the rest of the course there was no shortage."

He said that as soon as they were aware of a shortage at the sixth and seventh stations, a supply was taken there by police escort.

On cutting the race short, Mr Kilgour said:

"The reason I did that was purely for their personal safety."