AN OSWESTRY woman who was set to run her eighth and final London Marathon is disappointed the event will be exclusively held for elite runners only this year.

Julie Davies, who runs the event in aid of Severn Hospice, has raised more than £30,000 for the Shropshire-based charity at the marathon event over the years, but will not be able to take part this year because of Covid-19.

New rules put in place by organisers will see only elite runners take part in the event in London, with no spectators permitted.

Runners like Julie have been given the option of running the marathon virtually instead, something she is unsure whether she will do.

Having put in more than 10 weeks of training this year in preparation for the marathon, Julie, like many, will miss out on the 40th anniversary event.

She said: “We have the option of completing it virtually, but I’m not sure if I’ll be doing that at the moment.

“I think we have the option to run the proper one over the next three years, but because I have a charity place, it depends when they can put me in.

“This would have been my eighth and final one and I was hoping to get it done this year.

“I think they should have cancelled the whole event and have next year as the 40th anniversary race.

“If we want to do the virtual race, we have to pay another £20.

“I understand because it’s all about raising money for charity, and charities have missed out on a lot of money from this event alone.”

Having run the event several times, Julie is more at ease with the decision to adapt the event, but admits it will be heartbreaking for some runners who were set to be taking part for their first time.

“Part of me wants to complete it virtually because it would be nice to get the 40th anniversary medals and t-shirts, but it’s not quite the same when you’re not completing the event in London,” she said.

“I’m lucky I’ve done it before, but it’s heartbreaking for the people who have never done it before who had the chance taken away from them this year.”

She added that she may now arrange an event locally for people to take part in instead.

“I’m toying with the idea of arranging a local event and getting local people to come out and support us,” said Julie.

“There is a few of us who would like to do it, so we’re just thinking up ideas at the moment.

“It seems a shame to waste all of the training I’ve done up to now.

“I run all year round but ahead of the marathon, there is a specific 12-week block – I was six weeks into it when it first got postponed, and I was four weeks into this one before the news came out that it wasn’t going ahead.”

The London Marathon will take place for elite runners only at St James’ Park on Sunday, October 4.