8.30am Saturday 17th March
It is snowing quite heavy in Hillingdon at the moment and the forecast looks pretty ominous for the rest of the day and into Sunday morning. The forecast has changed around alot so we will continue to wait until 12 noon before we make a decision based on the conditions and those that are forecast. A race on or off email will be sent to all entrants around 12 noon from Active Training World, who have managed the online entries for us at Hillingdon AC. Lets stay positive!
7am Friday 16th March.
Snow and sub zero temperatures with a cold wind are currently forecast for Saturday and heavier snow showers forecast before and during the early part of the race. This is a hard one to call from our point of view as the forecast has changed around a bit in the last few hours but either way it will be cold. Hillingdon AC’s organising team will make the decision based on the forecast and a course inspection at 12 noon on Saturday 17th March as to whether the race can take place on Sunday.
As well as the weather we also have a few roadwork’s on the course that are causing us headaches. Hillingdon Council have assured us the roadwork’s being carried out by HS2 will be removed by Sunday for the race. These roadwork’s on Breakspear Road South, if not removed will cause a cancellation of the race as there is no way around them and no diversion route possible.
Secondly we have had emergency gas works spring up on the course near the clubhouse this week. These we have been told by the contractors and Hillingdon Council need to be avoided and not run near to. If they finish before Sunday then all is well. We have worked on a diverted route late last night. A diverted route will mean the race will have no certificate of course accuracy and subsequently no results will stand as records for the distance with UK Athletics.
On a positive note, since 1933 the race has never been cancelled due to weather or roadwork’s and we are and will continue to do what we can to put the race on although the welfare of the athletes and our team of marshals will in the end outweigh that of sentiment and history.
Fingers crossed everyone!!!