Oh, well all the half-marathons I've done have been UK Athletics events

(I know the Sheff Half is UKA Gold Grade, but I don't know about others), and are incredibly competitive. Most of the 10k events I've done have been UKA affiliated too. I ran the same Great Manchester Run as Haile Gebreselassie, and he didn't just turn up to any old trot round a park.

So for the professionals and club whippets at the front, yes, they are very definitely proper races, and results can be used for competition qualification, so it's serious business.

Obviously it's different for us plodders at the back, but I still think of it as a race - I'm just racing against the clock, rather than the other runners.

Posted By: Arizona Bay, Jul 10, 19:14:28