Open letter to Sensible people.
Lets look at the facts.
Bangalore Ultra:

   1. Announced almost 9 months ago with a commitment, nay a promise to
   never change the date. Please look at my original blog to see the intent of
   the Ultra.
   2. Organized with intent to cater to people who VALUE a clean
   enjoyable running experience. Please again look at the original
   announcements to see what pains we took to enumerate these. We of course
   fully intend to follow through.
   3. No dilution of experience: No fun runs (OK the 26K is kind of a fun
   run), no hard pavement, no running for charity (nobody is preventing, nay we
   are encouraging but let not running be an excuse for charity- Plenty of
   people who DON'T run give charity: Narayana Murthy, Aziz Premji, my
   father,...., etc.)
   4. Considerable thought and effort put into it. We have been meeting
   weekly since June 2007. Take a look at our website.
   5. We have a resort where you can come with family and enjoy.
   6. Cost: Okay this is on the high side for most people in India. But
   remember, there is no free lunch in life. You get what you pay for! many
   people consider it no big deal to buy an air ticket and spend > INR10,000 to
   go run a mere Half Marathon in a distant city! Don't tell me INR 1000 for a
   high class running experience in your own lovely back yard is a lot!

Bangalore Marathon:

   1. Shifting dates.
   2. No consideration for RFL in arranging their date! RFL runners
   probably form the largest contingent of their potential runners.
   3. Rest assured that the event will focus on fun run, NGO charity,
   etc. The marathon effort will be purely a joke.
   4. Hard pavement, traffic, fight for your medals and shirts at the
   end, get your prizes stripped off due to mismanagement, etc.
   5. No class: Knowing that the Bangalore Ultra was in preparation and
   having been publicized, yet to come out with a date clashing with ours
   without even consulting us properly speaks of the lowest class.

Now people can decide. If in spite of all this they wish to run the
Bangalore Marathon then they very well deserve it.

WE WILL STICK TO OUR ORIGINAL INTENT.

Madhu