InstaSpeedathon 2020 is currently planned to be held onsite with online runs also taking place. We will fully confirm this prior to the start of submissions.

Onsite runs will require runners to be present at the venue when performing their run. Online runs will require runners to stream to their own streaming channel during their run.

[section=Marathon Dates]
**Submissions:** 2nd of September (8:00am GMT) to 29th of December 2019 (5:00pm GMT)
**Cuts and Initial Schedule:** 19th of January 2020
**Final Schedule Changes:** 9th of February 2020
**Marathon Dates:** 14-16 of February 2020

[section=What the dates mean]
**Submissions:** The time you are able to submit to InstaSpeedathon 2019. You may not submit before or after these dates.
**Cuts and initial schedule:** The speedrunners for the marathon will be chosen and the initial schedule will be made. This schedule is subject to changes depending on runner availability.
**Final Schedule Changes:** Between the initial cuts and the final changes, the chosen runners will have a chance to change the allocated schedule, or to cancel their run if they are no longer available. If a runner cancels after this date, no replacement runners may be added.
**Marathon dates:** The dates the marathon will be taking place.

[section=Marathon Info]
**Twitch Channel:** https://www.twitch.tv/instaspeedathon
**YouTube Channel:** https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSCmF6T1cMbIU5nmttKTpw
**Supported Charity:** https://www.everyonecan.org.uk/
**Donation link:** TBC

Moderator Applications for InstaSpeedathon 2019 are now open. To apply, follow the link to the Google Form and fill out all the required fields.

Before applying it is also highly recommended to read the Moderator Job Description.

Applicants MUST be at least 13 years of age, and applicants under the age of 16 MUST have parental consent prior to applying.

Application Form: https://goo.gl/forms/ou5MJcVTw1Fc9e3E3

Job Description: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12UWChVOhs4WAjr40WZkdqUegepFqJBLWmvnTVNr0dn4/edit?usp=sharing

[section=Information About Submissions]

**Submissions Open:** 3rd of September 2018 8am GMT
**Submissions Close:** 30th of December 2018 5pm GMT
**Cuts & Schedule:** 27th of January 2019
**Final date for schedule changes:** 17th of February 2019
**Start Date of Marathon:** 25th of February 2019 9am GMT
**End Date of Marathon:** 27th of February 2019 4pm GMT

**PLEASE BE SURE TO SUBMIT YOUR RUN BEFORE THE DEADLINE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE.**

The link to the submission form will appear on the left sidebar from the 3rd of September. Submissions will be processed through through the speedrun.com submission form.

Please make sure to check your availability for the marathon prior to submitting. Unfortunately, I will not be able to host the event over 24-hours, therefore please make sure that you are available between 9am and 10pm (GMT) on the day of your run. If you are not available, then I advise that you do not submit a run for this event. It is likely in future that the event will run over 24-hours, though for now it will not be possible.

[section=Submission Terms & Conditions]
1. By submitting a run for InstaSpeedathon 2019, you are hereby giving us exclusive rights to re-upload your marathon run on our YouTube Channel, and to use your marathon footage for marketing / promotional material for future Instaspeedathon events.
2. By submitting to InstaSpeedathon 2019, you acknowledge that we have the right to capture your livestream for use on our Twitch Channel during the marathon.
3. By submitting and running in InstaSpeedathon 2019, we will not be held liable for any impact caused to your channel, be it positive or negative. Any possible impacts to your channel are to be taken at your own risk
4. If you are accepted, we hold the exclusive rights to cancel, alter or suspend your marathon run without prior notice and we accept no liability for any inconvenience thereby caused

Every effort will be made to keep InstaSpeedathon running as smoothly as possible, and to keep the marathon running to the allocated schedule, however we reserve every right to alter or suspend the event without prior notice, and we will not be held liable for any loss, inconvenience or delay thereby caused.

[section=Rules for submitting]
- Only submit your own run for the marathon. Submitting on behalf of someone else will lead to an immediate decline. Submitting someone else's run as your own submission can risk you getting banned from future InstaSpeedathon events.
- Make sure to allow some time in your submission for inconsistencies or strat failures. Likewise, do not be excessive with your leeway. Around 10 minutes should be enough to allow for mistakes. You do not need to include setup time as this will be added by myself (I will add around 10 minutes to each run)
- Please do not submit runs which are either too short or too long. Short runs can be quite boring to watch and will not really contribute to the event much. Longer runs would reduce the amount of runs we can showcase. Typically, make sure your run is between 10mins and 3hours in length. Super long or short runs may be added as end bonuses, but this will be decided when shcedule cuts are made.
- If you are submitting a race, make sure you and your partner are available during the marathon. It is also recommended that both of you submit the same race (max 2 runners per race).
- Make sure that you submit a decent run. It doesn't have to be a PB run, but it does have to be a decent run showcasing good movement techniques and strategies. You also do not have to be the WR holder for the game you want to submit, just make sure that you know the speedrun well enough to submit a run
- Do not post troll submissions. Any submission which looks to be a troll submission will be removed without warning and will result in an immediate ban from InstaSpeedathon 2019, and can also result in a ban from future InstaSpeedathon events.


[section=Successful Runs]
If your submission is successful, please make sure to check the schedule for when your run is planned for. The schedule should be up by the 27th of January.
If you are unable to participate during your chosen time slot, please let me know ASAP (A thread will be made in advance for this). That way I can arrange for your run to be rescheduled for the marathon.
Likewise, if you'd like for your run to be removed from the schedule, please let me know so that I can arrange for another runner to take the available time slot. The deadline for Schedule changes will be the 17th of February.
If after this date you notify me that you are unavailable in any way (either by time slot or during the whole marathon), your run will be removed from the marathon without any re-schedules or replacement runners.

If there is anything else you would like to know about submissions, please let me know as a reply to this thread and I will try my best to answer any queries

Submissions for InstaSpeedathon 2020 are now OPEN!!.

You can now submit your speedruns for the event taking place in February 2020. Please make sure to also fill out the Sign Up form if you are submitting. Submissions without a valid sign up will not be accepted. You can find more information on how to fill this form [here](https://www.speedrun.com/InstaSpeedathon_2020/thread/nt750).

Submit a run by clicking the "Submit Run" link to the left.

Submissions close on the 29th of December.

From the InstaSpeedathon team, we wish you all the best of luck.

Due to a delay in the timetable of InstaSpeedathon 2018, the submissions have been re-opened until the 4th of March. This will not affect runs which are already on the schedule. If anyone would like to submit extra runs, please feel free to do so

**What is InstaSpeedathon?**
InstaSpeedathon is an online speedrunning marathon with the aim to showcase games and speedrunners. This year we will be raising money for RNIB, which is the UK's leading charity helping blind and partially sighted people around the country.

**Where will this marathon take place?**
For InstaSpeedathon 2019, the marathon will be taking place on the new dedicated Twitch Channel for InstaSpeedathon ( https://www.twitch.tv/instaspeedathon ).

**When will the marathon take place?**
The marathon will take place on the week starting 25th of February 2019, although the length of the marathon is still to be decided.

**How do I submit a run?**
Submissions will open on the 3rd of September 2018 (at 8am GMT). At which point, you may submit a run for the marathon. Submissions will close on the 30th of December 2018 (at 5pm GMT) so that the submissions may be reviewed in a timely manner before the marathon takes place. To avoid disappointment, please make sure to submit a run as soon as possible if you want to take part.

**Which games can we submit?**
Generally, I have no restrictions on which games you can submit, though I do have time restrictions which I will make a note of in another thread about Game Submissions.

**Do I need Discord to take part?**
You will need Discord to take part in this marathon. This is how we will communicate with the runners during their runs, and this is how runners may have other people to talk to if needed. A moderator will always be present during runs to keep order and to mention donations.

**Can we submit races?**
This year, we will be accepting races to InstaSpeedathon 2019, however races will have a maximum of 2 runners, and both runners must be available for the race. It is also recommended for both runners in a race to submit to the marathon.

**What constitutes a troll submission?**
A troll submission is a submission which is unrealistic or vague. This can include (but is not limited to); an unrealistically long speedrun, including a category that doesn't exist, including a game that doesn't exist, using inflammatory or obscene language in your submission, linking to a video that is not a speedrun, etc. Essentially, a submission that looks to be a troll submission will be looked into, and if this is the case, the submission will be removed and the runner will be banned from the event. If you have run a category which is not an official category (ie. It is not on any leaderboards on speedrun.com ), provided you have proof that you have run the category, it will NOT constitute as a troll submission.

If you'd like to suggest a new level leaderboard for this game, create a new post in this thread following the format below. All suggestions must be accompanied with a valid run.

Format:
* Route: <Name of route as appears in Train Simulator>
* Consist: <Class of unit and number of coaches>
* Start: <Starting station for the scenario>
* Destination: <Destination station for the scenario>
* Video of Run: <Your own video performing the run>

**What is InstaSpeedathon?**
InstaSpeedathon is an online speedrunning marathon with the aim to showcase games and speedrunners. This year, we plan to host InstaSpeedathon 2020 in a physical venue, but this will be confirmed prior to submissions. This year we will be raising money for Everyone Can, which is a UK based charity which helps disabled children get into gaming.

**Why are you planning to host InstaSpeedathon 2020 in a physical venue?**
Our aim with InstaSpeedathon is to make it bigger and better every year. InstaSpeedathon started in 2018 where it was streamed locally on the InstaSim Twitch Channel. In 2019, we finally opened a dedicated Twitch Channel for InstaSpeedathon as well as dedicated the marathon to charity fundraising. This year we are exploring even more ways to grow InstaSpeedathon into a better event overall, and to host it in a physical venue is one of these plans. However, this has now been confirmed not to be happening for 2020, we will be exploring physical venue hosting for future InstaSpeedathon events

**Where will this marathon take place?**
For InstaSpeedathon 2020, the marathon will be taking place on the dedicated Twitch Channel for InstaSpeedathon ( https://www.twitch.tv/instaspeedathon ).

**When will the marathon take place?**
The marathon will either take place on the 14th - 17th of February 2020 or 21st - 24th of February 2020. The date is yet to be finalised as it depends on availability.
[**UPDATE**] - The marathon will take place on the 14th - 16th of February 2020

**How do I submit a run?**
Submissions will open on the 2nd of September 2019 (at 8am GMT). At which point, you may submit a run for the marathon. Submissions will close on the 29th of December 2019 (at 5pm GMT) so that the submissions may be reviewed in a timely manner before the marathon takes place. To avoid disappointment, please make sure to submit a run as soon as possible if you want to take part.
All runners submitting a run to InstaSpeedathon 2020 will be required to fill out the Sign-Ups form as well. Please follow [this](https://www.speedrun.com/InstaSpeedathon_2020/thread/nt750) thread for guidance on how to do this.

**Which games can we submit?**
Generally, I have no restrictions on which games you can submit, though I do have time restrictions which I will make a note of in another thread about Game Submissions.

**Do I need Discord to take part?**
You will need Discord to take part in this marathon. This is how we will communicate with the runners during their runs, and this is how runners may have other people to talk to if needed. A moderator will always be present during runs to keep order and to mention donations.

**Can we submit races?**
We will be accepting races to InstaSpeedathon 2020, however races will have a maximum of 2 runners, and both runners must be available for the race. It is also recommended for both runners in a race to submit to the marathon.

**What is the Sign Up form used for?**
This year we are using the sign up form to make it easier for us to contact you if you are successful. We received feedback about how to make InstaSpeedathon better this year, and communication with successful runners was one of the areas we needed to improve. Please check [this](https://www.speedrun.com/InstaSpeedathon_2020/thread/nt750) thread for how to fill in this form.

**What constitutes a troll submission?**
A troll submission is a submission which is unrealistic or vague. This can include (but is not limited to); an unrealistically long speedrun, including a category that doesn't exist, including a game that doesn't exist, using inflammatory or obscene language in your submission, linking to a video that is not a speedrun, etc. Essentially, a submission that looks to be a troll submission will be looked into, and if this is the case, the submission will be removed and the runner will be banned from the event. If you have run a category which is not an official category (ie. It is not on any leaderboards on speedrun.com ), provided you have proof that you have run the category, it will NOT constitute as a troll submission.

Submissions for InstaSpeedathon 2018 are now closed. I would like to thank everyone who has submitted runs to the marathon and extend a good luck to everyone as well. First cuts will be made by the end of this month, and I will be posting info about the Discord Channel soon

InstaSpeedathon 2019 will be an Online Speedrunning Marathon. This will require the runner to be streaming to his/her Twitch Channel during their run.

[section=Marathon Dates]
**Submissions:** 3rd of September to 30th of December 2018
**Cuts and Initial Schedule:** 27th of January 2019
**Final Schedule Changes:** 17th of February 2019
**Marathon Dates:** 25th to 27 of February 2019

[section=What the dates mean]
**Submissions:** The time you are able to submit to InstaSpeedathon 2019. You may not submit before or after these dates.
**Cuts and initial schedule:** The speedrunners for the marathon will be chosen and the initial schedule will be made. This schedule is subject to changes depending on runner availability.
**Final Schedule Changes:** Between the initial cuts and the final changes, the chosen runners will have a chance to change the allocated schedule, or to cancel their run if they are no longer available. If a runner cancels after this date, no replacement runners may be added.
**Marathon dates:** The dates the marathon will be taking place.

[section=Marathon Info]
**Twitch Channel:** https://www.twitch.tv/instaspeedathon
**YouTube Channel:** https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSCmF6T1cMbIU5nmttKTpw
**Supported Charity:** https://www.rnib.org.uk/
**Donation link:** TBC

Here is some guidance on how to fill in the Submission and Sign Ups Forms.

Submitting a run must be done for each game / category you intend to run. You may submit more than once if you wish.

All runners submitting a run must complete the Sign Up sheet. This will only be used to validate runners in Discord and to contact you if you are successful. This only needs to be completed once.

[section=Sign Ups]
**Real Name (Required)**: Please enter your Discord name (Ex. Jimbob#1234).
**E-mail Address (Optional)**: Please enter your E-mail Address.
**Phone Number (Required)**: Your streaming channel. Preferably Twitch but we can work with other providers as well.

[section=Submit Run]
**Game**: The game name
**Category**: The category name (Ex. Any%, 100%, etc). If you are running the game on an Emulator, please add "Emu" after the category.
**Leaderboard link**: Link to the game's leaderboard (not required)
**Game name on Twitch**: Game name on Twitch (not required)
**Why should this be shown at InstaSpeedathon 2020**: Brief description as to why this game and category should be shown at InstaSpeedathon 2020. Please don't write too much in here.
**Video**: Link to the run you are submitting. (Typically YouTube or Twitch but make sure it matches the submission and is your own run).
**Platform**: Which platform you will be running the game on.
**Region**: The region of your game.
**Additional Players**: If you are submitting a race, please indicate who you intend to race with. (Only required for races).
**Estimate**: How long do you think your run will last for? This doesn't need to be the exact time of your linked run.
**Additional Time**: How much extra time you may need to complete the run. This does not need to include setup time as all runners will be given an extra 10 minutes added for this.
**Availability**: Please indicate your availability. The marathon is planned to run Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Please include time and your own timezone as well, if applicable.
**Incentive Suggestions**: Please list some incentive suggestions for your run separated by commas.

A quick thread to notify that unfortunately I have not yet confirmed where or how InstaSpeedathon 2020 will be hosted, whether it will be onsite or online.

As submissions open tomorrow, please presume that the marathon will be held onsite. Therefore during submission, please add in the "Availability" field if you will be available to perform your run onsite or online (both performances will be accepted regardless). For more information about the submission form, please check [this](https://www.speedrun.com/InstaSpeedathon_2020/thread/nt750) thread.

I will hopefully be able to chat with someone tomorrow to make arrangements, but I'll post in this thread when more information comes up.

Please be aware, the dates of the marathon will either be 14th-17th of February 2020 or 21st-24th of February 2020

Initial Cuts have now been made for Instaspeedathon 2018. This is by no means the final cuts as of yet, although I would like to know of people's availability to make the schedule. Cuts for the Instapeedathon 2018 are marked under Phase 1 in the Sumited runs section
The marathon is planned to run over 2 or 3 consecutive days (provisionally 26th - 28th of February). Each day will be streaming from 9am to around 10pm (GMT) therefore, for the schedule, please check your availability between these times in your own timezones.
I would also like to announce that I have sorted out the Discord server for Instaspeedathon. Please bare in mind that anyone can join the server, although you may only have access to the Instaspeedathon channel if you are taking part. This will also be used for me to communicate with the runner during the marathon.
If your run is moved up to Phase 1, please reply to this thread with which times you are available to take part, with reference to the times I have mentioned above. I will then be able to sort out the schedule for the marathon. Likewise, if your run is in Phase 1 and you are unable to take part, please let me know ASAP so that I can make alternate arrangements.
I am hoping to sort out the schedule by the middle of January 2018

EDIT -- I would also like to add, if anyone has any Donation Incentives they would like to have on their run, please let me know as a reply. Donations / Charity Donations are still to be confirmed, although if they do happen then if anyone would like a Donation Incentive for their run then they can submit them here :)

EDIT 2 -- Please bare in mind that if you have been successful in the marathon, I am currently sending out messages to the successful runners with the next steps which they need to take. My Discord name is below my Profile Picture on the top left

Submissions for InstaSpeedathon 2019 are now open. Good luck to everyone submitting :)

Submissions close on December 30th

Only 2 weeks left before the submission deadline for InstaSpeedathon 2020. If you'd like to submit, be sure to do so before the 29th of December 2019.

Click the "Submit run" link on the left pane to submit a run, and don't forget to fill the signup sheet by following [this](https://www.speedrun.com/InstaSpeedathon_2020/thread/nt750) guide.

Good luck to everyone who submits to InstaSpeedathon 2020 :)

[section=Information About Submissions]

**Submissions Open:** 2nd of September 2019 8am GMT
**Submissions Close:** 29th of December 2019 5pm GMT
**Cuts & Schedule:** 19th of January 2020
**Final date for schedule changes:** 9th of February 2020 (with 1 week extension possible)
**Start Date of Marathon:** 14th of February 2020 @ 08:50am GMT
**End Date of Marathon:** 16th of February 2020 @ 11:15am GMT

**PLEASE BE SURE TO SUBMIT YOUR RUN BEFORE THE DEADLINE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE.**

The link to the submission form will appear on the left sidebar from the 2nd of September. Submissions will be processed through through the speedrun.com submission form.

A new addition to this year's submissions will be the Sign-Up form which will also open on the 2nd of September.

Please view [this](https://www.speedrun.com/InstaSpeedathon_2020/thread/nt750) form for information about the forms and how to fill them out.

Please make sure to check your availability for the marathon prior to submitting. Unfortunately, I will not be able to host the event over 24-hours, therefore please make sure that you are available between 9am and 10pm (GMT) on the day of your run. If you are not available, then I advise that you do not submit a run for this event. It is likely in future that the event will run over 24-hours, though for now it will not be possible.

[section=Submission Terms & Conditions]
1. By submitting a run for InstaSpeedathon 2020, you are hereby giving us exclusive rights to re-upload your marathon run on our YouTube Channel, and to use your marathon footage for marketing / promotional material for future Instaspeedathon events.
2. By submitting to InstaSpeedathon 2020, you acknowledge that we have the right to capture your livestream for use on our Twitch Channel during the marathon.
3. By submitting and running in InstaSpeedathon 2020, we will not be held liable for any impact caused to your channel, be it positive or negative. Any possible impacts to your channel are to be taken at your own risk
4. If you are accepted, we hold the exclusive rights to cancel, alter or suspend your marathon run without prior notice and we accept no liability for any inconvenience thereby caused

Every effort will be made to keep InstaSpeedathon running as smoothly as possible, and to keep the marathon running to the allocated schedule, however we reserve every right to alter or suspend the event without prior notice, and we will not be held liable for any loss, inconvenience or delay thereby caused.

[section=Rules for submitting]
- Only submit your own run for the marathon. Submitting on behalf of someone else will lead to an immediate decline. Submitting someone else's run as your own submission can risk you getting banned from future InstaSpeedathon events.
- Make sure to allow some time in your submission for inconsistencies or strat failures. Likewise, do not be excessive with your leeway. Around 10 minutes should be enough to allow for mistakes. You do not need to include setup time as this will be added by myself (I will add around 10 minutes to each run)
- Please do not submit runs which are either too short or too long. Short runs can be quite boring to watch and will not really contribute to the event much. Longer runs would reduce the amount of runs we can showcase. Typically, make sure your run is between 10mins and 3hours in length. Super long or short runs may be added as end bonuses, but this will be decided when shcedule cuts are made.
- If you are submitting a race, make sure you and your partner are available during the marathon. It is also recommended that both of you submit the same race (max 2 runners per race).
- Make sure that you submit a decent run. It doesn't have to be a PB run, but it does have to be a decent run showcasing good movement techniques and strategies. You also do not have to be the WR holder for the game you want to submit, just make sure that you know the speedrun well enough to submit a run
- Do not post troll submissions. Any submission which looks to be a troll submission will be removed without warning and will result in an immediate ban from InstaSpeedathon 2020, and can also result in a ban from future InstaSpeedathon events.


[section=Successful Runs]
If your submission is successful, please make sure to check the schedule for when your run is planned for. The schedule should be up by **20th of January 2020**.
If you are unable to participate during your chosen time slot, please let me know ASAP (A thread will be made in advance for this). That way I can arrange for your run to be rescheduled for the marathon.
Likewise, if you'd like for your run to be removed from the schedule, please let me know so that I can arrange for another runner to take the available time slot. The deadline for Schedule changes will be **9th of February 2020**.
If after this date you notify me that you are unavailable in any way (either by time slot or during the whole marathon), your run will be removed from the marathon without any re-schedules or replacement runners.

If there is anything else you would like to know about submissions, please let me know as a reply to this thread and I will try my best to answer any queries

Submissions for InstaSpeedathon 2020 are now closed. Cuts to the schedule will be made by the 19th of January. On behalf of the InstaSpeedathon team, I would like to wish all runners the best of luck :)

We also have a survey for the dates of InstaSpeedathon 2020. If you have submitted, it is highly recommended you fill out this survey. You can find this [here](https://forms.gle/Sfy47kbjKEraV5zy5)

Last week to get your submissions in for the InstaSpeedathon. Event will be held at the end of March