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Ballot Entry London Marathon has to CHANGE
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Ooh, I became club secretary this year. Does this put me in the very seat of corruption?
I've done London 14 times.
<ducks>
<swans>
Time to turn this tread back to a bit more seriousness -- I REALLY dont understand the "ballot". I've now been rejected about 8 or 9 times (and NEVER been successful). Luckily I've been able to pick up a "club" place six times. What I really don't understand - I've got a 2:48 PB, and always put down sub-3 hours (ok, so I usually run about 3:05) - is why even I can't ever get a ballot place. Last year, coming back from injury and carrying WAY too much weight I just missed a good for my age time (3:15), but there were only 2500 in front of me. I seem to remember something about balancing the number of runners through the finish (the race could not cope with 30,000 runners between 4:15 and 4:30 for example), so I think the VLM are only interested in 2 types of runner - the real elite who run sub 2:20 and the charity runners who "run" as pantomime horses, fairies and rhinos.
As for the "good for your age" qualifying conditions, what a farce. If you didn't run a qualifying time in London 2011 (or already had one from 2010), there were NO marathons in the UK that still had places available that weren't off-roaders before the July deadline (and who wants to run a marathon in the middle of the summer anyway??). Why can't the organisers give runners till the autumn to run a qualifying time. There are plenty of September/October/November marathons that would love the boost from runners chasing a qualifying time. I'm sure the organisers could cope with an extra few thousand entries "only" 5 or 6 months before the actual event.
"Side issue but how fought over do people find their club places are? I am fairly sure the ratio isn't 5-1 in either of my clubs, neither of which are tri or track or other specialty orientation, in fact istr last year we had to throw it open to people without rejection slips."
(stoopid site won't let me quote at the moment!)
Not much competition for our club place. Most members have run marathons, including London, and continue to run marathons.
This year only one person is eligible (we have a qualifying period of a year), but she is deciding whether she wants it or not.
There is another member who didn't enter through the ballot, but would like to take up the place if the first person decides not to.
One year we even gave the place to someone who was not a member, as no-one else wanted it!
Speaking as a lady FV40 I think the ladies GFa is a bit soft. Although my PB is 3:36 I'd be happy to see the FV40 target being sub 3:30 and FV45 3:45, FV 50 4 hours. I think this would be a fairer reflection of the level of runner more comparable with the men. there are a lot of much quicker guys in my club who I consider better runners than me who cant get anywhere near the GFA time. I think though the targets are set based on the number of ladies who run the relevant times in each category - the mens GFA is never going to be sub 3:30 as too many men can run that and then they'd be no more ballott places for anyone.
Maybe London should use the same GFA times as NY?
Jovi, how big is your club to get 4 entries?
Our club, about 150 members, was only allows 1 place last year, after previously being allowed 3 i believe.
Used to work reasonably well in our club. 2 year qualifying period, you had to have a rejection slip already, and then drawn out of a hat.
Normally 4-5 would go for it, out of the 3 places.
This year 5 people for 1 place was a bit harder to take.
Good for age times are all reasonably soft if you're a regular runner.
The championship qualifying times are a lot more challenging, sub 1hr 15 for a half, or sub 2hr 45 for a marathon.
The good for age would be even easier if they allowed it off your half time!
you have to have paid your membership by the 31st march deadline and have been rejected to go in the ballot....
GFA are easier for women.........they are also a lot easier for young men and women..but that just reflects the number of young people running......
it works so there is a way that anyone can get in one way or another........and there are always other marathons....
don't understand why Ian above is finding the GFA so difficult to do.......if he can that fast then just do an autumn marathon and then you know you are in 18 months later a after taht every year.....surely common sense tells you why wait to be rejected so many times and then moan as you haven't done another one
for GFA, i think you only get a 5min allowance from 18 to 59! 3.10 to 3.15?
that's a hell of a small zone to keep for that long!
it's a lot tougher to hit 3.15 at 59, then it is to hit 3.10 at 18-40
But then again it's all on quotas and numbers,
If they set the women's GFA too high, too few would get in, and similarly if too low an entry for men, it would be flooded with entrants
When does the ballot entry for the london marathon actually open for 2013.
I have tried entering LM every year since 2004, ran twice through club entry (after ballot rejection) and twice through the open ballot. Last year I rang up to enter on the day after the ballot was opened at 9.00 and was told that all 130,000 ballot places have been filled.
1-35,000 runners less elite,GFA, club runners and defferred entries. How many are open ballot runners and how many are charity bond/bought places?
2-What happens if you don't have a computer. I remember not so long ago you picked up an entry form from a sports shop filled it in and sent it away?
3-Bad decission a few years back to open ballot as soon as the race finished.
4-Are charities running our sport? It seems every race has a charity involved wether it is race sponsored or they have bonded places.
5-LM is a fair entry price, but Brighton is £50 and over priced.
6-I agree that some people watch the LM in the comfort of their homes and say I am going to run next year, enter, get a place ,then come the winter with the cold and the rain and parties put their training on the back burner. They get over Xmas make a resolution that last about as long as the turkey and waste a place for someone who really wants to run.So they defer entry untill next year taking up yet another place.
7-There are many excellent marathons to run and I am trying Chester this year.
8-Running is a great sport, healthy, fresh air,cheap to do and you can go virtually anywhere and run and when it suits you. I just feel that is becoming over priced to race/run just so people can make some money out of the big events ie Bupa great races ( do it once then bin it)
9-Good luck to everyone in whatever race you do
BE HAPPY IN YOUR RUNNING AND BE HAPPY WITH YOURSELF WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED