Nearly 250000 apply!

Stylish

55% of them first timers. 

Good luck, gonna need it!

Keith L

Its fantastic isn't it that so many new people have been inspired to challenge themselves and take up a sport that we all love.

One of the aims of the London Marathon was always to increase participation I believe and they are certainly doing it.

Great stuff

seren nos

i was impressed  by the 55 % of them being new to marathon...........but a lot of these keith might already be runners........but just not done a marqathon before.

 but i still imagine a lot will be new to the sport/..........it is getting more and more popular in this are....our local league had over 280 runners out last night.highest ever number....

Millsy

It's great that people are inspired to start running. Hopefully a large number of those that don't get through tha ballot will sign up for other races.

Keith L

Seren - yes new to marathon running rather than running but many I think will be entirely new to running. And anyway  marathon running is the sport I love don't think I have raced a different distance for a couple of years (apart from ultras)

squirrellypoo

So assuming that the organisers will be giving out the same number of places to ballot entries, they've said in the past you have roughly a 1:5 chance of getting a place. In 2015, there were about 60,000 ballot entries (so 1/5th of those is 12,000 lucky ballot runners). So that means your odds of getting a ballot place in 2016 have gone way down, to 1:20.

Unless my assumption is wrong and they're allocating more places to ballot entries this year?

I still personally think it was the right decision to open up the ballot system further, and I find it amazing to see the true demand for the ballot places is so huge! Really shows how popular running is becoming, which warms my little heart.

seren nos

even when the odds were better I have never got through the ballot so I'm not worried that the odds are longer now.

either you are lucky or you aint...

 

seren nos

just seen the results of my local leisure league.over 375 runners.....amazing on a week night

NorthEnder

What a coincidence, there were over 375 runners in my local leisure league race last night too 

andyp

A 10k local to me held its second event last weekend.  They host a 10k, and a number of children's races.

A proportion of runners (adults) who took part last year (their first race) returned to the event,  but have also taken part in other events since, so it's good to see new runners being encouraged to the sport, of all ages.

andyp

PS - despite the odds, I'll still apply for London each year - it's rude not to.

Lady Wot Jogs

andyp wrote (see)

PS - despite the odds, I'll still apply for London each year - it's rude not to.

 

I knew there was a reason why I love you andyp... x