GFA (Good for age): relates to age when you did the time or age on day of VLM?

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Comments

  • Or at least, there never has been in the past.

  • OK thanks Dave.  Lets hope they don't change it then!

  • I have a strong suspicion that the London good for age times will be changed after this years race. They changed the entry last year so that twice as many people entered into the ballot and as a consequence must have had many more GFA applicants, so much so that they reduced the club places after the ballot.  They need to change the GFA system as the age bands are too wide, I can't see why they can't use an age graded % cut off so that it's not unfair to those middle to upper of the age parameters. Every age over 35 should have a different time target but the same AG% to create as level a playing field as possible.

  • You're assuming that the purpose of the GFA system is to reward those who are, well, good for their age, with a guaranteed entry to VLM.  It isn't, they have it so that they can maximise the number of runners at the quicker end of the field which in turn maximises the overall number of entries that the course can manage.  GFA for the slower age groups is just a knock-on from that, it's not what it's there for.  From VLM's perspective they have no interest in making the age bandings fairer, especially if it means having a more complicated system.

    The problem with age grading is that there are a number of different age grade tables out there - you'll often find that powerof10 is giving a different age grade from the race results (if the race results include them at all).  It's also assuming that age grades are themselves fair - I would say that achieving any given age grade gets easier as you get older. 

  • Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭

    Will a Manchester time from 2015 count??? Based on that I smashed the qualifying time, so should be good even if they tighten the limits, so had been assuming it would get me in for next year, but if they won't accept Manchester as its now been revealed that it's short, my next best time only just meets the current limits image  Guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens..... And train a bit harder to get back to my 2015 fitness image

  • In the past once th race has been marked as short they will not count.......

  • Cheerful dave   I'm not convinced that getting any age grading is easier as you get older........for the women  a 24 year old only needs 5 mins faster than  a 49 year old.....similar with the men.

    when you are twice the age of someone then 5 minutes isnt much

  • Actually Mc Hilly your Manchester 2015 time will count - they've updated the GFA info - https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/

  • seren nos wrote (see)

    Cheerful dave   I'm not convinced that getting any age grading is easier as you get older........for the women  a 24 year old only needs 5 mins faster than  a 49 year old.....similar with the men.

    when you are twice the age of someone then 5 minutes isnt much

    You're talking about GFA times seren, I was referring to WAVA age grades, which are different.  Getting an 80% age grade definitely gets easier as you get older.

  • washwoodwashwood ✭✭✭

    Yay no change so hopefully my 3.45.22 at Manhcester this year aged 40 will see me GFA for VLM next year aT 41 image

  • Very fair with the adding a couple of minutes to the Manchester short distance times I think.
  • washwoodwashwood ✭✭✭

    Yes agree Cougie, I had a few friends caught it that who were 5 minutes or more under sub 3,30 or 3.00 so it was clear they still would have got the times.  Thankfully my 3.45 was at this Manchester marathon. We wondered why they changed the start line a few months before the event !!

     

  • Mc HillyMc Hilly ✭✭✭

    Nigel, thanks for sharing the GFA / Manchester info, think it's great VLM have taken this approach!

  • Just to confirm what has previously been said about the GFA date, it's definitely your age on race day that applies. GFA time for a 50 yr old male is 3:20. I ran Edinburgh marathon in May aged 49 in 3:18:52. I'll be 50 by race day 2017. My entry was verified and accepted yesterday.

  • Raquel 65Raquel 65 ✭✭✭
    Yep. That was exactly my situation (though I'm miles slower than you!). I was 49 last year when I ran 3:58 at Brighton, so got the GFA time for a 50 year old woman for London this year. You're definitely in! Well done - brilliant time image
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