VLM 2018!!

OK, so I was an idiot and posted this discussion in the wrong category. Now in the right place!
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Comments

  • KieranGKieranG ✭✭✭
    Well done barneschar, happy to hand over the reins having now, finally, completed my one and only ever marathon. Good luck for 2018, if you get in, or have deferred, and haven't done it before you won't regret it, it is the most phenomenal event you could possibly imagine. And, if you're only going to do one marathon (like me), make it London.
  • Looking at applying, after applying every year since 2005, and being rejected, I'll hopefully get a place
  • @KieranG Thanks! Perhaps we might see you on here again in the not too distant future. Are you tempted to apply again?!

    @lisar509 Good luck with the ballot this time round. That must be so frustrating to have applied so often, and doesn't seem fair. Will keep my fingers crossed for you.
  • Can someone answer my question please? I'm 48 years old female and I ran Milton Keynes Marathon in 2016 with active of 3:46 so I qualified as Good for age for the London Marathon this year wich I ran on Sunday but my time at the London Marathon unfortunately was 3:52, just 3 minutes over the good for age time for my category group. On their website it says I can use the good for alge time twice, does it mean I still qualify for the London Marathon 2018 as good for age with the time I got in Milton Keynes in 2016? Is that correct? Please help me here. I'm very confused. Thank you for your time. Rosely
  • KieranGKieranG ✭✭✭
    @barneschar - yes, tempted, I can't let 6:42 be my London Marathon PB forever can I ?

    @Rosely Drummond - can't help on GFA I'm afraid, given that my time is decidedly bad, for any age  :D


  • Rosely - yes, when they say you can use the qualifying time twice, they mean that if you have a qualifying time then you can use it for two consecutive VLMs.  The only two caveats to that being that it must be within the qualifying period for 2018 (which it is, you ran it in 2016) and it assumes that they don't change the GFA times (which they haven't for 2018).  Running a slower time at London (or any other marathon) doesn't disqualify you from GFA in any way.
  • Someone I run with at work told me that you still pay for the ballot even if you don't get a place and that you just get sent a training top instead......any truth in this? puts me off a bit paying for a race i didn't get to do
  • Thank you Cheerful Dave!! I'm so relieved!!
  • @Mark44stfc Like Cheerful Dave says that is just an option. However, people who do pay and don't get a place in the initial ballot are then entered into a 'Lucky Bequest' random draw for another 1,000 places.
  • BikoBiko ✭✭✭
    I entered the ballot once and paid my fee. Got a long sleeved top in return. In fairness it's pretty good and I still wear it when out running in the winter. I didn't get in.

    Next time I entered without paying my fee. Got in
  • djwolfdjwolf ✭✭✭
    Just to let you Know GFAs same as last year.
  • Has anyone had any problems before with a GFA entry, as I achieved this last year doing the Kent coyote marathon but the result only shows Gun time and not chip and when I called London marathon to query this I was told that this would not be accepted.

    I have called the organisers since who confirmed that the gun time is the chip time.
  • Since the gun time is by definition always equal or greater than the chip time, it seems bizarre that they wouldn't accept it.  Maybe the person on the phone didn't understand the difference.

    I suppose they must get a few queries every year along the lines of "I ran this marathon that doesn't have a chip time, and although my result says I'm outside GFA, by my watch it took me 30s to cross the line, which means I ran it inside GFA.  Does that count?"  Er, no.

  • Thanks cheerful Dave

    My Gun time was 2:58 so if it was chip time it would have been quicker, I might give them another call and see if I can speak with someone else.

    I did give her the organisers details along with the run Britain and Power of 10 links but she's going to check with the entries department and get back to me.
  • I cant see a problem there - unless they're saying that only marathons with chip timing  - and theoretically less chance of cheating is accepted ? 
  • It's frustrating as the website says qualify for GFA and it was a chipped event and the person who organises the event also confirmed this to me.

    I guess I'll have to wait and see what they say.
  • How come no chip time if you have a gun time ? Weird.
  • I did give them a call and the gun time is the chip time, the field size was only about 400 runners so everyone went at the same time. When I called them they did say they would change it if needs be.
  • The results for everyone only show gun time and not chip time, and this applies to there marathon (Kent roadrunners in May) along with this one.
  • Not all races that use chip timing have a mat at the start - I certainly wouldn't expect them to bother with only 400 runners.  In those cases chip time = gun time.
  • They had a mat at the start as it was 21 laps around the cyclopark and it recorded every lap you did but I guess as there was only a small amount of runners it was easier to do gun time rather than chip time.
  • Just an update, I've again spoken to VLM who confirmed that my time would be accepted (eight off my mind) and I just have to wait until June to apply for the GFA. :D
  • KieranGKieranG ✭✭✭
    KieranG said:
    happy to hand over the reins having now, finally, completed my one and only ever marathon.

    .....and, if you're only going to do one marathon (like me), make it London.

    KieranG said:
    @barneschar - yes, tempted, I can't let 6:42 be my London Marathon PB forever can I ?


    And I've gone and entered the ballot.... What a plonker  :D
  • I'm pretty sure that's what a lot of people thought once they have submitted :D

    I'm actually looking forward to it, shame I've got to wait a year to run it.
  • barnescharbarneschar ✭✭✭
    > KieranG said:
    > And I've gone and entered the ballot.... What a plonker  :D

    Yes!! Will keep my fingers crossed for you!

    I saw a specialist today about my foot. He's booked me in for an MRI next week to get a proper diagnosis. Still not allowed to go running so that's four weeks since my last run with at least another two before I get my results back and advice on how to proceed (but if it is what the specialist thinks it is then I'm looking at 6-8 weeks in one of those boots!) Oh the joy...!
  • KieranGKieranG ✭✭✭
    Good luck with that @barneschar

    The missus has just texted to tell me she's in the ballot too, despite insisting, only this morning, that she couldn't possibly find the time to train for a marathon. She came to watch me last Sunday and was, like me, blown away by the whole atmosphere and sense of occasion. 

    I hope I don't get in and she gets rejected - that could be awkward  :o
  • Hello Barneschar,
    May I join this group please?
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    Well I'm in the ballot...good luck everyone.
  • I have applied for the missus - will tell her in due course - about mid November if she gets in.
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