Royal Parks Half Marathon 2012

The ballot for this year's Royal Parks Half Marathon opens tomorrow at 10am - is anyone else going to try their luck?

I ran this year and loved every minute of it (despite a horrible experience with gels!), I'll definitely be entering the ballot again.  

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Comments

  • Yup, I'll try again this year.  No luck last year in the ballot.image

  • Yeah I'm gonna give it a go, entered the first two (and still wear the shirts - pongy!) - no joy since it went to ballot. Wonder how much it'll cost this year.
  • I'm going to try but no luck in the ballot last year......
  • Good point Johnny, I forgot that Royal Parks is pretty expensive. Just checked and this year it is £45 image

    Also noticed that if you select the "pay now" option & are not successful then your entry fee gets automatically donated to the Royal Parks charity.

    Good luck everyone - not long to go now!

    http://royalparkshalf.com/ballot/
  • Yeah, I'll have a go again. Ran it in 2010, but messed up by going off too fast - it's expensive but a good flat course.

    Don't forget the 'free' hoody if you cough up but dont get a place - much nicer than the VLM junk image.

     Good luck everyone

  • Yes, good luck everyone who enters this, it's a great race for runners and spectators.

    See you back here in 2 weeks!




  • xine267 wrote (see)
    Good point Johnny, I forgot that Royal Parks is pretty expensive. Just checked and this year it is £45 image Also noticed that if you select the "pay now" option & are not successful then your entry fee gets automatically donated to the Royal Parks charity. Good luck everyone - not long to go now! http://royalparkshalf.com/ballot/

    I just read that myself! That's downright cheeky, bordering on underhanded!!

    I'll be choosing Pay Later, just because of that! £45 is expensive enough, but to be forced to donate it without getting to race??

  • I'm still pretty new to running but am assming that's not normal then - paying to enter a ballot then automatically having the money taken still even if you don't get in?  Is that how it works with VLM, Great North Run, etc....?

    I was planning to enter but not sure I want a £45 hoodie considering I'm like a radiator and can't usually wear hoodies because I overheat!  Any idea if you're still expected to pay the £45 if you choose 'pay later' as I get the impression they'll still push you for the £45 even if you're not successful??

  • Sonic- If you chose 'pay later' they can't force you to pay... If you get a place you have a few days to register and pay the fee.  If you fail to do this you will lose your place.  Simplesimage

  • Good stuff - that's the way forward then!! image
  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭

    just checked the site out.... £45 for just a half marathon?! Not a chance.

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    Sonic the sprinter wrote (see)

    I'm still pretty new to running but am assming that's not normal then - paying to enter a ballot then automatically having the money taken still even if you don't get in?  Is that how it works with VLM, Great North Run, etc....?

    Sonic, there are many, many other races you can do which have no ballot, and are a great deal cheaper than things like the Royal Parks and GNR.

    Fortunately, the races WITH ballots are the exception rather than the norm - it's just that they are very popular (although I don't know why, I don't like huge, crowded events and I certainly don't like their entry fees!).

    Have a look at the events section and search for races in your area/region, and you will find loads image

  • Too expensive. There are so many other half marathons out there, much cheaper and not involving trying to get to London on a Sunday morning (too far in advance to check for engineering works, Tube line closures etc).

    But good luck to all of you who enter - hope that you get in and enjoy it.

    Just out of interest, what was the fee for the London marathon?
  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    I think it's less than £30.
  • WiBWiB ✭✭✭
    London Marathon is £28.... or it was for a GFA entry. I am fairly sure it was the same for the ballot.
  • I think London Mara fee is about the same.

    Here's my justification for huge fee - it's just a few miles from my house so unlike every other race I enter, no travel costs; you get a good quality shirt (i'm still wearing mine from 2008); it's a really good one for spectators; you don't get many chances to run across westminster bridge, etc.

    Yes it's taking the P but I'm sure the organisation and cost of shutting all those major roads doesn't come cheap.

  •  London Marathon 2012 ballot place £35     Wilkie is spot on btw
  • I've entered, it was my first ever half marathon so would like to do it once more..... and do it properly more to the point!

    But at 45 quid I won't be donating the fee!
  • Wilkie wrote (see)
    Sonic the sprinter wrote (see)

    I'm still pretty new to running but am assming that's not normal then - paying to enter a ballot then automatically having the money taken still even if you don't get in?  Is that how it works with VLM, Great North Run, etc....?

    Sonic, there are many, many other races you can do which have no ballot, and are a great deal cheaper than things like the Royal Parks and GNR.

    Fortunately, the races WITH ballots are the exception rather than the norm - it's just that they are very popular (although I don't know why, I don't like huge, crowded events and I certainly don't like their entry fees!).

    Have a look at the events section and search for races in your area/region, and you will find loads image

    I think you misunderstood my post...

    I've got no problem with paying £45 to enter a ballot for a big race - I've already paid more than that for other events!  My issue was with the fact they're asking you to pay £45 upfront for a ballot and even if you're unsuccessful, they keep the entrance fee!  I'd much rather have the money refunded if I'm unsuccessful in the ballot so I can use it for other races - hence my question if this is the norm with other big races...

    Thanks to Mon77's reply though I know that what he suggested is the better route to take

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    As you said you were fairly new to running, I just though you might not be aware that there are many other races which you simply enter, and can enjoy without being jostled and shoved, and without having to wait and wonder if you got a place, or even THINK about whether or not to tick the box for donating your (astronomical) entry fee.

  • Ah right, no probs. I've done 8 actual races so far (various 5k to 10k but usually club runs or local events) and seem to spend most of my life in the events searcher and section of the forum planning my next one! I've yet to do one of the huge events but am booked in for the Bupa London 10,000, the British 10k and the National Lottery Park run over the next few months so am expecting to feel the crush of the big events soon!!

    It is shocking that with this event that they're kinda making people that pay in advance 'donate' their fee and I can imagine people being a bit bamboozled by the wording and there being a bit of an uproar come the ballot results day! Did they do the same thing last year?
  • Sonic, I'd be suprised if people were confused by the ballot entry and whether to pay in advance or not. It's fairly well explained on the site, and you have to tick the box to say you understood it... At least the hoody is decent quality, unlike the tat you get from VLM if you choose to pay in advance.

    Last year was the first year for ballot, but considering 2010 entries closed out in a few hours, it was bound to happen sooner or later. 

  • What PMO said. It's very upfront  throughout the website that you don't have to pay now and if you do it's a "donation".
  • It is pretty upfront but you know there would still be someone that rushed through without reading it all properly and thought they were just entering the ballot!
  • I entered thanks to this thread.

    I'm not worried about the £45 entry fee - I never get through the ballot stage! Not a hope that I was going to donate the fee though! 

  • I am pretty sure that is how the ballot worked last year too with regards to the pay now/pay later options (I didnt get through). I am in the ballot again this year with a 'pay later' option. Lets see how it goes!
  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    I've also applied to the ballot. I've heard a lot of good things about this race image
  • I also did the "pay later" option. I wouldn't mind making a donation to Royal Parks (I do a lot of my training in them, so it would be nice to give something back) but I'd rather do it at a time that is suitable to me, i.e. not when I'll have to resort to checking coat pockets & down the back of the sofa for loose change because there is still over a week to go until January pay day! image

    Good luck to everyone who has entered the ballot, I hope that we will all be lucky this time image

  • I entered yesterday with the pay later option. Did the 2010 event but suffered badly with hamstrings and calves towards the end. Hopefully if I get in this year I will be better prepared for the distance.

    With regards to the pay now, I have done that for the last to London Marathons. Didn't get a place either time and got sent some rubbish tops ! If I apply again this year, it will not be pay up front !

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