Has anyone on here gone through the GFA process for London. My PB`s are nudging close to the 3hr10min mark.
If I was to achieve a sub 3.10 does this meean I`m guaranteed a place for London 2013 as I can`t really face the ballot again. I`d rather just put the extra effort in.
cheers
Comments
The timescales are also different for GFA, so you have a bit longer to apply and perhaps even have another crack. Also, if you ran the qualifier in the London race, just point them to that; no real need to send it in.
I've done GFA entries for 7 years now and, as you say, it's worth it just to avoid the ballot and charity place madness. They also relaxed them from 3 hours to 3:10 (for under 40s) just last year, which they previously were back in 2002, so you want to seize the opportunity before they change their minds again.
It makes sense to the organisers, because it's a way of spreading the field out better; as you will hopefully see, the finish area is amazingly empty at around that point and only really starts getting manic 15 or 20 minutes later, by which time you're in the Red Lion with a fresh pint.
New York which is heading down to 2.50
Dont forget that a qualifying time can be used twice for GFA places.
So running a qualifying time now would qualify for both 2013 and 2014.
I rang them up and they said the times are the same for 2013. Phew as I did not have the best of runs and have made it by a minute and a half!
Well done on the time. Glad they are not changing the times, I kept worrying that I`d end up running the race of my life in 3.09 on sunday not thinking about the ballot on monday and then checking on tuesday (after it is full) and finding the GFA time has been changed to 3.05. At least I know that if i havea poor race I need to enter the ballot.