Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
London Marathon 2015
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
To be fair, it seems highly unlikely that a 4 hour marathoner will get down to sub 3.05 (or maybe even lower if Nayan is right) off the back of 6 months hard training. You never know but it seems far-fetched to me.
I find it quite amusing that the faster runners think "oh you just have to train a lot and the GFA will come". Er no. Some people are physiologically capable of running much faster than other people, even without training. It ain't fair but it's the way things are. Yes everyone can improve with training, but as much as I try, I will never run a sub 3:30 marathon. I might achieve a sub 4, or even 3:45, but any more would be asking too much of my physiology.
However, on the GFA, a friend ran 3:45:12 on Sunday and thinks she has a GFA (on current boundaries) for next year. She's under 40. I think she needed 3:44:59. Another friend who is over 40 ran 3:50:03 and has promptly entered Brighton (although of course she might not have wanted to do London next year anyway). Could anyone clarify?
get older and the gfa will come
I keep getting knocked back, but I ended up doing it for charity twice because I didn't want to wait. If you want to go for a charity place, look for a silver bond!
That being said, I like the camaraderie of running for a charity. You feel part of something in part of something else. It's great to run buy your guys cheering your name on.
GFA isn't in my realm of possibility yet, but I'm hoping I'll get there eventually.
London marathon 2014: 2:57:35
GFA is possible for a lot of people. It just requires monk like discipline to your training and weight loss. You can't just do one, you need both. Both require a focused effort, just training won't cut it. Every year I train hard from January 1 and watch my diet to the point that it's borderline obsessive. Lose 26pounds and run 6 days a week. I'm nothing special, but I get the GFA from hard work. If people want it they need to earn it.
Best part is I can put the 26pounds back on guilt free after!
I will be entering the ballot again, for the eleventh time. I have not been 'lucky' for the last 10 times (yes you read that right and no, I'm not exaggerating!) but I do have a nice collection of fleeces and rain macs! I did it once via the good old '5 times and you're in' rule, and 3 times for charity. Will 2015 finally be the time I get in via the ballot .......?
I went out for the GFA at London this year but came unstuck at mile23 and missed out with a 3:08:17 but hopefully at Edinburgh in May I can get the sub3.05. Following a return from the pub later I will go on to the ballot - if your not in it ye can't win it!
Mr Warz that's a fantastic improvement but some just aren't built for running quickly. I've just done my first marathon at age 47 and got 3:45 after 7 months hard and disciplined training but I am 6'2" and 100Kg however with only 12% body fat there's not a lot I could lose. I averaged 140 heart rate for Brighton so was well within my CV capacity but my physiology limited how quickly I could run (actually it nearly crippled me as 30+ years of rugby has taken its toll on my ankles). I have entered Brighton again but will try the London Ballot as I have no other choice if I want to do it.
Is it entry from midnight tonight?
Amazing lack of info on the site - unless I'm just looking in the wrong place?!
It really is unacceptable that for one of the worlds BIG marathons, their only information is to tell you that ... and I quote ... 'The 2014 online ballot is now closed" ... I mean no s..t sherlock, not only is the ballot closed, but its already been allocated, and the race has been run. Why is the page still saying so obvious?!?!
I mean not being funny, but this is the era of the internet. How you can run something so big and have so little information about the basic things ........ anyways, I can sense Im about to launch a rant so I'll stop now.
It does say 'the 2015 ballot will open soon'.'Now if it is opening in 150 minutes time I'd expect something a little more specific!
ahh yes in the little box in the bottom. I clicked 'Enter the Race' and was greeted with information about the 2014 ballot lol.
But yep if its tonight, the ol 'open soon ...' is a little too general.
Incidentally who is actually saying it opens at midnight tonight. I assume that must have come from some official source?
No idea, but surely there is someone amongst the mass of runners on here that can actually remember from last year???
from what ive heard it wont open at midnight but i cant be 100% on that, ive heard it opens at different times and normally around 9am, however it did take 12 hours before the ballot closed last year so im sure no matter what time you try tomorrow you would get your name in the ballot, good luck to all that enter
I've just viewed the email I received from vmlm last week. All it says is ballot opens on 22nd. In the absence of a specific time isn't if fair to assume that's midnight??
Just found this on their facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/londonmarathon
and some guy mentions it was about 6am when the ballot went live last year. That's as much as I can find so far
Andy from
www.myrunningtips.com
I entered last years ballot at 7am and got straight through and got a place and ran last week..... yeah!!! a week after Paris.... I ran London in 2009 and have been trying ever since but didn't succeed, hence entering Paris (first come, first served) so it was a shock when I got into London after I'd entered for Paris. Paris is far nicer to run , but London is mega !! thanks to all who cheered this old git on, didn't know so many people knew me, when you realise you ain't gonna win and you can walk a little (sorry, but I am 63) it takes the pressure off and you can really enjoy a fantastic day, probably the best days I've had after the birth of my kids and grandkids and my second divorce! ps.. I'm still going to try when I get home from work at midnight tho' must run.
Think I'll just try in the morning and see what happens - why the organisers can't publish an opening time is a joke, I just can't take these people seriously anymore. Half-wits!
Andy
last years ballot opened at 00.15, its an absolute joke that they don't put any more specific information on their website. they post about it on twitter but again seem to be ignoring requests for a specific time when they will open the ballot.
I entered at about 5.15am last year - still didn't get a place... I've read on certain Charity websites that it opens at midnight.
According to the Mirror, I think it was today, it said midnight. I think they're not bigging it up so that there's no mad rush.
12:07...still nothing...
This is taking forever.
I wouldn't mind sitting up but if the ballot opens at 6am. A website saying its nearly time to enter is no good to anyone. I've got to be up early for work tomorrow
same here! going give it 20 minutes then il have to try as soon as i get up at 7
Open now. And GFA times unchanged, woo hoo!