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maybe he is more productive wanking in the office
As long as he cleans up after himself then I see no problem in that.
"DF - you seem (once again) to have a very low opinion of the place you have chosen to move to. "
Wilkie its the complete opposite.
I am more than happy about the place Ive moved to, its the fact that most of the IT work is in and around London that Im annoyed about.
Its not like Im living in London and commuting out for 2 hours LOL.
You might be suspicious of larger charities, but they're pretty transparent because they have to register accounts with the Charity Commission and they're available to view. What most people refuse to understand is that charities live in the real world and will have overheads and, funnily enough, have to pay staff so they can live. Of course, the vast majority of charities are tiny affairs, so no need to worry about huge salaries or massive overheads.
What I hate about charity running, is that you mention in the office or pub, that you are doing a race (whatever distance it is) and automatically the response from people will be "oh are you raising money for charity?". It is never a comment on how well you run or how much of a challenge it will be or do you intend being faster than last time.
People do many other sports and do not get asked is they are raising money for charity just because it is a competition they have entered. I do not sponsor anyone to play squash, ride a horse, play golf, kick a football around, or any other type of sport, so why should the default setting be that runners only do running in competitions (definition of a race) so as to raise money for charity.
You've been pretty disparaging about England/the UK as a whole, DF.
@ Peter Collins
I think we agree but when I said suspicious I did not imply they are on the fiddle. I understand that a bond place costs £300, if the charity spends 10-25% (which it seems a lot of the larger ones do) of revenue on admin then only 500-600 pound makes it to a cause (assuming £1000 target). I have not done a huge amount of research here so I might be wrong.
Well, Steve, it probably depends partly on what you count as admin. However, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations reckons the average amount of money raised that goes towards the cause is 85 per cent. Most polls that ask people to estimate the amount charities spend on 'admin' vastly overestimate the figure. Anyway, look at this: https://www.cafonline.org/my-personal-giving/plan-your-giving/individual-giving-account/e-newsletter-for-individuals/summer-2013/6-myths-about-giving.aspx
Just as an example if a charity expects you to raise ??2000 but pays VLM ??300 for the Golden Bond place there`s 15% right there.
Not to mention all the money they spend on advertising, t-shirts, after race receptions, all the gear for the support teams, staff wages etc.
of course there are people that will raise more than ??2000.
How many places do charities get at the VLM? After a quick search online, I haven't found any relevant data. This is a key question because it might be perception rather than fact when it comes to the number of charity places.
Those saying that only those runners who can achieve a GFA time can really call themselves committed should consider that the VLM GFA for men aged 18-40 is 3:05. Only 1946 male runners achieved that at any marathon in 2013, including quick marathons like Berlin and Abingdon.
Declaration of interest: I am running VLM 2014 on a Golden Bond place from Cancer Research UK.
I take exception to the statement in the OP that charity runners deprive ordinary runners of a chance to race... in what way are charity runners not ordinary runners?
I started running in April 2013, but right from the start I had an eye on the marathon - because I have wanted to do it for nearly 30 years (long story - won't bore you).I run 4 times a week, do my local parkrun whenever I can, including volunteering. I have been gradually building up my mileage as I prepare for the marathon. I have been injured, twice. I don't belong to a club, for various reasons, but I do make a contribution to grassroots running through parkrun.
I am an ordinary runner. Sure, some people make a rash decision, get a charity place, and enter the race unprepared. You can do that on a ballot place, actually. Either way, you will pay for it on the day, so what's the difference? People who run in costume are taking on an even greater physical challenge - they're welcome to it, you won't catch me doing that.
If it's really important to you to run London, you will keep on trying until you get in. The way to make the fundraising a positive rather than a burden is to run for a charity you believe in, rather than any old one that happens to have a place available. I have particular reasons for wanting to support Cancer Research, and had I got a place in the ballot (I applied), I would have run for them anyway. The minimum pledge is £2,000, I told them on my application I could raise £2,500, but I'm secretly hoping it will be more - I'm up to £1200 already, and will start a proper push for sponsorship in the New Year.
I'm running because I love to run - because I can - because it used to be impossible and now I can do it. I'm running the marathon for the challenge, for the achievement, for the satisfaction. It won't be fast, and I will probably be taking regular walk breaks a la Jeff Galloway.
But I AM an ordinary runner, and I have every bit as much 'right' - if there is such a thing - to run the marathon as anyone else.
I don't know whether there are too many Charity places at the VLM i just know i could not commit to raise the amounts the charities are after . I would love to run the VLM and have appled 4 times through the ballot and not got in. I have run 1 other marathon and am training for another . My frustration with London is that i know people who have got in the first time of asking or got in through the ballot 3 years running which does not seem fair . VLM needs to come up with a fairer ballot system
I think if VLM where a little bit more open with the allocation of places, people might understand more.
I have been rejected in the ballot 6 times that I have applied out the past 7 years. But due to being in a small running club a few years back I got a place. a couple of years later the person who got the place pulled out before he sent his form away, and I was the only one who wanted that place so got it again.
Moved to a bigger running club and one of the rules is when it comes to a ballot you need to show your rejection letter to prove you made an attempt to get in to the race in the first place. Counting 2014 I have managed to get their place twice now. So out of the rejections I have still managed to get in 4 times.
What annoyed me was someone I know who can do half marthons quicker than me, applied this year for VLM and put something silly down like 6:30 finishing time. Guess what he got in at the first attempt, I put the time I want to run it in and got the KB again.
If VLM told you for example out of 6000 runners who put 3:15 we allocated 1000 places. That would let people understand how they work out the places. again it would open it up to abuse.
The biggest lesson I learnt this year and was stupid to not notice it before. If 5000 runners tick the box saying if they don't get in they are happy to donate the money to charity for the loosers jacket. Then what organisation is going to knock back an easy 175k plus for the charity fund. Again if VLM where open and said once people got knocked back from the ballot we seperated the box tickers and out of the 5000 of them we gave a 2nd chance to that group and 1000 people got in. then people would understand better.
If they are open then people might stop moaning about the ballot every year.
I think they should keep it exactly as it is.
Charities as a whole are generally businesses. There are few charities that give more than 50% of the money that they raise to the cause in question. If they give 75%, then they are saintly by the standards of the industry. Charities do not employ charity muggers because they are passionate about their cause, they employ them because they want whatever thugs will get them the most money.
Even so, they are an evil that you sometimes have to use, if you want to do good!
Isn't the London Marathon itself registered as a charity ?
Yeah Roll on next October and every one moaning about not getting a place.
Hi Ben
All charities are businesses in one way or another, just do your homework before you decide to raise funds for, give the smaller ones with little income and have several highly paid members of staff only thinking of that end of month payment, passionate no, and swallowing up over 70% + of their income and there are many of the 4000 + registered charities in the UK. Charities are and should be exciting to raise funds for not a chore and a means just to run in one of the big events. I have over twenty five years raining funds for many charities not having taken part in an event for them. Good Luck
RocketRon
Agree with people need to do their homework with what charity they pick or run for. I pick a smaller charity that has started following the route of the bigger ones but only in Scotland. They still don't tell people we will give you a place but you need to raise ex-amount.
I tried to raise 1000 for them doing the Berlin Marathon in 2012 and only got to about 824 quid. I went down to do my monthy visit with them and the people in the home and explained to them I was a little short on my target and would they like me to keep the event running longer. They told me that they where more than happy with what I had already raised for them and to take pressure from myself they would be happy to settle for what I had raised so far.
they knew I had raised money before, helped out at the venue and supported other people fundraising for them. So felt more grateful that I had done the work I had than be greedy.
Every October is annoying when people get knocked back from London. And people should no get on their high horse either going against charity places or people bemoaning they didn't get a place.
If VLM did become more open on how many places are allocated to each group in the public ballot and a full breakdown, then less people might moan about it.
Have tried a couple of times to get in, but to no avail. Charities get a fair amount of places compared to non-charity runners places. I have considered taking the charity route but they ask for an amount that I just don't think I'll be able to raise. I'm now running my first marathon on 23rd of March in Rome! Think I'm looking forward to this more then I would of London. Mainly because we're making a holiday out of it!
. Good luck to all charity and non-charity runners at this years VLM! 
Well, I'm dubious about the existence of the 'mysterious letter writer' who inspired the creation of this thread. Schtinks of fishing for material to me.
But for what it's worth I wouldn't want a charity (well, the people donating) to pay for my race entry, and I deliberately don't enter the ballot every year, just to slightly improve everyone elses chances of getting in. You're welcome. Oh, also the thought of it makes me feel slightly claustrophobic. Perhaps I'll change my mind on that as I become better socialised. ;-)
There is nothing hidden about the London Marathon places allocation, if you can be bothered to just call them up and ask them they will tell you.
Mr Puffy
I wrote to them asking about the people who tick the box to donate the money if they don't get in, asking how many people who tick that box get a place in the ballot.
Got nothing back from them.
There have been enough threads with people posting they have donated and got in, and haven't donated and got in and every combination in between....
It's just another marathon, get over it
Dave get over yourself, if people want to have a discussion about the places then they can have it. If people want to ask a "freedom of information" type question to an organsation then they can.
After all in the UK we are meant to live in a country that allows freedom of speech, as long as its not promoting hate.
If you don't like this type of thread and people asking the question and debating the ballot for London or any other marathon, then why reply.
For me its the one Major marathon that at the moment I can afford to travel to and take part in. the other Major's are a bit out for me just now. yes there are other marathon's but some people really do prefer London and would like to take part.
I am lucky I have got in before and I am in next year. But there are others who aren't as lucky and don't want to ask people for money to the tune of £2500.
I found it cheaper to travel to Paris last year with its subsidised travel than I did London the year before
Roll on next October.
It clearly states in the invitation to bequeath how many placesa re availble, last time I looked it was a thousand.
like Dave said these threads come up every year, and last year I got so pissed off with ill-informed moaners I rang them up and asked them How places were allocated. As ever they were very helpful, and I postedt he results on that thread.
i can completely understand people who don't enjoy the London Marathon, I can completely understand the people who want to do it. But I can't understand the people who moan when they don't get in through the ballot. It's like the people who moan about traffic jams when they are sitting in one, like they are not contributing to it!
My friend ran London a few years ago and did not manage to raise the full amount, had to pay 800 of own money to make up difference!