London Marathon

TheRoadRunner

Planning on doing this next year. Just by chance I checked the website and realised that the closing dates for overseas entries is the 5th September 2008. The ballot for UK residents has already closed.

There is also an option to guarantee entry with a "good for age" qualifying time. The closing date for this is also fast approaching. The one draw back is that you need a UK postal address. Thankfully I have an aunt in London so I've secured an entry.

I've watched this race on the BBC for years and heard great things about it. Has anybody ever ran it before ?

Secondly has anyone ever qualified with a good for age category. I'm just wondering if there is a pen for these near the front of the start line ?

Thanks

Peckham

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Secondly has anyone ever qualified with a good for age category. I'm just wondering if there is a pen for these near the front of the start line ?

The good for age category must be a new one. They have the Championship category which requires a UK address AND UK club membership. This gives you access to a dedicated start area up the front. Not sure about good for age.

Just looking at the website. Unusual category for the 18-40 year olds - for example for men it says "MEN 18 - 40 2:45:00-3:00:00". This is presumably because anyone below 2:45 qualifies for Championship.

This means that if you're a male aged 18-40 based here and have access to a UK address and run 2:45-3:00 you can get into the marathon through the good for age, however if you run sub-2:45 you cannot (unless you have UK club membership, so qualify through Championship category). Same applies to any females running sub-3:15.

Abhainn

Hello Road Runner

London is on my list along with Conn Ultra and Boston next spring. Which one (or possibly two) I have not decided on yet

I applied in May thru my in laws UK address but heard nothing yet. I'm not sure when you hear confirmation if you have been successful or not

I was also going to apply as an overseas competitor.

Thanks for info on "good for age" time. I was not aware of that.

rovers_runner

Am definitely doing this next year, applied through the overseas ballot which has closed now.
Think you can still post to the ballot although not sure.

Travel tour Sites like Sports Tours: http://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/running/flora-london-marathon-2009
have guaranteed entries which I'll prob be going for.
In recent years you've had to get a hotel package for a night or two also I think but can be worth it if you're adamant on taking part in a particular year.

Irish tour operator is:
http://www.sportstravelinternational.com/Home.html

TheRoadRunner

Abhainn wrote: »

Hello Road Runner

London is on my list along with Conn Ultra and Boston next spring. Which one (or possibly two) I have not decided on yet

I applied in May thru my in laws UK address but heard nothing yet. I'm not sure when you hear confirmation if you have been successful or not

According to the website you hear in early October. I would also apply using every other method available to you.

I have paid my entry for London. 32 pounds sterling. This works out at 40 euro !!!!!! I was very surprised at this. This is way cheaper than Boston for example and even cheaper than the Dublin marathon. Maybe they are heavily subsidised by sponsorship etc.

I ran Boston in 2007 and it was absolutely class. The weather was pretty bad however and it was christened "monsoon Monday". The Americans crack me up. Other years the weather has been incredibly warm, too warm in some cases so bear that in mind also.

hunnymonster

Boston 2006 was quite warm but quite comfortable. It is a great race and the Bostonians really get behind it. I've friends there who have never run a step in their lives but on Marathon Monday they set up a BBQ along the route and make a day out of it.

I haven't run London and have no desire to. It;s silly really but the UK newspapers and BBC and many UK runners have put me off by talking about "the" marathon. I honestly think half the UK population think there is only one marathon out there! i did say it was a silly reason not to enter.

Stupid_Private

I know that there is a pen for the championship runners at the front. As Peckham mentioned, that's sub 2:45 and a member of a UK club. You'll definately start behind that as that's the UK Championships.

I'll send an email out to the UK club I trained with and let you know what the deal is with the good for age places. I'd imagine you start behind the championship spots.

Peckham

Try taking a look at the forums on runnersworld.co.uk - I'm sure there are people there well clued-in to the qualifying systems for London, and whether there is a pen for good-for-age.

TheRoadRunner

Peckham wrote: »

Try taking a look at the forums on runnersworld.co.uk - I'm sure there are people there well clued-in to the qualifying systems for London, and whether there is a pen for good-for-age.

Oh god no I already spend half my life on this board

All joking aside though I think I will check it out.

Stupid_Private

I got a few responses back from the lads at the club. You're all good it appears.

He'll be in the "good for age" start, which includes the celebrities. This is separate to the other two starts (which are "elite (sub 2.45) plus mass" and "mass"). (I think that GFA was green, elite plus mass was blue and mass was red - but can't exactly remember...).
The start number also has a little sticker on it which then determines which pen you get access to within the start. Under 3hrs, you get "1" and will be right at the front.... except for the fact that rather stupidly they put the celebrities right at the front of the good for age.

However my experience this year, from pen "1", was that it took no more than 30 seconds to get through the celebrities. My impression (never having qualified for elite (yet!?!)) is that the GFA start is actually the best option - not too crowded, and you join the main course before the masses get there but after most of the elites have gone by, so avoiding temptation to run with kenyans....

Woddle

Hey stupid private just curious if your the same guy that writes private on running blog

TheRoadRunner

Stupid_Private wrote: »

I got a few responses back from the lads at the club. You're all good it appears.

Thanks for that.

Up front with the celebrities. Oh great, if I see Jade Goodie on the start line again I might have to hit her though !

Ger the man

Just submitted my entry so fingers x'd and see what happens

RacoonQueen

Submitted my entry recently. Really want to do London so fingers crossed.

Krusty_Clown

I put my name down in the ballot a couple of months ago too. Kind of torn between this one and the Connemarathon. If I'm successful, I suppose I could do the half in Connemara and then London in April. There's around a month between the two events.

geld

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

I have paid my entry for London. 32 pounds sterling. This works out at 40 euro !!!!!! I was very surprised at this. This is way cheaper than Boston for example and even cheaper than the Dublin marathon. Maybe they are heavily subsidised by sponsorship etc.

I have just applied using the overseas entry and the cost is GBP 65.

Now will tell Mrs Geld now or wait until October....!!!!

Ger the man

Howcome the UK resident ballot system is closed and the non-resident ballot system is still open?