London Marathon 2018

robinph

Before the 2017 thread gets confused with questions on how to enter the 2018 event I figured it's already time for the new thread even before everyones legs have recovered from this year.

The 2017 incarnation of the thread can be found here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057606172

How to enter London 2018, main methods used by people here in bold:

Elite entry - run superfast and be invited.
Championship - run sub 1:15 half or sub 2:45 full for men, or sub 1:30 half or sub 3:15 full for women. Must also be a paid up member of a UK Athletics affiliated running club. Not all UK running clubs are affiliated to the correct body.
Good For Age - run one of the times listed on this page appropriate for your age category and have a UK address. They don't care about nationality, just that you have a UK address and the time. There will be a date, sometime in May probably, that you need to submit your entry by. If you get a place you then get two weeks, normally sometime in June'ish to pay the entry fee. Keep an eye on that page for when the dates are announced, and in case the qualification times change which they have done before.
Ballot - enter the UK ballot. Again you'll need a UK address, but time doesn't matter. https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/ballot-entry/
Ballot must be entered between 1st and 5th May 2017
International Ballot - enter the overseas ballot. Less places available but worth a punt, you should be able to get away with entering the UK and overseas ballot without being noticed once you have appropriate address details for both entries. Same entry dates, 1st to 5th May.
Charity - find a charity who has places, convince them you can raise the cash, they give you a place. Will probably be in the region of a couple of thousand pounds you'd need to raise.

robinph

The GFA times have been confirmed and I don't see any changes from previous years:

https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/

Note that the ages groups are a little odd and you need to be 41 to move up an age category, 40 just isn't old enough to be able to claim those extra minutes.

average_runner

Hi,

Just want to ask 2 questions about the ballot options.

For the UK ballot, do you just need a UK address ?

Can you enter the UK ballot and international ballot with two different addresses?

Thanks.

robinph

Yes and yes.

average_runner

robinph wrote: »

Yes and yes.

Thanks alot and I don't need proof of address?

chrislad

Jesus Christ! Why am I in this thread considering going in for the ballot!?

robinph

average_runner wrote: »

Thanks alot and I don't need proof of address?

You will need proof of a UK address for the UK ballot, but nothing needed for the international one. Well nothing that you won't already have without jumping through any extra hoops anyway.

ooter

average_runner wrote: »

Thanks alot and I don't need proof of address?

As far as i know you only have to provide proof of address if you are successful in the ballot, someone else might clear that up?

brickysession

Any idea of cost going through the Irish sports travel company for the package?

average_runner

brickysession wrote: »

Any idea of cost going through the Irish sports travel company for the package?

Think it was close to 1,000

brickysession

average_runner wrote: »

Think it was close to 1,000

Well Holy God.....London Marathon or Divorce???

average_runner

brickysession wrote: »

Well Holy God.....London Marathon or Divorce???

New york is better value with that company. Divorce means you will have more training time

brickysession

average_runner wrote: »

New york is better value with that company. Divorce means you will have more training time

NY in November might be an easier sell to herself than London in April!!!

average_runner

brickysession wrote: »

NY in November might be an easier sell to herself than London in April!!!

I went with the tour company and they were top class. Wife enjoyed the shopping after the race.

hot buttered scones

robinph wrote: »

You will need proof of a UK address for the UK ballot, but nothing needed for the international one. Well nothing that you won't already have without jumping through any extra hoops anyway.

What is accepted as a proof of address for a GFA entry?

Gavlor

hot buttered scones wrote: »

What is accepted as a proof of address for a GFA entry?

Utility bill

RubyK

hot buttered scones wrote: »

What is accepted as a proof of address for a GFA entry?

A bill from an online purchase showing your GB address will do.

innuendo141

RubyK wrote: »

A bill from an online purchase showing your GB address will do.

Wonder if they would believe that I live in the Parcel Motel depot....

AAD

Email is afternoon from London marathon,

The ballot will open on Monday

kin9pin

robinph wrote: »

International Ballot - enter the overseas ballot. Less places available but worth a punt, you should be able to get away with entering the UK and overseas ballot without being noticed once you have appropriate address details for both entries.

Any idea what happens if you're caught entering both ballots? I have a pretty unique surname so not sure if I should take a chance.

brickysession

Folks sorry if this seems like a stupid question but can I enter the general Ballot with an Irish address does anyone know or is there an overseas option when the ballot opens tomorrow?

ooter

brickysession wrote: »

Folks sorry if this seems like a stupid question but can I enter the general Ballot with an Irish address does anyone know or is there an overseas option when the ballot opens tomorrow?

There's a UK ballot and an overseas ballot, you can enter the overseas ballot with an Irish address.

kin9pin

Just registered in the overseas ballot, but at no point did it ask me for payment details. The price at the end said £0.00 and I've had the confirmation email that I'm registered.
Is this right? Do they only ask for your payment details if you get in for the overseas ballot? Pretty sure last year, when I was living in the UK, I had to give them upfront.

chinguetti

5th year doing the overseas ballot and they never ask for payment, just details for now and you worry about paying in October if you get it.

positron

chinguetti wrote: »

5th year doing the overseas ballot and they never ask for payment, just details for now and you worry about paying in October if you get it.

How many times did you win of these five entries?

Joined overseas ballot myself, I know odds are poor but.. would be thrilled if it comes thru.

chinguetti

positron wrote: »

How many times did you win of these five entries?

Joined overseas ballot myself, I know odds are poor but.. would be thrilled if it comes thru.

0 from 5. Under Flora if you entered 5 times and didn't get in, you automatically got in the next year but Virgin don't allow that so i'll keep trying.

S.L.F.

I wonder what the stats are for people entering from abroad verses how many places are actually offered.

kin9pin

Thanks.

robinph

For the UK ballot you can "donate" your entry fee, pay upfront, get an extra shot at a secondary ballot (but not worth it for that) and they will then send you a running top in October when you don't get a place.

Or if you don't donate your entry fee then you pay nothing now. I guess they don't want international donations as it will cost them more in shipping the tops, so you only have to pay when you get a place.

kin9pin

robinph wrote: »

For the UK ballot you can "donate" your entry fee, pay upfront, get an extra shot at a secondary ballot (but not worth it for that) and they will then send you a running top in October when you don't get a place.

Or if you don't donate your entry fee then you pay nothing now. I guess they don't want international donations as it will cost them more in shipping the tops, so you only have to pay when you get a place.

Thanks. Yeah I donated my fee last year and got the top.

psychozeb

innuendo141 wrote: »

Wonder if they would believe that I live in the Parcel Motel depot....

Was thinking along similar lines.

average_runner

Entered both ballots, fingers crossed!!!!!

Elias79

Entered the ballot today for the 1st time, I'm not holding out much hope but sure why not....

ooter

Threw my name in to the overseas ballot earlier but still haven't got a confirmation email, I definitely got one last year. ??

boydkev

I also entered via the overseas Ballot, I got the email straight away.

S.L.F.

ooter wrote: »

Threw my name in to the overseas ballot earlier but still haven't got a confirmation email, I definitely got one last year. ??

I got one this year, check the email address in case you left something out

rainbow kirby

positron wrote: »

chinguetti wrote: »

5th year doing the overseas ballot and they never ask for payment, just details for now and you worry about paying in October if you get it.

How many times did you win of these five entries?

Joined overseas ballot myself, I know odds are poor but.. would be thrilled if it comes thru.

Considering it's around 1 in 16 through the UK ballot I don't even want to think of how long the odds are in the international one!

1 from 6 attempts in UK ballot here.

robinph

386,050 entered the UK ballot this year, which is significantly up on the 250k ish the had last year.

No sign of the current running boom fading away just yet.

Jfrost

In the International draw but far from holding breath.
They asked for best time and expected times....does either have a say I the chance you name will be drawn?

Djoucer

robinph wrote: »

386,050 entered the UK ballot this year, which is significantly up on the 250k ish the had last year.

No sign of the current running boom fading away just yet.

I reckon the coverage of the runner helping another across the line is responsible for a fair whack of that increase. 50% increase is nuts.

robinph

Jfrost wrote: »

In the International draw but far from holding breath.
They asked for best time and expected times....does either have a say I the chance you name will be drawn?

Probably, as they need to try not to have 40,000 people trying to get a 4hr finish time so I would expect them to weight things to keep the spread of times manageable. Without knowing what spread of times people submit though we'll never know what the best time to put down would be to increase your chances.

robinph

Good For Age entry is now open. You have until 5pm on 23rd June to get your times submitted.

https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/

robinph

Ran another sub3 marathon yesterday to make up for my mild disaster at London 2017.

Fast GFA time submitted, confirmed, email received, payment made all less than 24 hours since I finished yesterday.

innuendo141

Any tips on getting by the whole "not being a resident" thing??

robinph

innuendo141 wrote: »

Any tips on getting by the whole "not being a resident" thing??

Do you have an address that you can make use of in the UK from a relative or friend? The address verification just needs to be a scan of a utility bill or something similar.

innuendo141

robinph wrote: »

Do you have an address that you can make use of in the UK from a relative or friend? The address verification just needs to be a scan of a utility bill or something similar.

Cheers, I've actually just remembered I'm doing Rome in April already!

2019 for me!

cearnaigh

Hi Folks - looking for some advice on here. If your GFA qualifying time (Link and Image) includes your running club along with 'Ireland' next to it, would it look bad on the application. I am Irish but UK resident (!) so have proof of address, age etc, just worried that fact I had my irish running club on my time will make them look at it ????? Or am i worrying about nothing - All advice appreciated.

Gavlor

robinph wrote: »

Do you have an address that you can make use of in the UK from a relative or friend? The address verification just needs to be a scan of a utility bill or something similar.

I used the GFA letter from this years marathon and my application was accepted!

Saves an extra bit of work.

Regards Irish club showing on the results page, it won't be a problem

Subzero3

I registered for GFA entry last night.

Used the mobile phone and the website hung when i pressed submit. I got an email confirmation saying received a minute later but the paged refreshed on the browser. Hopefully it was ok. Anyone else have any issues with the application Page?

psychozeb

Has anybody managed to apply using parcel motel and got accepted? Would chance it if I knew what method was successful.

Gavlor

psychozeb wrote: »

Has anybody managed to apply using parcel motel and got accepted? Would chance it if I knew what method was successful.

Doubt that will work.... do you not know anyone living in the uk??