The ' I didn't get in...AGAIN ' London Marathon thread 2017
Discussion
So it's that time of year again, Mr PostMan drops off the latest edition of 'Sorry' magazine, I seem to have an annual subscription to it. 6 attempts now. Yes the money is going to a good cause but it is starting to wind me up a bit.
Anyone else disappointed today with their result? Bring back the days of old when I was guaranteed at least one go at it by now.
Anyone else disappointed today with their result? Bring back the days of old when I was guaranteed at least one go at it by now.
The charities usually ask for £1250+ which personally I think is fair considering they are paying £600 for each space at the London Marathon. Thing is I want to save all my raising capacity for a year I really need it, ie if someone close by is affected by a terminal illness etc.
So between now and then I will use the ballot system but do not seem to be getting anywhere.
So between now and then I will use the ballot system but do not seem to be getting anywhere.
I CBA with the ballot for London - it's a race I'll do one day though. Plan was to get a GFA time somewhere / somehow, but I'm sure that it used to be 3:15 for men (it's 3:05 now I think?). That's a lot better than my current 95 min half PB!
Is it just me, or does it look like GFA is very generous towards women these days though (especially in the <40s)?
Age Men's Time Women's Time
Age 18-40 sub 3:05 sub 3:45
Age 41-49 sub 3:15 sub 3:50
Age 50-59 sub 3:20 sub 4:00
Age 60-64 sub 3:45 sub 4:30
Age 65-69 sub 4:00 sub 5:00
Age 70-75 sub 5:00 sub 6:00
76+ sub 5:30 sub 6:30
Is it just me, or does it look like GFA is very generous towards women these days though (especially in the <40s)?
Age Men's Time Women's Time
Age 18-40 sub 3:05 sub 3:45
Age 41-49 sub 3:15 sub 3:50
Age 50-59 sub 3:20 sub 4:00
Age 60-64 sub 3:45 sub 4:30
Age 65-69 sub 4:00 sub 5:00
Age 70-75 sub 5:00 sub 6:00
76+ sub 5:30 sub 6:30
AWG said:
The charities usually ask for £1250+ which personally I think is fair considering they are paying £600 for each space at the London Marathon. Thing is I want to save all my raising capacity for a year I really need it, ie if someone close by is affected by a terminal illness etc.
So between now and then I will use the ballot system but do not seem to be getting anywhere.
What are you going to do if your nearest and dearest all live to a ripe old age (and fingers crossed for them they do!)? Presumably there are at least some charities you believe are worthwhile causes without needing to know someone personally affected...So between now and then I will use the ballot system but do not seem to be getting anywhere.
Also, and without wishing to make light of it, if a friend/family member has something terminal, it's probably a bit late for them...why not look to raise money sooner rather than later to increase the odds - no matter by how little - that it won't be terminal should it strike (either for those close to you or for complete strangers who are somebody else's loved ones)?
AWG said:
I guess they do it to balance the numbers and make it fair to both genders. Whether it actually is or not is another story.
My best shot at GFA is telling them I now identify as being female...and even then I need to wait until I hit the crossover between age groups to get the best chance of hitting it!Yiliterate said:
What are you going to do if your nearest and dearest all live to a ripe old age (and fingers crossed for them they do!)? Presumably there are at least some charities you believe are worthwhile causes without needing to know someone personally affected...
Also, and without wishing to make light of it, if a friend/family member has something terminal, it's probably a bit late for them...why not look to raise money sooner rather than later to increase the odds - no matter by how little - that it won't be terminal should it strike (either for those close to you or for complete strangers who are somebody else's loved ones)?
I completely agree with what you are saying. If everyone took the same stance as mine then charities would not do very well at all.Also, and without wishing to make light of it, if a friend/family member has something terminal, it's probably a bit late for them...why not look to raise money sooner rather than later to increase the odds - no matter by how little - that it won't be terminal should it strike (either for those close to you or for complete strangers who are somebody else's loved ones)?
But I am quite happy with my annual donations to charities close to my heart so I know my contributions are helping to some extent.
I have got a place for 2018 through the ballot at about the 5th time of trying so it can be done, interestingly this time I did not pay my fee up front but opted to pay if I got a place. The last 2 or 3 times I applied I have donated my fee and not got into the race...
I may be wrong but I am quite sure they also divide up the entries based on estimated time to try and stagger the finishers e.g. around 4 hours is the most common time so there will be a lot of people going into the hat... another part of this theory is to use a very specific time e.g. not 3 30 or 3 45 but 3 37 25 seconds, the ballot will obviously be fully automated so the system may pluck you into a section with less entries... this may of course be nonsense and I was just lucky this year but I do have a friend who ran 3hr 5mins and 15 secs the year before they reduced the GFA to 3 hrs 5 from 3 hrs 10, hence he had to go via the ballot and he did get a place...
I have actually done the London Marathon in 2013 and 2015 (and indeed 1989 back in the olden days when I also got in via the ballot, but back then you were guaranteed an entry after trying a few times) as I got a place through the running club I am a member of. If the club is a member of England Athletics, they are gifted a small number entries (just 1 for my club although it used to be 2).
I may be wrong but I am quite sure they also divide up the entries based on estimated time to try and stagger the finishers e.g. around 4 hours is the most common time so there will be a lot of people going into the hat... another part of this theory is to use a very specific time e.g. not 3 30 or 3 45 but 3 37 25 seconds, the ballot will obviously be fully automated so the system may pluck you into a section with less entries... this may of course be nonsense and I was just lucky this year but I do have a friend who ran 3hr 5mins and 15 secs the year before they reduced the GFA to 3 hrs 5 from 3 hrs 10, hence he had to go via the ballot and he did get a place...
I have actually done the London Marathon in 2013 and 2015 (and indeed 1989 back in the olden days when I also got in via the ballot, but back then you were guaranteed an entry after trying a few times) as I got a place through the running club I am a member of. If the club is a member of England Athletics, they are gifted a small number entries (just 1 for my club although it used to be 2).
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