London Marathon Advice Needed

Hi Everyone,

Sorry but I'm totally new at this.

Last year after watching the London Marathon 2012, I decided I wanted run the 2013 Marathon. I also turn 30 the friday after (26th April) - so it's a personal goal.

I have the Winsdor Half Marathon in a few weeks and my time is looking pretty good for all 5'2 of me - 2 hours 10mins :-)

But I need some advice - what happens if I don't get a ballot place, how else can I enter or is it too late?

Please help.

Lynn

Lynn

There are still lots of charities with places - you will have to pledge to raise between £1500 and about £2,000 in cash to secure  aplace.

Raising the cash is hard work but lots of people manage it.

Just look at any charities web page an dthey will have a link to applying for their VLM places.

These charities originally had Gold Bond Places

http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/marathon-centre/enter-virgin-london-marathon/charity-entries/golden-bond-charities/ 

Keith

Hi Keith,

I'm afraid I won't be able to raise the money and I don't want to let anyone down.

Do you know what happens if you miss the target - not that I want to.

Lynn

Keith will probably say if you can't raise the target pledge then don't take the place of someone who can and will (and would probs raise much more into the bargain). Some others would say, just take the place and do your best, it doesn't matter cos they can't sue you.... I would say it's a mugs game and if the pledge level were more realistic in the first place then the charities would get more guaranteed entries and would reach their fundraising targets because the majority of entrants would have no problems reaching their pledge target. Also, if they relaxed the 'transferring your place' rules, they would get a better take up still as sooooo many people who start the journey don't get anywhere near the start line which is a total waste of a place!.....I guess it depends on your level of commitment and your conscience though, but to be fair if you know you can't raise the money you shouldn't do it..., just buy a place in another spring mara for £30 and go enjoy that one instead?....you can still kick around on here and get all the support etc with your training and ultimately it's about the distance, not the venue...Although London is superb....

Sage advice as always from dear old Flanks !!!!!

I no longer need to post as Flanker can post for me

But yes broadly if you KNOW you cant raise the cash then don't take the place. This is one of the major charity fundraisers of the year and in the current climate they need the money as donations are really tight at the moment. So starting of knowing you can't raise the cash seems all wrong to me on a moral as well as practical level. Flanker is right legally they can't do much to you so as long as you are prepared (in my words) to rip of a charity you will be fine.

No point rehearsing the arguments about transfering places not leading to more places (but would lead to actually accepting less people in first place) or the price of GB places as the Charities are run by very professional people who I am sure have worked out the optimum price they should charge to raise the most cash. VLM is  a hugely over subscribed product not everyone who wants to can do it, its a shame but thats life.

Also would suggest (cant bring myself to agree with Flanker twice) that there are lots of other marathons, some with very low entry (and all 26.2 miles). Milton Keynes is a few weeks after london and still I believe has open places so thats a good alternative. Brighton the week before and their charity pledges are much lower.

The targets are steep but you will get tips & advice from others on how to reach it if you decide to do it. I don't agree with the guys that any old race will do - frankly London is far & away the most fun so if that's your goal don't be put off. For most it will be the only marathon they do, quite rightly, so do the best!

London is indeed a fun day out

You could try The Edinburgh Marathon in May , did it for the first time having not got a place in London in 2009. it was a great day and will be doing it for the 4th time if I don't get a place in London next year.

Sorry Keith..........I felt left out as the OP only asked the question of you.........

John,,,,not 'if',,,when  ...

John,,,,not 'if',,,when  ...

1 in 10 chance to get a place , think you are correct. Manchester Marathon is the week after expecting 10,000 people to enter . Might do that one although its £55 to enter

Entries for all these events are not getting any cheaper !!!!!

But what is getting cheaper ?

£40-£50 seems to be about the average for a big city marathon due to all the costs they have in staging the event. Lots of smaller events with less road closures/police costs for £20-£30. Both still very cheap if you ever look at race entry costs in the States Boston is about $150 for US citizens and NY even more.

And London at £32 looks like a positive bargain

I think London is a great deal cost wise. I have done a few now and most I have paid is £45 (early bird) which is Brighton and cheapest was Salisbury 5.4.3.2.1 at £16.00....bargain price as medal and goodie bag after - with well placed and stocked water / fuel stations.......

I don't have any issues really with marathon costs but I do have issues with overcharged half marathons which are in some case are only a few quid less than the full so I will always now do the marathon distance if it is a full or a half...I guess they use the same roads / water stations so probably why they are so expensive.

Anyway, I am waffling. It is all expensive from the entry fee to the gear you have - trainers, wick away clothing, underwear, socks  but just so worth it for the doing of them and the amazing buzz you get and for the fun....mainly !!   

I was having a similar conversation with a friend (fellow marathoner) about how people afford to drink/smoke etc and concluded that it's all jut roundabouts when you consider how much we spend on races whether it's running, cycling or triathlons and then throw in all the gear, gadgets, travel, accomodation etc but well worth every penny (except when you have a bad race day :P).

I agree with the cost of half marathons - I felt especially ripped after Run to the Beat last year - Forty something squids and I didn't even get a goodie bag at the end! Although I also felt a bit deflated when I opened the goodie bag after London this year and found mens razors, shaving cream , mens deo, a finishers shirt that was so big I could have used it as a tent during my summer festival circuits (but i'm seriously getting off topic here so I will stop :D )

Thought I'd give my tuppence worth of info.  At least one charitiy (I cant remember which one) requests that you forward around £500.00 of sponsorship around 4 weeks prior to the big day and then request the remainder a few weeks after the marathon. Not sure what the charities options would be if you fail to make the the first dead line. Thats it then. Good luck to everyone in the ballot. I'm hoping the postman does'nt deliver a red VLM jacket in October.

Hey there, I took up running 2 years ago and now have the bug bigtime. Ive run the GMR,GYR,LIVERPOOL HALF to name a few races. I have recently found out I have a charity place in which I have to raise £1800 which I thought at first how am I going to do that but now the problem has turned into something else. Could anybody whose run a marathon before please give me any advice from carb intake to training to pace to hydration ect as im hearing and reading some horrific stories about the "wall". I have been doing long runs since my half in March and last week got 15 miles under my belt without stopping and felt fantastic, yesterday I tried 16 and it ive never felt as rubbish think I met the wall at about mile 14 and I didnt do anything different. Just slowed right down and felt terrible. Thought I had this but now starting to think ive bitten off more than I can chew, isnt the wall supposed to happen at like mile 20?? Sure if I can delay it till then then id find a way of squeezing another 6 mile out as im a pritty determined woman but if it hits me any earlier im in trouble. Im also hearing contradictory stories over hydration and carb intake aswel, too much water versus drink loads versus you can just drink sports drink all the way through to alternate it with water and never drink it alongside taking gel....im so confused and I know its probably just a case of trial and error as its different for everybody but im pritty sure if I spoke to real people who have run marathons before then they could help take some of the stress away.............. heeeelllpp lol

Hi

There are very few right or wrong answers but just whats works for you. During training try out various things and stick with the ones that work. There are very few hard and fast rules,

If you can currently run 15 miles then you will, providing you stick with it, have no issues at the marathon next year, Virtually everyone can run a marathon and you have  ahead start on most people

The wall isn't guaranteed and can be avoided entirely. Its largely a result of your body running out of fuel due to either running faster than you should or not fueling correctly.

In terms of hydration/food what works for me is drinking largely to thirst (latest theory is most people over drink rather than under drink) and if its a long run having a gel maybe every 5 miles, I take my gels with luiquid just because its easier that way but it doesnt really matter. 

Chances are your 16 miler was just a bad day, maybe you were over tired etc. We all get them and they are nothing to panic over.

Just keep plugging away and enjoying ita nd you will get there

Keith

Hey there,

Thankyou for that youve made me feel a little better. Still very confused,maybe I should stop reading so much and just do like you said and try things myself. Horror stories about overhydrating for a marathon scare me mind as I drink loads of water day to day but apparantly its different when you are running long distance. Will put yesterday down to an off day and start afresh next Saturday. I know exactly how to fuel my, hydrate and manage my body in distances upto half marathons but with this being double that and my first its naturally terrifying lol. Hopefully il have you guys to help me through for the next few months.