[Closed] London Marathon ballot - out today?

Think so, looking forward to my traditional rejection mag (9 years running) (ho ho, or possibly 9 years not running)

Yeah, no luck for me yet either - only applied four times though. Really don't want to run for a charity as I don't have the time to fundraise on top of everything else – I want to run it for myself.

Its the 7th October, so next Thursday.

I'm in the same position JohnDoh - I am going to raise some money for charity should I get a place, but I'm probably going to split it between a couple that impact my family.

Another week of not worrying about training before i can either forget again for another 6 months or start panicking that I really should've done more already!

Is anyone starting an STW Marathon Club?

I got my 'sorry' magazine in this morning's post

I am going to raise some money for charity should I get a place, but I'm probably going to split it between a couple that impact my family.

Yeah, also agree - if I'm running it it's for myself, don't think I'd want to guilt people into paying for me.

I thought that if you were rejected 4 years running you were guaranteed a place on the 5th? Maybe this has changed in recent years.

Good luck to everyone expecting an entry. I was fortunate enough not to need to wait with a GFA entry confirmed a couple of months ago.

Cheers, Rich

Rich, the 5 and you're in rule finished a couple of years ago unfortunately. I was in the last year to take advantage.

They have started to release/post the mags from today, if you get a lass in a bee costume you're in. If spiderman's on the front, you'll be doing Brighton or Manchester (see you there!).

Matt

I thought that if you were rejected 4 years running you were guaranteed a place on the 5th? Maybe this has changed in recent years.

Yeah, changed just as I was eligible 🙄 Oh well, as you say there's always GFA (might involve just a tad more training for me!)

Dear Entrant,

We regret that we have to advise you that your application to run in the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon has not been successful due to massive over-subscription.

Ho hum.

Rang my wife, no post today...

Hmm, why did their emails tell me its next Thursday?

"If you entered the ballot for next year’s Virgin Money London Marathon we’ll be in touch by October 7th to let you know whether you’ve gained a ballot place in the race."

Ah. BY October 7th, not ON. I see.

Unsuccessful here as well 🙁

I now need to work if I want to try to enter another one . . . .

[img] [/img]

😀

Cheers, Rich

Haven't received anything in the post yet, but just received an email saying I haven't got a place.

🙁

Hmmm, so MM solo instead?

Same here, email saying no. Oh well, 10th time lucky next year?

There are other ways of getting an entry that don't involve charity fundraising. For example the club entry, good for age or championship routes.

[img] [/img]

So yes to good for age, but not to the ballot

[img] [/img]

One would have thought that the system would realise I was just one person!

Cheers, Rich

Bee costume lady for me, although I've known for quite a while that I was in. I'll be joining turboferret at the GFA start. Good luck to all of the ballot entrants.

I just got another rejection to add to the collection

Anyone know what the chances were this year 1:200,000 ?

P.

That was easy enough to find: so about a 1 in 5 then.

Q. How many people entered the ballot this year and what was the chance of gaining a place?

A. A record total of 247,069 people entered the ballot for the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon. We expect approximately 38,000 runners on the start line on Sunday 24 April. We accept more than 50,000 runners as we can predict, after 35 years, almost exactly what proportion of entrants will drop out due to illness, injury or other reasons before Race Day.

There are other ways of getting an entry that don't involve charity fundraising. For example the club entry, good for age or championship routes.

As a slow, non-club runner they're not really options for me 😀 Doesn't really matter, I'd like to do it one year for the experience but it's not the [i]only[/i] marathon in the world is it. I ran the Edinburgh marathon last year, will probably look at one somewhere else next year.

[b]

Psplat - Member
That was easy enough to find: so about a 1 in 5 then.[/b]

Ha ha ha, nice one chuckles!

The total number is all runners, not ballot places. London Marathon are extremely cagey about the number of ballot places, or how the ballot is drawn.

I don't believe it is random across all entrants, I would guess there a sub-pots based on gender, estimated finishing time, dog's name, favourite running shoe etc.

Matt

Edit, I got a magazine with Paul Martelletti's gurning spiderman. That's zero successes from eight attempts.