The best way to get in, is to join your local running club, that’s how I got in for the 2017 London marathon.
Agreed. It doesn't guarantee it but it certainly increases your chances. The bigger the club, the more places they get.
My club had 3 places a year when I managed to get one (we was averaging 80-90 members then!) You had to do certain stuff to qualify for the club draw, like marshalling on the marathon course (our section was at Cutty Sark) which I'd done for 3-4 years, help set up the cross country course for the Kent Fitness League competition and various other bits and bobs, as well as running in the various club competitions, like the 10k handicap and the 10 mile handicap and stuff like that. You had to be an active member of the club. If you was a member and wasn't running, you was excluded from the draw.
I was lucky, I was drawn out as first reserve for the 2016 VLM and fortunately for me, someone snapped their hamstring 2 weeks later and I took their place.
The other option of course, is run another marathon. It doesn't have to be London. There's plenty of others to choose from. Don't let the difficulty of getting into London stop you running one. There's are local ones and big national ones. Check out Saxons, Vikings and Normans website. The second marathon I ran was the Ranscombe Challenge. Something like 6-7 laps of the most beautiful nature reserve with some very big climbs and was by far the most challenging marathon I'd done.
Brighton is a good one to do, as long as you get organised and get a hotel the night before. Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam are well organised and hotels a plenty.
Have just read the Brighton Marathon organisers have applied to go into administration. So any of you who gave paid up, you might want to charge badk through your payment insurance.
The first km is steady/steep uphill, the 2nd downhill but some of it is in the woods and tricky when wet. Km 3 is gentle uphill, then a short flat section to finish lap 1, then you repeat the starting uphill km etc. It's tough !
Anyone brave it this morning? I went to Lloyd in Croydon, it might be London's toughest. Hilly Fields is hillier but Lloyd is 95% trails and mud, all frozen today. Lullingstone still takes the cake for hardest I've done, I'll be interested to see how many went there today.
I did the 5k Santa Run at Danson last Sunday, can’t even remember the last time I did a run like that like. Actually found it fairly easy, I normally do 30 minutes on the treadmill when I go to the gym but running on pavement/gras is different. We had kids with us so had to stop and walk a few times but did it in around 35-40 minutes.
Charlton this morning. Improved my PB by 36 seconds so I guess it must have been because the ground was frozen rather than muddy. Should have worn gloves.
Fair play to those who braved it. My running Mojo went AWOL early last month. Still no sign of it coming back. If you should see it, I could really do with having it back before next year. I'm not injured, but my mind isn't in a great place at the moment (& it's cold 🥶)
Well done all, really wanted to Parkrun this morning but already arranged golf. Bet it was absolutely glorious to run, cold but with the sun fully out out
Charlton parkrun was tough work yesterday, though that might have been down to lack of sleep than the conditions!
Tail walked at Hilly Fields juniors this morning, which just about survived the frost - always good to see a few kids/parents in Charlton gear there.
Did Dartford Heath last week which was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be - nice people and an interesting two-lap course. Went to Bromley parkrun a few weeks back which wasn't as exciting but very busy - plenty of Charlton fans there too as well.
Went out and ran last week for the first time since the London, absolutely blowing out my arse after 5k, crazy how quick you can lose fitness. Signed up for LLHM and Stafford half in March so will be getting back on it. Trying for a sub 2hr half in London.
Well I got down there this morning, couple of quagmires to negotiate but no worthy excuse for being fully 5-minutes slower than my last one in August!!!
I mean apart from it being the tail end of Mince Pie month of course, nom nom nom….
I did Brentwood last week and was 4 mins slower than usual because of all the ice. Nice run but probably should have been cancelled.
Did Bexley today, Maidstone tomorrow and hopefully Whitstable next week for my 25th location. It's very addictive, will aim to complete the alphabet long term.
Comments
My club had 3 places a year when I managed to get one (we was averaging 80-90 members then!) You had to do certain stuff to qualify for the club draw, like marshalling on the marathon course (our section was at Cutty Sark) which I'd done for 3-4 years, help set up the cross country course for the Kent Fitness League competition and various other bits and bobs, as well as running in the various club competitions, like the 10k handicap and the 10 mile handicap and stuff like that. You had to be an active member of the club. If you was a member and wasn't running, you was excluded from the draw.
I was lucky, I was drawn out as first reserve for the 2016 VLM and fortunately for me, someone snapped their hamstring 2 weeks later and I took their place.
The other option of course, is run another marathon. It doesn't have to be London.
There's plenty of others to choose from. Don't let the difficulty of getting into London stop you running one. There's are local ones and big national ones. Check out Saxons, Vikings and Normans website. The second marathon I ran was the Ranscombe Challenge. Something like 6-7 laps of the most beautiful nature reserve with some very big climbs and was by far the most challenging marathon I'd done.
Brighton is a good one to do, as long as you get organised and get a hotel the night before.
Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam are well organised and hotels a plenty.
I'll be doing my 25th in a couple of weeks. 25 doesn't feel much when you're starting but that purple shirt will be well earned.
Did Dartford Heath last week which was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be - nice people and an interesting two-lap course. Went to Bromley parkrun a few weeks back which wasn't as exciting but very busy - plenty of Charlton fans there too as well.
I mean apart from it being the tail end of Mince Pie month of course, nom nom nom….
Did Bexley today, Maidstone tomorrow and hopefully Whitstable next week for my 25th location. It's very addictive, will aim to complete the alphabet long term.