[SA Chris]

That's interesting Chris, I wonder if it was just coincidence or it really works like that. Father in law got a ballot place first time by selecting the 'agree to donate your entry fee and get a better chance / free training top' option, though perhaps has a less common postcode too.

I'm in no hurry - I run quite a few long trail races and am not really motivated by a road marathon, but would like to do London just the once. I'll keep entering the ballot and when it eventually happens, that'll be the year and I'll put in a decent training effort.

Who knows? A friend in an even more obscure postcode has applied to the ballot every year for 10 years and not got in, maybe it's number of people living in that post code vs applications (speculating wildly). I was never really that keen either, and if it hadn't fallen on the day of my 50th i probably wouldn't have bothered, but partner said give it a go, you never know. I put in a block of fairly hard training, enough to be walking a fine line of being injured (ITB was really painful for last 3km), but it was a wonderful experience to do, and recommended. Never had the desire since to do another marathon though (might do another ultra though, a lot less stressful).

[chriss]

I think the ballot thing is pretty random. I live in the South East & know diehards that have never got in & people who enter for the craic & shit themselves because they get in. I think the way to go with London if you are determined is to find an obscure charity that's not after £1000000000000.....

Many of my friends, proper runner's and charity chugger love it as a race or 'bucket list event' I've done a few marathons, the biggest being Brighton twice, but never fancied it.

[T_B]

I got in on my first attempt via the ballot.

Not sure whether I’d ever do another road mara but I get why people want to do London. It’s a pretty incredible experience.

I also suspect there are ways to get a charity place without necessarily raising tons of cash.

[SA Chris]

Even though I got a ballot place, i raised money for RNLI, and came close to meeting the required amount with very little effort in promoting. And getting to use their after race facility for a feed and massage before getting on plane was a bonus.

[lukeyboy]

As I'm already a runner and would be doing it because I wanted to rather than as 'a challenge', I wouldn't / couldn't ask people to sponsor me. It would feel like a piss take.

OT but it winds me up when people ask you to sponsor them for something they'd just like to do anyway, like a skydive (particularly where the amount raised pays for the jump), unless perhaps they are chronically terrified of it and it is a genuine challenge for them.

[T_B]

It depends how you communicate it.

I’ve worked in ‘Adventure Travel’ for 25 years so no-one is more cynical than me when it comes to people asking for sponsorship for eg their exotic holiday!

I ran London for myself but thought it was an opportunity to raise money. There are a lot of people out there who just need an excuse to donate to charity. You’re not pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes and it’s not like you’re asking anyone to fund your race. I do think with London there’s such a massive element to the event around charity that it’s a no-brainer to raise some cash (unless maybe if you do lots of other charitable work/fundraising in other areas).

[lukeyboy]

That's an interesting perspective on it, thanks for sharing.

I guess anyone sponsoring you isn't funding your race but they are enabling you to get a place at all (given ballot odds are low) which I'd say is more valuable than the fairly reasonable £60 or so for your entry. In this sense you are quite directly benefiting from everyone else's charity.

It's a fair point about people sometimes needing a nudge/opportunity to donate to charity, though equally some people may be in a position of not really being able to afford to and feeling socially obliged.

I appreciate this a matter of personal opinion and that I'm very much at the 'the onus needs to be on the fundraiser to do something genuinely worth sponsoring' end of the scale.

[SA Chris]

For me it wasn't a case of needing to raise money or it motivating me to do it, I just saw it as an opportunity to help an organisation that I strongly believe in (as did my gran who voluntarily manned the RNLI lifeboat shop until her mid 90s and died not long before i ran the race). Other people have other motivations. Do what you feel is right for you, but don't judge others on their motivations for challenging themselves.

[lukeyboy]

I hope it didn't come across as judging anyone for their motivations - that wasn't my intention and apologies if so.

Obviously I'm fully supportive of raising money for deserving charities and it's a great thing to do.

Just my personal view and experience on charity fundraising, with an interest in having my perspective challenged or hearing others experiences.

[duncan]

This might be an appropriate point to cite the infamous study on charity skydiving which found the small number of expensive injuries meant the activity cost the NHS £14 for every £1 raised!

Conversely, for many years l led physiotherapy support for London marathon runners fundraising for Versus Arthritis. I really enjoyed volunteering, they had funded some of my research, it was a great experience for the students, the runners were very appreciative (especially the 5+ hours folk), and Versus Arthritis valued the considerable funds raised directly and also the awareness-raising. I spoke with 100s of participants and, much like T_B and SA Chris, motivations were nearly always two-fold: both a personal challenge and the opportunity to raise money for a cause close to their heart.

[chriss]

As a runner with lots of running friends I wind up spending a lot during marathon season. Getting a ballot place in say London is hard, so blatantly many of them go for a charity to get in. Do I mind chipping in a few quid? Absolutely not because they get to do something they love on the biggest stage and it's something for them to treasure. The chosen charity also gets some cash & exposure. Generally unless they are a close friend I don't do multiple sponsors to fund their running fun.

I did my first marathon for MIiND as I decided to go for it last minute. It's a charity close to my heart so was happy to ask people for some money. It's the only time I've done it & didn't really like it although MIND didn't give a F**k about the minimum sponsorship. Kind friend's and family smashed my target.

Running a marathon is hard, really hard if you don't run & even harder if you are a runner and want to race it. Doing a skydive is a piss take & I agree it would be like asking folk to sponsor me to drink 8 pints and have a curry.

[lukeyboy]

London Marathon has published that there were a record 840k entries for the ballot this year, up from 578k last time.

There's an estimated 17k ballot places available, which means odds of success are only about 2%.

An incredible change from the days when you'd get a guaranteed place if you entered 3 (?) years in a row without success

[SA Chris]

Amazing to look at the numbers vs applicants year on year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Marathon

Anyhoo, managed to PB my 15 miler on Sunday with 2:03:10. 5 min pb from 2018 time, but fell short of 2 hour stretch goal. All hopes faded with brutal headwind for the last 3 miles, and rain in face for the final descent.

[T_B]

If I was being cynical I would say there’s definitely bragging rights to getting in certain races and the race organisers/marketing team know that. Manchester mara is full for next year already and they were using some pretty odd tactics to fill up their  half for this October. Closing entry and then re-opening it.

Obviously I just kept it to myself when I got into London on the first attempt 

[SA Chris]

As per earlier, me too. And my wife, although she has managed a string of GFAs following on from that. Our neighbour got in on the ballot the twice she applied. If you want to use my postcode for a drop address let me know

[lukeyboy]

Anyhoo, managed to PB my 15 miler on Sunday with 2:03:10. 5 min pb from 2018 time, but fell short of 2 hour stretch goal. All hopes faded with brutal headwind for the last 3 miles, and rain in face for the final descent.

Nice one Chris, in what sound like non-ideal conditions

[Durbs]

Just a heads up lots of Brooks shoes on offer on Sports Pursuit if in need of fresh footwear:

https://www.sportpursuit.com/products?bid=1269&sp_nav=ct-4.pb-1269.

[SA Chris]

Anyhoo, managed to PB my 15 miler on Sunday with 2:03:10. 5 min pb from 2018 time, but fell short of 2 hour stretch goal. All hopes faded with brutal headwind for the last 3 miles, and rain in face for the final descent.

Nice one Chris, in what sound like non-ideal conditions

Cheers. not benefitting the wind for the first half (river level and in trees) and getting nailed at the end is brutal. First time out in Saucony Endorphin Edge (carbon plated trail shoe). No idea if it made a difference, but they are great shoes for mixed trails, but i think tread is not really deep enough for really wet muddy conditions. Will see later in the year if things come to fruition....

[chriss]

Anyhoo, managed to PB my 15 miler on Sunday with 2:03:10. 5 min pb from 2018 time, but fell short of 2 hour stretch goal. All hopes faded with brutal headwind for the last 3 miles, and rain in face for the fina

Cheers. not benefitting the wind for the first half (river level and in trees) and getting nailed at the end is brutal. First time out in Saucony Endorphin Edge (carbon plated trail shoe). No idea if it made a difference, but they are great shoes for mixed trails, but i think tread is not really deep enough for really wet muddy conditions. Will see later in the
year if things come to fruition....

Good effort on the race. I'd be interested to see what you think of carbon trails over the long term. Personally I really rate carbon road shoes, but wondered how they would realistically work in trails.

[SA Chris]

I rate carbon road shoes too. From what i have read, due to the nature of shoe and terrain you are limited to lower stack size so benefits are not going to be as big as road shoes, but if you can get some at a reasonable price it's worthwhile. They were £100 on sportshoes, so a worthwhile punt as I needed new trail shoes anyway.

[Duma]

FFS everyone rates carbon plated road shoes, because it's mechanical doping.

Fucking shameful that this bullshit was allowed by the authorities IMO, running has been sold to Nike etc al.

[SA Chris]

You serious? No different to downturned climbing shoes, carving skis or aerobars on a roadbike. I'm not getting any younger, need every help I can get.

[Duma]

Absolutely serious. I'm shocked that you would need to ask. From this to Oscar Pretorius' blades is just a matter of degree. Re your comment about all the help you can get, would you be happy to chemically dope, or give everyone not on springs a 4% headstart?

Running was the simplest thing. It was never about the kit. Now it is. Times pre and post the vapourfly cannot be meaningfully compared.
Cycling, skiing and climbing have always been about the kit, to greater or lesser degree. (Though I would say rubber kneepads are a much better comparison than down turned shoes)(and note that aerobars are not permitted in road racing)

[SA Chris]

would you be happy to chemically dope

False equivalence.

If you look at any distance road run today, well over 2/3 of the field are on plated shoes. Not that it matters I'm not competing against them.

Everything used to be simple until it was made complicated. Even bouldering.

Running has always been about the kit, or else we would still be running in hobnail boots, cotton work shirts and woolen shorts. It's the shoes, the clothing, the accurate watch, the improved training methods and the easily consumed in race nutrition.

OK, no aerobars in road racing, bad comparison, but carbon fames and rims, skinny tyres and bikes that weight about the same as one of the wheels on mine are all fair to compare.

[chriss]

Wow what a reply. I think you misunderstand carbon shoe.

A carbon shoe is only as good as the runner. For example they moved the pods back on the new Nike's because most runners don't land on them because they are shit runners. ASICS also have new plated shoes for different foot strikes. Hoka' have that heel to forefoot roll. I'd say most runners can't hold form for a marathon to get full use out of them, heel striking for X miles, rather than bouncing on a plate is pretty crap.

As for cheating, it's not. Anyone can buy them and most will be club runners looking for a pb or ego runners trying to look good. The eletes all wear them, so it's a case of talent, training & luck.

If you look at Kenya it's riddled by doping at the moment.