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London Marathon ballot for 2014 now open

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Are you throwing your hat in the ring Northie?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Are you throwing your hat in the ring Northie?
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I've entered the ballot - I've had 30 years of people asking me if I've run the London, so thought I would at least try and get a place although I'm not holding my breath! Not really that keen on such a big field, but it will be once in a lifetime. Could go for a charity place I suppose, but they expect you to raise thousands and I can't see that happening! Often wondered what happens if you fail to raise the money they're asking for - did DUK specify anything when you ran in Bath?
 
Tempted, haven't done it since '02 and maybe it's what I need to get me out there..would need a lot of training but that's part of the fun!
 
Northerner said:
I've entered the ballot - I've had 30 years of people asking me if I've run the London, so thought I would at least try and get a place although I'm not holding my breath! Not really that keen on such a big field, but it will be once in a lifetime. Could go for a charity place I suppose, but they expect you to raise thousands and I can't see that happening! Often wondered what happens if you fail to raise the money they're asking for - did DUK specify anything when you ran in Bath?
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The Half Marathon target was ?250, which was pertty achievable I thought.

I've popped an entry into the ballot (as has Sowerbee I think). Very slim chance of getting through though I think.

I'm pretty sure all the DUK places are filled. Unless I completely mis-understood I thought I read Joe saying on FB the other day that they were only looking for people for 2015.

There are a *lot* of charities on the lookout though I suppose - and I guess they all probably have slightly different targets.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
The Half Marathon target was ?250, which was pertty achievable I thought.

I've popped an entry into the ballot (as has Sowerbee I think). Very slim chance of getting through though I think.

I'm pretty sure all the DUK places are filled. Unless I completely mis-understood I thought I read Joe saying on FB the other day that they were only looking for people for 2015.

There are a *lot* of charities on the lookout though I suppose - and I guess they all probably have slightly different targets.
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?250 is fine, but I've heard they ask for ten times that for the London 😱

The thing to do of course Mike is to run a marathon fast enough to get a place under the 'good for age' category. For me that would mean running under 3hr 20min, which ain't going to happen! 😱
 
I did it for charity in 2000 but got in through the ballet in 2002, what will 2014 bring?

I think I hit submit and have entered, oops! When do they want the money, oops again arrggh Northie!
 
rossi_mac said:
I did it for charity in 2000 but got in through the ballet in 2002, what will 2014 bring?

I think I hit submit and have entered, oops! When do they want the money, oops again arrggh Northie!
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You don't have to pay anything until October, and then only if you get a place 🙂 You should get a confirmation email 🙂
 
Northerner said:
?250 is fine, but I've heard they ask for ten times that for the London 😱

The thing to do of course Mike is to run a marathon fast enough to get a place under the 'good for age' category. For me that would mean running under 3hr 20min, which ain't going to happen! 😱
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Under 3hrs 20 would be quite something.

I confess I've been rather optimistic with my time, partly because I was so far back in the Bath Half that I had to spend an hour running through the crowds!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Under 3hrs 20 would be quite something.

I confess I've been rather optimistic with my time, partly because I was so far back in the Bath Half that I had to spend an hour running through the crowds!
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Hmm..in London it takes half an hour to get across the start line! 😱 🙂

My best time for a marathon was 3hr 35, but that was over 20 years ago. I was on for a sub-4hrs in Stockholm, but then my femur broke...😱
 
when I did the charity run the cheapest charities were asking 750 but most 1500, so I guess now they would be all 4 figures eek!

So what did you guys put down as time? I said 4:30??!!

I did it in 3:52 in '00 and was aiming for sub 3:30 in '02 (yes there is a but coming) and Iwas doing well but I hit the wall and knees weren't working finished in 4:17, still okay just so wanted a real good time!

Scared now!! In a good way 😛
 
rossi_mac said:
when I did the charity run the cheapest charities were asking 750 but most 1500, so I guess now they would be all 4 figures eek!

So what did you guys put down as time? I said 4:30??!!

I did it in 3:52 in '00 and was aiming for sub 3:30 in '02 (yes there is a but coming) and Iwas doing well but I hit the wall and knees weren't working finished in 4:17, still okay just so wanted a real good time!

Scared now!! In a good way 😛
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I put 4:30 down also 🙂
 
If I'm honest I'd be made up with anything 4 hours or thereabouts - which would be my 'half' time with a bit of slowdown after that. On the form tho I put in for a bit less than that having had a bit of a frustrating time in March weaving in and out of people for ages!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
If I'm honest I'd be made up with anything 4 hours or thereabouts - which would be my 'half' time with a bit of slowdown after that. On the form tho I put in for a bit less than that having had a bit of a frustrating time in March weaving in and out of people for ages!
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Life is definitely a lot easier if you can start in the group that most closely matches your pace, I always try and avoid weaving at all costs. It can be just as frustrating if you start off too far ahead of your pace and you get people constantly weaving past you! 😱 They often have pace guides at races and it's a good thing to tag along with the group that matches your pace and ambitions, as it keeps you a bit more disciplined 🙂

Hopefully, if you do get a place though Mike, you will be able to put in plenty of training otherwise the slowdown over the last 5 miles can be considerable - you can g from 8 minute miles to 15 quite easily once the wall hits! 😱
 
Northerner said:
Hopefully, if you do get a place though Mike, you will be able to put in plenty of training otherwise the slowdown over the last 5 miles can be considerable - you can g from 8 minute miles to 15 quite easily once the wall hits! 😱
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I can well believe that! There a schedule in the same series as the one you sent me for the half that suggests 12 weeks, but that seems ridiculously short to me. The other thing that confuses me about several of the longer training schedules is that they seem to stop at runs of about 2hrs which doesn't seem quite enough somehow!

If by any tiny chance I got through the ballot I guess I'd start from the October and gradually ramp up from there!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I can well believe that! There a schedule in the same series as the one you sent me for the half that suggests 12 weeks, but that seems ridiculously short to me. The other thing that confuses me about several of the longer training schedules is that they seem to stop at runs of about 2hrs which doesn't seem quite enough somehow!

If by any tiny chance I got through the ballot I guess I'd start from the October and gradually ramp up from there!
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I think it's best to keep your hand in so that you are pretty comfortable with 10-12 miles by the time the ballot result is announced, then you are starting from a pretty firm base. 12 weeks is possible enough from scratch but doesn't really allow for many mishaps, like illness, poor weather, injury etc. For me, I think the most important thing to get under your belt before the 'big day' is confidence that you can run 20-22 miles in training, however long it takes. Expecting people to virtually double their maximum training run (whether distance or time) on the day is asking for trouble! 😱
 
Northerner said:
Expecting people to virtually double their maximum training run (whether distance or time) on the day is asking for trouble! 😱
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Exactly what I thought!

The half training system of ramping up by 2km a week seemed both relatively gentle and quite achievable to me.

Might need some other shoes tho. I can't rely on my current ones not to rub blisters under my heels 😱
 
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