London Marathon ballot

[Proposition Joe]

Anyone entered? Probably get another rejection but even if I get in will look to defer to 2025, can't imagine life will allow the time to put in the necessary yards between now and next April.

Who on here has done it before?

[BoniO]

Did it 34 years ago and my legs still ache.....

Went round with a mate. It was great to do it and a fantastic experience but I had no desire to do another one. Done that, box ticked

[Orient Punxx]

1994 3:57
Wore an Orient shirt and got great support. Finished with wooden legs. Lost interest in running thereafter - had nothing else to aim at.

[Adz]

Never got in, but have run the course on my own once

[Dunners]

When I was about 10 I once walked a mini marathon. Still have the medal.

[Max Fowler]

Aren't you quick enough for a guaranteed entry?

[Proposition Joe]

Ha, as if. Never run further than a half marathon and my PB is a) old and b) wasn't close to champ entry.

Don't necessarily see the marathon as 'the pinnacle', can't imagine losing motivation for doing shorter distances and wanting to keep improving times/get closer to where I was a few years ago etc as per Orient Punxx's experience (suspect most of the PBs themselves will remain untouched but you never know, a fair few club colleagues end up smashing it during their late 40s or even 50s when they just suddenly have more time on their hands). Just want to say I've done one and tick it off the list.

Erstwhile Boarder JimbO (don't believe it's the same one on here now?) has done about 20+ maras now, insane stuff.

[spen666]

When I was a kid, if they didn't have Mars Bars, I had a Marathon

[Proposition Joe]

Hahahahahahahaha. Brilliant! I was talking about the 26.2mile annual mass participation running event and you've talked about a Snickers, which used to be called a 'Marathon' bar! Marvellous.

[Proposition Joe]

In an entirely predictable turn of events, I was unsuccessful. Ah well.

[Adz]

Ha, as if. Never run further than a half marathon and my PB is a) old and b) wasn't close to champ entry.

Don't necessarily see the marathon as 'the pinnacle', can't imagine losing motivation for doing shorter distances and wanting to keep improving times/get closer to where I was a few years ago etc as per Orient Punxx's experience (suspect most of the PBs themselves will remain untouched but you never know, a fair few club colleagues end up smashing it during their late 40s or even 50s when they just suddenly have more time on their hands). Just want to say I've done one and tick it off the list.

Erstwhile Boarder JimbO (don't believe it's the same one on here now?) has done about 20+ maras now, insane stuff.

I reckon I've done over a hundred marathon plus distances. There's loads of great races out there. I highly recommend getting off the road and doing trail running (think it may be called fell running the UK)

[Proposition Joe]

Think trail and fell are different - fell races have to have a certain amount of overall incline maybe? There's one in Epping Forest each June run by one of the local clubs.

Love off road stuff, really disappointed not to have been able to do more cross country over the past few years. Did the Nationals at Parliament Hill in 2022 though, bloody great.

[Max Fowler]

Did the Nationals at Parliament Hill in 2022 though, bloody great.

I ran that a few years back - got carried away and totally f**ked myself up in that initial sprint up the hill then spent the rest of the course hanging on for dear life. Horrible memories.

[Proposition Joe]

The feeling when you know you've overcooked it and are absolutely done is awful, no matter how far you've got left. Remember bailing on a track 10000m once just after halfway, knew I'd totally shot my bolt and just thought "eff this for a game of soldiers". Did a really amateur dramatics clutch of the hammy and limped off rather than initially admit I just didn't fancy another 12 laps. Bit embarrassing.

[Max Fowler]

Did a really amateur dramatics clutch of the hammy and limped off rather than initially admit I just didn't fancy another 12 laps. Bit embarrassing.

[Adz]

I've not done much trail running in the UK. I did a 20miler in the dunstable downs about 20 years ago which was really nice, and the race to the stones 100k which if you're looking to do a 100k race is one of the easier ones.

[marcho]

Took part in the 2000 marathon still got the T-shirt,medal and the watch.

[Proposition Joe]

Watch?! Goodie bags have obviously shrunk a bit since.

[theballmagnet]

I'm in

[Proposition Joe]

Nice one. Good luck!

[theballmagnet]

Nice one. Good luck!

Might wait for the Good for age entries to get a better start but it's a gamble