We know of 4 ways to enter the London Marathon:

• through the Online Ballot
• running for a charity
• as a championship runner
• a "good for your age" place
• getting a club place through your running club

The Online Ballot

The Flora London Marathon 2009 online entry ballot system opened on 13th April 2008 and will close when 120,000 applications have been received. This is a ballot entry system. Entry into the ballot does not guarantee entry into the marathon as there will be more applicants than entries available. You will be advised if you have been successful in securing an entry in the Flora London Marathon 2009 in early October, when you will either receive one of two magazines – ‘Accepted’ or ‘Rejected’, or you log back in to this website.

Bequeath your entry fee and receive a FREE limited edition Flora London Marathon micro-fleece. All unsuccessful applicants who donate their entry fees will receive additional benefits. Full information is on the London Marathon website.

A Charity

Should you be unsuccessful in the ballot, or would like raise money for you favourite cause then consider running far a charity.  

Each Charity has to pay approximately £250 for each place, so charity place are not handed out for free.  You will be expected to raise a large sum of money, between £1,000 and £1,500, for your London Marathon place.

Championship Runner

The qualifying standards for a marathon are sub 2:45 for men or sub 3:15 for women. If you are a member of a UKA club and have a qualifying performance in the last two years you can apply for automatic entry to the London Marathon.

Good for age

There is also a sliding scale for those who are 'Good for your Age'.  Again, apply to London Marathon for a guaranteed place.  The scale is as follows:

Men

Women

Club Places

Each UK Athletics-affiliated club is guaranteed a number of places dependant upon the number of club members amongst other criteria.  The Stowmarket Striders usually have 3 guaranteed places to the London Marathon.  To apply for a club place, the committee has agreed on the following criteria.

• The applicant must have been a paid-up member for the year prior to the London Marathon.  i.e. for 2003 the applicant must have paid 2002 membership by 31st March 2002.  
   
• The applicant must have run a minimum of 5 established races for the club in the year prior to the London Marathon.
   
• The applicant must have applied for and been refused entry to the London Marathon, as per the ballot above.  Please keep you rejection advice from the London Marathon to back up your claim.
   
• Preference will automatically be given to those applicants who have not run or had a Strider's club place for London before.
   
• Members who have been rejected for the London Marathon the most times will take priority.  If rejections are equal then a draw will decide the club member receiving the London Marathon Club place.
     
• If none of the applicants for the London Marathon meet all the criteria above, then the rules will be applied as best they can.

If you wish to be considered for the Club Place, please provide your application to any member of the committee to be reviewed with other applications at a committee meeting.  

Those successful are usually announced at the Stowmarket Striders Christmas Party.